andrea's corner

2009: The year that was

2010-01-16T08:57:00.000+08:00

If the past cannot teach the present and the father cannot teach the son, then history need not have bothered to go on, and the world has wasted a great deal of time. ~Russell Hoban

With the year almost over, it is always good to look back at the year that was. To move forward, we need to look back and see what needs to be avoided, what needs to be improved and what needs to be done.

This year was both full of challenges and blessings. In the past months, we lost at least four patients including one emerging leader Percival "Rex" Retuya. While their deaths all brought sadness to their loved ones and all of us in the local hemophilia community, I 've been mostly affected by the untimely demise of Rex. In the past two years that I've known Rex, I admired his resolve to help others despite his poverty. He had been among those actively pushing others to form a support group and visit those who were sick. He initiated a livelihood program for bleeders so that they would not have to be a burden on their families.

He was one of those patients who, despite their condition, tried to rise above the challenge no matter what. (Photo: Rex Retuya's wife and daughter at his wake.)

In May, HAPLOS, the oldest hemophilia group in the Philippines, elected a new set of officers. The new officers promised to work harder. It's never easy to run an organization with so much needs to address. And I pray for strength and wisdom for all the officers and members. My only wish is for more members to become active, for new volunteers to rise up, for everyone to work together for common good.

In June, a new group came into being - the Blood Brothers of the Philippines. Developments like this should be welcomed. There is just too much work to be done for a single organization to address all concerns.

Personally, I have so much aspirations for bleeders in the Philippines. Foremost of which is the institutionalization of hemophilia care in the country. If bleeders in other countries succeeded in getting government support, I do not see any reason why we cannot. But this can only be achieved if visions are put into action. A wise man once said, "People perish for lack of vision." Vision guides us to where were are going. It is the light to our path. Without it, we cannot expect to get anywhere.

This year, I have chosen to be more of an outsider. This doesn't mean though that my desire to help bleeders have dwindled. Not at all. But by being an outsider, I see things more objectively and it enabled me help more people. I've gained more friends this year as I reach out, in my own little way, to bleeders all over the Philippines.

Just last month, I met a young couple -- Ian and Yuen -- parents of cute baby boy Caleb who was diagnosed with hemophilia just shortly after his birth. It has not been easy for them and I pray that their bond will strengthen as they raise their angel Caleb together.

(Baby Caleb, photo courtesy of his cool granny Irene Alejandro.)

On a more personal note, the impact of von Willebrand disease has become more pronounced this year when I started to bleed more than ever. After some tests, doctors found that I have a thickened uterus and myoma. My OB-Gyn recommended a biopsy operation but because of my bleeding disorder, I could not undergo an invasive procedure. (My mother died while undergoing biopsy operation.) Based on my own research though, thickening of the uterus wall is usually associated with continued profuse bleeding. So top of my wish list is to see an expert on women with bleeding disorders, which I hope to be able to finally do in February 2010.

Thankfully, Star had lesser bleeding episodes this year. Though her monthly periods started last September, we are grateful to God that it has not been as profuse as we expected.

2009 had been an eventful year -- both good and not so good, that is. But as the Good Book says, in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. Despite the pains, hurts and disappointments we experienced this year, we have so much to thank God for -- the lessons learned, new friends gained, little successes, better health, more strength, among so many other things to be thankful for. Sometimes, blessings come in little packages. But big or small, we must thank God for it all. As we face another year, I pray for everyone in the bleeders' circle to have more strength, better health, better relationships and more blessings!

THIS IS MY STORY…by Tessie Aquino-Oreta

2009-12-08T07:31:00.000+08:00

God, sometimes, plays a difficult joke on us if only to call our attention. I am so privileged to see up close how God moved and continues to move in the life former Sen. Ninoy Aquino's favorite sister, Sen. Tessie Aquino-Oreta.

Sen. Tessie is not running for any position in 2010, and so I guess she wouldn't mind my sharing her story.

------------------------
THIS IS MY STORY…
By Tessie Aquino-Oreta

I've always thought of myself as a real favored child of God -- born to a good family, had good education, married a good husband, have good children. Whatever I wanted to do, I always succeeded. And somehow amidst the success, I forgot that I was only favored. Soon, everything went into my head. I began to believe that I, Tessie Aquino-Oreta, was great.

I started politics in the '80s. Very young and passionate, I ran in Malabon-Navotas even when surveys say I had very low awareness level. My brother Paul told me I was crazy for running when I was practically unknown. And so I challenged him, "What will make me win?"

A political strategist as he is, he gave me a long "to do" list and I followed it to the letter. When I won, the first thing I said to my brother was "See, I told you I can do it!"

I won a second term and then a third term. After my last term in Congress, I vied for the Senate. Again, my brother told me I was crazy. But I was confident. I never failed in whatever I did.

Somehow in the process, I forgot my successes were only God's favors. Pride crept into my being, into my heart.

When I won a seat in the Senate, I felt I was on top of the world. Sikat na sikat na ako! Sometimes, even just one phone call can make a difference in the lives of others. I tasted real power. I became proud.

Sadly, I started to forget that Someone up there planned for everything. And that everything that happens in our lives, and in my case, in my own life, has a purpose.

Fortunately, the one who planned my life didn't give up on me.

One day, at the height of my political career, maybe God thought, "My child, enough with your vanities. You have to know Who is in charge here. You need a little spanking."

And so, in January 2001, in just 5 to 7 seconds God caused everything to change. My world crumbled. I became the most maligned person in this country. I was used. Abused, if I may say so.

In that darkest moment of my life I remembered my God. The Lord led me to Victory Christian Fellowship. Soon, I became a regular not because of anything but somehow because I found peace and I found joy. People were so kind to me. They were going out of their way to provide me the strength that I needed. To guide me amidst the confusion.

It has never been a very easy walk for me. Not at all. Even as I regularly attend services and my small group Bible studies, I still had struggles. One day, I came into this verse -- "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight."

Suddenly, the Word became so clear to me. This is it. This is why even after I surrendered my life to the Lord, I was still confused – because I meddled in what the Lord was doing in my life. I had not really completely submitted to His Lordship.

Tessie kept interfering with what the Lord was doing in my life. So right at that very moment, I asked the Lord, "Lord, please take over. It's not anymore about me, Lord. It is all about You."

The Bible says that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Now, I came to fully understand that God lifts us up then breaks us in order to make us whole again.

That was exactly what happened to me in 2001. God broke me so that He can mold me, according to His ways.

As I studied the Word of God, I realized that for me to really enjoy His forgiveness, I also have to seek forgiveness from the people I have hurt. I realized that I have hurt the sensibilities of a lot of people for that what I did during the impeachment trial.

So in every opportunity that I have, I took it upon myself to ask for forgiveness from those who were hurt by my arrogance, by my haughtiness. It has not been easy. Yet, in so doing, I have seen how God has truly blessed me.

I used to keep on looking for a leader. But now I have stopped because I have found Him, my one True Leader. Now, I am very sure my Leader will always be here to guide me, to enlighten me, to tell me what to do. Now I have found a Leader who will always be there for me, to fight for me, One who will never leave me.

- End -

Reflections of a biker

2009-04-06T11:10:00.003+08:00

And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. - Hebrews 12.1

Life is so much like biking. Sometimes you pedal with a breeze. Sometimes you struggle a little. When the road is uphill, you need to exert more, sometimes to the point of exhaustion. Yet sometimes, you just have to be still and let go of the wheel.

Biking always refreshes me. It has become my refuge of sorts. It gives me time to be alone with God, to listen to Him, to pour out my heart to Him.

Today as I biked, my uphill route became more noticeable than in the past months. At one point, I wanted to get off my bike and just walk. Ironically, I've been taking the same route for years now and yet not once have I actually gotten off and walked. So I had to remind myself that a few more pedals and I would be fine.

In life, there are times of highs and lows, of struggles, of triumphs, and of letting go. We like it when we don't have to struggle much -- like biking and the path we're taking is easy. We like it even more when we are showered with blessings though we know we don't deserve it -- like biking on a downhill path and all we have to do is let go. But when life becomes a struggle, it is sometimes more convenient to give up than go on and face the uphill battle. Thankfully, we have a God who fights the battles for us. We just need to surrender all our struggles to Him. And just like in biking, all we have to do is keep on pushing the pedal of perseverance.

Let me share another favorite Words of Wisdom from the wisest man who ever lived.

A Time for Everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 NIV)

¹ There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:

² a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,

³ a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,

⁴ a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,

⁵ a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

⁶ a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,

⁷ a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,

⁸ a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

Haunted by a ghost

2009-03-09T04:28:00.011+08:00

I've never been afraid of ghosts. Until very recently. This one is of the proverbial kind. Not your ordinary ghost. A very strong kind that has shaken the wits out of me -- the ghost of my past.

This encounter with the proverbial ghost has really been so humbling. I am human after all. Weak. Vulnerable. But I am also a spiritual being. A child of God. With Jesus in my heart, I only need to look at His face. And with Jesus on my side, who can be against me? On my own, it is very difficult to win the battle. In fact, I don't know how I will be able to survive it apart from God's grace. It is when we rely on our own strengths that we lose. But with Jesus fighting for us, we can rest assured that even before it has started, He has already finished it. And so I cast my cares to Him, the Giver of Life.

We will all encounter ghosts at some points in our lives -- of different kinds and forms. Ghosts that we thought have long been burried. Or ghosts that we never even thought existed. It will definitely not be easy. But if we fix our eyes on Jesus, the perfector of our faith, we can carry it on. After all, it is not our battle anymore. It is His.

In times like this, I find strength in God's assurance that He is our Light and our Salvation. He is our refuge, our Strong Tower. If you are faced with the same struggle, fear not. For He will never leave us nor forsake us. He is our Mighty Warrior.

Let me share one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. May it speak to your hearts as it did to me.

Psalm 27 (English Standard Version)
The LORD Is My Light and My Salvation

1The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?

2When evildoers assail me
to eat up my flesh,
my adversaries and foes,
it is they who stumble and fall.

3 Though an army encamp against me,
my heart shall not fear;
though war arise against me,
yet I will be confident.

4 One thing have I asked of the LORD,
that will I seek after:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
and to inquire in his temple.

5 For he will hide me in his shelter
in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
he will lift me high upon a rock.

6 And now my head shall be lifted up
above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent
sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the LORD.

7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud;
be gracious to me and answer me!

8 You have said, "Seek my face." My heart says to you,
"Your face, LORD, do I seek."

9 Hide not your face from me.
Turn not your servant away in anger,
O you who have been my help.
Cast me not off; forsake me not,
O God of my salvation!

10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me,
but the LORD will take me in.

11 Teach me your way, O LORD,
and lead me on a level path
because of my enemies.

12 Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;
for false witnesses have risen against me,
and they breathe out violence.

13 I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living!

14 Wait for the LORD;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the LORD!

This Warrior is a Child

2009-03-07T16:41:00.003+08:00

Sometimes, we may seem strong on the outside. Undaunted. Determined. Upright. But really, is there anybody who can claim that he can go on to the battle alone? Thank God for Gary V. This song is a great reminder that even warriors can sometimes be weak on the inside. We all need Someone to give us strength.

This thing called LOVE

2009-02-19T06:29:00.005+08:00

What is this thing called LOVE? Some say it makes the world go round. Others say, it makes one blind. Oftentimes, we associate it with what is pleasing, "loveable." In this month of love, it is just apt to reflect on the true meaning of this four-letter-word. Here's an insightful reflection from Pastor Joey Bonifacio. Read on and spread the gospel of LOVE.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

Here's are the 4 things that constitute love:

Love is being patient and kind. Whether we are dealing with a spouse, child, friend, associate or neighbor, to love someone is simply to be patient and kind to them.

How do we know when we are not being patient or kind? When we envy. That's probably because we are impatient that God has blessed others more. When we boast. That's probably because we are impatient and unkind and wanting to prove ourselves better than others. You can figure the rest of this one out. It is impatience and unkindness that make us rude, self-seeking, angry and delighting in the shortcomings and failures of others.

For patience and kindness to be love it has to be done with rejoicing. A waiter, a boss, a lawyer, insurance agent, realtor, friend or spouse can all be patient and kind but the question is are they rejoicing as they do it or are they tolerating you because of what they can get in return.

True love rejoices with the truth of anyone's limitations while continuing to be patient and kind. It rejoices in the midst of shortcomings, it rejoices where there are failures, disappointments and frustrations. It is able to smile and laugh as it faces the truth and insists on finding joy. This is who Jesus is.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12: 2

Jesus died on the cross with patience and kindness. His patience and kindness is the same reason why He came. But the more important point is that He did it for the joy set before Him. The joy of seeing us enter in to eternal fellowship with Him and the Father. Patience and kindness done with joy is love.

Finally, it says it always protects, always trusts, always hopes and always perseveres. To love is to live in always. That simply means to be faithful no matter what.

Love is patience, kindness, joy and faithfulness.

Fact is it is not easy to love. While we were created to love, it can be challenge to love the unlovable always. The power to love comes from knowing God's love. Only when we realize and understand how patient, kind, joyful and faithful God has been toward us will we be able to love others the same way.

The good news is when we love we find fulfillment and completeness because love never fails.

Amore means love

2009-02-09T04:43:00.001+08:00

Finally, I'm here in this place where my parents started their lives together as husband and wife. I have always wanted to visit Zamboanga because of my fascination over the love story of our parents. Mama and papa met in Negros during their high school days. I don't know how long they had been together, but apparently, the relationship displeased mama's family. They sent her on exile to this city, where mama lived with her relatives.

Undaunted, papa went after her. Though Zamboanga was a strange place for him, papa went out in pursuit of his lady love. For one year, he went around Zamboanga looking for mama. It could be nothing less than true love that drove papa to brave an unkown land. He knew mama was brought to Zamboanga, but he didn't know exactly where. So on and on he went around and looked for her. Finally, one Sunday afternoon, his prayers were answered. He spotted my mother in Pasonanca park. He then ran away with her and refused to leave Zamboanga until they were able to convince mama's family to let them marry.

Of course, they didn't exactly live happily ever after. There were hard times especially during the Martial Law years. But they loved each other so much. They were the happiest married couple I had ever seen. I almost never saw them quarrel. They remained ever sweet with each other even after almost 25 years together. (Unfortunately, mama died before their 25th anniversary.)

When I was younger, I always wanted to have a marriage like theirs. Though not perfect, they were contented and happy. They braved the storms together, still standing up because they had a deep foundation -- their love for each other. Though I haven't really gone around the city, I can smell the sweet aroma of Zamboanga -- the sweet aroma of love

25 Random Notes about Me

2009-02-06T03:40:00.002+08:00

I dream of putting up my own travel agency cum coffee shop.
I want to retire in Batanes someday and live like an Ivatan.
I was almost vanished by my mother for "loving our neighbor" -- a seminarian.
I used to bike to another town in high school.
I almost fell from a 100-feet waterfalls.
I'm afraid of heights and depths.
I wanted to be a nun.
I used to jump off a ship with my cousins. The sea was my playground.
I love photography.
I want to have a glimpse of Mt. Everest, even just a glimpse.
I am praying to go to Israel.
I either sleep or eat when I'm stressed.
I can trade my husband for dark chocolates. Hahaha! (peace, dad!)
I had a "love story" with Erap -- Inquirer headlines for his inagauration and ouster had my by-line in it.
I am a full-blooded Negrense. Proud to be Bisaya!
I don't believe in religion. It's all about personal relationship with Jesus.
I am an advocate of hemophilia and other bleeding disorders.
I don't like to travel by myself.
I don't like spending on gadgets. Waste of money.
I am friendly. I talk to strangers.
I named all my kids after their grand/great grandparents.
I drink at least five mugs of coffee a day. Can't live without it.
I'm a sentimental fool. I keep old stuff.
I seriously thought I was gonna have a heart attack while riding Disney's Space Mountain. Never prayed that hard I guess.
I think typhoon-watching in Batanes is cool.

His name is blessed

2009-01-06T21:15:00.004+08:00

"I will cause my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion." - Exodus 33.19

I love to share the story of Ben over and over again. He is a living testimony of God's endless miracles. Seeing Ben grow up into a talented, intelligent boy, is a bonus many times over.

Every year as we celebrate his birthday, I become emotional. Not that I love him more. Dick and I are equally blessed with the girls and we love the three of them not less than any other. The girls are as talented and lovable in different ways. But the birth of Ben was a turning point in my life, and maybe in my hubby's as well, in so many ways.

The uncertainty of his survival becomes fresh every time he turns a year older. I can still picture Ben as the helpless tiny baby inside the incubator in the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit. His arms were just a little bigger than my thumb. Yet, each of his tiny hands and one of his foot had IV tubes. He had another IV on the head because the doctors couldn't find any suitable vein on his other foot. He was breathing only through a ventilator. They fed him my milk through a tube placed on his nostril.

The day Ben went into cardiac arrest a few days after his birth was probably the worst day of my life. The days that followed, not knowing whether or not he would survive, were so agonizing. I would never want to go through it again and I wish no parent would go through such a painful wait.

But looking back, that episode with Ben, prepared us for many difficult situations we would soon encounter, including Star's bleeding condition. Because we have seen God's faithfulness in the way He gave Ben to us, we managed to hurdle so many storms. God gave us not only a wonderful son, but a faith anchored on the truth -- that Jesus is a Living God. My prayer is that Ben will grow up not only into a real gentleman, but a man after God's own heart in every aspect of the word.

READ: The birthing of Ben

(Photos: 1-month-old Ben shortly after he left the hospital. One-year-old Ben. 7-year-old Ben with me in a coverage in Baguio. And the handsome 14-year-old Ben.)

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-24T18:38:00.000+08:00

Memories of you

2008-10-28T16:48:00.003+08:00

(photo by Noe Carillo)

There are moments when loneliness suddenly creeps in like an unwelcome guest. Sunday was one such moment.

As Star and I were walking through The Block, I caught a glimpse of Aristocrat on the third floor. Suddenly, memories of my last meal with my father flashed back, bringing a tinge of pain in my heart. It was a simple but special meal. He flew in the day before just to celebrate my birthday with us. Serendipitously, as far as I can remember, it was the only birthday I had spent with my father in my whole life.

I mumbled to Star how I feel sad everytime I walk by that part of SM North Edsa. But this wonder girl from you-don't-know-where, replied, "Memories of the people you love are worth more than millions and millions of kilometers of gold." With that, this 9-year-old turning-30 girl said I should be happy to see where I spent my last memorable meal with my father. Come to think of it...

Star is right. Memories of our loved-ones are worth more than all the golds in the world. As we commemorate All Souls day in a few days, may we lovingly honor our beloved who have moved on ahead of us.

But more importantly, may we try harder every day to show the people we love how much we value them while they are still with us.

Hemophilia in the Philippines

2008-10-22T04:08:00.003+08:00

The past few days had been depressing for me. I went to the Visayas over the weekend with Project Share founder Laurie Kelley, volunteer Rose Noyes and Columban priest Fr. Don Kill to visit hemophiliacs.

Project Share is a US-based humanitarian organization that has been sending factors to over 40 developing countries including the Philippines.

Laurie and Rose came to country for a fact-finding mission and meet Filipino hemophiliacs her organization has been helping these past few years. Thanks to Fr. Don, the amiable "lolo" of hemophiliacs, we met more than a hundred sufferers and their families and saw up close the plight of hemophiliacs in the country.

The more I got involved in this advocacy, the more I feel so blessed and the more I believe something has to be done. Only few days before Laurie and Rose came, one young man named Warren died of bleeding at PGH (Phil. General Hospital). Another boy died at UST. All because they did not get the treatment they needed on time.

Every day since I learned of his death, I think about Warren. He died because the Bureau of Customs refused to release the factors he needed for his treatment due to a very minor technicality. And this s*@&!d technicality caused Warren's life! The little boy at UST died because his family was so poor they couldn't afford to buy the factors needed to stop his bleeding.

Sometimes I struggle when I hear of situations like this. A few months ago, when we rushed Star to the hospital due to profuse nosebleeding, there was a boy at Cardinal Santos who needed 1,000 iu's of factor VIII (4 vials at about P4,300 each). The child's caregivers (he was an orphan) could only afford to buy 3 vials. The following day, he died. It was way too late when he got the transfusion. I felt so bad when I learned of the boy's death. We had six vials (about 1,500 iu's) of the same factor that time because Star's nosebleeding stopped and her hematologist thought it was better to save the factors in case of emergency. Factors are not only expensive, they are also difficult to buy here in the Philippines.

Star is, by far, so blessed than the majority of the sufferers in the Philippines. We are probably among the 5 percent of sufferers who have the capacity to buy factors when we need it. Not that we have lots of money. Truth to tell, there are times that finances are hard to get by but God always provides.

In the past few days of going around, visiting and interviewing hemophiliacs, stories of how parents helplessly witness their child suffer are not uncommon. In fact, last Saturday while we were in Dumaguete, we witnessed a young boy crying in pain because of bleeding in his shoulder. His mother could do nothing but cry along as she hugged her son. When I volunteered to help her bring her son to the hospital, she just stared at me and said, "But we don't have money."

It was a gripping reality that reflected the plight of majority of Filipino bleeders. Another mother, Manang Rita, narrated to me in cracked voice how four of her five boys died one after the other because of hemophilia. Only the youngest, Jeff, who is the only one left of her boys, was properly diagnosed of hemophilia. But Manang Rita said there was no doubt all her four boys who had the same symptoms as Jeff, all died of untreated hemophilia.

Yesterday, Laurie, Father Don and I visited the grave of Jeff's four brothers in Tanjay, about an hour drive from Dumaguete. Laurie took pictures of the grave, an "apartment-type" tomb with faded white paint.

As we were driving back to Dumaguete, I thought of Manang Rita and the pain she had to endure. While we lost our mother to an undiagnosed von Willebrand disease, Manang Rita's pain was four times over. No wonder she is moving heavens to keep Jeff alive.

Photos: (top) One-year-old Christian Ramos, a hemophiliac from Danao City, carried by his mother. We chanced upon Christian at the Sotto Memorial Hospital in Cebu. He had been bleeding for a day but his parents didn't have money to buy factors. Thankfully, Laurie had a factor in her bag and immediately infused it on Christian. In a few seconds, the bleeding stopped.

Second photo shows our team with the members of Hemophilia Association of the Philippines-Cebu (HAP-C), including my nephew Yan-yan (in wheel chair). Yan-yan is the son of my first degree cousin, Daday.

Much ado about Eheads

2008-08-28T09:59:00.001+08:00

All's well that ends well!

Finally, Philip Morris has pulled out its sponsorship of the Eraserheads concert. Woohoo!

Here's the news from ABS-CBNnews.com:

Philip Morris backs out of Eraserheads reunion concert

Philip Morris announced Wednesday that it had backed out of its sponsorship of the much-awaited, one-night-only Eraserheads reunion concert on Saturday.

In a press statement, Dave Gomez, Philip Morris Phils. Manufacturing Inc. public affairs and communication manager, said Radiohead Media Solutions Inc. "has agreed to take over as promoter of the Eraserheads reunion concernt."

"We made the decision to withdraw as promoter and will have no involvement at all in this reunion concert. We wish the Eraserheads and Radiohead Media Solutions Inc. all the best," Gomez said.

Radiohead Media Solutions Inc. subsequently announced that it had acquired the Eraserheads reunion concert rights and that it will go on as scheduled on Saturday, August 30, at the Bonifacio Global City open field.(Read full story)

Investing in the lives of the poor

2008-08-23T18:25:00.003+08:00

The past few days, I've been going in and out of the slums of Tatalon as I help out a local cooperative put together their newsletter. It has been a depressing, but humbling experience. Depressing, because I see poverty up close and not much has been done to uplift the lives of these less privileged. But it was a humbling experience at the same time, as I listened to mothers share their joys and pride in seemingly mundane things. How they find satisfaction in every little triumph, thanking God for making their lives "much better" now, makes me feel so little. Makes me wonder, who is richer -- these women in Tatalon and the women of Forbes? Hmmm. The nanays of Tatalon remind me of Solomon's words of wisdom of Solomon. Indeed, if people only find satisfaction in their toils...

I'd like to share a short article I wrote on this cooperative that has been providing micro-financing to urban poor mothers. Read on...

+ + + + + + + + + +

For some, P2,000 may be one dinner’s budget in a fancy restaurant. But for a family in a poor community like Tatalon, it may be a catalyst of change – a ticket to break out of the bondage of poverty.

So says Zeny De Jesus, chairperson of the Inner City Development Cooperative (ICDC) as she challenges the well-heeled of the society to support initiatives to provide micro-finance to the poor.

“Change in our country is possible if we all help each other. People who have money to spare can do so, not by giving alms, but by providing start-up capital for the poorest of the poor to start their own businesses,” she points out.

A social worker by profession, Zeny has been involved in the micro-finance industry for decades, training different organizations across the country in developing programs for the poor.

In fact, ICDC is a testament of how money of those who have can impact the lives of those who have none. And it does not take much to be of help to others.

For instance, P1-million can already provide micro-credit to 500 mothers for a start-up capital of P2,000.

With the amount, every borrower will have an average of P1,000 additional income for her family. In three months, every borrower will also have a savings of P850 since all members are required to save at least P10 every day.

But Zeny says, no matter how small or big the amount, supporters can be assured that their investment to poor communities through ICDC will be maximized.

“Over the years, we have developed a system to maximize minimum amounts to provide livelihood to the less privileged. As a result, they become more productive in their communities. In the long term, their productivity helps our economy because it means lesser unemployment,” explains Zeny, who holds a master’s degree in social entrepreneurship from the Asian Institute of Management.

Aside from loans and savings portfolios, ICDC offers non-financial services like trainings on entrepreneurship to hone the members’ business acumen. A regular values formation program is also in place. On top of these trainings, ICDC gives assistance to needy members.

“We challenge our fellow Filipinos, and even supporters abroad to look into the ICDC program and see how they can be agents of change in alleviating the plight of the Filipino poor,” she says.

The end goal, Zeny points out is to see the development of community partners from borrowers to social investors, and from passive on-lookers to active agents of change in their respective families and communities.

New technology on liver cancer now in the Philippines

2008-08-08T03:32:00.000+08:00

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Getting sick, especially with terminal and rare diseases, can be draining -- in all aspects -- to the patient and the whole family especially when you know there is no available treatment yet in the Philippines. It's always a welcome news to know that medical treatments are slowly being made available here in the country, and at par with the treatments abroad. It can even be better considering the expertise and care of our local doctors. And a big plus, it saves you the cost implications of flying abroad.

Recently, The Medical City launched a revolutionary treatment for liver cancer patients called radioembolization. It's the first of the kind in the Philippines. Radioembolization has long been used abroad. See Inquirer story here.

I hope they will always pioneer the treatment for von Willebrand Disease in the country.

Eheads as anti-smoking advocates!!!!!

2008-07-30T13:10:00.003+08:00

I wish! With the loud whispers going around that a big tobacco company is sponsoring this much-awaited E-heads reunion, my only wish is that this great (dis) band will use their influence for the greater good. How? By talking about the hazards of smoking on their concert night, no less. Imagine one smoke-free concert. That would be double the fun! Great music and clean air (or at least, nicotine-free).

I'm sure Eheads have reached a point in their lives (one time or another) when they looked for significance in what they do. This could be that moment. Besides, Ely Buendia should know the hazards that smoking brings. He almost died of heart attack a year or so ago. I've heard that Ely used to be a smoker. But granting that he never smoked, the second-hand smoke alone that he got during gigs could be a big factor for his illness. (Of course, we know that second-hand smoking is just as dangerous.)

According to the Department of Health, smoking-related diseases kills at least 10 people every hour in the Philippines alone. That is 240 Pinoys everyday or 87,600 every year dying from smoking-related diseases. Public health spending on smoking-related diseases reaches up to P70-billion a year. Imagine how that money could have been used to treat other diseases.

In my family alone, we could have easily spent half a million already the past few years on hospital bills and medicines due to my smoking history. =( Just this morning, I spent P3,000 for my daughter's Pulmonary Function Test. I have yet to buy her medicines. All my three children were born premature (Ben was in the ICU for almost a month), no thanks to my being a heavy smoker in the past, complicated by a previously unknown disease. Unfortunately, they all grew up to have asthma and since they were all born premature, they easily get lung diseases. Almost two years ago, Ben got confined for two weeks due to TB. It was only lately that I was able to put the puzzles together. Smoking did us in!

How did I get into smoking? My father was a heavy smoker and so were all of my siblings (except for one sister). A lot of my cousins were and (some) are still smokers. It was just but natural for me to fall into the trap, like many others.

We have long declared our home smoke-free. And so back to my wishful thinking, I really hope Eheads realize they can use their influence for good, and like their many hits in the past, spread the gospel of making concerts in the Philippines, well, SMOKE-FREE.

(photo from eheads website)

A young lady named Sofie

2008-07-21T20:32:00.001+08:00

(Sofie - in printed black sleeveless - with friends at Ella P.'s birthday. Photo grabbed from Ysabel.)

We had a quiet dinner last Wednesday to celebrate Sofie's 12th birthday. Our dearest Ate is now a young woman, turning prettier and prettier every year.

I have fond memories when we welcomed Sofie to the world 12 years ago. Because of difficulty in pregnancy, I decided to go home to Negros where my side of the family is based. Before I went home with Ben, who was then only a year old, I got confined twice at Capitol Med for bleeding and false labor. Sofie was then less than five months in my tummy. With Ben born six months and three weeks, we were anxious of another premature birth.

And so the hubby and I figured out we would be better off in Negros where help from the family was very easy. Few days after our arrival, I got confined again at the district hospital in my hometown for premature labor. With Ben's history, the OB-Gyne decided to send us to Dumaguete where facilities were much better. The Silliman Medical Center became my home for a month until Sophie turned seven months in my tummy -- safe enough, at the very least.

Unfortunately, only a week after I went home, Sofie started to act up again. And this time, it was for real. My dilation already reached 8cm by the time the doctor checked me, too late to stop Sofie from coming out. My sisters and brothers and in laws as well, all rushed to the hospital to lend support. This would be my second premature delivery. Twenty minutes after I entered the delivery room and with a few push, a loud cry of a healthy baby girl broke the silence of the night. Everyone in the room cheered and clapped. My OB-Gyne cried with me upon seeing Sofie -- she was such a beautiful, chubby little girl. Despite being premature at 7 months and one week, she was a heavy weight at 7 pounds.

The first girl in both sides of the family, Sofie was probably the most anticipated baby. And Papa, after 10 boys for grandchildren, was just happy to welcome the little princess. He had an old but reliable crib repainted. When we came home from the hospital, my father beamed with joy. At last, a girl among the apos.

Those were the days. Today, Sofie has become her own self. She now has a mind of her own, hardly running to mama or papa anymore to get reassurance that her world would be okey. Slowly and surely, she is turning into a young independent lady with strong convictions. We pray for our dearest Ate to flourish further to become a woman after God's own heart.

Learning from the Ivatans of Batanes

2008-06-30T10:06:00.000+08:00

I just came back from a week-long trip to Batanes. It was a tiring but very enriching trip. My body still aches from the uphill walks and the unbelievable 3-hour trip in the high seas to Itbayat -- the farthest inhabited island in the northeastern part of the country. But the biiiiigggg waves was peanuts compared to our "landing" in this coral island. (This will be in another blog.) So much has been written about Batanes. But you cannot completely comprehend the superlatives until you immerse in their culture. Then you'll understand that some superlatives are understatements.

I want to share an article I wrote which came out in PDI last Sunday. We have so much to learn from the Ivatans. This is just one aspect of their culture. I hope to share some more in the coming days.

Ivatan of Batanes share secrets of survival in typhoon belt
By Andrea Trinidad-Echavez
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:58:00 06/29/2008

BASCO, BATANES -- IT IS SAID THAT NO ONE dies in a typhoon in this so-called typhoon capital of the Philippines.

As “Frank” started to threaten the rest of the country a week ago, 85-year-old Carlos Balasabas confidently went about his usual routine.

He led his carabao to the payaman (communal pasture) to graze, and patiently waited until it had its fill, never mind if over the radio, the weather forecaster had said Signal No. 3 would be raised over Batanes.

Going by the signs of nature, Balasabas knew that Frank would not hit the province.

“You will know there’s a typhoon coming when the cows at the payaman come down to seek shelter,” he said.

The payaman is usually located on the higher slopes of Batanes. When a storm looms, cows instinctively take shelter. They return to the hills only when the rain and wind have died down.

For generations, the Ivatan, as the people of Batanes are called, have relied on cows and natural signs for “weather forecasts,” according to Gov. Telesforo Castillejos.

“But cows are the most reliable,” he said.

Birds, the wind, cloud movement, and the color of the sky are also indicators of the weather in the days to come.

“When birds start taking cover inside houses or go down on the ground, or when the sky becomes pinkish orange, there is an imminent typhoon,” Castillejos said.

When the Ivatan see these signs, they start gathering their animals and stay inside their stone houses. No fisherfolk will dare go out to sea.

About 15 typhoons hit Batanes every year. Supertyphoons come once in about four years.

Scholars attribute the survival of the Ivatan to their communal values and their ability to master, rather than fight. their environment.

Vital statistics

Batanes, the little dot on the map at the tip of the Philippine archipelago, is made up of 11 islands and is fringed by the South China Sea to the west, the Babuyan Islands to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the east.

It lies closer to Taiwan than to the Luzon mainland.

Located 860 kilometers from Manila, it is the least populated and smallest province of the country, occupying a total of 229 square kilometers with a population of a little over 15,000.

Florestida Estrella, 82, remembered how her parents gathered everyone in the kitchen every time a storm threatened Batanes.

The family would stay in the kitchen until the strong winds subsided.

“We can tell that a storm has ended by the sound of the wind,” Estrella said.

Most of the Ivatan, young or old, can tell the weather, according to Dr. Antonio Torralba, dean of the University of Asia and the Pacific’s College of Arts and Sciences, and a frequent visitor of Batanes.

Even days after Frank left the country, boatmen would not budge despite the pleas of stranded tourists to take them to nearby islands. And the fisherfolk, despite their mastery of the sea, stayed home.

“The sound of the waves is not good and whitecaps are everywhere,” said Robert Bastillo, a Manila-based Ivatan who came home to attend the province’s 225th founding anniversary on June 26.

Stone houses

“We Ivatan do not resist nature. We have learned to use it to our advantage,” said Governor Castillejos.

The stone houses, for instance—vahay in the local tongue—are a testament to the positive attitude of the Ivatan to adopt to their harsh environment, he said, adding:

“It is also living proof of their deep-rooted values.”

Building a stone house requires up to 50 tons of limestone carefully gathered near the shoreline. The roof is made of 47 cubic meters of cogon grass and about 8,000 reeds.

A house is built through payuhwan (cooperation).

“With the amount of materials needed to build an 8-meter-by-6-meter traditional house, it is impossible for a family to do it without the help of the whole community,” said Castillejos.

Learning from forefathers

The loss of lives in various parts of the country in the recent typhoons has made the new breed of Ivatan realize the importance of learning from their forefathers.

Recently, the provincial government launched a campaign for the preservation of the Ivatan’s old traditions. The campaign includes encouraging the elders to consciously teach the youth.

“Our forefathers survived the harsh conditions on the islands for centuries because of [the old traditions]. We may embrace modern conveniences, but we will keep holding on to old traditions to make life in Batanes more beautiful,” Castillejos said.

Imagine a world without Filipinos

2008-06-17T13:36:00.000+08:00

Thanks to my on-line friend and brother Kaloy, for sharing this wonderful article. This made my day.

(photo by Kaloy.)

Imagine a world without Filipinos
Abdullah Al-Maghlooth | Al-Watan, almaghlooth@alwatan.com.sa

Muhammad Al-Maghrabi became handicapped and shut down his flower and gifts shop business in Jeddah after his Filipino workers insisted on leaving and returning home. He says: “When they left, I felt as if I had lost my arms. I was so sad that I lost my appetite.”

Al-Maghrabi then flew to Manila to look for two other Filipino workers to replace the ones who had left. Previously, he had tried workers of different nationalities but they did not impress him. “There is no comparison between Filipinos and others,” he says. Whenever I see Filipinos working in the Kingdom, I wonder what our life would be without them.

Saudi Arabia has the largest number of Filipino workers — 1,019,577 — outside the Philippines. In 2006 alone, the Kingdom recruited more than 223,000 workers from the Philippines and their numbers are still increasing. Filipinos not only play an important and effective role in the Kingdom, they also perform different jobs in countries across the world, including working as sailors. They are known for their professionalism and the quality of their work.

Nobody here can think of a life without Filipinos, who make up around 20 percent of the world’s seafarers. There are 1.2 million Filipino sailors.

So if Filipinos decided one day to stop working or go on strike for any reason, who would transport oil, food and heavy equipment across the world? We can only imagine the disaster that would happen.

What makes Filipinos unique is their ability to speak very good English and the technical training they receive in the early stages of their education. There are several specialized training institutes in the Philippines, including those specializing in engineering and road maintenance. This training background makes them highly competent in these vital areas.

When speaking about the Philippines, we should not forget Filipino nurses. They are some 23 percent of the world’s total number of nurses. The Philippines is home to over 190 accredited nursing colleges and institutes, from which some 9,000 nurses graduate each year. Many of them work abroad in countries such as the US, the UK, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Singapore.

Cathy Ann, a 35-year-old Filipino nurse who has been working in the Kingdom for the last five years and before that in Singapore, said she does not feel homesick abroad because “I am surrounded by my compatriots everywhere.” Ann thinks that early training allows Filipinos to excel in nursing and other vocations. She started learning this profession at the age of four as her aunt, a nurse, used to take her to hospital and ask her to watch the work. “She used to kiss me whenever I learned a new thing. At the age of 11, I could do a lot. I began doing things like measuring my grandfather’s blood pressure and giving my mother her insulin injections,” she said.

This type of early education system is lacking in the Kingdom. Many of our children reach the university stage without learning anything except boredom.

The Philippines, which you can barely see on the map, is a very effective country thanks to its people. It has the ability to influence the entire world economy.

We should pay respect to Filipino workers, not only by employing them but also by learning from their valuable experiences.

We should learn and educate our children on how to operate and maintain ships and oil tankers, as well as planning and nursing and how to achieve perfection in our work. This is a must so that we do not become like Muhammad Al-Maghrabi who lost his interest and appetite when Filipino workers left his flower shop.

We have to remember that we are very much dependent on the Filipinos around us. We could die a slow death if they chose to leave us.

Life according to Star

2008-06-11T23:25:00.003+08:00

I was cleaning up the children's things after lunch today when I found an essay written in an intermediate paper. It was Star's. Curious, I stopped to read it. It was a touching journal of what has been going through. Though simply written (she was 8 when she wrote it), I felt proud by how our family's "baby" look at life. She has always been a source of many lessons for us. Her child-like faith taught us to be stronger. She may not always understand what is happening around her but she doesn't worry. She knows many people pray for her, and for her, that is enough assurance that things will get better. With her permission, I am posting her article below. She also posted it in her blog. I hope other children who are going through a different childhood like Star will have the same positive outlook in life. Things will be better, that's for sure.

WHEN I WAS BORN
by Star Echavez

When I was born I didn't know anything. I just knew how to cry and eat. After six months, I went to school. I was always sick since I was born. I always went to the hospital. I didn't know what was happening around me. I didn't care. I grew up unhealthy (kind of) because I was always sick. I still get sick up to now. I always have blood tests. But I didn't know why. Now that I'm bigger I know the reason.

Last year when I was grade two, I always had nosebleed. I had to go to the school's clinic when I had nosebleed. My life wasn't easy for me -- always going to the hospital and always absent from my class was very hard, because I love going to school.

We have a great school. It has great teachers especially when I was grade two. I like Teacher Christine because she's always happy and she always makes us happy.

We didn't know me and my mom have a disease -- the "von Willebrand's disease." We have type 2M. I still didn't care. Now that I'm grade 3 I still don't care about the disease. I'm not better but I will be. Many people pray for me. Now I'm healthier but I still get sick. But this life (my life) gets better and better. THE END

Death from von Willebrand Disease

2008-06-11T13:56:00.003+08:00

Ever since we found out that von Willebrand Disease runs in our family, we have been doing, though in our own little way, an awareness campaign to let people know what this disease is. I've been blogging and writing about our journey with von Willebrand. Everyone in our family -- my husband, children and siblings -- have been sharing it as well with people in their circles.

Because Star seems to be "normal" except for her frequent nosebleedings and lately, vomitting of blood, we really didn't find any urgency to be part of a bigger group. Until two weeks ago.

While we were waiting for our turn for Star's transfusion, I made chit-chat with others in the doctor's clinic. Most of the patients, I found out, were afflicted with leukemia. The parents -- about five of them -- knew each other. Apparently, they have a support group and they "borrowed" medicines from each other. "We have to order the medicines abroad," one mother told me. Fortunately, she said, the parent of one of her child's co-patients is an OFW so they can easily ask the parent to buy for the group.

Curiously, one lady came in the clinic without a child. Since the waiting room was just small, I engaged her as well. Do you have a patient? I asked her. Yes, she replied. He's in the ICU. Whoa! My mind started to run a list of people we could seek help from for the patient. So, the reporter in me started to ask questions. What's the child's case? How old is the child? Is she the mother? How can we help her?

It turned out that she was working for an orphanage and the boy she was caring for had von Willebrand disease. He was 4. He had been admitted to the ICU after bleeding profusely for many days. Like us, they had been looking for Koate and thankfully, because of the number given to me, we were able to find it. Unknown to me, another little soul needed Koate even more urgently than Star.

I was speechless. It was only then that Star's condition sank in. Suddenly, I felt so blessed. Silently I thanked God for the grace that He has given us, especially to Star.

Only by God's grace has Star been able to have a semblance of normalcy in her life. Despite her frequent bleeding, she still enjoys pretty much what children her age do. In fact, she's quite active. She's into ballet, Angklung, piano. She loves to trek. And hopefully, she'll learn to bike too.

My heart sank when I heard what the boy went through because of vWD. Very similar to Star, only more severely.

When it was our turn, I told Star's hematologist that I wanted to lobby with our government to have at least one government facility for bleeders in the country. In other countries, bleeders get free transfusion and other medical needs. Having a bleeder in the family is not easy. One transfusion can easily cost at least P25,000. The heavier the patient becomes, the more plasma she/he needs. Generally, it is more costly for women bleeders especially once they have their monthly periods. One mother of another vWD patient told me they spend at least P50,000 per month for her daughter's transfusion.

In a third world country like ours, health is the least priority. Sadly, there are no facilities for vWD patients here, not even in the best private hospitals. Let alone in government hospitals. Even for families of patients, maintaining a monthly transfusion can be prohibitive. One mother told me there are times they could do nothing but just pray for their daughter because they could no longer afford her transfusions.

A day after my encounter with the little boy's caregiver, Star's hematologist texted me that the little boy passed away. My heart broke. What a senseless death!

The boy's death jolted me. We cannot take this disease lightly anymore. We have to do something for all the bleeders. We cannot just focus on our daughter and go on with life not caring for other bleeders. Maybe God allowed this disease in our family so we can feel how others feel. There are many other bleeders out there. We have to help each other.

Our worst days may be our best

2008-05-26T14:19:00.000+08:00

I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. (2 Timothy 2:10)

If only Job had known, as he sat in the ashes, troubling his heart over the thought of God's providence, that millions down through history would look back on his trials. He might have taken courage in the fact that his experience would be a help to others throughout the world.

No one lives to himself, and Job's story is like yours and mine, only his was written for all to see. The afflictions Job faced and the trials he wrestled with are the very things for which he is remembered, and without them we would probably never have read of him in God's Word.

We never know the trials that await us in the days ahead. We may not be able to see the light through our struggles, but we can believe that those days, as in the life of Job, will be the most significant we are called upon to live. Robert Collyer

This is an excerpt from Streams in the Desert. God has an amazing way of stilling us when times are difficult by reminding us of His faithfulness throughout the ages. Reading the life of Job makes the worst affliction in our lives so trivial. Job endured all unimaginable trials yet he never cursed God.

In the end, Job became immortalized through one whole book in the Holy Bible.

Since Star was diagnosed with a rare bleeding disorder, I have kept on going back to the Book of Job to seek encouragement. As we are encouraged, so are we able to encourage others. The Bible tells us that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to His purpose.

Indeed, it is in our most difficult times that we see God's greatest miracles. In our needs, His provisions. In our weaknesses, His strength. In our illness, His healing.

Praises and glory be to God!

Kindness abounds -- THANK YOU!

2008-05-24T11:52:00.000+08:00

To all who reposted my post and forwarded my email, THANK YOU!

Indeed, kindness abounds. Through the forwarded posts and emails, we were finally able to get in touch with an importer who helped us secure the blood factor that Star needs.

It turned out that Koate and Alphanate are from human plasma and both are regulated products. We cannot buy any of the two ourselves. They can only be acquired through a hospital or a hematologist.

God willing, Star will be able to have her transfusion by Monday.

To all who prayed with us and gave words of encouragement, THANK YOU!

It is the prayers of others that makes us strong amidst difficult times.

I believe all things work together for good and surely God has a reason for allowing this bleeding disorder in our family.

This is a hereditary disorder which caused the life of my mother. Thankfully, with the modern technology, Star may be able to live a "normal" life.

Please keep Star in prayers. She is a bit scared about the transfusion. But she is excited too. Her bleeding has caused delays in our travel (we were supposed to leave today.) On Tuesday, we will be off to our long-awaited family vacation. =) God is good all the time!

God bless you all and return your kindness with more favors.

Help! Star needs blood transfusion!

2008-05-22T21:53:00.000+08:00

Hi everyone!

Anyone who knows anybody working with Bayer or any pharmaceutical company that sells blood by-products? Or where we can buy blood factors Koate or Alphante?

Koate and Alphanate are anti-hemophelic concentrates that can help regulate the clotting factor.

Our 9-year-old daughter Star needs to have blood transfusion ASAP to stop her frequent nosebleeding. As I have shared in my past posts (here and here), Star has a bleeding disorder called Von Willebrand Disease. It's a genetic bleeding disorder where the platelets are either defective or not functioning well.

Lately, Star has been nosebleeing more frequently again, and unlike in the past, there are now big blood clots. This afternoon, there were about four of those.

Thankfully, results of her CBC and platelet count today are good. No anemia. Platelet is high which means her "good soldiers" are fighting. But her bleeding has to be addressed, otherwise, it will lead to more complications. However, Koate or Alphante are not available in the Philippines. But in case you know of anyone in the pharmaceutical companies, they might know how we can buy them.

Both of these products may be available in Hongkong or Singapore. For those with kind-hearted friends or relatives in those areas, can we ask for assistance in finding out how much this costs and if they are willing to facilitate our purchase of the products?

Please PM me or email me at andrea.echavez@gmail.com.

Thanks a lot and God bless!

Paalam, Ka Bel!

2008-05-20T18:54:00.002+08:00

Today, the country has lost one great leader -- Congressman Crispin Beltran. He succumbed to internal hemorrhage after a bad fall in their home last night.

Ka Bel is one of the leaders I truly admire. Simple, humble, very unassuming.

Even though he was a national leader, he lived simply. Unlike many activist leaders who change when they rise up to power, Ka Bel remained the same.

There are many stories to tell about my personal encounters with Ka Bel. But what struck me most was his simplicity to the very end, and his love for his family. Aside of course, from his passion for the country.

Ka Bel was never pretentious. One time while I visited him at the Heart Center (where he was detained for many months), he shared how he and his family acquired their new home in Bulacan. "Naku, pinangutang ko pa yon." He went on to tell me of his little garden and how it gave him and Ka Osang, his wife, some peace. All the while, the home he was describing seemed like a mansion because it gave him so much joy. Then he goes, "mahal din yon a, mahigit P100,000."

And this was a congressman talking. Something hit me in the heart . My goodness! Here I was complaining at times, yet I was far more blessed than this congressman. I felt so rich that day.

I went to visit Ka Bel that day to encourage him. But I was the one encouraged. My mental picture of Ka Bel will always be the smiling, unassuming, simple leader. A leader that truly serves.

This is such a sad day. We will surely miss you, Ka Bel!

(Thanks to Tonyo for the photo.)

The day we quarrelled in front of our children

2008-05-20T14:15:00.006+08:00

One day, my husband and I argued in front of our children. Hubby walks out. The eyes of our children were suddenly all on me. I was almost tempted to blurt out: "What did I do?" But I did not. Instead, I said what I thought was the right thing to do. Process them.

"Okey guys, what your dad just did was wrong." Then pause....

"But what I did was even more wrong. I should have just kept quiet."

Leadership, whether in the family or at work, is always lived by example. We cannot expect our children or our subordinates to do what is right when they see us act otherwise.

Thankfully, it is never too late to do the right thing.

The Bible gives us a lot of examples on leadership. Leaders of different types and characters. Thankfully, it also shows us that even great leaders are humans. And just like everyone of us, they commit mistakes. Take Moses as an example. Moses was a reluctant leader. He made all the excuses. He angered God to the point that God intended to kill him. (Exodus 4:24) Yet, God used Moses to bring Israel out of Egypt.

There are many interesting things to learn about the leadership style of Moses. I'd like to share an excerpt from The Maxwell Leadership Bible:

KEEP THE MAIN THING THE MAIN THING
by John Maxwell

You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heat. You shall them them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. -- Deuteronomy 6:5-7

An old phrase says, "The leader's job is to keep the main thing, the main thing." Moses attempts this in Deuteronomy 6 by reminding the Israelites that their existence revolves around loving God. He also tells family leaders how to transfer truth to their children. Reggie Joiner notes the principles Moses develops:

Relationship comes before rules.
Truth must be in you before it can be in them.
Each day offers natural opportunities for teaching.
Repitition is the teacher's best friend.

Make use of all of those opportunities. Decide on issues you can discuss and ask questions of each other. Pray about your priorities together.

POSTSCIPT: Catch John Maxwell live in Manila on June 10, Edsa Shangrila Hotel. For details, call 8132732 or 03. Look for Juliet. Or reserve online at www.saltandlightventures.net.

Photo from: http://rattletattle.com

Are you an effective leader?

2008-05-20T10:16:00.000+08:00

The 4 Voices That Help Find Your Leadership Vision
by John Maxwell

Where does a leader's vision come from? To find your vision, you must listen to...

The Inner Voice: Vision starts within. Do you know what your life's mission is? If what you're pursuing in life doesn't come from the depths of who you are and what you believe, you will not be able to accomplish it.
The Unhappy Voice: Where does inspiration for great ideas come from? From noticing what doesn't work. Discontent with the status quo is a great catalyst for vision. No great leader in history has fought to prevent change.
The Successful Voice: Nobody can accomplish great things alone. If you want to lead others to greatness, find a good mentor, ad advisor who can help you sharpen your vision.
The Higher Voice: Don't let your vision be confined by your own limited capabilities. A truly valuable vision must have God in it. Only He knows what you're really capable of. Have you looked beyond yourself, even beyond your own lifetime as you've sought your vision? If not, you may be missing the true potential of your life.

+++

This is an excerpt from The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader by John Maxwell who authored the best-selling Developing the Leader Within You, The 360 Degree Leader, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership and The Winning Attitude (along with more than 12 other best-sellers which have sold more than 14 million copies worldwide.)

John Maxwell will be in Manila for the John Maxwell Leadership Summit on June 10, 2008. If you haven't registered yet, today is a good day to do so to take advantage of the May Early Bird rates so you can save P1,000 off the regular June rates. To register call 8132732/03 (ask for Juliet) or reserve online www.saltandlightventures.net

ATTENTION, NTC! Revoke Sun Cell's license!

2008-05-15T16:10:00.003+08:00

We recently got a family pack from Sun cellular after reading their ad. P999/month for three phones. Not a bad deal. (Or so we thought.) With post-paid phones, we no longer have to perennially worry about loading our children's pre-paid phones.

The thought of no charges for Sun-to-Sun calls and texts is not a bad idea at all, especially that more and more friends and business contacts have Sun Cell numbers as well.

The application process was very easy. I only had to present my Smart monthly bill, fill up a form and give reference numbers of people who could attest to my identity. Voila! we got three brand new phones in two days.

Unfortunately, Ben didn't want to shift to Sun. Sofie's old phone broke down and was just excited to get a new phone. The hubby thought Star does not really need a phone so we both ended up getting an extra unit each.

Now almost a month after we got Sun, my and my husband's blood pressure rise everyday. We can hardly call each other. For the very few times that we manage to get through, the signals are either too bad you have to shout or pfft! - the line drops faster than it connects. And text messages get delivered after 48 years.

So much for better network, better value! PANA should revoke the airing of Sun Cell ads. There is definitely no truth to Sun's advertising. Too bad Aga agreed to endorse Sun. I'm sure he's using Smart or Globe.

We will be filing a complaint with the NTC this week. Sun users, unite!

A tribute to my mother

2008-05-12T09:57:00.006+08:00

For two decades, we have not celebrated mother's day. My mother left us to move on to the other side of life more than 20 years ago. She was just 50. At the time of her death, I was barely off high school and in the awkward, difficult stage called adolescence. It was a bad time for her to go.

My mother was a career woman at a time when careers were not even called as such. This picture of her with all of my siblings and a nephew was so typical of her -- a super mom.

She practically raised us -- six siblings -- single-handedly when our father went into some sort of self-exile after his arrest during the Martial Law years. Mama was working as a registrar and later on, finance officer, of a local Catholic school. On the side, she was an Avon franchise dealer, a Tupperware lady and at the same time, running our farm. On weekends, she would either be leading the affairs in our diocese or holding relief operations in our neighborhood. And she was raising six children!

It amazes me no end looking back at how our mother managed to juggle motherhood, career, side-lines, civic work, religious duties all at the same time. To think that she would never miss checking on us week by week in school. She was the only mother who would do parent-teacher consultation when hands-on parenting was not yet coined.

On the evenings before we went to bed, she would marvel us with stories of the war-times -- how the Japanese took their home and turned it into a garrison, her encounters with "santelmo's" (St. Elmo's fire), her family back in the Occidental side of Negros, and our lola's "third eye" and her encounters with dwende's and spirits. We would all be shrieking at the horror stories but nevertheless, we would beg her to tell them over and over again.

Mama almost never got sick. The only time I remembered her getting sick was when she came from Dumaguete, then about five hours drive from our town because of the rough roads. She probably got too tired from the travel.

It came as a shock to everyone in our town, especially us, when she died in a freak medical accident while undergoing minor surgery.

Our life turned upside down when mama died. Suddenly, our home was never the same again. The orderliness of our mother. (She was definitely OC!) The discipline. The gentle reminders. The hugs and kisses. Suddenly the center of our lives, who put all of us in our right places, was gone. I supposed all of us siblings, and even our father, questioned God why. Why was she gone so soon? She was the best mother any child could ask for. I don't think I am even close to her as a super mom.

Thankfully, God knows the best timing. He took our mother after she had instilled the right discipline in each one of us. If God took her earlier, we would all have been ill-prepared. But if He took her later, we would have lost both our parents. Because a few months after her death, our home was bombed, and the shrapnels landed mostly in our parents room. Since mama's death, our father stopped sleeping in their bedroom. But had she been alive, she and papa would have died a brutal death. Truly, God has a reason for everything.

What I am today as a mother and as a wife, I mostly attribute to my own mother. She, who patiently read me bedtime stories amidst candlelight. (Electricity was only until 8pm then.) And I have five other siblings she would also put to sleep. She, who taught me mostly what I know -- from household chores to survival tips. She, who taught us to care for others. And most especially, she who taught us to love God with all of our hearts, mind and soul.

Mama was not perfect. But she was the best. I never had the chance to say Happy Mother's Day to her. But today, I honor my mother -- Sofia Lopez-Vito Hernandez for being the best mother we could ever have. I praise and thank God for giving us nobody less than her.

Selecta Choco Hazelnut Brownie is a downer

2008-05-06T09:50:00.005+08:00

To "celebrate" my being home again, I treated my three not-so-little darlings with ice cream yesterday afternoon. In our household, when the "boss" is not around, we only eat choco-flavored ice creams. I'm a self-confessed choco-addict. And I only eat choco-flavored ice creams. Anything, for as long as it's choco-flavored. When something new comes out in the market, for as long as it's chocolatey, we try it out.

And so, for yesterday's fix, I grabbed a half-galloon Selecta Choco Hazelnut Brownie. The photo seemed so enticing - with real hazelnuts, chocolate chunks and brownies. Hmmm. My mind was all on the ice cream as I was lining up to pay. Good thing, it was a Monday afternoon and not too many people were shopping at SM North's Hypermarket. I couldn't wait to get home and partake of the find with my children. My kids were all as excited as they opened the can. Chunks of brownies greeted us at first glance. Seems yummy indeed. Real chunks of delectable brownies. But after a few spoons, I still didn't find hazelnuts and choco chunks. Maybe I didn't eat enough servings? Or maybe not.

My verdict: Selecta Choco Hazelnut Brownie is a downer. Very Rocky Road tastes better and it's even cheaper. Next time, I'll probably try the latest Magnolia choco-flavored offering.

Chowking Halo-halo

2008-05-06T08:43:00.003+08:00

Nothing can beat the sizzling hot summer days than a treat of the best Halo-halo in town. My benchmark of good Halo-halo is Kabigting's, that dainty sari-sari store in the foothills of Arayat. But driving to Arayat is out of question. So off to SM North I went with the hubby. Before doing our weekly grocery's we dropped by Chowking, on the second floor of the main mall. The store was filled but we were resolved to have our fare of Halo-halo and so we patiently waited for our turn. Thankfully, we soon found two vacant seats. Maybe it was our craving or maybe Chowking really has better service now, but not too long after the hubby took his seat -- voila! -- our special Halo-halo appeared. Made of 12 yummy ingredients, Chowking's Halo-halo tastes a lot better than the last time I visited. The ice is finer now and the milk tastes better. The serving of each ingredient is just enough to get a balanced mix of taste. Hmmm! The best. Now we don't have to drive an hour and a half to Pampanga to get a fix of a great Halo-halo. I'll definitely be back before the summer ends!

Ben's Chocolate Cakes

2008-05-06T06:27:00.002+08:00

I admit. I don't bake very well. But Ben does. Our 13-year-old chef does not only cook delicious pastas, chicken curry and menudo, he bakes the best chocolate-flavored cakes (brownies, fudge, plain choco cake).

A few days ago, I tried to bake chocolate cake for dessert. Without hesitation, Star blurted that kuya's cake tastes a lot better. Ouch! Talk about children's honesty. :-)

Last night, Ben baked choco fudge and we refrigerated it overnight. I had it for breakfast this morning to go along with my coffee. Hmm. The best! This is what I have missed the past four months. =)

I'm jobless, thank God!

2008-05-03T07:35:00.000+08:00

It's my third day of being jobless and I've never been happier since I decided to give the corporate world a try.

Don't get me wrong. I loved the office I just left -- the work and the people I worked with. They were all so nice to me.

But at the end of the day, one has to decide on what is more important. No doubt about it, family comes first. When work comes in the way of family life, you have to let go.

Funny how my sisters and close friends reacted when I broke the news to them. They were all so happy for me. I am too! :-) Now I can say "hello" again to my kids as they wake up even if they do at mid-day. And I can't wait to have our long-awaited summer vacation! Thank God, I'm free again! :-)

Looking forward to an enchanting summer

2008-04-26T07:49:00.002+08:00

Few weeks from now, my family and I will be "going home" to my adoptive town -- Santa Ana in Cagayan Valley. I fell in love with Santa Ana the moment I first set foot on this sleepy little town. It has a charm that draws your spirit, like filling your soul with its deepest longing. I'm reposting here an entry I did two years ago about Santa Ana. o 0 o

IT'S NOT CALLED CAPE ENGAÑO FOR NOTHING. This cove in Palaui Island of the now-getting-famous Santa Ana, Cagayan North, is truly enchanting. I'm pretty sure the Spaniards who first set foot on this little island before they built the once majestic Faro de Cabo Engaño in the late 1800's fell under the spell of this enchanted island. The same spell that binds every stranger who willingly takes on the beckoning of the hills -- that strong presence so enticing you can't refuse.

I've been to Cape Engaño twice this summer and I swear I'll be back. I love the waters -- so clear and so cool. There's nothing more refreshing than the ice-cold seawater under the heat of the sun. But the best and more rewarding part of it all is the awesome sight on top of Cape Engaño where the lighthouse sits like a princess waiting for her beloved. I will never get tired of going up over and over again. It is not a very easy way up, I should tell you. A steep 20-minute or so walk uphill some 95 meters above sea level, that is. But swear, I will gladly do it again and again. The sight on top is just breathtaking you cannot have enough of it in two or three climbs.

Midway through the climb, I sat on the green grass with my friend Sheila. We basked on the wonderful scenery. Everywhere you look, you will be awed. Truly, there can only be a Divine Designer who entricately planned for all the things around us. One who designed the mountains exactly the way they are, or the colors of the sea, or the coolness of the wind...

Once on top of the lighthouse, you get a good glimpse of the Babuyan group of islands. But right in front of the cape at the mouth of the Pacific Ocean are the mysterious twin islands called Dos Hermanas. Legend has it that these were two sisters desperately awaiting for the return of their lovers. Dos Hermanas are rock formations covered with greens. Fisherfolks say the best gamet, that green seaweed used for Nori, can be found in this twin islands. But beware, not a few lives have been taken as they tried to break the silence of these twin sisters.

The lighthouse itself, while now in ruins, has traces of it grand old days. One can imagine a little palace perched on a hill where Prince Charming visits his beloved.

We only stayed in the lighthouse for an hour at the most. After some picture taking, we all decided to descend and frolick in the cool clear blue waters. It was only a little past 9am but on top of the hill, the heat felt like mid-day. Thankfully, it was windy so we didn't really feel the scorching sun on the way down.

Again, I slowly went down to enjoy the view. My daughter Star was already long enjoying the waters by the time I reached the beach with a few other friends. We were quite a big group -- almost 30 in all. Some chose to sleep under the shade of the trees. The cool breeze of the sea could indeed lull you to sleep. Hmmm, what a life! Others explored the virgin forest of Palaui, following the narrow trail that leads to a small waterfalls.

As the "GRO" of the group (I have volunteered to help my friend Pinky and her husband Mayor Vic Rodriguez promote their town), I deliberately left out forest trekking in our itinerary. The forest can be scary. It gives you an eerrie feeling -- hearing those strange sounds of wild animals. But some media friends chose to go anyway.

Frolicking in the clear blue waters, away from the stressful life in the metro, was truly refreshing. But like anything else in the world, our time in the midst of the enchanted island had come to an end. By noontime, we all had to pack up and bid adeu. Happily, a lunch of fresh lobsters, crabs, shrimps and lapu-lapu awaited us back in the mainland. Of course, over lunch and in the days that followed, we never ran out of stories of the enchanting Cape Engaño.

Photo credit goes to my friend, Rose Razon.

Another Pinay makes it in global talent search!

2008-04-19T12:53:00.002+08:00

Another Pinay may well be on her way to musical stardom. Galing talaga ng mga Pinay! (ehem.)

Mary Margaret Yu of Davao City won second place in the global talent search Voice of McDonald's 2008 where 3,600 plus McDonald's employees from 118 countries competed.

Two other Filipinos made it to the top 14 -- Canada-based Candido Revilles who placed third, and Yu’s best friend, Paulina Susan Bacarat.

Multi-platinum artist Ne-Yo led the panel of judges along with Sony/ATV Music Publishing co-president Jody Gerson, and Goldring, Hertz and Lichtenstein (LLP) senior partner Ken Hertz.

A powerful performance of Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing” became Margaret’s passport to the big showdown, where she received a standing ovation. Aside from her repertoire of Whitney Houston hits, the Pinay music genius is also into R&B, jazz, and ballads.

Congratulations to Margaret, Candido and Paulina! The three of you surely make us all proud. Good news such as this offer relief from all the negative stories written about the country. May your tribe increase!

Jesus, The Healer

2008-04-06T12:11:00.002+08:00

Next week, our Church will start a new series called The Healer. The topic of healing is very close to my heart, having witnessed a number of miraculous healings within the family -- one of which is that of our son Ben. (Read here The Birthing of Ben)

Born a week short of his seventh month, like many pre-term babies, Ben had very weak lungs. Immediately after he came out, he was admitted to the neo-natal intensive care unit which became his home for close to a month. I had asthma at the time we were pregnant with Ben. But little did I know that it was no longer just asthma I was suffering. I had pneumonia as well.

Unfortunately, while in my tummy, Ben got infected. About 27 weeks into his life, my water bag broke. Two days later, Ben came out. Because I didn't even know my water bag broke, more complications set in. Ben had sepsis (blood infection). To make the matter worst, he suffered cardiac arrest a few days after he was born. I was already out of the hospital by then. Immediately after it happend, his doctor called to inform us that he had an attack but thankfully, they managed to revive him. "But you should come at once. At least you are here in case he goes," the doctor told me. I was speechless.

As my husband and I rushed to the hospital, I prayed to the Lord to spare our son, but at the same time, to just take him if he was not meant for us. Ben became comatose for days.

Yet, as days went by, the more I was assured that God had already given Ben to us. I just knew it. If Ben was not meant for us, then God should have taken him right away. But Ben hang on for days and weeks. Sometimes, he would show signs of progress, managing to be off the ventilator (life support) for a day or two. Then he would degress again. It was a roller-coaster ride. But finally, before he turned a month old, the doctor told us we could already take him home.

Ben is now 13. Handsome (wink wink!) and intelligent, one cannot imagine what he went through.

When he was old enough to understand, we told him the story of his life and how God did a miracle on him.

His doctor calls him "the miracle baby from the ICU" and indeed he is. He was the worst case in the ICU. The most premature and the most complicated case, Ben's healing could only be the handiwork of a miracle-working God.

"Only a miracle can save your son," his doctor told us. And indeed, the miracle happened.

Looking back, I believe God allowed us to go through a difficult start for many reasons. One, Ben's two younger sisters that followed very shortly one after the other were also both born premature. Thankfully, by the second and third time we became pregnant again, we already knew what to do. Second, having seen how God miraculously healed Ben, we now have personal knowledge that indeed, nothing is too difficult for the Lord. Everytime we go through something, we hold on to the knowledge that we have a miracle-working God. The past thirteen years, we went through so many challenges that if we have not only seen how God performed miracle on Ben, we would have probably succumbed to despair.

Thankfully, Jesus is our Divine Healer. With Him, nothing is impossible. And the impossible is nothing.

Half-rice, please...

2008-03-29T19:18:00.001+08:00

This afternoon, I went to the grocery with my kids and was shocked to find out that prices of rice have skyrocketed. Just last week, you could still buy a decent variety of rice for less than P30 a kilo. Today, the P34/kilo in SM Hypermarket was like the regular NFA rice. Where has all our rice supply gone? Thankfully, because fewer people buy brown rice, the price is still cheaper. So we decided to shift to eating brown rice. Healthy eating now, by force. Haha! :-) Following the government's appeal to conserve rice, McDo announced it will soon start serving half rice in all its stores. McDo's press statement below:

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Help save the world one half-rice at a time

Quick service restaurant giant McDonald's today announced it will soon start serving half-rice to customers in response to the government's call to help conserve the country's rice supply.

In a statement, McDonald's Vice President for Marketing Margot Torres said the decision came after Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap and Malacanang officials called on Filipinos to help in government efforts to avert a possible rice crisis.

Since early March, rice prices have been steadily rising reportedly because of global shortage in supply.

McDonald's is one of the first restaurant chains to express support to the government's call.

"McDonald's immediately acted upon Secretary Yap's appeal and mobilized a plan to offer half rice in its restaurants, still guided by the brand's commitment to food quality for its customers," Torres said.

Immediately, the fast food mogul acquired half-rice scoopers and developed in-store promotional materials for this campaign.

Half-rice meals will be officially made available in all McDonald's outlets beginning April 17 .

Torres reiterated that McDonald's remains committed to offering only high quality food to its customers.

Torres said the effort will not only help the country in rice conservation, but will also enable the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) to support more children under its Bright Minds Read Program, a reading program under Department of Education's Adopt-a-School. (end)

Easter Sunday Reflections

2008-03-23T15:16:00.002+08:00

My 11-year-old daughter Sofia blogged about her reflections on Easter Sunday. Growing up in an evangelical church, she and her siblings missed traditions that my side of the family always looked forward to during the Holy Week. But even without those traditions, she now understands why Easter is an all-important and happy occasion for us Christians.

Though written in a very simple, childlike prose, it is a good reminder of the sacrifice Jesus has made to give us life.
Reposting here Pia's unedited blog:

Well, I don't really know much about Easter Sunday all I know about it is that it was the day Jesus was resurrected and stuff like that, but I just want to remind you all about this wonderful day. This day is well known for being the day in which God was resurrected. This was the story we were supposed to perform in Tree-atro right? The resurrection and those stuff. Although, I don't really read the bible that much (I admit), but this day is very holy and it affected our lives very much. He died for us, for our sins and I really thank Him for that. We don't really thank Him for doing this wonderful things to us and I think that we should acknowledge Him for this. I wonder how the world will be like if he didn't do this to us. In church earlier, the pastor mentioned that there was this certain cartoon. There were two people( I kinda changed some parts coz i forgot):

Person 1(dunno the name): Did you know that Christ went to hell?(I was shocked by this one)

Person 2 : What?! Person 1 : Yeah, He did. He went there to cancel our reservations

I was surprised. I sat there, kinda frozen. I remembered how God really loved us and that He even died for us. If He didn't do that then we would live for nothing. All we do is : eat, sleep, do whatever we want and not care for others and what we do. We'd all do stuff that we think is "pleasurable", and we wouldn't care to think that what we are doing is wrong. We'd just do that our whole life and then when we die, we'd suffer in hell. I was really reminded that I should thank God for always being there and helping us all the way. He always did what was right. I would really appreciate if people would realize what I just realized.

Travelling again

2008-03-22T17:10:00.000+08:00

"Travelling puts you in a heightened state of awareness. It stimulates your brain and makes you call up all your intellectual, spiritual and physical resources. Journeys are necessary for human beings; otherwise we stagnate. Change is essential for everyone, and travelling presents a high rate of change." - By the canadian writer Lynne Shuttleworth.

In the journey called life, you sometimes come to a point of exhaustion that you just want to stay still and ponder -- where I am really heading? I am taking the right direction? Should I rest? Or should I move on?

Knowing where you are heading makes the journey much easier. Yet, sometimes, taking a free fall can be more exciting. Knowing that Someone up there cares for you, and depending on Him alone, can make your journey more meaningful.

In less than two weeks, I will be travelling again. Travel has become a therapy for me. Most of the time, it brings me to new, unfamiliar places. Yet, it makes me appreciate home all the more.

Someone says travel is a means of escaping from the worries and burdens of everyday life. For a moment, you leave behind the bothersome realities in life. You discover new things and gain a wider perspective of the world. Life, after all, does not revolve around you. Yet, the more you go further, the more you realize what is more important to you.

Almost everytime I travel, I leave behind the most important gifts God has bestowed on me -- my family. I see new places and gain more insights of the world beyond my own. For a moment, I enjoy it. Being on my own, meeting new people, experiencing new culture, learning new things I would not have known had I not taken the opportunities the Greatest Giver of all opened up for me.

And yet, as I travel, the more He makes me realize that home is still the best gift of all.

Ben is now 13!

2008-01-06T15:29:00.000+08:00

So, I'm now a full-fledged mom of a teener! Ben turned 13 yesterday. To celebrate his transition to "teenhood," we went to Mall of Asia's Science Discovery Center. A budding scientist, Ben loves anything about science and the technology that goes with it.

He's especially fascinated by astronomy and robotics. One of the sites that he frequently visits is NASA and boy, are we amazed by the information he absorbs.

During his second grade, he was designated as "the official class researcher" because he loved to research ahead on their lessons. Without being told, he would then give his researched materials to their teacher. Of course, she was just so happy to have an assistant.

He's also a geek. He learned to use the computer at age 2 1/2. Being so "usesero," I thought it was wiser to teach him the proper way to use the computer rather than stopping him. Who knows what a terrible two can do without the prying eyes of a mom! In a few months, he was already so good in Corel. In fact, he did his sister's birthday invitation when Pia turned 1. He became our in-house "Mac" expert at 7, reading through religiously my friend Boogie's Mac for Dummies. Around that time, he also did his first website. He has created his own RPG game (through a gamemaker).

Now, he's our consultant on anything about computers and gadgets. And he's earning, too! :-) I paid him P500 for doing my website. We used to pay him P10 powerpoint presentations, until Ben realized he was underpaid! haha!

We praise God everyday for his life. Ben is God's living testimony that He is a miracle-working God. (Read here Ben's testimony) Our prayer for Ben is that he'll realize the gifts God has given him and use it to bless others. May he live to glorify God for the rest of his life.

New Year, new beginning

2008-01-01T16:10:00.001+08:00

(photo from Harshad Sharma)

I have this thing with new year. This time six year ago, I resigned from my dream job to become a full-time mom. It was a tough decision considering that I really loved what I was doing. But I love my children more and I was willing to drop everything for their sakes. It was truly a leap of faith, having to leave the hubby all by himself to tide us through.

Later on, as I got the wind of being a stay-at-home-mom, God opened opportunities for me to do consultancy work. It allowed me to work from the house, thus making me a work-at-home-mom. I still managed to bring the kids to school and fetch them, attend to their needs and manage the household. Before I knew it, I had been doing it for the past three years or so.

One part of me misses my old job as reporter. In fact, when I was offered last year to join the reportorial team of a business paper, I almost said yes. Yet, just the thought of being on-call again 24/7, being asked to cover coups and rallies and all, kept me from jumping back into the world of journalism. Being a news reporter is just not for moms. It's one noble job that I love, but some nuances that go along with it just wouldn't jibe with my idea of motherhood.

I've been praying to God to give me a clearer direction. And I guess, in a resounding way, He has answered me. Late last year, I got a call from a friend asking if I was interested to join their company. Things happened so fast that before I realized it, I had already said yes.

And so here I am, six years after I resigned from the Inquirer, I'm taking on a full-time job again.

I hope 2008 will be better, much brighter for all of us.

New Year Noche Buena

2007-12-31T17:57:00.000+08:00

I love to cook. And I love to create and re-create dishes. I started cooking at 9, the right age -- my Mama believed -- to train girls' household stuff. That included going to the market and picking the right ingredients for the day's meals to making the house squeaky clean and of course, cooking.

Since my mother was Ilongga, most of the dishes had Ilonggo influence but the Cebuano part of the family also had its fair share. I've always had in my mind to blog about the dishes that I cook but never got down to it. And so finally, here I am trying to journal some of my favorite dishes.

For tonight's Noche Buena dishes, I've recreated some old time favorites to cut down on cholesterol and transfat contents. (A better way to start the new year with healthy eating. Haha!).

I'm a very practical person and I don't like tedious processes so I simplify my cooking, without necessarily sacrificing the taste. Tonight, I cooked three dishes -- chicken, lasagna and fried shrimp -- and one dessert, a re-created version of old time favorite Maja Blanca. The rest, we grabbed from Goldilocks, Red Ribbon and Andoks.

Here are my creations for tonight:

Tuna Lasagna

Ingredients:

For the sauce
2 cans Century Tuna in Water (drain)
1/2 cup basil, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 clove onion, minced
1 560 gram Del Monte Spaghetti sauce
salt, to taste
sugar, to taste
black pepper, to taste

Procedure: Sautee the tuna with garlic and onion. Add the chopped basil. Add Del Monte Spaghetti sauce. When cooked, set aside to cool.

For the Cream
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
2 cups water
1 big can evaporated milk
pinch of salt

Procedure: Mix flour in water. When all the lumps disappear, pour mixture in a pan. (Medium heat.) Stir in milk slowly. Bring to boil but make sure to keep on stirring until it mixture becomes creamy. Set aside.

Since I don't have an oven, I just cooked the lasagna like the way I cook spaghetti (boil enough water and then add salt & oil). You can cook the pasta while doing either the sauce or cream.

Once the sauce, cream and pasta are cooked, lay down the lasagna on a microwable container. Add sauce, then put another layer of lasagna. Put cream. Another layer of lasagna, then sauce again. Up to six layers of lasagna would be okey. Microwave on medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes.

o 0 o

New Year's Eve grilled chicken

1 kilo de-boned chicken
1 cup vinegar
1 cup tomato sauce
1 teaspoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar (or mascuvado)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 stalks of lemon grass (pound)
1/2 cup basil leaves (pound)
5 cloves of garlic (pound)

Mixed all ingredients well and marinate chicken for two hours. Grill or cook in greased frying pan under low heat.

(Since I don't like the smoke of the grill, I just cooked mine using a skillet.)

Here's the finished product:

o O o

Hipon a'la Andrea

For lack of better name, just indulge with me. LOL. Nothing extra-ordinary with the shrimp. It's cooked like Nilasing na Hipon but without any alcohol. (See recipe here) Here's mine:

o 0 o

Lastly, for the dessert, I made an easier to prepare Maja Blanca:

Ingredients:

1 big can evap milk
1 big can sweet corn kernels
2 cups water
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup grated cheese
1/2 cup peanuts (pound)

pinch of salt

Procedure:

In a container, dissolve cornstarch and brown sugar in the 2 cups of water. Make sure to mix well. Pour in a pan under medium heat flame. Bring to a boil but constantly stirring. Slowly mix in milk, corn kernels and grated cheese. (Make sure to leave some corn kernels to put on top of the finished product.) Once the mixture is creamy, set aside. Let it cool down before transferring to a disposable container to a greased/buttered glass dish. Once the mixture has hardened, put the remaining corn kernels on top. Sprinkle enough pounded peanuts. You may put inside the ref first before serving. In 30 minutes or so, you can serve your yummy Maja Blanca.

See, wasn't that a breeze!

My life before God's eyes

2007-12-26T20:25:00.000+08:00

Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death. (Isaiah 57:2)

(Photo by anglia24)

If I die tonight, what will God say of my life? How have I lived it?

These words echoed in my mind long after Pastor Manny ended tonight's service at the wake of the dad of two dearest sisters in Christ, Marie and Mariya.

If I may say so, this is a year of grieving for our cell group. One after the other, four of us in the cell lost our parents. Early this year, Kata lost her dad -- albeit in a very fashionable way -- "dropped dead" in the middle of a golf course. ("He really knows how to go in style," Kata tells us.)

Last month, I lost my father while I was in China. Days later, as my family and I were mourning in Negros, Mariya and Marie's mom passed away. And just the other day, their dad followed.

What a year for our small group of "feisty" women. We love to call ourselves "comrades in the Lord" because we were once together in a different cause, but thankfully, have been "arrested by Lord."

Just tonight, our cell group met in a not-so-pleasant-setting -- at the wake of the Jopson patriarch.

Before Pastor Manny shared the Word, the Jopsons flashed the life of their father -- a strong-willed provinciano, who thru sheer hard work and determination, became a successful entrepreneur. His was a life straight from the soap opera. From being a death march survivor to a respected businessman to raising 12 patriotic children including the great youth leader Edjop, Daddy Hernan definitely lived a full life.

I was blessed to have met him and his wife and got to chat with them on the few occassions I visited their Paraiso home. He would marvel me with the tales of old, his family and his passion for farming. He would share how Edjop, as a young boy, convinced him to purchase their Mamburao property which is now like the family's second "paradise."

But what struck me the most was how he evidently loved his wife and children so much. He was a father every family must have -- a strong pillar that holds the family together.

I remember my own father -- a man for others who sacrificed personal conveniences for the sake of the people. To the very end, he thought of others before his own, putting aside his health if only to bring order to what he expected to be a chaotic elections.

Kata's dad, though I haven't met them, surely raised his own children well. Even if she's not my friend, knowing Kata as a public figure, I surmise he did a great job.

Kata's parents, the Jopson's parents, my father -- they all lived lives that impacted others.

Which brings back to Pastor Manny's question: What is my life before God's eyes? How have I lived it?

Not much, I should say. Surely, I can do better. And deaths of people close to us always remind us of the inevitable -- the only sure destination for each one of us.

Death shouldn't bring fear. But rather, determination -- to do better each day and live it as if it were our last. And when we face our Creator, we can give a better accounting of how we steward what He has placed in our hands.

The dawn of a new day

2007-12-26T10:39:00.000+08:00

(photo credit to

down_the_rabbit_hole 's photos)

This year has been a bitter-sweet year for us. Just last month, Papa passed on to the other side of life to rejoin our Mama who went ahead almost 20 years ago.

Early this year, our youngest daughter -- Star, was diagnosed with von Willebrand disease, a genetic disorder of the blood.

At work and in the homefront, we had been hit. Yet, all those sadness, frustrations and challenges were nothing compared to the blessings God has given us.

In sickness, God gave us healing. In our mourning, God gave us joy. In our lack, God gave us extraordinary provisions. In our weakness, God gave us the strength to persevere.

God is good all the time, and I say that with deep conviction. I believe, because I know. Though I may not always see, I believe, because I know that He who has promised is faithful.

I face 2008 with great excitement, with so much hope in my heart for a better, more wonderful walk. 2007 is just a dawn of a greater, brighter day. Welcome, 2008!

Our love story

2007-12-13T05:05:00.000+08:00

It all started as a joke. I spotted this "ruggedly handsome" guy in the school campus with his thick law books. Back in college, having a law student for a boyfriend is cool. And so I jokingly asked a friend if he could introduce me to his brother who was then a sophomore in law school. "You're too good for him," he joked back.

Little did I know, a few months later, who would become my boyfriend but my friend's brother! That was 15 years ago. Today, that ruggedly handsome guy, the "bad boy" of his time at Silliman's law school is now my husband of 13 years. We've been blessed with three wonderful children, the greatest gifts we can ever ask for from God.

It's been far from smooth-sailing at all the past 13 years. But every year, it gets better and better. Looking back, I can only praise God for His faithfulness. Before I met Dick, I prayed to God to give me a person I can spend the rest of my life with. When Dick came along, I thought God was joking. But our Father always know what's best for us.

Ours may not be a perfect marriage. But I can't imagine being married to another person. We may not agree in everything, but I praise God for giving me a person who allows me to speak my mind out, a person who tries to do it better every time and tries his best to be the best husband and father of his children.

Marriage has transformed both Dick and myself for the better. In imperfections, we learned to be more patient, more understanding, more caring, more loving...Together, we have become better individuals.

The joy of giving

2007-12-06T11:41:00.000+08:00

It all started with a thousand bears. Now it's a thousand homes.

Yesterday, parents of the graduating class in The Learning Tree met to discuss the possibility of donating a house or two to Thousand Homes for Bicol project, a wholistic program to help families affected by last year's Typhoon Reming.

By unanimous decision, the parents agreed to support the project as a legacy of the graduating class. Last year, children of The Learning Tree raised funds and donated to A Thousand Bears for Bicol (TBB) project spearheaded by my friends Cathy and Hector.

Thousand Homes is as an off-shoot of the TBB project, on a more ambitious scale, that is.

When some parents learned of the Thousand Homes project in July, they broached the idea to Teacher Francie, the school's indefatiguable founder, as a practical application of the values the school teaches the children -- love for God, country (others) and self.

Not wanting to impose anything on the children, Teacher Francie presented Thousand Homes to the graduating class and asked if they liked the idea of raising funds and donating to the affected families in Bicol. It got the children so excited that they even planned of going to Bicol themselves for the turn-over of the house they were donating.

Not to be outdone, children from the lower graders are now also talking of raising funds to donate to Thousand Homes. Amazing how kids can be so passionate, they even decided to donate proceeds of this year's annual Hele Bazaar for the Bicol project.

Of course, parents have to be informed of their children's decision and so the school called for a meeting yesterday. Since I'm one of the "promoteurs" of Thousand Homes, Teacher Francie asked me to present to the parents. They were as excited as their children.

I left the meeting with so much joy in my heart and a great hope for the future. Here is a small school with a great vision -- to be able to raise up kids with genuine love for God, fellowmen and oneself.

Indeed, when it is about giving, adults have so much to learn from little children. There is always joy when you give out of the abundance of the heart.

Thank you, Papa

2007-11-27T07:46:00.000+08:00

It's been a little over two weeks since my father passed on to the other side of life. There is peace in my heart knowing that he is now in a better place, yet the thought of not being able to see him again until the next life, brings pain.

He was a father every daughter would want to have. A man of few words, yet trustworthy and very dependable.

He singlehandedly saw us -- 6 young siblings -- through college after our mother's sudden death. He took on our mother's style of close supervision, yet gave us enough freedom to decide on our own.

Ours was a bitter-sweet childhood. As a result of Papa's political activism, we grew up practically without him. We went through some un-ordinary experiences, including brief overnights in the provincial jail when he got incarcerated during Martial Law.

In the mid-70s up to the '80s, he worked with PANAMIN and would visit us for a few days every two months. Yet, Papa compensated his absence by bringing us to wherever he was assigned. In summers, he would bring us to mountain adventures in Canlaon. He taught us to ride horses and carabaos. He marvelled at the beauty of nature and would take us for walks in the forests.

He loved the mountains. In fact, when our mother died 19 years ago, he moved to the family's farm in the hinterland of Guihulngan. It was there where he raised our two half-siblings by his second wife.

I don't know what happened anymore after his incarceration. We never talked about his ideologies. But when I started working, I would encounter people asking if I was related to the leftist organizer, Jess Trinidad. Many times, I would hear snide comments that our father was a communist. Yet, more people talked kindly of him for being a principled man.

Communist or not, for us, he was the best father in the world. I have always been proud of him and will always be. He was always concerned of the welfare of the masses. When Negros became militarized in the '80s, he opposed the entry of Cafgu's in our farm in Canlaon.

When he returned to Negros shortly before the Edsa Revolution, he was in the frontlines of rallies that denounced the dictatorship. It made me so proud that while others conveniently closed their eyes to the injustices around us, my father made a stand.

And up to the very end, Papa had the people in his mind. He delayed his check-up if only to ensure that the barangay elections went well. He was concerned that if he was not around, elections would be chaotic.

It was so typical of our father -- putting others first before his own welfare. Had he listened to my older siblings, he would still have been alive today. Then again, all things happen for a reason. Perhaps, his mission is already finished.

I praise God for giving us a father like Papa. Even in sorrow, I rejoice knowing that Papa is now with our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus V. Trinidad signs off at 71

2007-11-09T19:37:00.000+08:00

My papa, a freedom fighter, one of the pillars of broadcast journalism in Negros in the 70s, peacefully joined the Lord early this evening.

I am still in Dalian, China, attending a global e-herbs conference. It was so gloomy when our group arrived here yesterday. I was already in Beijing when I learned that Papa had respiratory attack. Thanks to modern technology, my sisters kept me posted on the developments.

Yesterday, I spoke to my eldest sister Jessica and she told me that doctors were no longer very hopeful about Papa's situation. But we agreed that nothing is impossible with God. Having seen my own son survive cardiac arrest and rose up from coma, I have no doubt God can do it again on Papa.

We were hopeful that Papa would make it. After all, he was the "stronger one" in his family. Papa was always watchful of his health. Except that he would drink everyday. A little alcohol everyday is good for the heart, he would tell us.

Today, my sister texted that Papa seemed to be improving. His was red again early afternoon. I was silently praising God during the conference. Truly He is good all the time. I was already excited of going home to Negros right after my conference. Then, the sad news came.

God is faithful in all of His ways. Maybe, it's His perfect for Papa not to endure pains and difficulties anymore.

Of course, I feel very sad like my brothers and sisters. But I have peace in my heart that God's will is always perfect. He is our Father who knows what's best for us, even for Papa. And with that blessed assurance, we rest comforted by God's everlasting love.

To all who prayed for Papa's healing, thank you so much. He is now healed. He will no longer suffer because He has joined our loving Father in Heaven.

Quiet confidence

2007-11-05T08:28:00.000+08:00

I just got off the phone with my sister. Papa has been in the ICU of Silliman University Medical Center since last night when our older brother rushed him to the emergency. Papa was really scheduled for check-up today because he hasn't been feeling well. But they decided to bring him to Dumaguete (about 3 hours drive from our hometown) when he started to have fever.

According to my siblings, Papa has been feeling weak and his tummy extraordinarily bloated. When they got to the hospital last night, his BP was very low. The doctors decided to place him in the ICU for close monitoring. This morning, they found out that there's a "slight" problem with papa's heart. Results of the liver work-ups is still pending.

My sister was on the verge of tears when I spoke to her on the phone. And really, if I have not seen God's miracles up close and personal, I would have already been panicking myself. Heart problems run in our family. In fact, four of papa's brothers who have gone ahead all died of cardiac arrest. Our lola, on the other hand, died of cirrhosis of the liver. Papa was a heavy smoker in his younger years and "occassional" drinker. But the good thing about papa, he's conscious of his health. He quit smoking in his late 30s. He regularly exercises and is in fact, the healthiest among his siblings. He has not been on top shape though when our mama died 19 years ago. Next week, Nov. 19, would have been their 47th wedding anniversary.

Amazingly, just before I spoke to my sister, my devotion was about God's blessed assurance. "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" That's the Lord talking to Abraham in Genesis 18.14. He assured Abraham that though he and Sarah were very old, in the human point of view, to bear a child, there is just nothing that God can't do.

Having seen miracles one too many, I never ceased to believe that God can do all things. He is in control of everything. He has brought our Ben back to life when he suffered cardiac arrest a few days after his birth. Now at 12, you'll never imagine Ben went through so much as a baby. I always say that Ben is God's living testimony that He is a miracle working God.

On Wednesday, I'll be off to China for a business trip. Papa was suppose to come with me but there had been delays in getting his passport. Besides, he said, he has not been feeling well anyway.

I'll go with a blessed assurance from the Lord that He'll take care of papa. Nothing is too difficult for the Lord. No infirmities too hard for Him to heal. In quiet confidence, I rest knowing papa is in the hands of our Heavenly Father.

How Can Someone Who Lives in Insane Luxury Be a Star in Today's World?

2007-11-04T20:12:00.000+08:00

Something to think about...from Ben Stein, former columnist of E-Online.

Ben Stein's Last Column...
August 9, 2004

How Can Someone Who Lives in Insane Luxury Be a Star in Today's World?

As I begin to write this, I "slug" it, as we writers say, which means I put a heading on top of the document to identify it. This heading is "FINAL," and it gives me a shiver to write it. I have been doing this column for so long that I cannot even recall when I started. I loved writing this column so much for so long I came to believe it would never end. It worked well for a long time, but gradually, my changing as a person and the world's change have overtaken it.

On a small scale, Morton's [famous restaurant which was often frequented by Hollywood stars], while better than ever, no longer attracts as many stars as it used to. It still brings in the rich people in droves and definitely some stars. I saw Samuel L. Jackson there a few days ago, and we had a nice visit, and right before that, I saw and had a splendid talk with Warren Beatty in an elevator, in which we agreed that Splendor in the Grass was a super movie. But Morton's is not the star galaxy it once was, though it probably will be again.

Beyond that, a bigger change has happened. I no longer think Hollywood stars are terribly important. They are uniformly pleasant, friendly people, and they treat me better than I deserve to be treated. But a man or woman who makes a huge wage for memorizing lines and reciting them in front of a camera is no longer my idea of a shining star we should all look up to.

How can a man or woman who makes an eight-figure wage and lives in insane luxury really be a star in today's world, if by a "star" we mean someone bright and powerful and attractive as a role model? Real stars are not riding around in the backs of limousines or in Porsches or getting trained in yoga or Pilates and eating only raw fruit while they have Vietnamese girls do their nails. They can be interesting, nice people, but they are not heroes to me any longer.

A real star is the soldier of the 4th Infantry Division who poked his head into a hole on a farm near Tikrit, Iraq. He could have been met by a bomb or a hail of AK-47 bullets. Instead, he faced an abject Saddam Hussein and the gratitude of all of the decent people of the world. A
real star is the U.S. soldier who was sent to disarm a bomb next to a road north of Baghdad. He approached it, and the bomb went off and killed him.. A real star, the kind who haunts my memory night and day, is the U.S. soldier in Baghdad who saw a little girl playing with a
piece of unexploded ordnance on a street near where he was guarding a station. He pushed her aside and threw himself on it just as it exploded. He left a family desolate in California and a little girl alive in Baghdad.

The stars who deserve media attention are not the ones who have lavish weddings on TV but the ones who patrol the streets of Mosul even after two of their buddies were murdered and their bodies battered and stripped for the sin of trying to protect Iraqis from terrorists. We put
couples with incomes of $100 million a year on the covers of our magazines.

The noncoms and officers who barely scrape by on military pay but stand on guard in Afghanistan and Iraq and on ships and in submarines and near the Arctic Circle are anonymous as they live and die.

I am no longer comfortable being a part of the system that has such poor values, and I do not want to perpetuate those values by pretending that who is eating at Morton's is a big subject. There are plenty of other stars in the American firmament....the policemen and women who go off on patrol in South Central and have no idea if they will return alive. The orderlies and paramedics who bring in people who have been in terrible accidents and prepare them for surgery, the teachers and nurses who throw their whole spirits into caring for autistic children, the kind men and women who work in hospices and in cancer wards. Think of each and every fireman who was running up the stairs at the World Trade Center as the towers began to collapse.

Now you have my idea of a real hero. We are not responsible for the operation of the universe, and what happens to us is not terribly important.

God is real, not a fiction, and when we turn over our lives to Him, he takes far better care of us than we could ever do for ourselves. In a word, we make ourselves sane when we fire ourselves as the directors of the movie of our lives and turn the power over to Him.

I came to realize that life lived to help others is the only one that matters. This is my highest and best use as a human. I can put it another way. Years ago, I realized I could never be as great an actor as Olivier or as good a comic as Steve Martin--or Martin Mull or Fred Willard--or as good an economist as Samuelson or Friedman, or as good a writer as Fitzgerald. Or even remotely close to any of them. But I could be a devoted father to my son, husband to my wife and, above all, a good son to the parents who had done so much for me. This came to be my main task in life. I did it moderately well with my son, pretty well with my wife and well indeed with my parents (with my sister's help). I cared for and paid attention to them in their declining years. I stayed with my father as he got sick, went into extremis, into a coma, and then entered immortality with my sister and me reading him the Psalms.

This was the only point at which my life touched the lives of the soldiers in Iraq or the firefighters in New York. I came to realize that life lived to help others is the only one that matters and that it is my duty, in return for the lavish life God has devolved upon me, to help
others He has placed in my path. This is my highest and best use as a human.

Where, O death, is your sting?

2007-11-02T19:08:00.000+08:00

Show me, O LORD, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life." -- Psalm 39:4

(photo grabbed from www.txprisonmuseum.org)

This is the time of the year when we put aside everything else and remember our dearly departed. During my growing up years in rural Negros, we would have "reunion" every Nov. 2. All Soul's Day is one of the top three most important days for our very traditional family. The first of course, is Christmas, which also happens to be our father's birthday. Next is the Holy Week, the time of the year where everybody in the family is busy dressing up our centuries' old Santo Entierro.

But Nov. 2 always gave me a different kind of excitement. It was like a big annual reunion not only for our family but for the whole town as well. We get to see our town's "Who's who" at the only cemetery. Everybody who mattered would troop with their families to pay respects to the dearly departed. (Sadly, my children, born and raised in Manila, missed this family tradition.)

As I grew older, All Soul's Day became a reminder of how short life is. My mother, for instance, left us when I was barely 17. She wasn't even sickly.

One of my cousins died of aneurism when she was just a little over 30. Two of my husband's close friends in college also died in their early 30s. Among my father's 11 siblings, only 5 of them are left. Most of my uncles died at 50ish or 60ish, except for their youngest, Uncle Benjamin, who died while he was a baby.

Talking about death is a little morbid. But then again, it is the surest destination for all of us.

Which makes me reflect: how have I lived my life? When I leave for the great beyond, what will people say of me? Of my life? Have I made other people's lives better? Have I lived it according to God's plan?

Everyday, I pray to God to help me live according to His plans. For apart from Him, there is no reason for me to live longer. If I don't consciously seek to please God, then my life is futile. Be far from it that I live according to my own will. Yet, I struggle with it everyday.

Thank God, we have Jesus. When we accept Him as our Lord and Savior, we are no longer bound by our sinfulness. He shed His blood for us so that in His death, we will live.

Now, I am no longer afraid of passing on to eternity. It is no longer about me, no longer about my own efforts to be good. It is about how Jesus saved me. Because of His death and resurrection, we too, will be resurrected with Him.

"Friends in distress," a sequel

2007-10-25T02:44:00.000+08:00

Whew! I didn't realize "my friend" is such a persistent person. After I emailed him in mixed Tagalog and English and asked if it was for real, he had the gall to email me back. Thankfully, I already found out that the real Benjie is just in town and so I didn't fall for the "friend" in distress.

Read my "friend's" email below. If I didn't get to contact Benjie's wife, I would have believed the email sender.

===

Thanks for the mail, I am very happy to read from you now, I am very happy that you are willing to help me out and I promise to pay you back. Please find the hotel manager information you need to send the money through western union below. I will really appreciate any amount you send me.I need this help so much and in time because I am in a terrible and tight situation.

Name: Joshua Reed
Address: Le meridian Hotel, Room 6 Victoria Island
City: Lagos
Zip Code: 23401
Country: Nigeria
Test Question: To who
Test Answer: Raymond

After you have send the money, I need you to send me the western union details such as the Mtcn and Sender's name, May the Good Lord bless you for helping me and I promise to pay you back your money as soon as I return home

Looking forward to read from you.

Regards

Warning! Beware of emails from "friends in distress"

2007-10-23T12:54:00.000+08:00

I got an SOS email from "my friend" Benjie early this afternoon asking for help because he's stranded in Africa while attending a leadership program on youth, HIV/AIDS, etc. He left his lil bag in the taxi and lost important personal belongings including his wallet and passport. And so he needed to borrow at least $2,000 or else he'd be booted out of his hotel room.

At first glance, I found it strange because knowing Benjie, he would not send such a panicky email. A person of great faith, I know he has more faith in his God than in his friends. Yet, what if it really came from Benjie and as mentioned in the email, he would be turned over to the Hotel Management probably to be locked up somewhere?

Immediately, I replied and asked him to text me if indeed it came from him. I surmised that Benjie would definitely be on roaming because he'd be busy monitoring the preparations for their upcoming seminar. I tried calling him on his mobile just to make sure and if indeed it was true, I could quickly mobilize other friends to help him. When he didn't answer his phone, I thought he'd probably be in Africa after all. To be sure, I called our common friend Ammi and asked if she was aware Benjie left the country.

She said no and suggested I try calling Benjie's wife Hazel. I called their land line but it was on answering machine mode. I left a message. After a few minutes, I called again. Thankfully, Hazel answered the line. By this time, she had already read my email to Benjie. She was also concerned about it. What if their friends who got the same email fell for it? It was not unlikely considering that Benjie and Hazel are doing ministry work and they do have supporters.

Moral lesson #1: Talk to your friend first before sending help. Surely, you know your friend's voice.

Moral lesson #2: Always look-out for telltale signs. Somehow, you know your friend's personality, writing style, and maybe, even activities.

Moral lesson #3. Verify with others. Always check with common friends, relatives or people who know your friend in distress. They may give you a clue on your friend's whereabouts.

Moral lesson #4. Be wary if "your friend" asks you to send money to another person with the excuse that he can't withdraw from his bank account in the country where he's standed.

In this day and age, even scammers can be techie.

Bearers of good news

2007-10-23T05:37:00.000+08:00

Fellowship of Christians in Media. (L-R) Kata Inocencio (CBN Asia), Allen Macasaet (Abante), moi, Pastor Ferdie Cabiling (VCF Galleria Senior Pastor), Alex Tinsay (GMA 7), John Consulta (GMA 7), Nona (IFP), Gerry Lirio (Inquirer), Baby Lynn Cacho (FEBC), Carlo Lorenzo (GMA 7) Dody Lacuna (RPN 9), Pastor Rey (VCF Missionary) and Al Pedroche (Ang Pilipino Star Ngayon).

What is the role of Christians in the media? With all the negative things going on in our country, where should the Christian journalist/broadcaster place him or herself? Do you report a bad news even if it comes in conflict with what you believe in? Or do you report a "good" news even if you know it doesn't have editorial value anymore? (like, there's nothing really new being said.) Do you accept that "love gift" even if the intention of the giver is not really "out of love"?

Being in the media can be difficult. Yet, it can be fulfilling. A privilege, to some extent. It can be an opportunity to be a tool for change for the greater good. Standing tall at all times can be a feat that is too good to be true. Like in any other job, there are ups and there are downs.

But being with like-minded people can definitely make the load much lighter. When you share each others burdens, bear with each other, pray for each other and of course, cry and laugh with each other, challenges become easier to hurdle. You become stronger to stand up for what is right at all times because you know you are not alone.

With this in mind, we have started an informal gathering of Christians in media. No religious stuff. Just followers of Jesus (born again, Catholics, protestants) who want to banner righteousness not necessarily by quoting verses from the Bible but really, by walking the talk.

Media plays a very crucial role in our society. We know how powerful media is. But as SpiderMan says (thanks to John Consulta for the reminder) -- With great power comes great responsibility.

And so let this blog be a trumpet call to all media practitioners out there -- if you are looking for like-minded people, feel free to join us every Saturday 8am to 12nn. Place of "fellowship" may vary so please PM me.

Another sad for the Philippines

2007-10-19T18:08:00.000+08:00

(Photo grabbed from GMANews.TV)

By now I'm sure everyone knows about the bombing in Glorietta. Today had been such a toxic day and if not for the text from my hubby, I would have been sitting in my computer all afternoon clueless of the goings on. Soon after I got the text, I switched the channel from Cartoon Network (where Ben & Star where hooked since lunch) to ANC. True enough, there it was in the news.

Immediately, Ben, Star and I huddled together to pray for sobriety and God's order to take control in our nation.

Sad day indeed. According to the news, 8 people already died and over 70 other wounded, some of them critically. It's so difficult to explain to the children what is happening in our country. Why is it that everytime a controversy hounds some "big house" out there, something like this happens.

Suddenly, I remember the Rizal Day bombing in 2000 when former President Estrada was in the midst of being impeached, "terrorists" bombed the LRT. How convenient for some people to ruthlessly kill innocent civilians by planting bombs in public areas.

I am still shocked. I pray that God's justice will flow like a river and may He judge those behind the murders.

Let's support this 'boy' from Bicol

2007-10-16T03:35:00.000+08:00

Hi friends, church mates, and relatives...pass this to everyone. But read it first.

I was amazed when a young man asked Genesis to represent him last year. He was a huge soap opera star and film actor. Why on earth did he need an independent manager like us? He said that he wanted to go back to his first love...music. I was shocked when he presented an album be produced with 14 songs that he wrote himself in an album entitled LOOSE FIT...with the help of some members of a band he called JEANS. I was more shocked when he presented a couple of videos he directed himself and financed as well!

Then.....I was even more amazed when I found out that he used to be very poor before...selling fish in the market with the goods coming from Lucena, riding jeeps, taking trips to Smokey Mountain with friends to look for goodies and even going way back...walking two kilometers to school in Bicol from his home and back. Then he said...but he had to walk 4 more kilometers more when he had no two pesos (P2) for his lunch. He would walk home 2 kilometers more for lunch and walk another two to go back to school. He also said he walked so many kilometers in the rain when he auditioned for a declamation contest. And because of the rain, he lost his slippers and ended up walking home...barefoot. It reminded me of another icon we represent..Jojo Lastimosa, who never had shoes as a child and also used to make his own toys in Cagayan De Oro..... but ended up endorsing FILA shoes.....and what about Gary who only had 5 shirts and 2 pairs of pants and 3 pairs of shoes when I met him because his house burned...and now he has 20 closets of clothes!!!! And maybe 200 pairs of shoes!

Meantime, this Bicolano went to Manila and started selling fish in Marikina. (A friend told me his sister is so proud to say she bought fish from this celebrity many years ago because he had a stall there and she could not forget his handsome face!) A talent scout encouraged him to join a contest in Eat Bulaga 10 years ago and he became...”Mr. Pogi!!!!!”

This man is Jericho Rosales.

Or simply Echo to those who love him in the entertainment industry. A true artist. And who we..the Valenciano and GENESIS family believe...is a musical genius. (I will never forget the stunned faces of Gary and our son Gabriel when they found out he wrote all the songs in album we were listening to on the way to the beach. Gab said, “WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!! He wrote those songs?????”)

Meantime, many in the media lambasted him, made fun of him and said he was stupid. They criticized him. They laughed at him and insulted his decision, called him “laos” and a “has-been.” And they did not lift a finger to encourage him. So he walked a lonely road...less traveled...and performed in music bars and joints to develop his craft for ten months..turning down 7 soap opera offers worth millions of pesos. A man, a breadwinner... who could earn P150,000 for three songs in what others call “rackets” and earn 7-figure amounts for his endorsements....would work for two hours for P3,000-P15,000. Because he loved music.

My husband Gary and I believe that Echo has what it takes to make it as a huge multi-media star including becoming a major musical performer. We laughed with him, prayed, and cried with him. It was an unbelievable journey. But then we recognized that he was ready.

So we decided to help him with his 10th anniversary and nudged him to accept the musical soap opera, “PANGARAP NA BITUIN,” his comeback on primetime and....his first major concert entitled “Raw Energy” at the Music Museum this week on October 18 and 19 for the benefit of the BICOL Scholarship Fund of the Shining Light Foundation. He and a man he calls “Chief,” Gary...are both Bicolanos who have decided to put together this concert to raise funds for their fellow Bicolanos and celebrate 10 years of blessings for Echo. Our son Gabriel agreed to support the project. Donita Rose said she’s in. His fellow Hunk Carlos Agassi or “Amir” likewise said he would love to do it. Gary agreed to co-direct it and has even composed the opening musical bed for the videos. Director Paul Soriano agreed to produce the videos needed for the concert. Jun Antolin will do lighting while Soundcheck with Rards Corpuz and Boyet Toquero will man the sound system.

Silvermoon and GV Productions Inc in cooperation with Manila Genesis Entertainment and Management, Inc. ABS-CBN, his ASAP family, MYX, Manila Bulletin, Penshoppe, Gold’s Gym, the BELO Medical Group, Goldilock’s, Walker, Pepsi, Traffic, DECs Plaza, Yupangco Music Corporation, our Radio Partners...the Quest Group, WRR, DZMM, Wrock, RX93, EMI Music, and many more are joining hands to support this wonderful project.

Would you like to be part of musical history as we witness the emergence of an exciting new concert performer, an under-rated musical genius who just happens to have also received two BEST ACTOR awards this year for his portrayal of the Champ...Pacquiao.?!

Whether it be in purchasing tickets, sponsoring or promoting the event. Or just simply whispering a prayer for us....take part in a great musical experience.

Let me know if you want to help and be a part of something very, very special.

I saw it in Gary on January 23,1983 when I watched him for the first time. So raw. But so energetic. I couldn’t sleep that night. I have waited long ...for someone to excite the concert scene. We believe we have found someone. Yes....still a bit raw...but his talent, his passion, his courage, his heart and soul and love for his craft will see him through. And guess what...he loves Jesus with all his heart...which is really the most important thing.

Be part of music history. Join us this week. :)

God is good. To Him be all glory.

Much love,

Angeli Pangilinan-Valenciano

P.S. Call 7214406 if you want to support this project....Buy tickets! P1500, P1200, P1000, P800, P600

A man after God's own heart leads the judiciary

2007-10-09T04:46:00.000+08:00

Despite the rains last Sunday, multitudes of believers (estimated between 200,000-300,000) filled Luneta Park last Sunday for JILs 29th anniversary celebration.

As a loyal volunteer of Bangon Pilipinas since 2004, I'm always present in major JIL activities to help out. Though I missed Sunday service in our church, I was so blessed to witness personally a historic event in our nation.

Two major things happened last Sunday. One, for the first time in Philippine church's recent history, the Catholic Church (with no less than CBCP president Archbishop Angel Lagdameo) declared unity with evangelicals in the quest for national transformation. I can almost hear the angels in heaven singing glory to the King. I explained to some reporters that it was a milestone because Christians have always been fragmented. Evangelicals don't call Catholics Christians. And Catholics seem to be allergic to "Christians" even though all of those who believe in and follow Jesus are suppose to be Christians. I'm sure God was pleased with the declaration of unity between the leaders of our Church.

The second major event last Sunday was the prayer of Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno for and in behalf of the judiciary. It was virtually a prayer of repentance for the judiciary, and at the same time, dedication of our nation's judicial system to the One True Judge. Wow! God is truly working in our nation. (Check out this link: Chief Justice makes humbling mea culpa for judiciary's "failures")

God make all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. This is true even for our nation's affairs. Sometimes, we get so tired with all the scandals implicating no less than the president's husband. But come to think of it, isn't it that it's also God who exposes what's done in secret?

Check this out -- 1st Pediatric Eye Clinic in a mall opens at TriNoma

2007-10-05T15:33:00.000+08:00

Now busy moms like me won't have any reason to delay the kids' trip to the ophthalmologist/optometrist. Renowned ophthalmologist/optometrist couple Jade and Cynthia del Mundo has opened a new clinic at TriNoma, conveniently located at the second floor MRT entrance. So, you can now have consultations with the country's best ophtha/optometrist in between mall time with the family.

Incidentally, Del Mundo Pediatric & Adult Eye Clinic is the country's first Orthoptic Center. Orthoptics is a relatively new and specific field in eye care that is concerned with the diagnosis and management of double vision, misaligned eyes and the visual problems that result from them. In medical parlance "Orth" means to straighten. So that, Orthoptics is to the eye as Orthopedics is to the bones. In layman's terms, therefore, Orthoptics is the field that specializes in straightening of the eyes. (Read: cross-eyed, etc.)

All our three kids are patients of the Del Mundo Eye Clinic in St. Lukes. We're so glad that we can now bring them to Del Mundo anytime of the week, and even in between malling. At least we don't have to wait for the MWFS sched at the St. Lukes clinic.

The Del Mundos are two of my most-admired specialists. Aside from being godly, they are tops in relating with patients. While most doctors breeze through consultations (as in, parang dinaanan ka lang ng hangin), at Del Mundo they take time explaining to patients their conditions. It's specially good for children because they get 'processed'.

I'm so happy with the development of my kids. All three of them started wearing eye glasses at very young ages (5 to 7 yrs old). Doc Cynthia said eye problems can also be hereditary. Meaning, if you or your husband have eye problems, most likely your kids will also have. Both me and my hubby started wearing eyeglasses at young age (me, grade school). Ergo, all three of our kids inherited the problem.

Interestingly, they have different cases. Ben had astigmatism. Sofia has "accommodation" problem (which means, her eyes can't focus images beyond certain a distance. I'll blog more about this in the future.) Star, on the other hand, has eyes like that of old people. Weird. She's far-sighted and has a grade much higher than mine. Thankfully, Ben and Sofia are now off the eyeglasses although Sofie has to wear "flippers" to address her focus problem.

I learned all these eye chuva from Doc Cynthia. She's so nice to accommodate all my questions. Check out Del Mundo Pediatric Eye Clinic at the 2nd floor of TriNoma. They have free refraction for the first 100 patients. They're also giving big discounts on eye wears.

Is there a bleeder in the house?

2007-09-28T07:10:00.003+08:00

I've blogged many times about the bleeding disorder in our family which affects our 8-year-old daughter Star the most. Since Star was diagnosed with von Willebrand Disease, we have taken a personal crusade to inform people about this disease and prevent senseless deaths like my mother's. I hope you can help me spread this blog especially to doctors and parents. Who knows, through this you'll be able to save a life. For those with a similar experience, please PM me or email me.

o 0 o

Is there a bleeder in the house?
By Andrea Trinidad-Echavez

Does your child easily bruise or frequently nosebleed? Do you wonder why he or she always gets bloody while brushing teeth?

Don't take those seemingly harmless signs for granted. They might just be symptoms of something else.

For years, my husband and I had been looking for answers to the condition of our youngest daughter, Star.

Catching colds from her older siblings few days after she was born, we were alarmed when blood started dripping from Star's tiny nostrils barely before she turned a month old.

At first, we thought hers was only a bad case of colds. Nevertheless, alarmed of the sight of blood, we rushed her to the emergency room. The pediatrician ordered blood work-ups on Star. When the results came, there was nothing significant in the findings except that she was anemic. She was given an extra dosage of iron.

As she was growing up though, Star's nosebleedings became more frequent. It came anytime of the day. Initially, we thought it had something to do with the temperature. But even when we confined her inside an air conditioned room on humid days, she would still bleed. It didn't also matter whether she was indoors or outdoors, or playing, sitting down, or sleeping.

Over the years, we got used to her teachers, school nurse or even school service driver calling us to express concern over her frequent nosebleeding. (Star started going to school at 6 months under UP Diliman's Infant Development Program of the Child Development Center.) We could only assure them that we had been seeking medical help on her case. She had undergone so many work-ups, ranging from blood tests to ENT (ear, nose, throat) checks and even neurological tests. Yet, specialists could not see anything wrong with her except that she was perennially anemic.

Last year though, Star's nosebleeding came at an alarming frequency – this time, almost daily. Sometimes, it would come up to four times in a day. After a series of trips to different specialists, we were already becoming frustrated. By then, Star was nosebleeding for almost a month in a row.

Family of bleeders

We had all the reasons to be alarmed. Bleeding runs in our family. My mother literally bled to death while undergoing a minor surgery. This, even after going through routine blood tests prior to the operation. The 10 bags of blood transfused on her didn't help at all. Few hours after she entered the operating room, she expired on the operating table while the doctors were trying to stop her bleeding. She was only 51. An uncle, my mother's older brother, almost died of bleeding while undergoing tonsillectomy. My eldest sister suffered hemorrhage and almost died during her first childbirth. My other older sister had two or three miscarriages.

Every time we bring our daughter to a doctor, I would give a rundown of our family history. Yet, it didn't seem to help pin down where Star's nosebleeding came from. Finally, we were referred to a well-known hematologist who specializes on hemophilia.

Von Willebrand Disease

"I suspect your daughter has von Willebrand Disease," Dr. Mary Chua, founder of Hemophilia Association of the Philippines for Love and Service (HAPLOS), told me after I gave her Star's and our family history.

Von Willebrand Disease, she explained, is a rare clotting disorder similar to hemophilia. While hemophilia is considered a "men's disease" because it occurs primarily among males, von Willebrand Disease can affect both males and females.

Rare genetic disorder

According to kidshealth.org, von Willebrand Disease is the most common bleeding disorder. But bleeding disorders, in itself, is considered rare. Von Willebrand Disease, for instance, affects barely 1 percent of the population. In the Philippines, there are less than 20 known cases.

People born with the disease may either have defective von Willebrand factor, low levels of von Willebrand factor or no von Willebrand factor at all.

Von Willebrand factor is a protein in the blood that is necessary for clotting. Without it or with defective von Willebrand factor, the blood takes longer to clot. This causes abnormal bleeding, and in the case of my mother, could even lead to death from blood loss.

No diagnostic facilities in the country

Unfortunately, there are no facilities in the country that can diagnose von Willebrand Disease. We were told the tests are quite complex that it needed special reagents and machines. The technology is only available either in Hongkong or Singapore in Asia. We were advised to bring our daughter to Queen Mary Hospital in Hongkong.

We flew to Hongkong November last year. The procedure was as simple as regular blood tests, only more blood samples were taken. Since von Willebrand Disease is a hereditary disorder, the doctor also took blood samples from me.

Because of the intricate procedures in the tests, the diagnosis came out only in March this year. It confirmed Dr. Chua's suspicion. My daughter has von Willebrand Disease Type 2M. And I have it too.

Types of von Willebrand Disease

According to the World Hemophilia Federation, there are three main types of von Willebrand Disease – Type 1, Type 2 and Type 3.

Type 1 is the most common form of the disease, accounting for approximately 80% of all cases. It involves a deficiency of the von Willebrand Factor.

Type 2, of which there are four subtypes – Type 2A, B, M and N, involves a qualitative defect of the factor wherein it does not function properly.

Type 3, on the other hand, involves a near or complete absence of the factor, and is the most serious type.

Diagnosis

Diagnosing von Willebrand Disease is not easy. That is why a lot of patients live with it for many years before finding out that they have it, if at all. Many doctors may not even be familiar with it.

In our case, we have sought out at least 10 specialists over the past seven years, ranging from hematologists, ENT, neurologist to nephrologists, if only to find out what was causing our daughter's nosebleeding.

Family history

Unlike hemophilia, von Willebrand Disease cannot be spotted in just a few blood tests. Oftentimes, it is misdiagnosed because many doctors are not familiar with it. For instance, a person with a low platelet count because of Type 2 von Willebrand Disease could be diagnosed with leukemia. Or a woman with heavy, prolonged menstrual bleeding because of von Willebrand Disease, who has not responded to hormone therapy, could be advised to have a hysterectomy.

In some cases, nosebleeding could be construed as deviated septum (physical abnormality in the nose) or that it could simply be brought about by either extreme or sudden change in temperatures.

Dr. Chua said this is where clinical history plays a crucial role. Most documented von Willebrand Diseases cases in the Philippines were identified through their clinical history, such as the symptoms shown by the patient. These may include frequent or prolonged nosebleeding, easy bruising, gum bleeding, prolonged or heavy menstruation, and prolonged bleeding during surgery, accident, medical or dental procedures.

Family history could also be very helpful in identifying possible von Willebrand Disease patients. In our case, my side of the family history helped Dr. Chua identify my daughter as a probable patient.

Laboratory tests are necessary to know what type of von Willebrand Disease the patient has so that appropriate treatment could be administered.

Not fatal but…

Fortunately, von Willebrand Disease is not as fatal as cancer, leukemia or other blood diseases. People affected by the disease may still live a normal life for as long as they receive regular treatment.

Treatment can vary from nasal spray, oral medication or blood transfusion depending on the type of von Willebrand deficiency.

But patients are normally advised against engaging in high impact activities that may cause injury. Because of the clotting factor deficiency, deep cuts may take long to stop and worse, may lead to death by blood loss like my mother. Von Willebrand Disease patients are also prone to internal bleeding.

In von Willebrand Disease, according to Dr. Chua, it's the patient's quality of life that suffers. "They have to contend with constant bleeding. They may feel weak or they may acquire other diseases as a result of the low immunity," she said.

Prior to any medical or dental procedure, patients are also advised to see their hematologist for proper treatment to regulate clotting and prevent blood loss.

So, if you suspect someone in your family has a clotting problem like von Willebrand Disease, don't waste time. See a hematologist. It's always better safe than sorry. (ate)

My Hero

2007-09-23T21:35:00.000+08:00

Your miracle begins when you place whatever is in your hands into Jesus' hands.

It's been a roller-coaster ride of sorts the past month or so with all of us in the family, save for the hubby, getting sick one after the other. I had been practically bedridden for almost a week and managed to get back on my feet only late last week. Up to now, Star is still recovering and thankfully, she no longer has fever this evening.

I was tempted not to attend this morning's service because Star still had fever and she begged me to stay. But thanks to my husband's kindness, he volunteered to stay instead. I'm so thankful to the Lord for finally being able to attend service after missing it for three Sundays (first Sunday I was in Malaysia and the next two, we got sick).

Too bad I didn't catch the first parts of the Hero series. But the preaching on "The Kid" today was as powerful I'm sure. It talks about the little boy who gave up his five barley loaves and two fishes. We all know how the Lord used the little boy's unselfishness act to feed thousands. The little deed of a nameless child became one of Jesus' greatest miracles recorded in the Bible. Who would have thought that five little loaves and two tiny fishes would feed thousands of hungry followers, and with leftovers at that! In the hands of the little boy, the loaves and the fishes could have been more than enough to sustain him throughout the day. But he chose to give it to Jesus. And in Jesus' hands, the miracle happened.

The story reminded me of so many incidents where I saw God's miracles up close and personal. I dare not imagine what could have happened if Jesus didn't come to the rescue. Just last year, we were preparing to bring Star to Hongkong for her diagnosis. By our initial pencil pushing, we would easily spend tens of thousands of dollars in hospital bills alone. Already, we were a bit concerned. Then God pulled out a surprise -- Ben was diagnosed with Primary Koch Infection. Weeks later, just right before we were supposed to leave for Hongkong, he got confined. Worse, the water in his lungs increased so quickly and the doctor told us to brace for an OR appointment.

By this time, we were a bit shaken. We didn't see it coming. But then we realized, surely, God wouldn't give us something that He knows we couldn't take. We knew He would heal Ben. He had awaken Ben from coma when he was a tiny baby. How much more now that Ben was bigger and stronger. Yet, the mounting hospital bills and Star's overdue diagnosis stared at us in the face.

In my heart though I knew God would walk us through it. I didn't know how but I knew He would. He had plucked us out of the valley of darkness too many times for us to doubt. And so like the other times, I would surrender all concerns to the Lord and say, "Lord, problema mo na yan. Bahala ka na."

So with confidence, Star and I left for Hongkong not knowing how in the world would we be able to pay the bills both in Hongkong for Star and in Manila for Ben. But God is our Jehovah Jireh! Because we passed on the "ball" in His hands, He took over. Suddenly, blessings after blessings poured in. An overdue payment came -- more than enough to settle Ben's hospital bills. And more unexpectedly, a church in Hongkong gave us a love gift that enabled us to settle Star's hospital bills. What more, one of their pastors chaperoned us all the time and wouldn't let us spend a cent. So, after Star's diagnostic tests, we even had more than enought to visit Ocean Park and Disneyland!

Everytime we go through difficult times, I look back at the birth of Ben (how God woke him up from coma and now he's almost as big as I am), the incident last year and the many little triumphs God gave us along the way. My faith may not be intact all the time. Sometimes I falter. But one thing is sure, God is a mighty God. He is a miracle-working God who is the same yesterday, today and forever. The miracles He performed in the olden times, He is still able to perform today if we only allow Him to. But the miracle will only begin if we put all our cares in His hands.

Ben is in the hospital again

2007-09-04T14:10:00.000+08:00

After getting recharged from my trip in Kuala Lumpur, life has become a roller coaster ride of sorts again. I had to work double time on some unfinished businesses. Then Ben complained of dizziness. When I got home, I found out he missed school because he wasn't feeling well. I brought him to his pedia the day after I arrived and she ordered a new x-ray on Ben. We found out his Primary Koch has not yet completely healed. It means he has been having asymptomatic pneumonia for the past two years of his life. His pedia, a pulmonologist, said she found it quite strange. Even though Ben was born premature and had pneumonia at birth, he should have already been well enough by this time considering all the medicines he had taken. Dra. Mendoza, who heads St. Luke's pulmonary department, said she might have to do bronchoscopy on Ben soon to find out what's inside his lungs and why his pneumonia just wouldn't go. Aside from pneumonia, his allergic rhinitis is getting worse, so he was given two weeks worth of anti-biotics. We've been convincing him to take wheatgrass to boost his immune system. But sometimes it's just so difficult to convince kids to try something new. =(

After more than a week of taking antibiotics, Ben felt a little better only to get fever last Sunday. Like last year prior to his hospitalization, he wouldn't respond to paracetamol. When the fever persisted and even went up to 40.5C despite round-the-clock medication, we decided to bring him to St. Lukes. We stayed at the ER from midnight to 7am and went home when his fever subsided. But by mid-morning, he had high fever again so we went back to see his pedia. Upon seeing him red and all, Dra. Mendoza told us not to go home anymore.

Thankfully, his CBC shows high platelet count. But Dra. Mendoza said we should pray he doesn't have dengue although she highly suspects because of his physical appearance (red).
Today is Ben's second day in the hospital. Thank God, he is better. At least, there was a little window today when his fever was gone. Tomorrow, they will get his blood sample for CBC again.

Well, everything happens for a reason. Maybe, God wants to slow me down a bit to remind me where priorities should be. I'm sure He's telling Ben and each one of us other things as well.

I thank God that He is faithful in all of His ways. Times like these makes me appreciate Him more. Not that I like being in difficult situations. But truly when you're under fire, it makes you appreciate more the things that God has given but you sometimes take for granted -- like relationships with family and friends.

I praise God for the support of all our families (blood and spiritual) as well as friends. They are indeed God's great channels of blessings.

Please continue to pray for Ben's fast and complete recovery.

When kids want independence

2007-08-09T13:08:00.001+08:00

Mommy's baby no more.

"Mom, we will go swimming on Saturday and please don't go with me," our "baby" declared last night. Taken aback by her first "declaration of independence" (of sorts), I replied "but you don't know how to swim, darling, what if something happens to you?"

But she insisted by reasoning out that we allow her Ate to go swimming or go to birthday parties unchaperoned. "And mom, there's a kiddie pool anyway," she assured me.

Suddenly, it dawned on me. Oh, my baby girl. She's really no longer a baby. Few weeks ago, she asked me to stop calling her "baby." I insisted, "but you're the family's baby!" She relented a bit and said, "okey, you can call me baby only in the house. And only until Grade 6." Not a bad deal. Haha!

Our kids are indeed entering into a new stage in their lives. They now have minds of their own. Truly, it is high time that we step aside a bit in their lives and start teaching them more about responsibility.

Lori Radun, a certified life coach and inspirational speaker for moms, gives tip on teaching kids about independence and responsibility.

Encourage Independence by Refusing to Step In
When your child reaches an age to take on an age-appropriate activity, show your child how to do it, then let go and let your child struggle. It can be hard to watch children fight with their shoelaces, or stumble over their words in a new friendship, but it is in these moments that children are learning. The joy they feel when they gain a little more independence can be very rewarding, and a strong motivator to try new tasks in the future.

Believe in Your Child
Children need to know you believe in them. Encourage your children with positive words such as, "You are a smart girl. You can figure this out." Teach your children to think positively about themselves by modeling this behavior in yourself. The Little Blue Engine didn't give up and the reward was confidence. Confidence builds on itself, and your child will gain greater self esteem when you encourage independence and responsibility.

Build in Life Skills through Routines
Routines give your child practice and repetition. If, for instance, the after school routine includes putting away the lunch box and coat, having a snack, and doing homework, your child learns responsibility as a way of life. If you want your child to have good personal grooming skills, build brushing hair and teeth, and washing face into a morning and bedtime routine. When a child does the same thing over and over, he learns independence without even thinking about it.

Let Children Fall Down and Experience the Consequences
Resist the urge to be a helicopter parent and hover over your child. Life is full of opportunities to succeed and make mistakes. The lesson is reinforced and learning takes place when children are allowed to make mistakes. If your child makes a bad choice, let him experience the natural or imposed consequences. A "D" or an "F" on an exam sends a very clear message that the child needs to study harder. The effect is not the same when you are hounding your child to study so she doesn't fail. When your child makes the choice to extend his curfew by an hour, he loses the privilege of going out the next weekend. Guaranteed he will think twice before staying out late the next time.

Coach your Children towards Independence and Responsibility
When your child is faced with a future or past decision, ask a lot of open ended questions that encourage your child to think for himself. "What do you think you should say to your friend?" "What could you have done differently in this situation?" Giving advice teaches your children what you want and what you think is best. Coaching your children supports them in developing good decision making skills, and honoring what is best for them. It's okay if they don't make the best choice. Live and learn.

The goal in raising children is not to protect them from pain or undesirable circumstances, but to equip them with what they need to be responsible, independent and resilient adults.

To borrow from one of my favorite authors, Francis Kong, "Grow up, parents!"

I'm back!

2007-08-09T13:06:00.000+08:00

I realized I can't let go of blogspot after all. There are things I can't do in multiply. So here I am again, folks! =)

Choices we make

2007-05-31T10:26:00.001+08:00

Which way to go ?
Originally uploaded by whisper-star

I got this in my mailbox (forwarded by my husband). It's one of those that others may not even consider reading. But it's something to ponder on...

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Two Choices

What would you do? You make the choice. Don't look for a punch line, there isn't one. Read it anyway. My question is: Would you have made the same choice?

At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves learning-disabled children, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question: "When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does is done with perfection. Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is the natural order of things in my son?"

The audience was stilled by the query.

The father continued. "I believe that when a child like Shay, physically and mentally handicapped comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes in the way other people treat that child."

Then he told the following story:

Shay and his father had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, "Do you think they'll let me play?" Shay's father knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but the father also understood that if his son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.

Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting much) if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance and said, "We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning."

Shay struggled over to the team's bench and, with a broad smile, put on a team shirt. His Father watched with a small tear in his eye and warmth in his heart. The boys saw the father's joy at his son being accepted. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as his father waved to him from the stands. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.

At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game? Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball.

However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing that the other team was putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least make contact. The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.

The game would now be over. The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game.

Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first baseman's head, out of reach of all team mates. Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, "Shay, run to first! Run to first!" Never in his life had Shay ever run that far, but he made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled.

Everyone yelled, "Run to second, run to second!" Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to the base. By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball ... the smallest guy on their team who now had his first chance to be the hero for his team. He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions so he, too, intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head. Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home.

All were screaming, "Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay"

Shay reached third base because the opposing shortstop ran to help him by turning him in the direction of third base, and shouted, "Run to third! Shay, run to third!"

As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams, and the spectators, were on their feet screaming, "Shay, run home! Run home!" Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the grand slam and won the game for his team.

"That day," said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, "the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world."

Shay didn't make it to another summer. He died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making his father so happy, and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!

AND NOW A LITTLE FOOTNOTE TO THIS STORY:

We all have thousands of opportunities every single day to help realize the "natural order of things." So many seemingly trivial interactions between two people present us with a choice: Do we pass along a little spark of love and humanity or do we pass up those opportunities and leave the world a little bit colder in the process?

Politics in the eyes of a child

2007-05-29T13:16:00.001+08:00

Here's another one from my daughter Sofia...

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Philippine Government
By: Irina Sofia T. Echavez

Do you know how it feels if parents fight and the kids see it? Well, that’s how it feels if the government fights, only much worse!

To me, as a child, I don’t really get it that much. I know that they’re fighting. But, why are they fighting? Everything has a reason. I know that they have a reason but, fighting about it? That’s quite childish!

They can just talk about it can’t they? But fighting isn’t the right thing to do. My mom told me that fighting is bad, that’s why when I fight with my siblings, my mom tells us that we should just talk instead of fighting, and it’s easier to talk about it. Isn’t it?

If you keep fighting it will end up to no good at all! Fighting will never solve anything. I thought that they should really just talk. They aren’t acting right! They are acting foolish. They are acting very childish and not proper for their age. They are adults; they should just talk about it and make sure there is no fighting.

I do fight with my siblings quite a lot, but we will get punished if we do so. They should get punished if they keep fighting.

They probably have children! They are supposed to be good role models right? They should act right to be good role models. I guess that’s why most children fight. They see it on TV or stuff like that. I’m not an adult yet. I’m just saying that fighting won’t solve anything. Talking will be better, much better. It will solve it probably.

Elections in the eyes of a child

2007-05-29T11:00:00.001+08:00

20070527REM_4237
Originally uploaded by remzamora

I noticed my daughter Sofia "working" overtime on my laptap while her siblings were watching TV. Curious, I asked if I could take a peek into her folder. She said yes and boy, was I surprised. With her permission, I'm sharing her thoughts here, unedited. She's another journalist in the making. :-) I hope politicians get to read the thoughts from a 10-year-old girl. (Photo credit to REM ZAMORA of Phil. Daily Inquirer.)

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Election effects on a child
By: Irina Sofia T. Echavez

Is election good? Does it have effects? Yes. Election is good, because it will help us choose someone to take care of our country. But, did you know it has effects? Of course it does! Especially on a child like me.

It affected me because this summer I’ve only seen my mom for a few weeks. Not only that! It also affects me; because when I watch the news it shows lots of killings just because a certain candidate wants to win.

Killing? They can just talk! And, they even deny it! Killing people is a crime! Then, lying on top of all that! What happened to people today! Can you even find people like President Magsaysay nowadays? No. Of course not! He’s a one-of-a-kind kind of person. I am from this generation but I have heard of the people way back, way before. They have been good candidates! Why can’t the candidates today be like the old ones? No candidate who wants to help the country is desperate to be in that certain position. If a good candidate wants to help the country they will certainly not kill. They will try to talk and run a fair campaign.

Killing is way bad already. They couldn’t possibly be good or godly as they think they are. If you think it is easy picking candidates, well guess again buddy! I’m not interested in politics and I don’t know much about politics either but I know that good politicians are definitely hard to find! Most politicians are corrupt. You do not know how corrupt they possibly can be.

Anyway, politicians try to “capture” the votes. What do I mean by that? Well, they try to make the voters think they’re perfect for the positions so they can take over the certain place. It’s like a talent show. Whoever gets the loudest claps is the winner.

Good politicians are hard to find because most are corrupt. Actually, it isn’t the politician that’s corrupt; it is what they are thinking.

If you think of bad stuff, then what you do is bad. If you think of something good then so is what you are doing. If you think of such stuff, then such stuff will be what you do. It is hard to know if a person is bad or good unless you’ve actually seen them in action. It’s like you think someone’s your friend but, then they are actually enemies. It’s like in Spiderman 3. Peter Parker (Spiderman) thinks Harry Osborne (New Goblin) is his friend, but then actually he was just tricking Peter. See, in politics it’s like that. You think someone’s good but then they’re actually someone bad who’s just acting like a good person just so they can get you to vote them.

Here’s another bad thing about politics, there are some people in the COMELEC who somehow deleted some voter, and then said they didn’t. Lying isn’t right, we all know that. You can just say that you deleted it and then just put it back again, and tell them that you put it back so they can vote again! Come on people! Deleting someone from “the list” is bad enough! Then lying on top of that makes it much worse! If they think they can just get away with it, well they are wrong, very wrong! God can see them doing it! I mean He can see everything! Even if we can’t see Him, He can see us. Even if they already know that, they should know that it is bad. Lots of people want to vote. Don’t they know that? They probably know that already! They are adults already they have to know what’s bad and what’s not! If they say they don’t, let’s just say that they’re just all children living in adult’s bodies. First, they delete people from “the list”. Then, they lie. They aren’t acting like themselves. They aren’t acting like adults, they are acting childish, aren’t acting there age.

Encouragement from Sen. Tessie Aquino-Oreta

2007-05-27T22:43:00.001+08:00

How do you encourage someone facing a loss? It's one of the hardest things for me. I hated so much the “condolences” of well-meaning people when we lost our mother to a freak medical accident 20 years ago. I wished they just kept silent than giving me the feeling like rubbing-it-in kind of way of telling me “you're mother is dead!” I would rather be in a corner, crying until I couldn't cry anymore. Like the loss of my mother, I would take any loss in life the same way. For a while I'd grieve. Then I'd put myself back together again and move on.

Losing an electoral bid for me is like losing a dearly beloved. When my brother lost his first bid in politics last week, we felt so bad and grieved with him. It's always better to cry than keep all those emotions inside. Now, we see the lessons and hope to learn from it the next time around.

But sometimes, it's easier said than done. I didn't know how to comfort Sen. Tessie when the trend in the senatorial canvassing started to show. So I just prayed hard for her, that God would embrace her and she would only feel His love. Then I got a call last Saturday. It was Sen. Tessie. Honestly, I didn't know what to say. Surprisingly, she was so upbeat. She told me she wanted to thank everyone who helped her. Maybe, it wasn't God's will yet, she said. She said God prepared her heart for whatever results and despite the loss in her senatorial bid, she felt nothing really was lost because God had a purpose for her running. Wow! What a great woman of God she is. I could only say thank you to her. I thought she needed the encouragement. But she was actually the one who encouraged me.

Yesterday, I received an email from her. With her permission, I'm posting Sen. Tessie's email. For me, this is not just about Sen. Tessie. This is about how we should face circumstances in life.

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My dear Andrea,

Greetings in the Precious Name of our Lord Jesus Christ!

First of all, I want to express my deep gratitude and appreciation for all the love and the untiring support you have given me in my desire to return to politics. From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much.

The past three months had not been very easy for me. Yet, through those difficulties, I've experienced grace after grace after grace. I know I would not have experienced most of it if not for the full support you gave me. Words are not enough to express my gratefulness first to the Lord, and next to my family and specially to you.

I've always said that I'd work very hard from Day 1 to Day 89 to gain victory on Day 90. As I've said before, my desire to return to politics is not anymore about me. Rather, it is all about Him, our Master, whom I want to serve. I thought that if I was elected, I could serve Him more and influence others in the halls of power to acknowledge Him as their Lord and Master.

Now that the national election is over, the Lord has spoken. Initially, I felt sad. But then maybe, it is not yet His will for me to return to the Senate. Maybe, my desire is not yet part of His plans for me at the moment. Yet I know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. I don't know what His purpose for me is at this time, but I do know for sure, His plans are perfect.

I have finished the electoral race, stood firm in faith and tried my very best that in everything I did in the campaign, I pleased Him first.

I had kept my campaign focused on the politics of unity and the politics of hope. I refused to involve myself in gutter politics and the politics of hate and ignored to answer malicious attacks on my person. I chose to forgive instead of resorting to revenge, simply because I know God would fight for me. And He did as He always does.

When I campaigned, I took every opportunity to share the goodness of the Lord in my life. In so doing, I wanted others to know the God whom I serve.

True enough, because of the peace and calm that He granted me, not a few of my colleagues and the media team covering the Team Unity became curious where I got the strength. It then became an opportunity for me to share His Word, what He did in my life and what He is doing still. Indeed, despite the obstacles and trials I faced, the load always seemed lighter because Someone up there was making sure that the burden would be light.

On Day 90, I've said that the Lord's Will would prevail. His plans are good and pleasing for sure. And so, nothing is lost and there is no defeat!

God is still refining me. Like gold that has to go through the fire, so must I as He prepares me for a greater task ahead.

Again, thank you so much for everything – the prayers, the love the trust and the support. Indeed, I am so blessed that God has led me to you who made me feel that I found a God sent Friend.

God bless you more as you bless others!

Most Sincerely,

Tessie

About Tessie Oreta

2007-04-12T07:22:00.000+08:00

Tessie Aquino-Oreta is probably one of, if not the most controversial, even maligned, senatorial candidate. Even my 12-year-old son's whole class at UPIS knows "Tita Tessie."

Her controversial "I am sorry" ad drew mixed reactions. Many Christians appreciated her for the humility. But not a few also raised their eyebrows. "Why only now?" they asked.

Sometimes I get irritated with the question but then again, not even majority of our churchmates from Victory have seen her spiritual walk up close and personal.

I've covered Tessie when I was still a reporter for the Inquirer. That's why I have a point of comparison. I was so surprised then to hear her asking for forgiveness during one Christmas party sometime in December 2005. It's not easy to ask for forgiveness. Really, it takes a lot of courage to say "sorry" and admit the wrong things you've done. Tears fell from my eyes when I heard her testimony. We've been praying to the Lord to raise Christians leaders in the government. Tessie is definitely one answered prayer. And so I excitedly shared the story to my former boss in the Inquirer, Gerry Lirio -- a very cynical guy. But a good journalist sees stories beyond personal biases. Eventually, Tessie's public apology came out in the front page last year (Ninoy's sister finds forgiveness).

I'm so glad to have stumble into Pastor Joey's blog on Tessie. Pastor Joey discipled her and if there's any "expert opinion" on Tessie's spiritual walk, it's got to be from Pastor Joey.

It saddens me how many Christians can be so unforgiving. Thankfully, we have a God who looks not into our sins. We have a Father who loves us no matter what!

The Ant and the Contact Lens

2007-02-27T08:18:00.000+08:00

I feel so blessed with the outpouring love and support that came shortly after I posted yesterday's blog entry. Let me share one encouraging story forward to me by my friend Liza. Liza and her husband Dale had been through a lot when Dale attempted (and by God's grace succeeded) to reach the summit of Mt. Everest. We attend the same church (Victory UP) and it was in one service where I heard of Dale's divine encounters with the Lord while scaling Mt. Everest.

Some of you might have read this already, but it's worth another read. True story or not, this shows a great deal about how God works in amazing ways. Indeed, as the Bible tells us, His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts than ours.

Read on and be blessed...

Brenda was almost halfway to the top of the tremendous granite cliff. She was standing on a ledge where she was taking a breather during this, her first rock climb. As she rested there, the safety rope snapped against her eye and knocked out her contact lens. "Great", she thought. "Here I am on a rock ledge, hundreds of feet from the bottom and hundreds of feet to the top of this cliff, and now my sight is blurry."

She looked and looked, hoping that somehow it had landed on the ledge. But it just wasn't there.

She felt the panic rising in her, so she began praying. She prayed for calm, and she prayed that she may find her contact lens.

When she got to the top, a friend examined her eye and her clothing for the lens, but it was not to be found. Although she was calm now that she was at the top, she was saddened because she could not clearly see across the range of mountains. She thought of the bible verse "The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth."

She thought, "Lord, You can see all these mountains. You know every stone and leaf, and You know exactly where my contact lens is. Please help me."

Later, when they had hiked down the trail to the bottom of the cliff they met another party of climbers just starting up the face of the cliff. One of them shouted out, "Hey, you guys! Anybody lose a contact lens?"

Well, that would be startling enough, but you know why the climber saw it? An ant was moving slowly across a twig on the face of the rock, carrying it!

The story doesn't end there. Brenda's father is a cartoonist. When she told him the incredible story of the ant, the prayer, and the contact lens, he drew a cartoon of an ant lugging that contact lens with the caption, "Lord, I don't know why You want me to carry this thing. I can't eat it, and it's awfully heavy. But if this is what You want me to do, I'll carry it for You."

I think it would do all of us some good to say, "God, I don't know why You want me to carry this load. I can see no good in it and it's awfully heavy. But, if You want me to carry it, I will."

God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.

Yes, I do love GOD. He is my source of existence and my Savior. He keeps me functioning each and every day. Without Him, I am nothing, but with Him....I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. (Phil. 4:13)

God is good all the time!

2007-02-25T19:45:00.000+08:00

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.-- Hebrews 1:11

After three long months of waiting, we finally got the results of the tests Star and I had in Hongkong. And it's not so good. For those who just stumbled into my blog, our youngest daughter had nose bleeding episodes since she was a baby. Last year, it became so frequent (almost daily) and after many trips to different doctors we finally found a hematologist who told us that our daughter might have Von Willebrand's Disease. VWD is a hereditary bleeding disorder similar to hemophilia. Though considered the most common bleeding disorder, it happens to about one in three million.

As you probably guessed by now, the results showed that both me and my daughter have VWD (Type 2M). While only my daughter was advised to take the tests, the doctor in Hongkong decided test me as well since VWD is hereditary.

We were advised to go back to Hongkong for new tests as well as for treatment. Since it's hereditary (which was likely the cause of my mother's death at 51), my husband and I are praying to be able to have our two other kids tested soon.

The results came at a time when things seemed to be so quiet. So quiet for comfort, in fact, that I had a feeling something was on the way. And because of that, I had been "negotiating" with the Lord the past few weeks not to make it so hard. Really, when things become quite comfortable, I get uneasy because I know the Lord is just preparing to take us to another level.

We've been through a lot to still doubt God's faithfulness. He is our Jehovah Jireh who provides for all our needs. He is our Jehovah Rapha, our Healer. And while it's a bit prohibitive for us, on a human point of view, to be perennially going abroad for treatments, we never doubt He will provide for us in whatever way He wills -- including divine healing. Nothing is impossible with Him.

It's such a comfort (and a privilege as well) to hear from a great man of God, Rev. Abu Bako, who recently came to give exhortation on the mandate of Christians in nation building. As Christians (and therefore God's representatives), Rev. Abu said, we should do what God mandated man to do -- have complete authority over the earth.(Genesis 1:26)

So what's the connection between nation building and our disease, you might wonder?

Well, being parents to three premature kids who are always in and out of the hospital, my husband and I have been lamenting how bad our health system is. Even government hospitals can be prohibitive for people who are earning minimum wages.

When we were told our daughter might have VWD, we found out that even the best hospitals in the country don't have facilities to diagnose or treat VWD patients. Even our supposed National Hemophilia Center can't diagnose VWD. Which brings to the point, what if those afflicted can't afford to go abroad for treatment or even diagnosis? Will they just die, like my mother?

I'm sure God allowed this to happen to our family for a good reason. It might not be His perfect will for us, but maybe He is looking for people He could use. Star's hematologist said we should start to lobby with the government that facilities for VWD be made available here. We're praying for God's guidance on this. Whatever it is, may His will be done.

When He allows us to face challenges, He also gives us strength to carry on. Thank God for gifting us with very supportive families and friends who've been faithfully walking with us. As I've said over and over, we wouldn't have survived if not for the prayers and support of the people around us.

Surely, God has planned to prosper us and not to harm us, plans to give us hope a future.

When priorities are right...

2007-02-01T08:23:00.000+08:00

The God said to Solomon: "Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked riches or wealth or honor or the life of your enemies, nor have you asked long life -- but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself, that you may judge My people over whom I have made you king -- wisdom and knowledge are granted to you; and I will give you riches and wealth and honor, such as none of the kings have had who were before you, nor shall any after you have the like." -- 2 Chronicles 1:11-12

Every leader mush establish a list of priorities, then learn to put first things first. When Solomon became king of Israel, he was given the opportunity to ask God for anything. No doubt, King Solomon faced the same options we have today:

1. Easy things first - He could've chosen to focus on the easy tasks ahead of him.

2. Fun things first - He could've chosen to focus on riches or fame.

3. Urgent things first - He could've asked for help in building the temple.

4. Hard things first - He could've sought favor with those who didn't like him.

5. First things first - Instead, he chose to seek wisdom so he could glorify God.

-- from John Maxwell's Leadership Promises for every day

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Lord, may we always put You first in our lives. May we always remember that what we have and where we are today are all because of You. And no matter what our circumstances may be, may we always choose to do what is glorifying to You. In Jesus' Name, AMEN.

Looking back at 2006

2007-01-21T22:36:00.001+08:00

Splash
Originally uploaded by luisa_m_c_m_cruz.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. - Romans 8:28

I've been intending to update this blog in time for the New Year but a million and one other things came in between. Too many good things just happened in 2006 and it's a shame to let them pass without giving credit where credit is due -- to Him, the Creator of everything, my Eternal Father, the Source of all good things.

Last year was probably the worst year for our family, yet it was also the best. Let me share with you the highlights:

* Rick Warren Live in Manila, The Purpose Driven Congress - Just when I was wondering if I was on the right track, I received a call asking me to help out organize the visit of Purpose Driven Life author Rick Warren. Rick has a ministry in the Philippines and wants to reach out to at least 20,000 leaders who might be able to influence this nation for God's glory. Thank God for Pastor Dong Cucio who gave me that unexpected but welcome call.

* New home, we're back in Sikatuna Village -- In 2005, we moved to Don Antonio Heights after finding what we thought was the most ideal place for home-office set-up. We gave up the condo unit we rented in Ortigas Center and the apartment in Sikatuna to move in to a bigger place in a residential village. We loved the place, 550 sqm, with a nice garden, a patio ideal for al fresco breakfast or dinner and big space for the kids to run around. But our quite life got spoiled only a year later when we were victimized by akyat-bahay gang not once but thrice. The last straw came when the robber tried to get in the house by destroying the kitchen screen and picking on the locks. Thank God for waking up my nephew Carlo just in time before the robber got in. Immediately that morning we looked for a house. Providentially, we found one just three gates away from our girls' school. So by end of July, exactly a year after we moved in to Don Antonio, we moved out and went back to Sikatuna. By God's favor, our landlady discounted our rent by 15%. What more, our new home has more amenities and is much bigger in floor area. Praise God!

* Denis Waitley and Tribute to Teachers. Another great motivator, world-renowned author Denis Waitley's word keeps on ringing in my mind: "Plant the seed of greatness!" I won't forget the story he told of the nurse who patiently took care of a little girl everybody thought was hopeless. Years later, the little girl became well enough to be a teacher. She returned the kindness shown to her by taking care of another seemingly hopeless girl. The seed of greatness planted by the unnamed nurse in the life of Anne Sullivan made a big impact on Hellen Keller, the great visually-impaired activist. Thanks to Ardy & Tingting Roberto and Carol Roa of Salt & Light Ventures for the great learning experience.

* New "baby" and a miscarriage of sorts -- In September last year, I wrote an entry about "losing a baby." It's proverbial, of course. It's actually a project I consider as one of my precious babies as a public relations consultant. But while I felt sad, I knew God had other plans for me and I knew His plans are always the best. Prior to the "miscarriage," God gave me a new baby -- a consultancy work with Unicef's HIV/AIDS Programme. Looking back, it was again divine providence. I've learned so much in my short stint with Unicef, and the best part of it, I enjoyed every day of it.

* Our healing journey -- I call it as healing journey even though up to now, Ben and Star are not yet completely well. We are still waiting for the results of Star's medical tests at Queen Mary Hospital in Hongkong, while Ben's latest xray results showed he still has some fluid in his lungs. But we believe God will completely heal both of them. It's just a matter of time. As I mentioned in my posts about Star, doctors suspect she has a rare blood disorder called Von Willebrand Disease. This kind of disorder is hereditary and it is said that hereditary illnesses are generational curses. We are believing that this curse will stop with Star and that she will be miraculously healed of this even though doctors say this is a lifetime disease. On the other hand, Ben's vulnerability to lung infection could because of his being premature. When he was born, his lungs had not yet fully developed. He always has pneumonia. But we are believing, like Star's, Ben's ailment will soon be gone, completely healed. Surely, nothing is too difficult for God.

* Another "baby" -- The Room Upstairs, that is, owned by talented couple Ari and Pinky Peralta. Thanks to good friends Ammi Armas and Benjie, Pinky's brother, who recommended me.

* * *
Romans 8:28 had never been so real for me. We faced the greatest trial ever, yet through it, we felt much, much closer to God. I lost something, yet I gained more.
Never before had we experienced God as our Jehovah Jireh (God our Provider) as dramatic as we did in 2006. He provided us not only with the finances we needed, but also friends who walked with us and prayed for us, with strength to go on trusting even though the horizon didn't seem clear, and most of all, with precious lessons we would have otherwise not learned if everything was well.

Truly, God is good all the time!

Happy Birthday, Star!

2006-12-21T17:23:00.000+08:00

Back in the home front. Today, Star turns 8. Our baby is another year older. I miss the days when I can carry her like a huggy bear. She's always been on the heavy side and so very cuddly indeed. Oh, how time flies! It was election time when I found out I was gonna have another baby, and how it sparked controversy in my former office. Ano, buntis ka na naman?" People would ask me, as if it was hard to imagine a married woman getting pregnant for the third time. And I wasn't even the "top baby maker" in the office.

Among the reporters though, I was the highest pointer, so to speak. Knowing I always had difficult pregnancies (all three kids were premature), my bosses probably foresee I'd be gone again for another 48 years. And true enough, shortly after covering Erap's inagauration at Rizal Park, I experienced bleeding and had to be confined for three days.

Because the previous two pregnancies were between 27 to 32 weeks, the doctor advised me to go on complete bed rest until after the second trimester.

Finally, Star came out this time 8 years ago -- a heavy weight at 4.4 kilos. And to think she came out a month before her due date. Her dad was with me to welcome Star. And how she cried! UHA-UHA-UHA! She had the biggest voice in the world!

We already called her Star even when she was still in my tummy. Her Kuya would talk to her, telling her how excited he and Ate were to play with her. He would tell her stories and tickle my tummy.

Shortly after I gave birth to Star, I tried to apply Kuya Ben and Ate Pia at UP's Child Development Center. But as fate would have it, they didn't get the much sought after slots, instead Star got in.

So it was, Star started going to school by June of 1999. She was barely six months when she was admitted at the Infant Development Program of UP-CDC. Practically, all her life, Star has been in school. Yet, she didn't seem to tire. She has always been enthusiastic about school.

We see her growing up to be a conscientious and strong-willed child, yet obedient and God-fearing. She's so passionate about things. As her teachers say, she lives up to her name -- she is a star. She loves it when I repeatedly tell her she's the prettiest girl "in the whole wide hand of God." (It's her terminology. "Hand of God is bigger than the universe," she tells me. She's right!)

We are so blessed to have Star in our lives. While we weren't really prepared to have another baby, I always tell her I can't imagine life without her. We've learned so many lessons from Star. She is like the child Jesus describes in the Bible -- pure in heart.

Happy birthday to our favorite bunso!

Turning fear into better disaster response

2006-12-21T09:45:00.000+08:00

It may take a long time for Bicolanos to shake off the trauma caused by super typhoon Reming. With so many lives lost and destruction so immense, it may be considered the worst disaster in the Philippines. May we all learn from Reming and turn the situation around for the better. Here's an article I wrote for the Inquirer...

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By Andrea Trinidad-Echavez
Inquirer
Last updated 02:37am (Mla time) 12/21/2006

Published on Page A17 of the December 21, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

“TATAKBO na naman ba tayo,’Nay? (Are we going to run again, Mother?)” Inday Surapas’ 10-year-old son asks every time rain starts to fall.

“Takot na takot na kami tuwing umuulan (We have become very scared every time it rains),” said the 34-year-old mother of six, who lost one of her brothers when Supertyphoon “Reming” wrought havoc in Albay several weeks ago.

“We had already been warned,” Surapas admitted in Filipino. “But we didn’t expect the rains to be that bad. It never flooded before, not even during Typhoon ‘Milenyo.’”

And so on the fateful morning of Dec. 1, Surapas went on with her regular routine of selling vegetables at the public market in Daraga town, confident that “Reming” would just be like the other typhoons. (Read full story)

A thousand bears and more

2006-12-18T04:42:00.000+08:00

It's such a joy to see a seemingly impossible task turn into a reality before your very eyes. Early today (it's just 4am as I'm writing this), I received a happy news from my friend Cathy, who started Thousand Bears for Bicol two weeks ago -- we have reached the thousand mark! Thank you everyone, who prayed with us and supported us in this endeavor. For those who want to help, contributions are still accepted. :-)

On Dec. 21, we'll be distributing the bears and their furry friends in different evacuation centers in Bicol. This is just be the beginning of a big work. Operation Compassion will soon start trauma debriefing in areas mostly affected by "Reming."

Still on TBB, an article came out in Manila Times yesterday:

A thousand bears for Bicol

By Andrea Lopez-Vito

IT ALL started as a personal crusade. But barely 10 days after making an appeal for support on her blog (www.nancydrewandme.blogspot.com), Cathy Babao-Guballa’s “Thousand Bears for Bicol (TBB)” campaign has almost reached its target—to gather at least 1,000 teddy bears and other “furry friends” for the children staying in typhoon-ravaged Bicol’s evacuation centers.

A grief counselor who lost a son a few years ago, Guballa got struck by a front-page photo taken by award-winning photographer Edwin Bacasmas. It showed a distraught father hugging his little child. They were standing in the midst of debris left by super typhoon “Reming,” presumably where their house used to be. Ironically, behind them majestically sits Mount Mayon—the cause of the massive destruction and loss of lives in Albay.

“One can only imagine the horrors of what the other families went through in those two days when the world seemed to be coming to a close. Bicolanos are staunch veterans of typhoons but this time around they have been badly battered and beaten,” Guballa notes in her December 3 blog entry.

“What does tomorrow hold for father and son?” she continues. “With all material possessions gone, they only have each other, and for now, that is all that matters.”

Guballa says that adults and children alike who lived through this kind of tragedy will definitely go through months of nightmares and post-traumatic stress disorder.

But in tragedies such as that wrought by super typhoon Reming, children are naturally the most affected. How will they ever feel safe again?

“Play and toys have been very effective tools in helping children heal from trauma and tragedy,” explains Guballa, who teaches at the Ateneo de Manila. “Stuffed toys have been known to be effective comfort givers in times of extreme stress and fear. To children, stuffed animals are more than toys, they’re imaginary friends who are always ready to give comfort or play. They provide a certain amount of security in a sometimes scary world.”

Taking off from this, Guballa appealed to her readers to help her raise at least a thousand bears, which she targets to distribute to children before Christmas. Amazingly, within three days, the first 100 bears came in mostly from friends and regular readers of her blog. The wonders of the net paved way for Guballa’s campaign to spread like wildfire. Friends and friends of friends either forwarded Guballa’s appeal or posted it in their own blogs. Support have since deluged with bears and other stuff toys of various colors continuously coming in. As of this writing, TBB has collected close to 600 not counting those in the drop-in centers.

In addition to the stuffed toys, fast-food chain KFC sent 500 care-bear pillows and 15 sacks of small cereal packs (100 pieces a sack).

Guballa then partnered with her home church, the Greenhills Christian Fellowship, and Operation Compassion, a Christian organization involved in relief and rehabilitation work. Operation Compassion has already distributed the first batch of bears in its medical mission in Legaspi City earlier this week.

More than relief work, however, Guballa envisions TBB to be “an exercise in watching the way God’s hand works and seeing how wonderful and awesome He is in His kindness and faithfulness toward all of us.”

“God cares for all the little children and is especially loving of widows and orphans. I know that through you, He cares for His children in Bicol,” Cathy adds in her blog.

How God put things together amazes Guballa no end. When word about TBB spread, friends far and near offered help. Filipino associations in Manitoba, Canada, and Sacramento, California, pledged to send over some bears. The Philippine Air Force through Col. Mike Asperin likewise volunteered to fly the toys and other stuff to Legaspi.

“I am amazed at the power of His hand when it moves the hearts of people everywhere,” says Cathy.

By December 21, she along with her husband Hector and several friends, will join Operation Compassion in distributing the toys to various evacuation centers in Legaspi, Daraga and Guinobatan. They also hope to raise funds to be able to throw a Christmas party for at least 1,000 kids.

The distribution of toys is part of the psychosocial therapy being conducted by Operation Compassion in partnership with the Ministerial Fellowship of Albay. Operation Compassion’s Rev. Dong Cucio says psychosocial therapy in disaster areas is inherent in its rehabilitation work.

The group has also been involved in rehabilitation work in Gen. Nakar and Infanta in Quezon, several areas in Aurora, Mindoro and Sorsogon provinces and Guinsaugon in Southern Leyte.

Indeed, TBB has yet become another testimony of the innate kindness of Filipinos.

Christmas is for the little children of Albay, too

2006-12-13T18:32:00.000+08:00

Bright day ahead. Surely, resiliency will enable Bicolanos to rise above the gloom. But a little help would make the load much lighter. This photo was taken at a relocation center in Daraga.

I just arrived from Albay this morning and I am still overwhelmed with what I saw. The devastation is far more than we can imagine, not to mention the depth of pain super typhoon Reming caused to the Bicolanos.

We went around the evacuation centers in Daraga and Legaspi and my heart bleeds especially for the children who can hardly comprehend what struck them. I've interviewed several mothers and most of them shared that every time it starts to rain (after super typhoon Reming), their kids would ask "Tatakbo na naman ba tayo?"

One mother in Daraga who lost 12 members of her family (children, mother, sister, brothers, grandchildren, daughter-in- law) said her 16 year old son is still dazed up to now. I could only cry as Manang Gloria narrated her story.

"We were warned," Manang Gloria admitted, in Filipino. "But we never imagined it would be as hard as that."

And despite the warning, she went ahead to sell vegetables at the market that fateful Dec. 1 morning. She reasoned out: "What will I feed my children if I don't go out and make a living?"

By 9am (Dec. 1), it started to rain heavily. It was so hard one could no longer see anything five feet ahead. Manang Gloria had no choice but wait for the rains to stop. By the time it ended around 3pm, she hurriedly went home only to find out that it was no longer there, her family included.

Providentially, Manang Gloria earlier left four of her 8 children with her husband's relatives in another part of the town and so the they survived the tragedy.

"Hindi ko kayang isipin kung lahat sila iniwan ko sa bahay. Siguro hindi ko kakayanin," Manang Gloria told us. (I can't imagine if I left all of them in our home. I wouldn't have survived at all.)

Really, I haven't seen destruction so widespread as what I've just seen in Albay. I could only cry along with the people I interviewed. My God! Even the very able head of PDCC (Provl Disaster Coord Council) couldn't hold back his tears when he narrated to us what happened on that fateful day.

"The rain was just too much. When we could no longer see beyond 5 feet, I knew there would be casualties. At that point, we just gathered and pray. There was nothing else we could do..." Cedric Daet, chair of the PDCC told us.

True enough, after the water subsided, hundreds and hundreds have died. More than 200,000 families are left homeless. Hundreds of millions worth of crops and properties damaged.

Obviously, Christmas will never be the same this year for the people of Albay. This must be the saddest Christmas especially for the kids. I am just so glad Cathy started TBB (Thousand Bears for Bicol). How I wish we'll be able to give bears and a simple Christmas party for all the kids.

To date, the TBB campaign has passed the 500-mark (not including the uncollected ones at the drop off points) -- praise God for all the people He touched. But the more bears and toys, the more kids we bring joy. The distribution of toys is actually part of the trauma debriefing to be conducted by Operation Compassion.

In behalf of Cathy and Operation Compassion, I am appealing for help for this endeavor. Let's make the little children of Albay smile again especially this Christmas.

***********************************************

What do we need?

Teddy Bears - new or clean and in good condition OR friendly looking and cuddly stuffed toys that can be hugged by the children

Art materials - notebooks, pens, pencils and crayons that we can pack and give to the children. In addition to play therapy, art therapy is also a proven effective tool in helping heal the children.

Where can you drop off the materials?

Quezon City -- 41 Milkyway Drive, Blue Ridge, Quezon City contact - 0918-906-8852

Makati -- The Room Upstairs, 2nd floor, LRI Building, Nicanor Garcia (formerly Reposo), Makati City tel no. 899-9318

Alabang - Room 306, Medical Arts Building, Asian Hospital (clinic of Dr. Noemi Guloy)

Can we have the bears picked-up?

Some companies and schools are doing "bear drives" so yes, we can pick up a minimum of 30 bears from your school or office.

Please support Thousand Bears for Bicol

2006-12-11T11:12:00.000+08:00

TBBlogo2_lores
Originally uploaded by cathyguballa.

My friend Cathy Babao-Guballa, a grief counselor (who lost her son Migi a few years ago) is spearheading a campaign called THOUSAND BEARS FOR BICOL (TBB). This campaign is aimed at raising at least a thousand bears before Christmas so we can distribute them to children in Bicol areas badly-hit by supertyphoon Reming like Guinobatan and Daraga.

There is no telling on the pain the super typhoon caused to thousands of children in Bicol and their families. We know that it will take long for the kids to recover from the trauma they suffered. But we are hoping that through the TBB campaign, the grief will somehow be eased.

We at Operation Compassion, a relief and rehabilitation organization, are so blessed that Cathy has partnered with us in this endeavor. Cathy and I (along with our families and friends) will personally oversee the distribution of the bears (and other gifts we hope to be able to raise too) on Dec. 21.

I hope you will prayerfully consider helping us in this endeavor. Please see Cathy's blog for more info: Thousand Bears for Bicol

Of sorrows and joys

2006-11-27T09:19:00.000+08:00

Blessed are those whose strength is in you...As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs. -- Psalm 84:5-6

Comfort, according to L.B. Cowman, is not given to us when we are lighthearted and cheerful. It comes after we travel the depths of emotion. Comfort, along with peace, I must say, are God's most precious gifts.

Here's an inspiring poem from L.B. Cowman's Streams in the Desert.

I have been through the valley of weeping,
The valley of sorrow and pain;
But the "God of all comfort" was with me,
At hand to uphold and sustain.

As the earth needs the clouds and sunshine,
Our souls need both sorrow and joy;
So He places as oft in the furnace,
The dross from the gold to destroy.

When he leads us through some valley of trouble,
His omnipotent hand we trace;
For the trials and sorrows He sends us,
Are part of His lessons in grace.

Oft we run from the purging and pruning,
Forgetting the Gardener knows
That the deeper the cutting and trimming,
The richer the cluster that grows.

Well He knows that affliction is needed;
He has a wise purpose in view,
And in the dark valley He whispers,
"Soon you'll understand what I do."

As we travel through life's shadowed valley,
Fresh springs of His love ever rise;
And we learn that our sorrows and losses,
Are blessings just sent in disguise.

So we'll follow wherever He leads us,
Let the path be dreary or bright;
For we've proved that our God can give comfort;
Our God can give songs in the night.

Our healing journey and more...

2006-11-26T19:28:00.000+08:00

"Do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed." -- 1 Peter 4:12-13

It's been a while since my last posting. Since Star and I got back from Hongkong, I had to catch up on work. What can I say? It's been such a wonderful, wonderful time for us. Not the illness part, but experiencing God's faithfulness once again. While the kids are not yet fully well, we continue to be overwhelmed by how God has been walking us through.

One important lesson I've learned in our experience is to never, never disregard the power of prayer. To many of us, prayer comes as the "last resort." When we can still do something about the situation, we do what we can. Then, we turn to God when all else fail.

But to us this time, the challenges were just too great. My husband and I could do nothing but to still ourselves before the Lord and pray. And then we stayed back and let Him move for us. There is no telling how amazed we are by how things turned out.

Ben recovered quickly. While he stayed in the hospital for 13 days, the extent of infection in his lungs would have required longer confinement. Star, on the other hand, had a smooth work-up in Hongkong. As a bonus, we both enjoyed our trip. Since we came back, Star has far lesser nosebleeding episodes.

We cannot thank God enough for how He walked us through our trial, for the outpouring support of friends and for the abundant provisions. God used so many people to bless us in so many ways. What can we say? We did not deserve it. We are overjoyed. As always, God is good all the time.

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Rejoice in the Lord always!

2006-11-04T16:37:00.000+08:00

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!...Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.--Philippians 4:4

Tomorrow will be the first full week since Ben's confinement in the hospital. Star and I would have left for Hongkong already for her medical workups at Queen Mary Hospital but my husband and I decided we postpone the trip a few more days. (We're leaving instead on Nov. 8, 8.15am flight.)

These are difficult times for us. In fact, I've told some friends I'm torn with our situation right now. On one hand, Star already needs to be diagnosed and given proper medical attention. On the other hand, how can we leave Ben in a delicate situation?

Six days in the hospital is not easy. Ben's fever is still on and off (but "on" most of the time). Thankfully, it's lower now than the first three days. Last night, we freaked out when were told he has fluids in the lungs and that Ben might need to undergo an OR procedure to remove the water. Under these circumstances, what parents would not?

But early this morning, when the pulmonologist came and explained to us Ben's situation, my heart jumped for joy! Looking at the x-ray plates and not seeing the patient, he said, he would have imagined the patient to be in a miserable state. Ben's lungs are full of water. His heart slightly enlarged.

Yet, when he saw Ben, rosy cheeks, chubby, smiling and all, it just doesn't jive. "I would have imagined a patient hardly breathing, losing so much weight..." the doctor told us. WOW! As in WOW! Only a miracle-working God can make Ben defy what the clinical evaluation otherwise say. Truly, He is a God of miracles.

God's amazing grace is sustaining Ben. He hears the prayers of His people. So many people have been praying for us and the way things are turning out, we are sustained only by God's mercy.

God is good in all of His ways! What can I say? PRAISES BE TO GOD!

The Joy of Waiting - Promise No. 2

2006-10-31T06:12:00.000+08:00

Boat, ocean, and a sunset
Originally uploaded by Miguel Jette.

"I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry" (Psalm 40:1, NIV).

I didn't intend to blog today. You see, our son Ben is in the hospital. We were advised to have him confined after his fever wouldn't go down. The doctor said he has pneumonia and blood infection, worsened by his primary complex.

The past weeks have been quite hard for us, admittedly. On one hand, we trust that God has already apportioned healing for Ben and Star. Yet, when it doesn't come right away, what can we do? Not much, except to keep on praying and waiting.

These past few weeks, God keeps on reminding me, "Be still and know that I am God." Truly, it is so easy to fret. But what can fretting do? Nothing, except to make us more exhausted. So might as well just let go and let God! Yet, despite that knowledge, sometimes it can be difficult not to worry especially when it involves your kids. But God, in His never-ending patience -- keeps on reminding us through different ways. Sometimes, it comes through your mailbox. The moral lesson? Always open your mailbox! LOL!

As I read this article forwarded by my friend Cathy, I can't help but post this. It's so inspiring. Read on....

***************************************

Waiting
by Elisabeth Elliot
Taken from Keep A Quiet Heart

The tests of our willingness to wait patiently for the Lord come almost daily for most of us, I suppose. Probably I am among the Lord's most impatient servants, so the lesson has to be renewed again and again. A tough test came when my daughter's family (of ten) was searching for a house. Southern California is not a place where one would wish to conduct that search. It's a long story, but at last, all other possibilities having been exhausted, a house was found, an offer made. That night word came that two other offers, of unknown amounts, had also been made. Dark pictures filled my mind: the others would surely get the house, the Shepards would be reduced to renting and we'd been told that rentals start at about $2000 per month (imagine an owner willing to rent to a family with eight children!).

"Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord" (Psalm 27:14, NIV).

I lay awake in the wee hours ("when all life's molehills become mountains" as Amy Carmichael said), repeating Scripture about God's faithfulness, trusting, casting all cares, waiting. I had to keep offering up my worries and my impatience. At four I was up reading the story of Abraham and Isaac. Abraham called the place where he had offered up Isaac "The Lord Will Provide." I took that as the Lord's word to me that morning.

Before nine o'clock, my son-in-law Walt called to say "Offer accepted. Other offers, both higher, turned down." No explanation. It was the Lord's doing.

Waiting requires patience--a willingness calmly to accept what we have or have not, where we are or where we wish we were, whomever we live or work with.

To want what we don't have is impatience, for one thing, and it is to mistrust God. Is He not in complete control of all circumstances, events, and conditions? If some are beyond His control, He is not God.

A spirit of resistance cannot wait on God. I believe it is this spirit which is the reason for some of our greatest sufferings. Opposing the workings of the Lord in and through our "problems" only exacerbates them. It is here and now that we must win our victories or suffer defeats. Spiritual victories are won in the quiet acceptance of ordinary events, which are God's "bright servants," standing all around us.

Restlessness and impatience change nothing except our peace and joy. Peace does not dwell in outward things, but in the heart prepared to wait trustfully and quietly on Him who has all things safely in His hands. "Peace I leave with you; I do not give to you as the world gives" (John 14:27, NEB). What sort of peace has He to give us? A peace which was constant in the midst of ceaseless work (with few visible results), frequent interruptions, impatient demands, few physical comforts; a peace which was not destroyed by the arguments, the faithlessness, and hatred of the people. Jesus had perfect confidence in His Father, whose will He had come to accomplish. Nothing touched Him without His Father's permission. Nothing touches me without my Father's permission. Can I not then wait patiently? He will show the way.

If I am willing to be still in my Master's hand, can I not then be still in everything? He's got the whole world in His hands! Never mind whether things come from God Himself or from people-- everything comes by His ordination or permission. If I mean to be obedient and submissive to the Lord because He is my Lord, I must not forget that whatever He allows to happen becomes, for me, His will at that moment. Perhaps it is someone else's sinful action, but if God allows it to affect me, He wills it for my learning. The need to wait is, for me, a form of chastening. God has to calm me down, make me shut up and look to Him for the outcome.

His message to me every day
Is wait, be still, trust, and obey.

And this brings me to the matter of counseling. Upon our return from a trip to England I found a pile of mail, so many letters asking me what to do about things, for example: a wife's critical spirit, unemployment, a wife who has abandoned husband and children, a single mother doing a job she hates, an unfaithful husband, a woman (who tells me she is Spirit-filled) having an affair with her pastor, a farmer who'd like a wife, a mother-in-law who is nasty to her daughter-in-law, a stepson who is angry because "we don't spend enough money on his children," a wife who snaps at her husband each time he tries to snuggle up, and a husband who "drinks like a fish, curses like a sailor, and says he loves God."

I wish I could write the same letter to everybody: Wait patiently for the Lord. He will turn to you and hear your cry. It is amazing how clear things become when we are still before Him, not complaining, not insisting on quick answers, only seeking to hear His word in the stillness, and to see things in His light. Few are willing to receive that sort of reply. "Too simplistic" is the objection. One listener to my radio program, Gateway to Joy, wrote, "I got so upset at what you were saying I ripped the earphones out and aid, 'I'll do what I want to do!'" But there are those who can say, "This is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation" (Isaiah 25:9, KJV). Here are two testimonies:

"I've lost my mother, my brother, my husband, and my baby. My song is More Love to Thee, O Christ."

"God picked up the scraps and pieces and made us whole--a whole woman, a whole man, a whole marriage."

40 days of God's promise - Day 1

2006-10-27T13:40:00.000+08:00

God has written hundreds and hundreds of promises in the Bible. Sometimes, they are for a specific person. Other times, they are for a specific group of people like the Israelites. But God's promises, based on the Living Word, can also be true for every believer. I just wana remember one promise everyday and be inspired by the truth that God is good all the time.

TODAY'S PROMISE: Need I say more? :-) Each one of us is unique and special before God. Therefore, what He plans for me is always different from what He plans for others. And so with you, dear friend. Think about it.

Enjoying the roller coaster ride

2006-10-24T18:25:00.000+08:00

The Descent
Originally uploaded by gwENvision.

A wise person is one who at least survives and at most enjoys it. -- anonymous

If I updated my blog yesterday, I would have written a completely different thing. I would probably have started with a question: How do you survive a roller coaster ride? By that of course, I meant the proverbial roller coaster of life.

I am just plain tired. Physically and emotionally. Workload has been crazy. The health of our kids have not been too good. There is no medical facility in this country that can diagnose the strange nosebleeding of our little girl... Blah-blah-blah...blah-blah-blah... I can rant and rant.

But then again, is life really that miserable? How miserable can it get when people you don't even know suddenly calls out of nowhere to say they are praying for you or your family? Or angels disguised as either friends, family or total strangers sending in help of different kinds?

Isn't it just too myopic to see beyond the here and now?

Everything is about points of view, Pastor Ed Lapiz tells our Bible class this morning.

Try looking at another direction and you'll see a different view. A sailing ship may look smaller and smaller to the sight of a man on the wharf. But to those on the other side of the ocean, the ship gets bigger and bigger.

And so also with the challenges in life. You can either fight the tide and be miserable, or flow with it and enjoy every moment. I would rather chose the latter.

Why does God bring you to difficult situations? Surely, it is not to punish you. God is a loving God and He never desires for you to suffer. In fact, it grieves Him to see His children suffer.

But why? Maybe because He knows you are most likely to do something to turn your situation around. Or maybe because He wants to show you once again that He is the God of your lives. He is in control of everything. He is the source of all things. In Him and through Him, all things are possible.

For indeed, how can you see the good things when you don't see the bad? How can you experience His miracle when you still have something to cling on? How can you experience healing when you are not sick? How can you bask in His grace when you don't feel any need? How can you rely on His strength when you are not weak?

As the Wise Man once said, "there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven..."

Really and truly, this too, will pass. In the meantime, enjoy the ride.

Please pray for Star

2006-10-17T04:47:00.000+08:00

Praises be to God, from whom all good things come from! Since we started an email brigade for our 7-year-old Star, help has been pouring in from near and far, even from people we don't personally know.

We give thanks and glory to God for them. May they be blessed a thousandfold.

God willing, Star and I will be able to leave for Hongkong end of the month or first week of November at the latest. This week, Star (and her Kuya and Ate) has periodical exams and so I will only be able to bring her to the Department of Foreign Affairs to apply for passport next week. We also decided to have her further blood tests done by next week so she can concentrate on her test and doesn't get disturbed by all the trips to the hospital.

We'd like to ask you to partner with us in prayers.
* for Star's nosebleeding to stop
* for provisions that we can leave for Hongkong by 1st week of November at the latest
* for the doctors to clear her of von Willebrand disease
* for complete healing of whatever causes the nosebleeding
* for strength for Star, that in all these she's experiencing, she will only remember the love of Jesus through people around her and not the pain and inconvenience this nosebleeding brings her
* for us, her parents and siblings, that we will be able to shower her with all support, understanding, love and care

We know God has great plans for Star. She has been our family's prayer warrior since she was very young. She may not completely understand what she's going through right now, but we know when she grows older, she will praise God for what He has done in her life.

As sure as the sun rises

2006-10-16T05:52:00.000+08:00

Sicilian sunrise 3.
Originally uploaded by Patrick Lavin.

Faith is being sure of what you hope for and certain of things you do not see. - Hebrews 11:1

Our church has just started a series called "Hall of Faith," a very timely topic indeed. As we go through one trial after another the past months, I've been asking God -- am I true to myself? Why am I so confident amidst all that we're facing? Is my confidence for real?

With all sincerity, I can say yes. God has performed just too many miracles in our lives for me to doubt His faithfulness. I used to live a life apart from Him and what a catastrophe it was! But when I entrusted my life to Him and completely relied in His goodness no matter what the circumstances are, I see His beauty unfold before my very eyes.

Faith doesn't come easy. Sometimes God brings us through a dark valley, says one of my favorite authors Bob Sorge. But it is always THROUGH, not IN. God doesn't leave us in the valley to suffer but brings us through it, to learn.

God has promised us that He will never leave us nor forsake us.1 So we can say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid."2

About Star

2006-10-15T10:36:00.000+08:00

Few weeks ago, I wrote about my daughter Star's nosebleeding episode. It's been over a month now that she's nosebleeding almost daily, sometimes up to three times a day. At the time I wrote that entry, we were still waiting for the results of her bloodtests. When we finally got the results, the hematologist said there was nothing to worry about. While a bit anemic, her blood seemed to be okey. What a relief!

But our relief, it turned out was shortlived. When the bleeding continued, we decided to seek another opinion. We felt that even though the ENT and the first hematologist both said there was nothing to worry about, daily episodes of bleeding for a month by now is not normal. Star's pediatrician also thought so and so she asked us to see another hematologist -- Dr. Mary Chua, the founder of the Hemophilia Association of the Philippines.

Earlier on, as I mentioned, I already had apprehensions about the nosebleeding. My mother died of profuse bleeding while undergoing operation for mayoma, an otherwise common condition. We were told she had infantile genes that made it difficult to stop her bleeding. She died on the operating table. She was 51 at the time of her death, leaving us all six siblings in our teens and early 20s motherless.

My eldest sister had profuse bleeding during her first childbirth and almost died. My other older sister has very heavy menstrual bleeding since adolescence. Our uncle (my mother's brother) almost died of bleeding while undergoing tonsilectomy. In my father's side, one of my nephews (by my first cousin) has hemophilia. This bleeding problem in our family, I now figured out, could also explain why all my three kids were born prematurely.

All these factors, it turned out, make Star a candidate for von Willebrand disease. While a common kind of blood disorder with about the same prevalence as hemophilia, it occurs to only about 1% to 3% of the population. Most of the time, it is hereditary. Unfortunately, were told, there is no hospital or medical facility yet in the country capable of detecting this. The doctor advised us to bring Star to Hongkong or Singapore so she can be properly diagnosed and given the right intervention.

In our bible study group, I shared with my cellmates what I always tell God when I encounter difficulties. After I pray, I say, "God, it's not my problem anymore. It's Your problem now." Then, I sit back and just wait upon Him.

And truly, when we wait in confidence for Him to work things out for us, we will be amazed by what He does.

I really don't know why we are going through this now. But one thing is for sure, all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to His purpose.

POSTSCRIPT: A-DOLLAR-FOR-STAR
Upon the suggestion of a friend, we started an email brigade for Star, urging help of any form -- foremost for prayers, then referrals, spare dollars, etc. For instance, we learned that Mabuhay Miles can be given away. Or for those who have a spare dollar or, they can probably send it. We are just so overwhelmed with the response. Love, prayers and help have been pouring in since the first hour that I sent the email, even from people we don't personally know. Friends of friends (who got forwarded emails from friends) texted and emailed to ask how they could send help for Star. God is truly amazing! May God bless them a thousandfold.