Kwentong Bakasyon

Grabe, sobra kaming excited nila Ate Rose kaya naman, 2 months before pa, we have already booked for our vacation (of course din, may promotion kasi dati ang Cebu Pacific, hehe). Malayo pa lang, nagiimagine na ako ng kung anu-anong kakainin ko, haha! Sobra na akong natakam sa mga Ilocano foods! I want all types of “diningding” na may sahog na pritong isda – bunga ng malunggay, pallang, saluyot etc. Gusto ko din ng pritong galunggong, pinakbet na lutong ilokano (di po yun ginigisa). Na-miss ko din ang “papus siomai”!

So ayun, dumating din ang December 06. We arrived at the Clark airport at around 5:30 am at diretso na kami (with Best and Ate Visiel) to Manila for the Fire and Glory Conference. Medyo groggy dahil di kami nakatulog sa plane. Sabi nga, if ma-slain man kami, diretso tulog na, haha! Bago kami tumuloy sa conference, syempre naman, kumain muna kami. Kasama namin yung Kuya ni Ate Visiel at hipag nya (sila kasi sumundo). Grabe, it was a small talk pero I also enjoyed the time just chatting and hearing some stories sa family ni Ate Visiel (and some “shocking revelation” kay Ate Visiel, haha. Joke. But that information is safe with us Ate Visiel, haha!).

Anyways, with all our luggage we proceeded to the Fire and Glory Conference. Everyone welcomed us with a big smile on their face (para bang nakita nila si Marian Rivera in person, ehem! Haha!). Kidding aside, when I entered the room, I felt the presence of GOD. The worship was so awesome. Daddy Leif shared about “chair number 1” – just staying in HIS Presence. Not about performing or achieving but about resting and receiving. “When I am in rest; HE will do the rest”, these are the words of Daddy Leif that hit me. He also added that, “We have been asking GOD to bless what we have been doing instead of doing what GOD has been blessing…” Kuya Paul continued the session in the afternoon with “impartation”. His testimony spoke a lot. Then, impartation came… I was just at first looking around – seeing all these “hungry” hearts. When most of the people were done, I decided to go in front and looked for my spiritual mom, Ate Grace. But when I reached infront, Ate Grace was praying for someone. Kuya Ariel saw me and called me. When Kuya Ariel prayed for me, I felt something “hot” coming into my body then from my back, Ate Janet whispered to me “You have a new assignment – something that will define your identity”. I said to GOD, “Lord, I don’t want a new assignment… I just want transformation to family…” Naki-argue pa ako kay Lord, haha! Pero bumawi naman ako at sabi ko, “But if this is your way for my family’s restoration then so be it. If this is your will then I will obey.” I stayed on the ground crying to GOD at sabi ko, di ako tatayo until Ate Grace will pray for me. Not long enough, Ate Grace approached me and prayed for me…

Anniversary kinabukasan… and sobra pa rin heart ko to listen and just receive… Daddy Leif released the “Spirit of Moravian”. (You can find the story of the Moravian call at the end of my story). While Daddy Leif was still speaking, grabe, the spirit was talking to me and my tears were just flowing. During the altar call, grabe, everyone was undone! More nations for 2009! All we have to do is to receive…

The celebration continued with a fiesta! Sarap ng food! And kasiyahan to the max! we had a very grand program – epic performances of UPLB Filipina and special number of Binan wives (tama po ba?), Jova, Yuri and more. Daddy Leif, Kuya Paul and the American team were asked to dance “tinikling”.

Sabi ko nga, susulitin namin ang bawat sandali, hehe. After the anniversary, LB Professionals had a dinner together. We talked about… (hush, secret) Haha! Sarap lang ulit makipagkulitan at kwentuhan. It was a very meaningful and fun dinner. No dull moments ba!

The following day, Ate Rose and I had a date with our spiritual mother. It was again time to eat and receive and of course, just enjoy the fellowship. Super short ng oras but still, worthwhile…

Sa gabi ng December 8, we had a “makulit” na dinner with Calamba Professionals and few more LB Professionals. Ahhmm… Medyo late nga lang Calamba pero bumawi naman sa kwentuhan. Aba syempre, di paawat si Kuya Itoh! Sobrang pinaghandaan daw an gaming pagkikita, hehe. It was great and kulit lang ng mga tao, hehe.



FAMILY TIME

On December 9, I arrived in Tuegarao (domestic flight from Manila) – province ng asawa ng ate ko. I slept most of the day sa first day! Haha! I spent time as well with my nephew (my ate’s son). It was my first time to meet him. My mama, nanay (lola), hipag (ate Dhang – my kuya’s wife) and Kate arrived on December 10. Quite sad that my dad, kuya and nephew Gelo didn’t make it for some reasons.


Divine appointment…

Part of our itinerary is to go to Piat Church. I honestly did not want to go because I thought like I have nothing to do but not to play as “KJ”, I kept silent. My sister included that on our plan not to go to that church but to just have a look and take some pictures since it’s one of the historical places. The time our van arrived the place, many vendors (all these ‘religious’ stuff) surrounded us but my mom said in Ilocano, “Sorry, di po Katoliko ang mga anak ko kaya di sila naniniwala dyan.” To avoid some debates, I decided to just stay inside the van. Since my nanay (lola) is a devoted catholic, she went inside the church with my mom. My sister and all the rest went out to take some pictures (ate ko pa, obsessed sa pictures, haha!). After few minutes, they came back and again all these vendors flocked around us. Sobrang kulit trying to sell their items but my sister simply said (with a smile), “Sorry po manang, di po kami bumibili nyan.” Trying to help, my mama also said, “Born Again po kasi sila. Wala daw po yan sa Bible.” One lady from the crowd, for some unknown reasons, started to shout and she was so angry and blurted out, “I was also a Born Again before…” right, she was speaking or trying to speak in English, haha! When the lady said something about being a “born again”, my sister was prompted to speak up. Ate Dada (my sister) doesn’t want that lady to mislead all the people around about being a Born Again CHRISTIAN. So, Ate Dada spoke in a very calm voice to the lady asking what does she really meant of being a born again. But that lady kept on shouting and was so angry. So Ate Dada started to explain what does it really mean of being a born again. She also said, “Baka naman po naka-attend lang kayo ng isang fellowship e sinasabi nyo na pong Born Again kayo dati? Kailangan po yun na nasa puso. Napakaimportante po na maintindihan nyo ng tama…” But the lady all the more didn’t want to listen so my sister said, “Dessa, I need a back-up. This is maybe the reason why you are here now. This is your calling”. I was just at first observing and praying but when my ate called me, I went out the van holding my ipod (since I have a Bible application on my ipod). I started saying, “Handa po ba kayong makinig sa kwento ko?” I read John 3, of course, in English but my sister said to speak in Ilocano. Oh no! I opted instead to explain the verses in Tagalog (was trying so hard…). From John 3, I jumped to Genesis explaining where it all started… I concluded and said, “kung babasahin po natin ng Bibliya, wala po tayong makikitang tunkgol sa isang relihiyon bilang kaligtasan natin. Dumating po si Hesus para magkaroon tayo ng relationship sa KANYA…” (phew, hirap pala magpurong Tagalog, haha! Sana lang tama translation ko, hehe). Then the ladies around me was saying, “Tama sya… Tama sya…” and I saw one lady with teary eyes as she listened… Everyone nod at me except the lady. She again started to say unpleasant words but I just smiled. Sumabat ulit si mama, “Manang, kung Born Again ka dapat di ka ganyan. Dapat di ka nakikipag-away. Pinapaliwanag lang ng mga anak ko kung ano nasa Bibliya. Andami-daming nagsisimba dyan pero sila pa ang mga pasaway. Yun ang sinasabi ng mga anak ko, “relationship” at di “religion”. Ako nga e naniniwala na ata!” Whoa! Praise GOD! Then my mom started to ask a lot of questions in the van…

Side comment: my mom heard one of the ladies was saying, “Bible ba yun?” Take note, I was reading the Bible thru my ipod. haha.



CALLAO Cave…

Then, we went straight to Callao Cave. Wow. Maraming lights sa loob kasi marami talagang nagpupuntahan. I really had a great time. Mas-exciting sana if napasok lahat ng caves kaso, we were with nanay. Hehe. Tama nga si Ate Jane, masmahirap ipasyal ang matatanda, haha! Di tuloy namin narating yung pond sa loob ng cave but nevertheless, masaya pa rin.


The BEACH...

That night we went to my bayaw’s rest house. From the time I arrived Tuegegarao, I always hear about the “bloody game” of politics on that place. By the way, my sister is a vice mayor’s wife. From the different corners, I heard them tell the stories about the recent killing that just happened and so on… as in… bloody game! Revenge is their game. So dapat laging may body guard. Parang pelikula! Hehe. My sister set an appointment with the pastor of that town with his wife. So the next morning, we just had a chit-chat. My mama said that she wants to join the conversation. During the conversation, my mom started to cry and poured out… So the pastor prayed for mom. After that, I just shared about “identity” and I said to the pastor that what their church need is the “FIRE from HEAVEN”! I also said that we are called from glory to glory… Before they step out, I was just lead to pray for them. So I prayed for them… I prayed for the FIRE… and I sensed so much in spirit that they had caught the FIRE! They cried and so my sister. While praying, I heard from the back that someone was sobbing. After the prayer, I looked who was at my back, it was my mama. She was also crying… The pastor asked me to speak to their church but since, we don’t have enough time, I just said that I will come back and will have an “Encounter God Retreat”! They were so excited and looking forward to that…. At the van going home, my mom said, “Ipag-pray mo din kuya mo ng FIRE!” WHOA! Haha! My mom caught the message…

Side comment: At night, my mom was so afraid because of all these stories. Then pagsapit ng madaling araw,nagkaroon bigla ng fluctuation sa electricity. On and off ang ilaw at aircon, so nagising kami. Tapos naririnig ko talaga ang lakas ng kalabog ng heart ng mom ko, hehe and she said “Dada, madaling araw ata sila pumapatay!” haha. I just prayed that night and said to my mom that nothing will happen…

THE NEW ASSIGNMENT

As we go back, I was just looking back of what had just happened. God impressed to me that this is the new assignment that Ate Janet was saying… Ever since, I never wanted to get involved with politics but… probably because I don’t want too much complications, hehe. But no matter what I do now, I can’t escape the reality that my sister is a vice mayor’s wife… She is surrounded with all these high profile politics of their town – a place that needs so much righteous leaders, a place where local churches needs revival. That’s also not mentioning that my brother is the number one kagawad of their barangay and the people were asking him to run as kapitan on the next election… Well, di po ako nangangampanya, haha! My part is just probably to help indirectly…


That’s it. I have not exhausted all my stories yet but to end this, of course, nakakain po ako ng mga foods na inasam-asam ko, haha!

PHOTO GALLERY

....with my cellmates during the Anniversary

Dinner with LB Professionals

chit-chat at Ahl's Cake

Date with our Mom Grace

Viewing the shots after our walk around UPLB

Journey to Callao Cave, Tuegagaro

(From left: That's me, Lola, Kate (anak ni Kuya), Mama, Ate ko, Dhang (Hipag/asawa ni Kuya/mommy ni Kate)

Callao Cave: View from the inside

Picture pa rin (Ate Ko with her son JL, and our pamangkin Kate)

And of course, the beach...

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THE TALE OF TWO MORAVIAN MISSIONARIES

Two young Moravians heard of an island in the West Indies where an atheist British owner had 2000 to 3000 slaves. And the owner had said, "No preacher, no clergyman, will ever stay on this island. If he¢s shipwrecked we¢ll keep him in a separate house until he has to leave; but he¢s never going to talk to any of us about God. I¢m through with all that nonsense." Three thousand salves from the jungles of Africa brought to an island in the Atlantic and there to live and die without hearing of Christ.

Two young Moravians heard about it. They sold themselves to the British planter and used the money they received from their sale, for he paid no more than he would for any slave, to pay their passage out to his island for he wouldn¢t even transport them. As the ship left it¢s pier in the river at Hamburg and was going out into the North Sea, carried with the tide, the Moravians had come from Herrenhut to see these two lads off, in their early twenties. Never to return again, for this wasn¢t a four year term; they sold themselves into life-time slavery. Simply that as slaves, they could be a s Christians where these others were. The families were there weeping, for they knew they would never see them again. And they wondered why they were going and questioned the wisdom of it. As the gap widened and the housings had been cast off and were being curled up there on the pier, and the young boys saw the widening gap, one lad with his arm liked through the arm of his fellow, raised his hand and shouted across the gap the last words that were heard from them, they were these: "MAY THE LAMB THAT WAS SLAIN, RECEIVE THE REWARD OF HIS SUFFERING!" This became the call of Moravian missions. And this is the only reason for being, That the Lamb that was slain, may receive the reward of His suffering
Paris Reidhead
Ten Shekels and a Shirt

Peak years...

If we're thinking and acting “less”, unknowingly or consciously, than our real identity or whoever we are now, then there must be something wrong. These words suddenly dawned on me and made me paused for awhile.

For few weeks now, the words of Ptr. Yang Tuck Yoong of Cornerstone Church were echoing in my head. “Don't retire but refire! There's no glory at the beginning, it's found when the race is finished. We don't judge success at half the race... The years are ahead us and the peak is yet to come.”

Many among us think that our journey is like climbing a mountain. After we've reached the peak, we start to step down and end the journey below... And sadly, this mind setting has muddled our anticipation. We tend to expect less when we think we've already reached our peak. So, sometimes we have the propensity to look back and wish if we could just return to those “glorious” days...

But contrary to what many think, Ptr.Yoong said that, “We should end at the peak of our mountain!” Because, we know it fully that we are called to run the race from glory to glory. So, wherever our feet are standing now, that should be our “peak” otherwise, if we think less than that, we will act less… and expect less.

If we are now thinking or acting less than what we have already gained/established/achieved or been thru, then this is a call to pause for awhile and realign. It needs our conscious effort every time we take one step or we might trip-off from where we are standing and worse, fall off.

But, if we really believe in our hearts that we are just standing at exactly where God has called us to be, then we are only left with one option and that is, to move up because we know and we know that there must be greater things still awaiting for us, more glorious than the latter.

So, if we can still hear our heart is beating then, we have not reached the top yet. We haven’t tasted our finest day yet. Let’s keep our eyes focus on the AUTHOR and FINISHER of our faith because our optimum is still awaiting us.