Amazing 2013, Welcome 2014! Praise the Lord

"Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations." (Psalm 100:1-5, NIV)

There are many things to thank God for this 2013. I could say that God is indeed good all the time, despite all the trials, sufferings, and lack I experienced last year. I decided to count my blessings and triumphs instead of being frustrated with the things that did not materialize or plans unfulfilled last year. With a grateful heart, I thank God for 2013.

January 2013, I was awarded by Tagnawa Media Awards (University of Pangasinan, Dagupan City) as the Best Male TV Field Reporter. It was the second award I received after Dap-ay Awards in Baguio City had given me the same recognition for 2012. Such recognitions inspire me to work even harder, always aiming for integrity and excellence, all for God’s glory.

Best Male TV Field Reporter,
2nd Tagnawa Media Awards, Lingayen, Pangasinan

First quarter of 2013 was also filled with God’s grace and strength. I was able to pursue my graduate studies in language and literature, and am now in the serious and tedious process of writing my research proposal, and hopefully, the research itself. I pray that I will be able to complete the graduate program this 2014.

I prayed for a relationship and God granted my prayers in May. My girlfriend Ida becomes my best answered prayer for 2013. I hope and pray that our relationship will grow, as we continue to seek God’s will for us. We covet your prayers.

:) Mt. Pulag, Benguet, Philippines

I also thanked God for my parents’ vacation in Boracay for their wedding anniversary last year. I served as their tour guideJ. I look forward to be travelling with them every year, so I pray for more provisions and favor.

The Lord never fails to give strength, protection and favor in my work. With all the different disaster and calamity coverage, crimes, politics, and human interest stories I covered last year, I believe the Lord saw me through. PTL!

Last year was also a challenging year for volunteer work and ministry. I thanked God for every opportunity that I was able to minister to students. I thanked God for the time we spent in prayer, bible study and fellowship. I also thanked God for my support group in the church. I pray that I will be more passionate in the ministry, loving “them” as Jesus loves me so much that He died for my sins.

I prayed for promotion last year, but the Lord granted me position and favor. I thanked God that He knows what’s best for me, and there will always be time for learning, patience and reflection. I saw it as a test of patience and humility. I thank God because I believe he will grant my heart’s desire.

Baguio Flower Festival/Panagbenga 2013 hosts 

Primera Balita 

Before 2013 had ended, I grabbed the opportunity for online learning offered by an international media training provider in Netherlands. For more than six weeks, I have learned new things that I could use in my work. I am praying for more exciting and challenging learning opportunities abroad this 2014.

I thank God for my family, my mentors, my friends, workmates and even the strangers I met along the way. These were the people I value and treasure so much. They are significant people contributory to my journey towards maturity, discipline and character. I speak blessings for all of them.

With a grateful heart and faith, 2014 is definitely the Year of the Lord. †

  

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! †

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. †

A wanderer’s tale

Almost every time I open the door of my pad, dogs and cats are all waiting for some food to eat. Unfortunately, they cannot depend on me for the reason that I seldom cook my own food. I spend more than half of my day outside my shelter working and traveling to news gather. I just open the door for the air to at least fume inside my pad, and be refreshed due to the suffocated aura of my room’s solitude.

Watching these dogs and cats flirt with one another drives me into a playful fantasy. It feels good to film these creatures enjoy their very animal instinct, with all their caresses and affection. Like human, they also have blood circulating from all over their body; sensation is obviously manifested in their cuddling. Because I could not offer them hope for their stomach, all I can do is to have an eye-to-eye contact with them. Their eyes are colorful than mine, admittedly.

Sitting in my wooden chair with my feet wide open, my sight takes me into the single, old flower frame nailed on the wall. It’s like the green curtain that seems to lose its glow for so long displayed. It’s also like wisdom unsharpened because of the books that are forever shelved. In the middle of the sala is a small stand that supports the most read magazines I have. And I just want to travel in stellar space I’ve never been into...

Since boredom weakens me all the more, I found myself traveling in the city of pines for the nth time. My mom got so concerned about my traveling late at night, given the discomfort of the roads devastated by the recent typhoon Pepeng. I reasoned my over familiarity with the place where I’d go, and that’s enough assurance for her to sleep unperturbedly.

My eyes were opened the whole journey. Noticeably, there were few vehicles traveling via Kennon road. Despite the evident danger, the driver really braved the bumpy roads with shifting speed. My eyes saw the ruins of the houses enveloped by the series of landslides. Road cuts greeted us several times. But instead of fear, I was comforted upon looking at the moon peeking on us as it rams into the trees while we’re in motion. The serenity of the night signals the much-awaited respite I longed for.

I found myself haggling at the ukay-ukay area. I bought nothing but the thrill of bargaining. I then treaded back and forth the Session road, no itinerary, just following wherever my feet would lead me. Two cups of brewed coffee were such a delight. Afterwards, I walked again.

Drunkards roamed around the city even though it’s Sunday. Twenty-four hour café, bars and resto were never spoiled of customers. Smokers were like natural mannequins. Cabs were so dependable especially for those unable to bring themselves home. With my hands inside my jacket and its hood giving warmth to my neck, the cool breeze of midnight Baguio was so irresistible I could just hate myself for being romantically unattached with someone.

It was a solace for me to be alone. But being an average introvert was never an excuse for my whim and yen of exploring the magic of touch, of love. I could just love myself for being me, but I could also just blame myself for not being one.

It was about 2am that I realized I was heeding nowhere. I stopped at the lamppost, gasping for breath, with smoke-like fog coming out of my mouth. The place I travelled was so familiar but there’s a sort of uncertainty that hindered me from lavishing the bliss of Baguio. Its mist was so peculiar it failed to give joy to my heart.Probably, the city is still recuperating from the catastrophe caused by the typhoon.

Waffles with butter and syrup halted my stomach’s grumbling for food. I needed to pause before my feet and legs collapsed from over fatigue. I walked the distance, and I saw much. Indeed, I considered myself a wanderer in my own comfort zone…

All along, I thought my ten-hour adventure in the mountain resort city of Amianan was real. But the dogs and cats outside my pad are still waiting for me to feed them. All I could do was to see them eye-to-eye, and test who among us would shed tears. †

A stranger's Talk

Walking in the streets of Baguio City in the dark, cold night has always been my way of winding up. Aside from the physical benefit I get from walking, I am always engrossed in watching people’s activity and their dealings with one another. I consider this as a wonderful result of communication, a process where one can learn from the other. And I personally take each communication process an opportunity to listen to lessons gained from bitterness but surpassed with resilience.

I want to share my encounter with a single mom who tries to earn a living by selling Ukay-ukay products in the dim streets of Baguio City. I approached her out of curiosity, asking her where have all the other ukay-ukay vendors gone? She said they were instructed by the city government not to sell anymore in the pavements of the streets on night time. She failed to provide me further information of her comrades’ disappearance in the street. But she still persisted in selling used clothes; otherwise, she’ll go home with nothing to eat.

I was surprised when she’s been talking and telling me stories of her life. I did not know her, and she just met me right there. I got her complete name but let me just call her Andrea. I just told her my first name so we could address one another by name. We’re both strangers at that moment. And I think we became friends.
I came to know that she’s from Cebu, migrated in Baguio City more or less twenty years ago. She’s been separated with her husband for quite some time now, and she serves as the father and mother to her only child. Andrea speaks good English, very vocal, high-spirited, principled. I would say she’s gentle and sweet at the same time.

I got carried away with her story. I was flabbergasted with the trust she gave me. Andrea speaks from the heart. She’s not ashamed with her past; she’s confident to say she has moved on with her past relationship. She’s not even afraid to face tomorrow even alone. We talked for less than an hour until the policemen told her to vacate the area. Ukay vending is already forbidden in the pavements at night time. She has to leave and so I had to bid good-bye…

What a stranger’s talk with nothing to lose! It only requires willingness to listen and to learn, to respect and to trust, to consider others more highly than one self. It’s a simple talk that can edify a lowly-spirit like mine, who fervently misses to commune with the One who only searches the attitude of the heart. †