Injustices We Commit

I just read a thought-provoking and heart-breaking quote from St Basil the Great. Thought-provoking because it led me to think about my personal things and stuffs which I have not been using for a considerable time now and which I could have given to others who may very well need them more than I do. Some stuffs are even becoming dusty and discolored already from months of un-use. Heart-breaking because, in the depth of my heart, I know that I can still give more to those who have less and yet I am not doing it so. 

Anyway, all of us should ponder daily on what St. Basil said that,”..the bread which you do not use is the bread of the hungry; the garment hanging in your wardrobe is the garment of him who is naked; the shoes that you do not wear are the shoes of the one who is barefoot; the money that you keep locked away is the money of the poor; the acts of charity that you do not perform are so many injustices that you commit.”

Mea culpa.

Lord, please help me in my moments of reluctance or procrastination to be your loving hand to those people around me who are in need.

The Story of Encouragement

Hi Everyone.

I just want to share this very inspiring beautiful story of a child named Sarah to his brother Patrick. 

May you all enjoy reading and get the courage we need to go on our daily life with a grateful heart.

God Bless you all.

1 John 3:14 “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.” - 

With This Letter, I Fly My Love to You from: THE STORY OF ENCOURAGEMENT

Dear Patrick,

I was then an only child who had everything I could ever want. But even a pretty, spoiled and rich kid could get lonely once in a while so when Mom told me that she was pregnant, I was ecstatic. I imagined how wonderful you would be and how we’d always be together and how much you would look like me. So, when you were born, I looked at your tiny hands and I showed you proudly to my friends. They would touch you and sometimes pinch you, but you never reacted. When you were five months old, some things began to bother Mom. You seemed so unmoving and numb, and your cry sounded odd, almost like a kitten’s.  So, we brought you to many doctors. The thirteenth doctor who looked at you quietly said you have the “cry du chat” (kree-do-sha) syndrome (cry of the cat in French). When I asked what that meant, he looked at me with pity and softly said, “Your brother will never walk or talk.” The doctor told us that it is a condition that afflicts one in 50,000 babies, rendering victims retarded. Mom was shocked and I was furious. I thought it was unfair. When we went home, Mom took you in her arms and cried. I looked at you and realized that word will get around that you’re not normal. So to hold on to my popularity, I did the unthinkable? I disowned you. Mom and Dad didn’t know but I steeled myself not to love you as you grew. Mom and Dad showered you with love and attention and that made me bitter. And as the years passed, that bitterness turned to anger, and then hate. Mom never gave up on you. She knew she had to do it for your sake. Every time she put your toys down, you would roll instead of crawl. I watched her heart break every time she took away your toys and strapped your tummy with foam so you couldn’t roll. You’d struggle and you’d cry in that pitiful way, the cry of the kitten. But she still didn’t give up. And then one day, you defied what all your doctors said: you crawled. When Mom saw this, she knew that you would eventually walk. So when you were still crawling at age four, she’d put you on the grass with only your diapers on knowing that you hate the feel of the grass on your skin. Then she’d leave you there. I would sometimes watch from the window and smile at your discomfort. You would crawl to the sidewalk and Mom would put you back. Again and again, Mom repeated this on the lawn. Until one day, Mom saw you pull yourself up and toddle off the grass as fast as your little legs could carry you. Laughing and crying, she shouted for Dad and I to come. Dad hugged you crying openly. I watched from my bedroom window this heartbreaking scene. Over the years, Mom taught you to speak, read and write. From then on, I would sometimes see you walk outside, smell the flowers, marvel at the birds, or just smile at no one. I began to see the beauty of the world around me, the simplicity of life and the wonders to this world through your eyes. It was then that I realized that you were my brother and no matter how much I tried to hate you, I couldn’t because I had grown to love you. During the next few days, we again became acquainted with each other. I would buy you toys and give all the love that a sister could ever give to her brother. And you would reward me by smiling and hugging me. But I guess, you were never really meant for us. On your tenth birthday, you felt severe headaches. The doctor’s diagnosis: leukemia. Mom gasped and Dad held her, while I fought hard to keep my tears from falling. At that moment, I loved you all the more. I couldn’t even bear to leave your side. Then the doctors told us that your only hope was to have a bone marrow transplant. You became the subject of a nationwide donor search. When at last we found the right match, you were too sick, and the doctor reluctantly ruled out the operations. Since then, you underwent chemotherapy and radiation. Even at the end, you continued to pursue life. Just a month before you died, you made me draw up a list of things you wanted to do when you got out of the hospital. Two days after the list was completed, you asked the doctors to send you home. There, we ate ice-cream and cake, ran across the grass, flew kites, went fishing, took pictures of one another and let the balloons fly. I remember the last conversation we had. You said that if you die, and if I need help, I could send you a note to heaven by tying the note on the string of a balloon and letting it fly. When you said this, I started crying. Then you hugged me. Then again, for the last time, you got sick. That last night, you asked for water, a back rub, a cuddle. Finally, you went into seizure with tears streaming down your face. Later, at the hospital, you struggled to talk but the words wouldn’t come. I know what you wanted to say. “I hear you.” I whispered. And for the last time, I said, “I’ll always love you and I will never forget you. Don’t be afraid. You’ll soon be with God in heaven.” Then, with my tears flowing freely, I watched the bravest boy I had ever known finally stop breathing. Dad, Mom and I cried until it felt as if there were no more tears left. Patrick was finally gone, leaving us behind. From then on, you were my source of inspiration. You showed me how to love life and live life to the fullest. With your simplicity and honesty, you showed me a world full of love and caring, and you made me realize that the most important thing in this life is to continue loving without asking why or how and without setting any limit. With this letter and this balloon, I fly my love to you. Thank you my little brother for all these.

Sarah

Students With Dreams

 The statistics are alarming.

For every 100 pupils who enter Grade 1, only 86 will go on to Grade 2. For the last 30 years, says the Philippine Development Report, the highest dropout rate in the basic school cycle has occurred this early. By Grade 4, only 76 of the original 100 will still be in school. By Grade 6, only 67 would still be enrolled—and only 65 will graduate from elementary school. Of the 65 who finish grade school, only 58 will move on to high school. And of the 58 who enter high school, only 42 will graduate.

For related article, please click this link http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/component/content/article/86-special-reports/18898-dropouts-our-immense-and-invisible-failure

The main reason for the high-rate of drop-out is due to poverty. Poor families especially those in farming communities tend to pull out their children from school everytime harvest season comes. For some, the upkeep of sending their children to free public school with daily meals, transportations, noteboks and other school related costs are way above their meager incomes.

Juniel, a fifth grader , and Juriel, a third-grader are both sister-students  of Bulihan Elementary School. Their father works in a construction and their mother is a stay-at-home mom who takes care of their daily chores. Notwithstanding that our public school tuitions are free, their father’s meager income is just enough to meet their daily needs. But believing the importance of education, their parents are taking all conceivable measures to use their available resources to support not only these intelligent and witty sisters but their big brother (they are 3 children in their family) whom they put their future hope since he will be entering college this school year.     

The sisters were both chosen to be one of our MOP’s scholarship recipient for the school year 2010-2011. With the public tuition already free, we opted to provide them with simple bags, complete notebooks and other school supplies to use for the whole year with end-year cash incentives for “above-normal” grade average. Nanay Vivian who went with Juniel and Juriel during the interview and confirmation day was a picture of deep gratitude. It was in her own words “a welcomed relief” in their tightly managed family budget. 

We wish you Juniel and Juriel a good and learning school year ahead. 

Big Dreams Begin With Small Steps - BBBS May 2010

Last  May 22 and 23, Big Brother Big Sister organizers and volunteers trekked the Ifugao mountain regions to distrubute bags and school supplies to the poor children. This was their sixth straight year of reaching out to the less fortunate school-age children to support them in their schooling needs.

Our MOP is blessed to be able to send again our own representative-volunteers, Remir and Bles Cueto who had extensive mountaineering experiences since their college days.

For details of this BBBS activities, please visit their official website at http://bbbs.freehostia.com.

To all who supported their activity by prayer and/or anonymous donations, our sincere thanks and hopefully we will continue to be part of this group’s annual activity in the coming years.

 God bless us all.

Bethany House

Last April 25, 2010, we paid a quick afternoon visit to Bethany House to spend some time with the wonderful and cheerful orphans under the care of the Dominican nuns. Sister Irene was our host and who exchanged pleasantries and inspiring stories about these children under their care. A lot of successful legal adoptions, both locally and internationally, have been giving each orphan a far-reaching dream of belonging to a family who will love and take care of them as one of their own. Sadly though, that the rate of adoption is nearly overshadowed by the rate of children and babies being given up by their parents who are unable to support and provide even their most basic needs. Thus, orphans, continues to come and take refuge in Bethany house.

Presently, they have 40+ youngsters and 3 infants under their care. Their team comprises of 3 nuns and around 5 volunteer-helpers who cook, clean and support these kids during their stay. One can only imagine the considerable cost they are incurring everyday just to feed and nourish these hungry youngsters, to educate and instill good values in these hungry souls.

If you are interested to help them by donating 1 sack of rice per year (Php 1,500.00), our MOP can help you to arrange this for you.

Please contact us.

Better yet, if you live near the Guiguinto, Bulacan area and have some free-time, please pay them a short visit to bring your sack of rice to them. If you have kids, bring them along so they can play with them. I must warn you though, you are bound to be blessed by the happy and smiling faces of these childrens and care-takers so be prepared to go home with a fulfilled and love-filled heart.

God bless our families.

Note: Recommended visiting time is between 4 to 5:30pm before the children have their evening prayers and dinner.

A Post-Lenten Reflection

I must admit that I am at times a letdown in sharing with God’s passions and sacrifices.

Before Holy Week started, we were mind-setting ourselves to not eat red meat every Fridays starting Ash Wednesday 40 days ago as our  simple share in God’s sacrificial journey of saving us but every time that day came we forgot to buy some fish or we only got chicken in my refrigerator to cook . Our canned fish goods were already used up. Some of those days too, we’ve got to attend events or meet friends that made us chomp away more  variety of meaty foods. Being in a country that celebrated no Lenten season made  this doubly hard  for us to faithfully observe this responsibility. Most of the times, we adjust the Fridays fasting and abstinence on Saturdays, Sundays or other days of the week that we have less activities  to do even if we know that these should not be negotiable when we are really trying to focus to follow God’s word. There are no in-between for YES or NO  no matter what reasons are behind them.

When Black Saturday came, I needed to go out shopping to buy some groceries which should be the least to be done . I also did a lot  of  fixing of our things throughout the day when all I needed to do was pray without any kind of distractions or undivided attention.

This made my spirit troubled that the message from Mark 14:38 aptly reminded - “Keep watching and praying that you may not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

On the positive side, we were able to watch “the Gospel of John” and “Moises” for our son’s visual educational learning and still prayed the rosary before bedtime, listen to preaching and read some scriptures and books that will guide us in growing closer to our creator. These stuffs helped us a lot to put more effort in doing the necessary things to be done during that time of spiritual examination and recollections.

How much worst could I be without this daily commitment on praying and in exerting effort to make my relationship with God a more uplifting experiences every time I take the opportunity to offer to Him my activities, concerns and most of all our families, relatives and friends.

One thing I realized and learned this recent Holy Week is that, it is not really the sacrifices that we need to share from God but His love to each and every one of us. The love that is always willing to sacrifice to bring back all the Glory to God and that we may also be willing to live simple so that others may simply live for this is ultimate goal we need to fulfill for each other.

A belated Easter to us all.

2010 Scholarship

Ang Maia Outreach Programs po ay magbibigay ng scholarship para sa darating na eskuwela taong 2010 – 2011.

Narito po ang ilan sa mga requirements:

1.      Residente at nasasakupan ng parokya ng Holy Spirit.

-          Alido

-          Malanggam

-          Bliss

-          Humel / Heritage

-          Bulihan

2.      Mag-aaral mula una hanggang ika-anim na antas (Grades 1 – 6) lamang.

3.      Hindi makapag-aral dulot ng kahirapan.

4.      Makapag-sumite po ng kailangan impormasyon bago mag Abril 15, 2010.

Ang sakop na matatanggap ng makakapasa sa scholarship.

1.               - Isang taon tuition sa pinakamalapit na pampublikong paaralan sa tahanan ng bata.

2.               - Isang bag na may kasamang school supplies.

Para sa mga interasadong sumali, mag-bigay lamang po ng isang application paper kina Bro. Ben or Bro. Rommel Santos sa 184 Dahlia St, Alido Heights Subdivision, Malolos, Bulacan. Kailangan sa application paper ang mga sumusunod na impormasyon:

1.                - Kumpletong pangalan ng bata

2.                - Kumpletong pangalan ng mga magulang (tatay at nanay)

3.                - Tirahan ng bata

4.                - Kumpletong pangalang ng baranggay kapitan

5.                - Pangalan ng pampublikong eskwelahan na pinakamalapit sa tirahan ng bata.

6.                - Pangalan ng principal ng eskwelahan.

7.                - CP no (kahit ng pinakamalapit na tao sa applikante) para mai-text ang araw ng initial interview na gaganapin sa Abril 20-25, 2010 sa bahay nila Bro. Ben Santos. Sa interview ay dapat kasama ang isa sa mga magulang.

Bro. Ben C. Santos                                                              

MOP                                                                 

In Times of Trouble

Do you know how many natural calamities occur around the world in just less than a year? Being a regular audience of world news, I somehow get a glimpse of these scary and devastating phenomena.  

Here is rough statistics that I was able to remember and gather and I am pretty sure that these are just the “tip of the iceberg”, so to speak.

Mar 8, 2010 – Strong earthquake kills 57 and injures nearly 100 in eastern Turkey

Mar 6, 2010 – Cruise Ship ‘Louis Majestic’ travelling from Barcelona to Genoa hit by freak waves killing 2 while injuring 14.

Feb. 27, 2010 – Chile was hit by an earthquake of 8.8 magnitudes, a tsunami shortly after the quake with at least 799 death tolls

Sept.25, 2009 – Typhoon Ondoy has reported a total of 797,404 families or 3.9 million persons were affected in eleven regions.

Aug. 9, 2009 – The six-story hotel collapsed and plunged into the river Sunday morning after floodwaters eroded its base, hotel building leans before falling in a heavily flooded river after Typhoon Morakot hit Taitung county, Taiwan

July 27, 2009 – Indonesians quakes kills 200

Clearly missing here are fires, landslides, tornadoes, tsunamis, and plane crashes or boats missing in the oceans and other calamities that were happening around the world everyday. Over a few years ago, there was also a man-made scare brought by melamine and other food scares. SARS, avian flu and the recent swine flu all brought pandemic fear to a lot of people.

It is not a wonder for me how terrified all those reporters feel every time they got to say all details of it on the news.

It seems that the 2012 movie is not just a predictions after all, for now it’s all becoming so factual is it? I watched this movie with a friend and I was startled about her statement, “sa ganyan sitwasyon, wag na lang tumakbo kung wala ng pupuntahan” (in times like that, there is no need to run if there no safe place to go) It got me thinking for a moment.  I agree with her, praying and waiting are still the best approach since we will never know what will happen next. As one of the main character in the movie says “nature chooses itself who will survive” that is where our prayer comes in this bigger picture. In the end, if it’s God’s will, He won’t let us go too.

 “When tragedy strikes, there are many things we cannot explain or understand. At such moments, all we need to do is to accept, surrender, trust and hold on to God’s master plan, and believe in His unconditional love. Lord, I don’t understand but I believe you have a plan.” – by Fr. Jerry Orbos

To end, I’d like to share this one beautiful prayer I have read from Didache, “Lord, may Your love always flow through me that I may bring a little piece of heaven to the people around me.” – by Ronna Ledesma

It Only Takes A Spark - BBBS2010

Dear Friends,

God bless po.

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

For sponsorships/donations, you may send your payment thru PayPal:  helpbbbs@gmail.com or you may deposit to any of the following accounts:

Account Name:  MARILET DE GUZMAN

Account No. :  6220111000

Banco de Oro, Sienna-Del Monte Branch

409 Del Monte Avenue, Quezon City, Philippines

If deposits will be made from outside the Philippines, just specify the Bank Swift Code:  BNORPHMM

      Account Name:  JOANNE MAE DEL MINDO

Account No.:  3029-0176-61

Bank of the Philippine Islands, BPI Card Center

Ground Flr., BPI Credit Card Bldg.  

8753 Paseo de Roxas, Makati City, Philippine

If deposits will be made from outside the Philippines, just specify the Bank Swift Code:  BOPIPHMM

Please keep the deposit slip for reference.  Kindly inform us the date and amount of the deposit through helpbbbs@gmail.com or contact Joanne Del Mindo +639163444404 or Marilet de Guzman +639285032075.

 To register as a volunteer, please provide the following information:

Fullname

Nickname

Phone Number

E-mail Address

Home Address

Birthdate (year of birth optional)

Blood Type

Shirt Size (S-M-L-XL)

Are you a mountaineer?

In case of emergency:

    Contact Person

    Contact Number

Relationship

Preferred repacking date (May 8 or May 15)

Who do you prefer to be grouped with? (as a guide only, subject to change)

Please take note of the ffg. dates:

1. May 6, 8pm - briefing for non-mountaineers at Conference Room A, 4^th Floor, Makati Stock Exchange Bldg., Ayala cor. Makati Ave., Makati City.
2. May 13, 8pm - Team pre-climb meeting at the Penthouse Flr., Makati Stock Exchange Bldg., Ayala cor, . Makati Ave., Makati City.  Attendance is a must!  No preclimb, no climb! Reserved slots will be given to those on waitlist.
3. May 8 or May 15, 9am - repacking of the school supplies.  All volunteers joining the trek are required to help in at least one repacking session.  No repacking, no climb!  Reserved slots will be given to those on waitlist.  Venue is at 200 Danny Floro St. (formerly Canley Road), Pasig.

For other volunteer information, you may contact:

    Sharon Ponio:             sharon.ponio@gmail.com or +639178010033

    Angel Constantino:      angelamc23@gmail.com or +639175375276

    Medi Nazar:                meds511@yahoo.com

    Juliet Cayabyab          cayabyabjuliet@gmail.com

For more info and updates, you may visit the BBBS website: http://www.bbbsoutreach.com or Multiply site:  http://bbbs2005.multiply.com.

MOP Prayer

Our Prayer

 

O my God we are gathered here before You in humility for we are truly sorry for all the sins that we have done to offend you.

 

You are true to your promises. You always are. You do not abandon us in times of trials and we thank You for allowing us to share in Your sacrifices.

 

We surrender ourselves to You. We sincerely offer our whole heart to love You by serving and providing for others.

 

Guide us, enlighten us and strengthen us that we may obey as You command.

 

This we pray through the intercession of Mama Mary.
In Jesus’ name.

 

AMEN.

Butterfly Kisses

Butterfly Kisses (Westlife)

It was early morning when I woke up early to fill-up the immigration forms on our way to Macau for the Christmas day mass. The winter morn sky was dark and only a soft warm lamp illuminated the desk I was writing on.

First, I wrote on my China departure form, then for my wife and the final one for Zek.

Hmmm, there was one spare form on the desk.

Next, I filled-up the Macau entry and health declaration forms for us.

Alas, there was another excess set of forms on the table.

Finally, I completed our China entry and health declaration forms.

Still, there was exactly one extra set left.

I suddenly felt the sadness tugging my heart.

All those extra forms were subconsciously meant to be filled up for our departed beloved Maia.

And just I started to miss her a lot again at that particular cold and dark Christmas morning.

Today is Maia  3^rd birthday.

Happy birthday to you, Maia with all our love.

We know that your heavenly celebration will be great and grandeur.

Your mommy will make a simple pudding cake for us because she knows you also like these.

Years ago, I heard this song of Bob Carlisle and I just loved it eversince.

It even became a sentimental favorite three years ago after my wife gave birth to Maia.

So it was not a surprise for me at all that Maia loved and was always amazed with butterflies.

She would stare endlessly at them until they flew far away from sight.

Butterfly kisses
Bob Carlisle

a every hug in the morning, and butterfly kisses at night…

To listen to Westlife’s rendition of this song, please check this link - http://www.roomp3.com/mp3-1101-Westlife_-Butterfly_Kisses.html

Parousia

Six days a week, I need to drive about 54 kilometers to get to our office and another 54 kilometers to go back home. With at least 9 traffic-intersection lights, minimum 14  remote high-speed monitoring CCTVs, a moderate volume of vehicles big and small and the countless surprise-me-with-a-sudden-street-crossing pedestrians and two-wheeled motor incursions from outermost to innermost lane and vice-versa along the way, my colleague and I reach our home-destination at the normal and safe travel time of an hour plus fifteen minutes.

It is not that easy but it is necessary at the moment.

It may be a bit tiring at times, but nothing a sufficient amount of rest and a cup of coffee can not handle. 

Besides, I just have to recall back in the late 90’s when my friend and I needed to travel at least 3 hours from Bulacan  to Laguna just to go to work, and I know that my present situation is a lot better. That time, we needed to wake up at 4am just to be sure to arrive on time at the start of the office hour at 8am. 

With this commute, going home is much more pleasant and a lot exciting as well for me. After the stressful work, I just want to be with my wife and energetic son and listen to their day’s recap of activities and happenings. As soon as the door starts to open and my son’s head peeking out and asking about his transformer robots as my wife give me her subtle and tender kiss, a warmth feeling of welcome envelops my whole self.

I am home.  

In a few more days, we will begin the preparation for the coming of Lord Jesus Christ. After being recognized and crowned as “Our King” this Sunday, the Advent season will officially start according to our Catholic tradition which also signals the start of the new liturgical year. Advent was historically known as “little Lent,” because, like Lent, it is a time of repentance, with prayer, fasting, and confession before the Lord’s nativity or as we commonly known as Christmas.

The main questions that will be asked of us during this period will be – Will Jesus be welcomed in our individual heart when He shows up? Will we open the door to welcome Him at the sound of His footsteps arriving? Will we excitedly tell Him our stories of struggles and triumphs in life and unconditionally be grateful to His graces and mercies? Are we willing to give Him that loving embraces and kisses that He so longingly waits from each one of us. 

Dear friends, our Lord has suffered in unspeakable and unimaginable terms during His first travel on earth in order to save each and every one of us.

Now let us make His second journey into our hearts a worthy and pleasing experience for Him.

Let us all make Him say with pride, “I am home”. 

The term parousia is a Greek word which literally means “presence” or “coming,” and refers to the eventual second coming of Jesus Christ in the end times. This last Sunday’s gospel - Mk 13:24-32, Jesus has foretold his second coming not as a fearful event to avoid but a day full of hope for those who look up to the Lord. Thanks to Bishop Tagle’s enlightening explanation of this “apocalyptic” gospel reading in his TV program “The Word Exposed” every Sunday 7am at TV channel 5.

Thanks and God bless.

Advent Season

We want to share to you a beautiful song for this Advent Season that was also shared to us too of our good friend from www.mabutingbalita.net. May our hearts sing the same song as we prepare ourselves for the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ and in our prayers as we celebrate this time of Advent Season not only this year but for all the years in our life.

Be Blessed and Have A Merry, Merry Christmas to all! 

Christ Be Our Light 

Bernadette Farrel

http://www.imeem.com/adha/music/elv2-5Oq/christ-be-our-light/

Longing for light, we wait in darkness.
Longing for truth, we turn to you.
Make us your own, your holy people,
light for the world to see.

Refrain
Christ, be our light! Shine in our hearts.
Shine through the darkness.
Christ, be our light!
Shine in your church gathered today.

Longing for peace, our world is troubled.
Longing for hope, many despair.
Your word alone has pow’r to save us.
Make us your living voice.

Longing for food, many are hungry.
Longing for water, many still thirst.
Make us your bread, broken for others,    
shared until all are fed.                              

Longing for shelter, many are homeless.
Longing for warmth, many are cold.
Make us your building, sheltering others,
walls made of living stone.

Many the gifts, many the people,
many the hearts that yearn to belong.
Let us be servants to one another,
making your kingdom come.

A Time To Remember

I Can Only Imagine (Mercy Me)

Kumusta ka na anak?

I would have wanted to talk to you in simple, even baby language until I realized that you are now an angel in Heaven. This simply means that for the past year, you have been growing in great wisdom and knowledge more than I can ever gain in my entire lifetime so I might as well converse to you as an adult. Having said that, I hope you understand me, on the contrary, if ever I sounded shallow and incoherent in our letter for you.

Time does fly or does it?

Well, I guess it all depends on which side I am speaking of. Because from where we are now, it has only been a year.

But from where you are looking down, time is unheard of since eternity need not be measured.

An hour there could be a hypothetical million years here on earth.

Speaking of “time”, did you know already that when I was in high-school we were assigned to research and report about one particular Old Testament book and our priest-instructor assigned to me – Qoheleth or Ecclesiastes as we commonly know. And from reading and reporting that book, one paragraph that really stayed, henceforward, in my mind was that of Chapter 3 verses 1 to 8.

It read,

There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens.

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant.

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to tear down, and a time to build.

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.

A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them; a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.

A time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away.

A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to be silent, and a time to speak.

A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

For the past year, these verses were closely true in our hearts.

For there was a time when time itself was on our side.

Our family was complete.

Your mommy, Kuya Zek, you and I.

We were so happy then that time seemed to have stood still and that we could run out of hard disk and DVD-Rs to record our memorable moments. Each step of the way, you and kuya Zek find something interesting to muse and wonder abou which your mommy and I are simply more than willing to explain. Everyday is discovery day for all of us.

But time can only withhold for long the unseen and abrupt change that was ordained to our family. And with it came the most intense heartbreak your mother and I could ever feel. We prayed, pleaded and wailed for time to slow down so we can bring you to the hospital yet every second was like an hour and those few minutes that passed were like forever to reach. As I sat inside the taxi, embracing you tightly as I cried, I was hoping against all hope that our expected miracle was going to happen, that against all odds, you will come out just fine from that critical situation.

In the end, we still lost you and we were ushered into a new time – to mourn and grieve.

Yes, it has been a year and I just wanted to let you know once again that we, your mom, kuya Zek and I, miss you so much.  That goes to say not just today but every single day. Your kuya Zek, out of the blue and thinking that Heaven is just a car-drive away, always pops up his idea of visiting you. He misses playing, sleeping, eating, running, watching TV and praying with you. Oh, do you remember the times when he annoys you? I bet you understand now that most of those time, he just wanted to swing back your attention to him whenever you started to play on your own. You were always his best buddy.

Reasonably so, your mommy hurts more deeply and more often among us. Eight months inside her and close to two years of enjoying your presence is really a short time for someone who loves you unconditionally. She sometimes still feel that she could have done more to avert what happened so I have to remind her often as well that, in life and death, only the Lord’s will matters. We can only seek the meaning and purpose of it. We can only trust Him despite the absence of full understanding. Please keep on praying for her in this regard.

As for me, you will always be my little, smart, cute, gifted, talented, sweet and lovable girl. I am pretty sure that you now know the times I stared at your sleep while daydreaming of how you will grow up to be a very beautiful and pious woman. I used to think about my future plans how to handle your growing years, your schooling days, your adolescence and pimple-boy-crushes teenage years, your university days, your dating years, and up to your wedding ceremony (Yup, I made this personal deadline of direct guidance on you because I also believe that after marriage, you have to be on your own in all your decision making. Well unless, of course, you or your future husband would come to me for advice which is technically not under the “paternal intrusion” category of your married life). Now, the sad reality is, I need to put them all into a secluded and dusty corner of my heart called “cherished dreams that can’t happen anymore” in order for me to keep my focus in loving your mother and kuya Zek while getting inspiration from the other corner where “the ways the Lord has always wanted our family to go forth” is located. Our Maia Outreach Programs is one of those fruits that we promise to take care of. Please always pray for us also in this regard.

As it is now, time beckons us to keep moving on with occasional sadness yet full of hope and loving graces. Your mommy, kuya Zek and I are all looking forward to meeting and being with you one day in Heaven. That final reunion is the one thing that time can never ever take away from us.

We love you.

Hugs and kisses,

Daddy, Mommy and Kuya Zek

PS. By the way, do you angels really play skips and hops on the clouds during your playtime? I asked because during our last plane trips I often wonder, while looking out the window, if there is any chance I can catch a glimpse of you with all the other angels. How happy would I be at that sight (See, I told you even grown-ups can still make silly and amusing questions. Love you.).

ditto 

Awit ng Pag-aalay

Panalangin sa Pagiging Bukas-Palad (Arnel DC Aquino)

Dearest Lord, teach me to be generous,
teach me to serve you as I should,
to give and not to count the cost,
to fight and not to heed the wounds,
to toil and not to seek for rest,
to labour and ask not for reward,
save that of knowing that I do your most holy will.

Panginoon, turuan mo akong maging bukas-palad
Turuan mo akong maglingkod sa Iyo
At magbigay nang ayon sa nararapat
Na walang hinihintay mula sa Iyo
Na makibakang di inaalintana, mga hirap na dinaranas
Sa tuwina’y magsumikap na hindi humahanap ng kapalit na kaginhawaan
at di naghihintay kundi ang aking mabatid na ang loob Mo’y siyang sinusundan.

Panginoon, turuan mo akong maging bukas palad
Turuan mo akong maglingkod sa Iyo
At magbigay nang ayon sa nararapat
Na walang hinihintay mula sa Iyo.

http://www.imeem.com/people/pm3nuJ/music/u70PhXrY/arnel-dc-aquino-sj-panalangin-maging-bukas-palad/

Our Donation Pooling

To all our Dear Good Friends,

Our Donation Pooling for Ondoy victims accumulated to the total amount of Php33,500.00 in cooperation with www.kerygmafamily.com which by now were able cooked more than 500 meals fit for human consumption and distributed in the most greatly affected areas in our country like in Marikina, Montalban and Pateros.

In our unity in spite of our absence, we we’re able to serve and provide to more people in need in our own country in these time of crisis and natural calamity happening around the world. We all have our own strength of will to make the pronouncement to love others by helping them in our best capacity while feeling the inner peace and gratitude that we are not in that situation at this moment. By doing this courageous act, we we’re also proficient enough to help out our government in the best of our capacity and not just lay all the works on them and pass the time.    

In behalf of http://MaiaOutreachProgram.i.ph we admiringly thank you all for your highly spirited act of kindness and generosity giving us all more opportunity to help more people around us.

For those who wish to share more, please join us. They are still accepting donations and pledges for there are still a lot of people coming up with the Pepeng’s storm adding up more casualties. 

Please check out more photos at http://bosanchez.ph/my-real-heroes-in-the-flood for the Massive feeding program.

God Bless. 

My Good Samaritan Friend

We all call her Tita Sally (not her real full name), she is an example of a Good Samaritan I know for my lifetime. 

It is 6 years now that I’ve known her; she has this big warm heart to accommodate anyone like a mother, a sister and a good friend here in the foreign land of China. Even if we are so many miles away from each other on this land, we always find a way to get together. She, together with her family is ever willing to provide help in anyway she can to those who seek a need from her without putting boundaries or demarcate or setting standards to those beneficiaries.

She inspires us to do more good will to others unconditionally like a Good Samaritan.

I clearly remember the night when I was in my 1^st trimester with Maia, my 2^nd child, while Zek was just about 2 years of age we attended the birthday get-together of her daughter Mimi. My son suddenly was throwing a big tantrum because he wanted me to carry him and his daddy went out for awhile. He was just overwhelmed with the new environment that time and having this “stranger anxiety” syndrome as a toddler. I sit down with him, talked to him and hugged him but he was still crying his lungs out. Tita Sally offered to help. She took away my son from me and brought him inside their room to calm him down explaining my current situation. She gave me assurance not to worry too for it will affect the baby inside my womb. It was hard to see my son being led away from me just because I can not carry and soothe him on that particular moment. I went inside their bathroom immediately for my tears disposal that made a long queue outside, realizing how difficult it is to be a mother. Her act of kindness showing how challenging a mother task should be remains in my heart until now for I am somehow the affectionate type of a mother with an over protective and conservative husband in a more loving ways.

Another incident recently was when a father of another close friend died 2 days upon arrival here in China for a vacation. In spite of her busy schedule, she willingly reached out from all the Filipino Community she knows around to provide support. She is providing a lot opportunity to the people around her to be sensitive to the needs of others and a good reminder to help.

My list could go on and on, as I write this article now, she is helping organize with charitable project again. We would like to take this opportunity also to show our admiration and thank you, in celebration of your natal day for helping in the Lay Ministry of Catholic Church.

You remind us of the Parable of a Good Samaritan from Luke 10:25-37, amidst our very ordinary life you act extraordinarily. You’re an example of Faith, Hope and Love to us.

Happy Birthday Tita Sally! May God abundantly provide for your family more that you may provide to others without any discrimination. 

My Family is so blessed being surrounded with good people to be with us always. We pray that they may see Your kindness and Love within our family too as we grow together in Your glory, Lord.

Ondoy Victims

We may not there personally to provide and give support to our family and all the victims but we are here to share with them our financial blessings.

Our Maia Outreach Program would like to offer our support to the Ondoy flood victims back in our country in coordination with Kerygma Family for faster and wider distribution of donations provided in the most greatly affected areas.

If you wish to share, please join us and we will send our pledges through credit card online transaction on October 1, 2009 at

http://www.kerygmafamily.com/modules/subscriber/donationsondoy.php

May we always recognizes our blessings everyday so that anyone we meet can see the love and kindness of our God in us all.

Maraming Salamat po sa aming mga kabaranggay!

MF Advocate

We are almost half way of October, the month for praying the rosary for Catholic Church obligation. I am so guilty not posting this reminder in advance for many can think about it as just a repetitive action without really benefits us. Some says its boring especially the current generation and others who pray it sleeps on it somehow.  We experienced all of it every now and then during our prayer time too. But we mostly hear this comment for those persons who does not concedes the promises of praying the rosary.

By praying the rosary, giving at least 15 minutes of your time daily, I am sure that everybody will agree to me that we did not really consume or waste time for nothing but gained us so much more graces and pieces of good fortune with only so little time we spare in communication with our provider of all. As evidently affirmed below with intercession of Mama Mary, we can receive a lot benefits like;

Spiritual Benefit - brings us closer to God and allows Him to actively help us in our life.

Physical Benefit – healing thru meditation.

Mental Benefit - positive thinking with better outlook in life.

The Fifteen Promises of Mary to Christians Who Recite the Rosary

1. Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall receive signal graces.
2. I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary.
3. The Rosary will be a powerful armor against hell. It will destroy vice, decrease sin and defeat heresies.
4. It will cause virtue and good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the hearts of men from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire of eternal things. Oh, those souls would sanctify themselves by this means.
5. Those who recommend themselves to me by the recitation of the Rosary shall not perish.
6. Whoever shall recite the Rosary devoutly, applying himself to the consideration of its sacred Mysteries shall never be conquered by misfortune. God will not chastise him in His justice, he shall not perish by an unprovided death; if he be just, he shall remain in the grace of God, and become worthy of eternal life.
7. Whoever shall have a true devotion for the Rosary shall not die without the sacraments of the Church.
8. Those who are faithful to recite the Rosary shall have during their life and at their death, the light of God and the plentitude of His graces; at the moment of death they shall participate in the merits of the saints in paradise.
9. I shall deliver from purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary.
10. The faithful children of the Rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in heaven.
11. You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the Rosary.
12. All those who propagate the holy Rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities.
13. I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the Rosary shall have for intercessors the entire celestial court during their life and at the hour of death.
14. All who recite the Rosary are my sons, and brothers of my only son, Jesus Christ.
15. Devotion to my Rosary is a great sign of predestination.

(Given to St. Dominic and Blessed Alan) Imprimatur: Patrick J. Hayes DD Archbishop of New York)

There is so much more that only you can encounter personally from this devotional prayer so we want to share to you all this powerful prayer that can help each one of us ease our burden in this time of crisis and natural calamity happening more often these days all over the world with a really crucial effect on us. If every one of us will put our hearts in to a quiet moment of 15-30 minutes per day to be our partners in our daily rosary prayer offering, surely we can make our world a serene place to live in with our family.

In Sickness and In Health

I am down with flu since Monday, sleepless nights of indescribable pain and I developed whooping cough that makes it harder for me to sleep with runny nose causing my severe headache like I’ve been hit on the head with rock by all the people I’ve hurt in my entire life (just saying it with exaggeration). Then, I thank God for my fever of only 38.7 degrees Celsius so this is not swine flu (my fingers are crossed while typing this article). I don’t have those vomiting and diarrhea symptoms too though the body weakness with heaviness are present. Medically speaking, I don’t know the normal values anymore, when to say its critical, life threatening or a mild condition for it is in constant change depending on the latest seasonal flu type or what’s IN, hmm… Then, my 5 year old son got infected too with the same illness on my way to recovery in exchange of staying by my side (he took care of me and he sings while lying beside me everyday). This helps my fast regain of strength so I could play with him again.

I get a lot of chance to reflect on what my daughter was feeling on the night of her sickness and people who are suffering from any type of illness at the same time. I feel so weak, vulnerable and the pain makes me weep since I haven’t got to experience illnesses quite often in my lifetime. I am so thin-skinned and terrified with any kind of body pains that every time, I would ask God if this is some sort of my reprimand from Him or simply a way of calling me to slow down and have some quite moments with Him.

And at this time, I get to asked myself if I am ready to go now. I said YES without any hesitation, argument or bargaining deals with Him. Well, I know for certain this will be the closest thing I will ever get into stage 5, I just pray to let it be done to me during my sleep feeling no pain but only at peace and quiet. Did I disappoint you? I just felt that I’m already done in this world by offering my most beloved daughter to Him as my greatest sacrifice so far, I can’t think of anything else greater than this that I can still offer to Him. Can my family survive without me? I’d say YES. Their strong faith will lead them always in the right path of life and they are surrounded by good people who are willing to support them unconditionally but most of all I know God loves them more than I love them. He will watch over them.

I want to share a poem written by Fr. John Sherlock titled “TO MEET IN HEAVEN”

To meet in heaven! How sweet a thought, when life short years are past.

No more to weep, no more to part, to meet in heaven at last.

To meet in heaven! O blessed thought. All care and suffering over.

Meet in the mansions of the blessed and love forevermore.

To meet in heaven around the throne of him who died to save.

Be this our hope, our anxious care to meet beyond the grave. Amen.

My God is being merciful and forgiving this time for not answering my plea, as they say; we get the most rewarding experiences in life from all our unanswered prayers. He still wants me to do more for Him and live life to the greatest extent. Ever since, I’ve been asking God to let me go ahead before my family for I may not be able to survive a loss and still keep my sanity all over again. I pray for wisdom to know my life purpose and do live it according to His divine will.

On another aspect, my husband and I get a chance too for a deep conversation regarding purgatory, a place where of deep longing to God. He told me that every soul must stay there for some time even if the sins did received penance here on earth except for those children with uncorrupted lives that goes straight in heaven as an angel. Like for the case of our 22 month-old daughter, our Parish priest kept on declining our persistent request to bless her or celebrate a mass during her wake while assuring us completely that she is saved already and happily serving God as an angel in heaven. He blessed her too during a short visit after his daily morning mass in the parish church, purportedly, only for our family’s peace of mind.

Before I totally recuperated, I get to offer my pains to all souls in purgatory.

In sickness and in health, I praise You my Lord and my God our Healer.