I was a child when my parents took my sister and me to watch a rare event -- a movie showing at the barangay plaza. There were no chairs... we bundled up and brought sacks to sit on. The screen was a huge sheet stretched on part of the plaza wall.

The movie seemed very familiar. It was "Natutulog Pa Ang Diyos (God Is Still Asleep)." I realized it was an adaptation of a radio drama I had been hearing off and on for the past few months. The trials and vicissitudes of Gillian, the heiress deprived of her rightful place, and of Andrew, the usurper who had been put in her place, had been in the background of our daily life, as the radio played incessantly from dawn till dusk and could be heard all over the house.

Then there was the theme song. It was something else actually. Was Gillian actually asking if God was asleep? I don't remember if there was such a part in the movie, but then it has been twenty years. All I remember were the parts where the babies got switched inside the car, then the maltreatment of Gillian by her foster parents, and the part where Andrew got operated on after being in an accident, when I hid my eyes from so much blood.

Why? Was God sleeping, to allow such bad things to happen to someone who didn't deserve them? As we look around us today, we can ask the same thing. Is He asleep? Is He even there? Why does He let all the atrocities happen? Why doesn't He save the innocents who are suffering all over the world? Why does He let evil remain? The song says that we have to do something and He will help us. But why doesn't He then help those people who are trying to make a difference? Why does He stand by and let journalists be murdered, let activists be salvaged, let those who would speak the truth be silenced?

Is He sleeping?
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Natutulog Ba Ang Diyos?
(Gary Valenciano / OST - Natutulog Ba Ang Diyos)

Bakit kaya, bakit ka ba naghihintay
Na himukin pa, pilitin pa ng tadhana
Alam mo na kung bakit nagkakaganyan
Lumulutang, nasasayang and buhay mo
At ang ibinubulong ng iyong puso
Natutulog ba ang Diyos, natutulog ba?

At ikay ay kaagad sumusuko
Konting hirap at munting pagsubok lamang
Bakit ganyan, nasaan and iyong tapang
Naduduwag, nawawalan ng pag-asa
At iniisip na natutulog pa, natutulog pa ang Diyos
Natutulog ba?

Chorus:
Sikapin mo, pilitin mo, tibayan ang iyong puso
Tanging ikaw ang huhubog sa iyong bukas
Huwag sanang akalaing natutulog pa ang Diyos
Ang buhay mo ay mayroong halaga sa Kanya.

Dapat nga ba na ikaw ay maghintay
At himukin pa, pilitin pa ng tadhana
Gawin mo na, kung ano ang nararapat
Magsikap ka at magtiwala sa Maykapal
Nakahanda ang Diyos umalalay sa 'yo
Hinihintay ka lang, kaibigan

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Is God Sleeping?
(Gary Valenciano / OST - Natutulog Ba Ang Diyos)
(Rough Translation by Laya)

Why is it, why are you waiting
To be coaxed, to be forced by fate
You already know why
You feel that you are floating, that your life is being wasted
And your heart whispers,
Is God sleeping, is He sleeping?

And you immediately give up
Faced with a little hardship and small trials
Why are you that way, where is your courage?
Feeling cowardly, losing hope
And thinking that He is sleeping, that God is sleeping
Is He sleeping?

Chorus:
Strive, try, to make your heart strong
Only you can shape your tomorrow
You should not think that God is still asleep
Your life has value to Him.

Should it be that you would wait
And be coaxed, be forced by fate
Do what should be done
Strive and believe in the Almighty
God is ready to help you
He is just waiting for you, my friend