Coelho's Take on Elijah

Got this yesterday at Viramall. The Fifth Mountain is Coelho's take on the story of the Bible's Elijah and his struggle with his calling, God and his arch-nemesis Queen Jezebel. Reading it's few pages I was able to relate to Coelho's Elijah, his initial struggle with his calling and purpose in life. I believe this will be a good read.

"I Was About to Take My Life Until I Met You"

This evening, Netty and I visited the University Belt church planting team in their home base in Paco and we heard this testimony from one of the volunteers. Today, a Mapuan student in Intramuros was about to take her life that same night if someone hadn't shared to her the gospel. In tears she tells her contact worker that for two weeks she's been praying that someone would talk to her. Plagued by family crises, she decided tonight is the night that she would buy a sodium-based poison and that she'll drink it when she gets home and never wake up again. She was approached by one of the volunteers in the field who's roughly same age as her, she heard the gospel, gave her life to Christ with a new sense of hope and tomorrow, she's getting water baptized! Words cannot describe my amazement and overwhelming awe of God's move in that student's life. Hallelujah!

Mr. Taxi Driver's Guide to Life

Sunday afternoon. I, Bambi and Zarah Grace set out on half-day church visitation and promotion for our upcoming District Concert. After our visit to Manila Faith Assembly of God in Tondo, we set our eyes on Grace Christian Assembly of God in Sampaloc, Manila. And we hailed a cab to take us there.

On the way to our next destination, we meet a long parade of election campaign of a candidate for counselor whose surname is "Tan." He stands on a top window of a car waving to the people, preceded by a long line of more or less 30 tricycles donned with campaign paraphernalia. Then our driver beside me remarked something like this, "300 pesos daw ang ibinayad diyan sa mga tricycle drivers na yan, biruin mo nga naman ang nagagawa ng pera." Then he followed, "Dapat hindi binoboto ang mga ganyan..." With an amused chuckle I asked why. "Kasi tignan mo, 'Tan' ang apelido!" Then something like a big red siren popped on my head. "Alam niyo po, 'Tan' din ho ang apelido ko, bakit naman ho hindi dapat iboto kapag 'Tan'?" I thought unraveling this fact would somehow embarrass him but he kept on going. He was angry with foreigners, 'Intsik' and Americans alike.

Now, the term 'Intsik' is a derogatory word for the Filipino-Chinese, similar to the term 'Indio,' and a person who knows someone who is Chinese should know that. Sometimes I let it pass for benefit of the doubt and friendship

He was angry because somehow he believed that ALL foreigners are out to get all the power and money of Filipinos. He was angry at the rich because he thinks ALL of them got their wealth from evil gain. He was angry at the government, he was pro-Marcos, in good terms with Estrada, but very disappointed with Gloria because of her lack of concern with the price-hike of consumer products. As I reason with him, I told him that not all Chinese are like that. Not all rich people are like that. In fact, if a person works hard and keeps an honest hand, I believe he will prosper and his work will not be in vain. On both sides of the economic spectrum dwell both good and evil. Good bosses and good employees. But also from the rich dwell those who are corrupt and seek to take advantage of the poor. From the poor rise drug users, snatchers and prostitutes.

I asked him, "Wala ka na bang pag-asa sa bansa natin?" "Ay wala na po. Dati may business ako, bumagsak. Nagsisipag ako pero wala namang nangyari. Wala ring nangyayari." With those remarks, I was stunned with the bitter reality we're in. We arrive at our destination.

It's sad that there are millions of people like Mr. Taxi Driver who because of poverty somehow lost the sense of openness, goodwill and hope. They have become narrow-minded, paranoid and bitter with their state of life. Utak-squatter (the Proverb's "simple ones"). A proverb once said that the last one to die is hope. And what's there to life if there is no more hope? After that episode I accepted the fact that somehow we cannot blame this person for reacting to life this way. Who's fault is it? Why? Questions answered perhaps when we finally meet Him. But I believe that if we just stop blaming other people for our misery and start taking responsibility and make right decisions in our own lives, the realization of who God is and who we are in His eyes, that would be the beginning of true transformation.

I had a very trying day today. I had a strenuous meeting this afternoon. And this morning the neighbor's daughter is celebrating their wedding and they've decided to turn our street into a mini-street party. So as we went home, dad calls telling me the car can't pass through and I have to find another parking place. The search for a parking place in this very cramp community proved to be very stressful. I suffered a headache and intense perspiration trying to find one. It's five minutes walk from to our place, where the wedding party continues as drunk men sang on the karaoke. I was fuming hot. Even on the third floor we can hear their drunk revelry. Buti kung ang gaganda ng mga boses, I thought. I tried listening to music: gospel songs and nature sounds, to no avail. Until suddenly a familiar voice, hurting and tired. And through listening and ministering to that beautiful soul He came to purge my fuming coals of anger into a heart of compassion and self-denial. A reinforced commitment: Lift others and be lifted yourself. "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." I'm taking a hot shower.

Carmen's Eulogy

"The essence of [God's] forgiveness lies in His word and in His mystery. Because although God sends us the message, it is our task to decipher it. Because when we open our arms, the earth takes in only a hollow and senseless shell. Far away now is the soul in its eternal glory. Because it is in pain that we find the meaning of life and the state of grace that we lose when we are born. Because God in His infinite wisdom puts the solution in our hands. And because it is only the absence of His physical presence that the place He occupies in our souls is reaffirmed."

- Pan's Labyrinth

5 Non-Negotiable Attitudes in Fulfilling God's Will for Your Life

Scripture Text: Jeremiah 1:7-8 (5-10, 17-19)
“… Do not say ‘I am youth,’ because everywhere I send you, you shall go, and all that I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord.”

5 non-negotiable attitudes in fulfilling God’s purpose for your life

• PERSPECTIVE – See how God sees you (v. 5)
• DEPENDENCE – Accept your limitation apart from God (v. 6)
• OBEDIENCE – Just do it (v. 7)
• COURAGE – Never let your fear outweigh His call (v. 8)
• WILLINGNESS – Be willing and available (v. 9)

Camp Month

I just came back from Zambales last night. I went to speak in a youth camp (Zambales Section of Central Luzon AG) as a representative of Chi Alpha National Youth Ministries Network. Some highlights of my trip:

• It was an unexpectedly long travel from Manila to site and back. Left Caloocan at 3PM and came to Candelaria, Zambales at 9PM. Left Candelaria at 3PM, came to Olongapo at 7PM, had a quick dinner, took the wrong bus so I went down to San Fernando at 9PM, then came to Caloocan at 11PM.
• Spoke on Tuesday evening service about Accepting God's Will for Your Life and a lecture on Student Mobilization (Chi Alpha) the next morning. Young people, most of them students, are up for revival and had been on fire since day one. Some of them were baptized in the Holy Spirit as we prayed for them.
• Got to meet Ptr. Jesse Dedel, national director of Master's Commission Philippines. He'll be speaking on Thursday and Friday night. He brought his three children with him. Learned a lot about Master's Commission.
• It was a nice beach front resort, with an island a few kilometers off shore. It was really nice. Watched the Tuesday sunset with Ptr. Rick sharing testimonies.
• Spent time in the bus talking and worshiping God alone after a few days of being in the crowds. Felt His wonderful presence and thanking Him for these opportunities to serve Him this way. "I will take you places farther than this..."

Some pictures from the camp last week in Malvar, Batangas with my friend and co-speaker Emmanuel:



Next week I'm off to Taytay, Rizal for another youth camp. Good days.

Faith Healer

Love this commercial. So funny. You have to see the first before you appreciate the second.

Man on A Billboard

It was traffic in EDSA on my way to Quezon City. Suddenly there were lots of people crowding in the center isle. Media vans of ABS-CBN and GMA had their satellites up. On a huge billboard near SM City, a man clings and stirs up attention from pedestrians and motorists alike. A firetruck extends its ladder to reach the man. And as traffic moves slowly, I left the site without any knowledge what happened next.

I am unimpressed with people who try to do something and then change their minds. They put up great feats just to get attention. If you're going to jump, then jump. They say those who just wait for a crowd doesn't really want to kill themselves because if they did they'd just jump whenever. I ask, "Why? Why go to such ordeal (climb a billboard) just to get attention? Is your problem greater than AIDS or what just happened at Virginia Tech? If not then stop over-reacting. There's always hope.