A Celebration to Bridge the Gap between Generations

It was an extraordinary birthday celebration for the president of IVCF Regional Advisory Council in Northern Luzon. Aside from surpassing another year of being a senior citizen, Tita Helen Monta, now 61, testified how faithful and good God is in and through her life. Her celebration was not only filled with gratitude and worship to God; it has become an event to bridge the gap between generations of IVCF graduates and students who seldom meet and have a good time together as one corporate body of Christ.

Tita Helen acknowledged that there was indeed a gap from their generation and ours (naks!). That’s why RAC decided to conduct their meetings to be joined by both graduates and students.

In our midst were the members of the first batch of SVCF in Baguio sometime before and after 1970s. It was also joined by former staff workers Tita Amor Hallowell, Tita Bing Roncesvalles, pioneering and Graduate Team members, and other successful “nobodies” before they knew Christ, but now occupy positions in their sphere of strategic influences. It was also a time to pray for Tita Anavic Bagamaspad who will be returning to California, USA few days after the meeting.

Majority of the “first” members of IVCF  in Baguio told stories about the height of activism, and the flourishing Christian movement at the same time during the Marcos regime. Madams Vicky Rico-Costina, Beth Calinawagan, Anavic Bagamaspad and Tito Ruffy Chungalao recalled how fervent they were in proclaiming Christ despite the pressuring student activism in the campus. They were challenged to be excellent in their studies and at the same time, to proclaim that the revolution of the heart through Christ, not through arm struggle, would effect change in the community.

About 30 IVCFers celebrate God's faithfulness and love
at Tita Helen's place, Baguio City

Pastor Mario Bildan, an IVCFer from SLU, evoked the presence of an evangelical organization inside the catholic university. During his time, the university recognized an evangelical group, him speaking at various student retreats and working hand in hand with the school’s officials.

Dr. Mario Abuan, an outstanding alumnus of UP Baguio, described himself as nothing and nobody after realizing that his religiosity and righteousness are void and futile without Christ in his life. He is thankful for the people who “discipled” him despite his canny ways of avoidance. “I saw something different in the lives of these people,” Dr. Abuan recalls, referring to the discipleship efforts made by Tito Ruffy and SVCFers of his time. He now maintains a clinic in La Trinidad, Benguet, and very willing to conduct rural health services.

These are just some of the old stories ringing so fresh in the hearts of the younger generation. Indeed, we are surrounded by great people, enough sources of inspiration and testimonies of God’s faithfulness and love.

After sharing stories and member’s profile, IVCF students rendered birthday songs for Tita Helen. Then Arabelle Morales, IVCF NL staff worker, presented major updates from the 2012 Corporation Meeting. By consensus and appointment, Dr. Mario Abuan is now the vice-president of IVCF RAC-NL, to fill in the position left by Tita June Falancy, who went to heaven last July 29. 

We ended the fellowship forming a circle with the traditional right-over-left hand position. It was a wonderful connection, a cycle that fuels everyone vigor and power by the Holy Spirit. It was a bond beyond generation, a link to the missing harmony, and a union of a diverse community, all glued by the lordship of Jesus Christ. To God be the glory and honor! Hallelujah! †

CHANGED ROLES

I felt relaxed and calm while sitting in front of college students in one classroom setup. It’s just a bit hot inside the room, but everything is alright. I was informed it’s part of their interpersonal communication subject, and particularly, the bone of contention would revolve around the tragic media killings in the Philippines. I honestly mentioned that I am a newbie to be speaking on media killings. My more than three-year experience would not be sufficient to answer in full details the ever complex and elusive issue of media killings. And as my rule, I simply answer questions I know.   

The first part of the interview focused on the onion-skinned layer of inquiries about how I get into media. Questions after questions, I enjoyed giving my answers. For more than three years, I’ve been the one asking questions as part of news gathering, and that special hour, it changed. I was the one being pampered by interesting and insightful questions I myself had to think twice before answering.

Program Hosts Lou De Guzman & Joy of University of Pangasinan
during their ISYU program

“If you are not a media practitioner, what would you be?” asked by one of the program hosts. It’s always my dream to become a teacher, and I said that’s what I wanted to become someday. But I answered the question directly: I might be a missionary!

I could sense in the students’ eyes their surprise about my answer. It’s like a bombshell to many, a “big-what?” to a few others, and a so-what expression maybe for one or two more heads. To support that, I mentioned how fulfilling campus ministry was during my college life, and how it transformed me. Indeed, campus ministry was one of the most joyful and challenging chapters of my life. For two years, I served voluntarily as a graduate team member of InterVarsity in Baguio. During those years, I learned many challenging things, from depending and trusting God for provisions, to realizing how wide and great is the world to just live it for oneself. I learned to live simply while enjoying God’s goodness and faithfulness extravagantly. I learned how feeble and vulnerable and weak I was to realize my sinful nature, but at the same time, affirming my identity in Christ as a justified, redeemed, atoned and part of a royal priesthood, all because of God’s grace.

I could have answered these during the interview, but I did not elaborate actually. Besides, they did not ask for follow-up questionsJ. But I was glad because at the end of the interview, I felt I have answered not just their queries but my future concerns as well. And to put it straight, I have no regrets of becoming a media practitioner because this is what I prayed for and love to do. I also reconciled within those years that where I am is my mission field. It is where God puts me, and in my own way, I could be a missionary, a herald of truth, a voice for the voiceless, and a hope for the hopeless.

This brought me to answer another question: How long are you going to become a news reporter? My answer: “Until my heart says so, until there are people who trust in what I do, until I could still hear people grateful to have been given attention, until somebody is inspired with the stories that I pursue.”

“No story is worth dying for.” Yes, and that I will uphold in every story I make.

The more than one-hour interaction with the students turned out to be of greater help to me. It was an informative discourse that paved light to my own confused future concerns. And as of this writing, I do not still know what my future will be, but I know, I am on the right tract. My God, the Alpha and the Omega, whom I trust, has already gone there. †

Renewed Commitment

Fresh from the foggy city of Baguio, I excellently rushed my script for a meeting set at 4pm in Dagupan. After three years of being part of the Graduate Team (GT) in Baguio, I finally I responded to the calling of being a GT member again, this time in my home province in Pangasinan. I would say that my response took so long, but the Lord, I believed, has forgiven my delay. And I embrace this opportunity of serving again, voluntarily, in the ministry of InterVarsity in Pangasinan for His glory.

Together with Gilbert, a passionate Christian friend and a former schoolmate, we proceeded with our first meeting. No students with us, yet. Yes, we are in pioneering stage, and without certainties, only backed up by the calling of serving God through campus ministry. We are also joined by Aiah, a younger graduate, who followed later. Ate Sel, a former staff, who is pregnant with her 2^nd baby, is also part of the team, but she cannot yet join us. But we have set meetings at their house for spiritual nurturing. We have a wonderful team, I must say.

What are we going to do? Where do we start? Well, it’s my idea that we held our first meeting over a cup of coffee. I need caffeine to keep me awake. Gilbert and I proceeded with knowing how our week has transpired, with our works, personal devotions, and our complaints and praises. Then we tried to study together Psalm 130, a heartfelt song of ascents, a prayer of hope.

It’s very refreshing to study the word together, doing a bit of OIA style of bible study. Not only is the word relevant to our personal lives; it’s also what we needed most at that time. HOPE. We are driven by hope to re-pioneer a student movement in Pangasinan universities.

First two verses show how the psalmist cried to the Lord for mercy. I couldn’t imagine how profound the “depth of his cry”, and from where he is coming from. But one thing is for sure, he is in dire need of God’s help and mercy. From captivity, from a place and situation full of unrighteousness, the psalmist pleads for mercy.

In the same way, as volunteer servants in the campus, it’s but through asking mercy and through prayer our action should start. Everything else MUST start in prayer, seeking where the Lord wants us to move and minister.

I should say we are already victor for our first meeting!

The second meeting, Gilbert and I went inside one campus. While Gilbert was waiting, he’d been doing a Jericho walk type of prayer, moving from every corner of the campus to pray. It was a delight to see such initiative. We really shouldn’t miss to pray. And the Lord granted us contactsJ.

As we were about to leave the campus, two students seemed to be “talking” about us. I suspected they just knew me, face familiar, something like that. So we approached them and introduced ourselves, and the quite long casual conversation took place until we bid goodbye having their numbers and schedules for the next meeting.

We’re just in the pioneering stage. I hope to herald more meaningful stories in the days ahead about how the Lord will work in and through us in the campus! Shalom. †