Few stories and a thousand lessons

Just some of the best moments of the year 2014. God is awesome!

The day is illuminated with the bright, blue sky and the heat of the midday sun bites on the skin as we walk through the ancient roads and cobbled streets of this old city, Vigan. As I marvel at the old structures of the place, with the wind sweeping hot on this northern part of the archipelago, I try to recall images from my history classes and attempted to reconstruct a mental picture of what it was like in this place in the 16th or 17th century Philippines. After all, for a history buff like me, conjuring up images from the past—real or otherwise—should come naturally. If clinging to the past was a crime, then the “historian” in me pleads guilty. But when you’re the perpetual romanticist that you claim yourself to be and it's just a few hours before you bid goodbye to the year and things get melodramatic, you couldn't help but to tell stories and conjure up images. To remind yourself that you’re still alive. To remind yourself of the things that matter.

But what are the things that matter, really? That was always the tough question, but I know the answer.

I have learned that from the humble, old kutsero who happily drives his kalesa as we tour around Vigan City one day during the summer. With him being the unofficial tour guide and the horse pulling us into the past, I am absorbed in profound wonder at the history that was carefully preserved in this place. It rightfully deserve its spot in the list of the New Seven Wonder Cities of the World. As we passed by old buildings and houses designed during the colonial period, I asked the old kutsero how long he had been on his job. It’s not a job, he instantly replied. Said he started out as kutsero when he was still a young man, inspired by his father who was also a kutsero himself. Buhay ko na ito, he said with a smile.

I would have wanted to ask him one more question, on why he does what he does, and for all these years, with a meager allowance? He could have looked for something else,right? But as I saw other tourists like me taking awe at the sights of this citadel of ancient history, with big smiles affixed on their faces as they breeze through time and spaces from a bygone era, capturing it on their cameras, and with little children getting fascinated by the chance to ride a real carousel pulled by a real horse and jumping with joy throughout the ride, I then realized the answer: it’s not so hard loving what you do when it’s making other people happy, when it puts smile on people's faces. It makes so much sense. I glanced at mamang kutsero and his horse, and I resigned into silence.

My trip to Vigan City included non-stop photo-shoot in all remarkable places,
and here, in an ordinary roadside products stall, haha.

Viva, Vigan! The old city was rightfully included in the recent list of the
 New Seven Wonder Cities of the World. Mabuhay!

I have learned that from a pastor who leads a small congregation in San Antonio, Zambales. It was one fine morning last Holy Week. We were in the beach just after the break of dawn for a morning devotion, to soak in the presence of the Divine as we marvel at His majestic creation. Sunrise on a beach,waves crashing into the shore and early birds gliding below the clouds, singing with the low rumble of a motor boat somewhere in the ocean.

“My son, give me your heart…” says the pastor, quoting from the Bible. He’s speaking of surrender, of giving your life to God daily. I looked around at the bright faces of young people huddled in the sand, listening intently to the preaching.I looked within and again, allowed my heart to be broken, piece by little piece,I gave all to Him who promised to heal it…and will break it but only with wonderful things. There before the ocean, with the sun rising in the distant horizon and clouds hovering above the nearby mountain, that I finally understood the meaning of surrender. My self, my person, my individuality slowly vanished in the light of eternity and for His glory. It was the greatest, sweetest heartbreak ever. And I was captivated and have fallen even more in love.

With Pastor Cabab, preaching here about surrender.
The Words from Proverbs 23 came rushing in like the ocean waves, hitting me like a tsunami.
And I am never the same way again...

After that unforgettable morning encounter in Zambales. These young people were part of Pastor Cabab's congregation which is mainly composed of the younger generation. My friend, Carlo, and I were actually invited in their church last Holy Week to give a lecture, wherein I talked about the necessity of engaging our faith and Christian Values in this changing world.
I never thought that God actually has something more for me that moment. And I am grateful.

I have learned that from every student that has ever attended my classes when I am still in the academe. I saw it from their desire to learn new things and explore. I heard it from their honest answers every time I asked them about their ambitions and how do they see themselves years after graduating from college. To provide for the family, to have a wonderful life, to serve the country, to go abroad, to explore the world, and the list goes on. But I saw in them too the same hunger to live, to find purpose. I saw in them their dreams and their ideals and their courage. And that taught me to value and respect different people on their way to the dreams they are working hard for to translate into realities. That taught me to dream even more.

This photo, together with my BSED Social Studies majors, was taken after our "Deviance Day", which was one of my major class activities for the Social Sciences 100 course. Things like this make me miss the teaching practice.

I have learned that from the people that I am now working with. That service goes beyond the pay-check and the benefits and the comfort of air-conditioned government offices. That it is actually a matter of giving back to the country and the people it shelters. They made me further believe that our nation has a great potential and that transformation can be realized.Only if we aspire more, do more, and be more. And because I have seen their dedication, their commitment, their hard work, I am led to believe that it is possible. Better things for this nation are ahead.

Together with the people that I am now working with. I'd like to call them "transformers",
because I believe, that's what they really are :)

I have learned that from every young people who attend our weekly fellowship and small group gatherings. That there is more to this life than just exist and then fade away. That the greatest adventure in this life is seeking God, and its greatest reward is finding Him. Every time I wonder if this thing called faith and serving the King is really worth it, I looked at these young men and women and I am comforted of the fact that God is really doing something great for this generation. Multitudes of youth and students are being won over. It is overwhelming to see these young people standing for their faith,giving their lives for something more meaningful, anchoring their hope to something that is eternal. I have thus decided to never trade this journey for something else. This upward call in Christ is the only one that will matter in the end.

This was taken during our first LAYF (Lakas-Angkan Youth Fellowship), at the CLSU Auditorium. We've decided in December last year to relocate to a larger place because the church facility at the NIA-CLSU can not anymore contain the growing number of regular attendees. God is really multiplying this generation by the hundreds. And indeed, that first LAYF in auditorium, God showed up, and He didn't disappoint. One can not contain the overwhelming joy we felt when we saw huge numbers of youth who were there to seek Jesus. We almost filled the main hall of the auditorium. I remember that night, I was at the back  together with some of the youth leaders, our ates and kuyas, and we just fell silent, watching God's spectacle. Our eyes were swelling with tears, and when we can't anymore contain the joy, raised our hands and jumped and danced in celebration. Is this what God meant when He said He is able to win this generation? Definitely yes! Count me in!

The youth leaders, and the elders? Haha. Taken during the Single Pro-Undergrad Christmas party last December. Who gets to get old when you're serving the LORD with these young men and women? Ah, I'm so young!

My group, the David Cell group. These warrior princes and princesses of God are just one of the many reasons why I intend to stay in the journey, to keep the faith, and finish the race with Jesus. There's no other worthy way.

Sometimes it takes an epiphany, a rare moment of enlightenment, or a solemn isolation for us to learn some of the greatest lessons about life. But sometimes too, you learn them while riding on a jeepney on your way to work; you learn them while having coffee with your friends and just talk about random things. You learn them while biking around the campus early in the morning and anticipate the grand spectacle of nature changing hues during a sunrise. You learn about them while sitting on a wooden bench in a park and waiting for the sun to set, or while reading a good book or listening to good music. You can learn them when you are with your family, or while playing with your little nephew and cousin and they try to mouth gibberish words that you try to decipher, and then you laugh your heart out. You can learn them from each person you meet at random places. And if you just let them tell their stories and if you just care to understand, you’ll know. You’ll probably know where you need to be, and what you need to do.

With all its great lessons, its heartbreaks, its breakthroughs,its opportunities big and small, its highs and lows, its loneliness and bliss,its blessings and wonderful things, 2014 has been a great year all in all.

But I say this again and again: with God, the best is yet to come!

Happy New Year.

My siblings, Charlie, Christian, Roseann, and Charlene, together with the newest addition to our family--
my cute and brilliant nephew, Arkin. 

Family. A great gift from the LORD. Nothing beats a loving (and pushing) family. Cheers! :)

My not-so-Christmas thoughts

(I don't want to be the next Scrooge-who-killed-Christmas guy here, but since the message of this not-so-distant journal entry still rings today, so here it is. This was written four Christmases ago. Man, time really comes a-flying!)

It is not hard to say that nowadays, Christmas is becoming nothing but an ordinary day in the calendar. The season that is supposed to be filled with the tangible presence of joy and meaningful celebration now seems just a time to party, just another event that one gets away with and then nothing.

It is a reality: the true meaning and essence of Christmas now seems to be buried amid the confusion that is happening around us. There seems to be no end to the disillusions that gravely blinds humanity to the truth. What transpires these days from all over the world—the problem of social justice, terrorism, war, poverty and apathy, the ever threatening issues of climate change, and the harrowing story of international politics—do nothing but make people to resign to hopelessness and desperation.

In the country today, the situation is a lot worse and the scenario is more appalling, which disheartens even the staunchest hopefuls.

Corruption and distrust among public officials were as rampant as the diseases that spread in the shanty towns and squatter areas all over the country. The disease of dirty politics now threatens every corner of the archipelago; the people are hoping that somehow, this new administration which took over a regime of lies and lawlessness from its predecessor will indeed turn this nation into the proverbial“matuwid na daan” which it professes.

One could only hope that one day, the people will wake up from their deep slumber, and take necessary actions. And I could only hope that one day, people will stop blaming other people for every misfortune they or their country will encounter, and to embrace responsibility for whatever circumstance that befalls. Finger-pointing, or looking who’s to blame only adds to the confusion that is sadly becoming the byword of the already confused people.

With honest desperation and quiet whimper, we are led to ask these questions: how do we get away with the evils and ills of our society? How do we remake our lives in such a way that there will be no more confusion in our midst?

And how come people terribly dread the answer to these questions? Even though we already know it?

They said that it’s easy to end up hope and give up life in these trying and difficult times. It’s easy to surrender all that we have ever dreamed for our lives, for our families and loved ones. It’s easy to just stop living a life of hope, because after all, what we see now in the current landscape are the same things that we dread to see.

In short, it’s easier to stop living and believe in nothing.

But in return, what would that make us as a people? What would that make me as a person who still thinks that life is good despite the fact that the bad is also present?

I am torturing myself with the same questions again and again just to test if I can still come up with a good conclusion, to test if I can still think of sane answers to these troubling questions about these insane circumstances. What if I give up hope? Just like that?

Perhaps it’s the same with other people—and maybe even worse. There are more people experiencing the worst of life out there, having little or nothing to make sense of it. But sure, what’s happening around, what we see, what we observe only affirms that we are still alive and that we can do something about it. That this season reminds us that we have the capacity for compassion and love for one another.

That’s the essence I think, of being alive, of having the chance to celebrate this season: to be able to feel what others are feeling—the feeling of inadequacy, the feeling of hopelessness, of utter lack of compassion, and of love and sacrifice and hope. If only people will really find time to realize that there is more to Christmas than just gifts and foods and party and noise...then life will be much different. Christmas will entirely be different.

This life has it's own troubles and difficulties. That’s a reality to learn. We are never given the easy road wherein we can all get by happy and scot-free. There are the turns, the bumps, and the dead ends. But in all that, there's also another truth to this. A wonderful truth is that life, in its twists and turns, promises to be a beautiful and fulfilling journey. And that is if we are journeying along with the One Who gives us every single reason to hope and live.

And yes, He has given us the reason why we must be joyful and hopeful not only in this season but all throughout our lives: that one night, in a cold manger, in a far-away place, with only the moon and the stars served as a majestic canopy above, a Child was born. Clothe in humility and unconditional love for His people, He reached out to them. He came for us. His name is Jesus Christ. And He's the reason for this season.

A happy and meaningful Christmas!

Just a glimpse of the greatest story ever told. (google image)