A Tribute to a Kind Soul

Last April 8 Miss Julia Campbell decided to visit Batad in Banaue, one of the most beautiful and peaceful places in the Philippines.

Ironically, it is also here in what is considered one of the most peaceful and crime free places in the country that she met her demise. She was a victim of a crime.

Normally, she would just be another statistics but I have been to that place and I could swear by its reputation. This was actually a first time that something bad happened there.

At first, I also doubted the news and dismissed that she might just have fallen off a ravine. It was reported that she was still talking a walk at five o’clock in the afternoon before she disappeared. And I knew that it could get pitch dark in that place at six in the evening.

But next day the army found her body in a shallow grave. It was confirmed that she was a victim of a crime.

I was very much intrigued and followed the news on television and in the internet.

Intrigued quickly turned to sadness.

You see Miss Julia is not your typical person. She left the comforts of New York to be a US Peace Corp Volunteer and spend time among the least fortunate in the Philippines.

In an interview her mother, Linda Campbell was quoted saying, “It was after 9/11 that she decided that it was time to make a difference, a real difference to her, and she decided to go into the Peace Corps.”

Reflecting about it now, I get an eerie feeling: a beautiful place, a crime-free place, a crime, and a soul with only good intentions. It feels too perfect.

As if this thing happened to magnify all the good deeds she has done until that time.

“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies it produces much grain.” The great teacher, Jesus Christ once said.

Before the news she was very much unheard of. But now complete strangers are talking about her and pouring into her blog to know her and the good things she has done.

I write this piece for personal reasons. I have never met nor ever knew her personally but I wouldn’t want to forget a person like her.

To Miss Julia Campbell, Fellow Blogger, Humanitarian, and Hero.

This is for you and thank you for caring.

-Anthony