The Life of

Harvey
Part I
Part II
Part III
1st Part: My Autobiography- What God has done for me over the
years of my existence

Birth:

My mother learned that she was pregnant exactly 7 months, August 1,

1994, before my birth. It was considered a blessing to the De Nieva clan because
my aunt learnt that she was also pregnant days before and what made it more
special is that in my mothers uterus houses twins who will be born on February 1,
1995. My father was not there when my mother was in labor because he was in
Manila although he returned ASAP upon hearing my mothers ongoing labor. 12:03
AM when my older twin went out to see the world. Then I followed after 8 minutes.
What is exciting in this story was that we were supposed to be delivered via surgery
because one of the twins was in breech position (buttocks first instead of the babys

head). But 1 month before giving birth, ultrasound showed that that child rotated
180 degrees which made us safe to be delivered via normal spontaneous delivery.
The labor and delivery was successful and no complications happened. We can say
that my mother was already expert in labor and delivery because we were her 4 th
and 5th child. After 1 week, we were discharged.

Reflection: Truly the Lord does things that are for the best of his children. Even
before seeing the light, He already did a miracle to me by changing one of the twins
position to a more suitable one in order to prevent my mom to have a more hard
way through surgery. He never lets us experience suffering that we do not deserve.
It is why he deserves the Merciful title because He listens to everybodys prayers.

Faith: My faith experience is like a halo-halo. It taste sweet because there are a
lot of ingredients. I said this because I literally have 3 religions that I joined to. This
was how I came to each of them. My grandfather was a Baptist church pastor. In our
barangay, he himself built a Baptist church and became its very first pastor. Since
he was our grandfather, when we were a little bit older, it was in his church were we
went every Sunday where we listen and sing hymns and listen to Sunday School.
Another reason is that my parents were very busy even Sunday that is why we go
with our Auntie Letty who is, we can say, and avid fan of the Baptist church where
we got baptized as Christians. I cannot blame them. My father started as a jeepney
driver. So when they had the shot to be a little better in life, they took every
opportunity in order to raise us in the best way they know. So that happened since
toddlerhood to school-age.

When I reached elementary, we were enrolled in a Seventh-Day Adventist

School because it was the only private school in Mapandan, Pangasinan back then.
We know that school-age children come with a very competitive nature andc always
wanting to be first in class. I was like that back then. Since they gave incentives to
their students who attend their service every Saturday, we went and got involved in
their religion. Much of we do there is also sing and listen to the speaker. But what
made it different is that they love to showcase their talents like acting and others to
show their reverence to the Lord. Although I was not baptized, I kind of learned how
things happen in there. This happened all through-out elementary years until
graduation.

High-school application happened. My mother learned from her Kumare

whos son was in the seminary that education was good in there. Also, I was always
out of the house playing DOTA in my favorite computer shop. So as a way of making
me and my twin stop becoming DOTA addicts, they decided to enroll us as highschool students in Mary Help of Christians Seminary in Binmaley, Pangasinan. One
requirement was to be a baptized Catholic. So we went to Holy Family Parish to get
baptized. Then after 2 months of summer vacation, we were in the seminary. In
there I learned a lot of prayers, liturgies, how to serve in the mass, how to sing
psalms and hymns of prayers, how to pray the Liturgy of the Hours, how to speak
and read in Latin, the sacraments, and others. In fact I became one of the official
altar servers of the seminary which gave me a holier look to others. It was nice and
exciting because I get to go to a lot of parishes where we serve. If you ask me why
did I not continue priesthood despite the offer of full scholarship by the priests? Its
just that I believed that priesthood is offering yourself to God. But I have always had
the dream of becoming a doctor which is an offering of one self to the sick who we
consider as people who are Christ-like. No difference, right?

Reflection:

No matter what religion you join in, the Lord has always a way to
make Himself known to you. Whether it be in the other Christian churches or in my
case in the Baptist and Seventh day Adventist Church, He makes sure that you
listen to the important lessons in life. Never judge and misinterpret each church.
Just follow what your heart says about faith and do it whole-heartedly.

Positive and Negative Experiences: I am proud to say that the most

positive and negative experience at the same time in my life is when I went in the
seminary. It was in there were I acquired of who I am today: my personality,
attitude, behavior, faith, and knowledge. It was in there where my eyes were
opened to the reality of life. In there, I learned how to manage, who trust, and who
to withdraw myself from little boys who came from different towns with different
ways and personalities. It was in there where I met the best, the worst, the
friendliest, the truest, and the most boring persons I have ever met. It was also in
there where I learned to be independent and that I am responsible and accountable
for every action that I make. It was where I honed my skills and knowledge to
prepare me for college and bringing me to what I will achieve tomorrow.

Reflection:

All there whether it be good or bad experience, I will forever cherish.

This is what made me and made me learn things I never would have learned given
the different direction to take. If I were to go back to time, I would still choose the
same path I made because I believe that life is a matter of choice and never by
chance. Whatever choice you make is always the right one because no choice is a

mistake. Once you have made a choice, travel with it and live with it. Of course,
there will always be blocks in that choice. To get myself motivated, I never look to
them as hardships but instead make the most out of it and conquer them one by
one. If you have stumbled and fell, stand up again and make sure never make the
same mistake twice so that when you encounter the same thing, you would know
how to handle it well. For me, that is life.

2nd Part: My family love story

Parents 1st meeting:

My parents met in Manila. To be exact, it is the old

building standing today in Fajardo St., Sampaloc, Manila. My mother was studying in
MBSA studying accountancy while my father was studying in TIP studying electrical
engineering. My mother and father were living in the same building which is owned
by my mothers relative. They said that they saw each other. It was a love at first
sight for my father but not for my mom. He courted her for months and when he got
her heart, they started dating. Then they became a couple for 4 years and decided
to get married. It was the morning of November 12, 1984 when they got married. It
was simple and a small wedding only including close relatives and friends. Months
after the wedding, my mom stayed in my fathers house in Sta. Barbara, Pangasinan
while my father was busy in Manila. After finishing everything in Manila, my father
returned. It was in that house where we lived until today. (P.S. there was no full
disclosure because they were probably shy. Resource person: Aunt and
grandmother)

First Home: Our first home was in 191 Tuliao, Sta. Barbara, Pangasinan. It is a 2storey building with 4 bedrooms, 1 kitchen, 3 comfort room. Its floor was on white
tiles. It was painted with a cream to dirty-white color. They said that it was my
grandfather who is knowledgeable in building house who designed the house. My
aunt, grandmother, and sisters, and our family each owned a room. It was there we
lived for 19 years. Despite this fact, I was never able to make a lot of friends
because we study in Mapandan and return there at night. So we never got the
chance to mingle with others. If ever we know that person, it was their face and not
their name. This was made worst when I entered the seminary. I only get the chance
to see our neighbors once a month. Others would even say that I am new in the
place not knowing that I have lived there longer than they did. Until last November
2014, the 2nd floor of our house burned. It was caused by the our neighbors house
on fire which affected ours too. My father decided to build our own and legit family
house in Mapandan, hometown of my mother, where they decided to spend the
rest of their lives. Right now, it is still in the making. Although I miss our old house
because we made a lot of memories there. I hope that we make more memories in
our new house.

1st Graduation: Like I said, I had a competitive nature in me in those days

which made me graduate as a class salutatorian. Also I graduated with the most
received awards garnering not more than 10 medals (Next to me was only 4
medals. Competitive right?). I have worked my ass out to get those and I know we
all deserved what we got that day.

3rd Part: My future development plan.

The person who I will marry: I have not yet met the right woman for me
(sad). But if even opportunity to choose, I would like that woman to be 1) simple,
beautiful, selfless, faithful to me and to the Lord, and down-to-earth person, no
more no less and 2)will give me 2 kids, no more, no less.

The person I will be: 15 years from now, I will be a married man with a wife
with the said descriptions. I am also a good doctor who will be earning money to
give the best to my family every possible way I know. I should already bought a big
house for us and 2 cars parked in the garage, one for me, one for my wife. I wont
hire any maid so that my children will learn chores which I learned from our house. I
will also be attending mass every Sunday as much as possible or atleast every Holy
days of obligations every year and make sure that I will be with my family every
important occasions.

Children: As I said, 2 kids only, no more no less. I will teach them how my
parents taught me with few modifications. If I get a boy, then I send him to the
seminary. If I get a girl, I let my wife decide because she would know best. They will
be enrolled to the best schools if I have the money. They will get what they need
and be restrained sometimes from what they want. I will teach them to be thrifty
because money is earned hardly and to be down-to-earth people whoever or
however successful they will become.

Family mission and vision:

Mission: To stay a complete and happy family despite hardships and troubles in life

Vision: To be a respected and looked-up to down-to-earth family to every Filipino

family in the town

Midlife and retirement plans: My midlife plan is very simple. It is to stay

alive and to work for my family until everybody especially my children is already
situated in a good career, with a good new family, and contented life. If I accomplish
this, then I will be contented and would retire given the fair enough amount of
money. And when I retire, I would retire with my wife and decide to stay in
somewhere near a nature like a beach, or mountain, etc. As long as I can feel the
nature and is with my wife, Im will be happily retiring.

Last will: Everything will be passed equally to whoever I will be leaving. No more
no less

Obituary: I dont need my name be printed in a newspaper or be screened in the

television when I die. I just wanted that my close families, relatives, and true friends
be informed and will be in the simple mass and service before I get to my final
resting place.