Acacia Tree

Acacia tree, spread thy arms above me, Ease my agony under thy leafy crown; I am God's chosen. In the evening as I dream, Fold thy hands as a prayer for me; And rest as the dark passes by.

We're off to our mission filed today in Bataraza, a badjao community. God has really moved the past few days, confirming and affirming my call to leadership and missions. Last night we arrived at our worship time in colorful costumes, it was fun. I hear we'll be doing some dances in the village. The travel is five hours.

Just woke up. Last night we had a good praise and worship. Pastor Joedy called it 'Babad Nights'. And we were definitely soaked with the Spirit of God. It was a joy to see young people kneeling and surrendering unto the Lord. It's our third day now since Sunday. The place is serene. Mountains backdrop the city. Sitting at the window looking at a lone enormous mango tree flowering. We had fish since the first day. Last night's dinner was awesome: Yellow-fin tuna in coconut juice. Karis.

So far so good. I've witnessed for the first time the testimony of tongues when one of our motherly Filipino mission-mates spoke Chinese during worship time. God also reaffirmed my relationship with Him. It was a feeling of freedom. It's becoming hotter in here than in Manila. I assume it's becuase we are now nearer to the equator. Our speaker Pastor June Alonzo is truly a man of God. We are together with the Dagupan team and they are great. We began to get close during our orientation and in a game of Uno cards. We're staying in the church's school.. In sleeping bag on hard cement floor. I experienced stiff neck which is now healing. I notice in Palawan there are lots of flies, not mosquitos. It's as if I'm still in Luzon in the rural. Been missing few comforts: a soft bed, a good bath and someone doing my laundry.

This afternoon I played badminton with my friends. We met at church. Left late, and made later due to a 12-hour fire in downtown Binondo. It was very traffic because a significant road was closed due to the fire, we had to walk some distances. It was very embarassing because our host reserved us for 3-5pm, but we arrived quarter-to-four. I saw Jillian Teh in the sports complex and talked with her for a while. So we played. My partner is Annie, she plays good badminton. We won all our matches. We finished at 6pm. Went to McDonalds after.

Wednesday.. 3 more sleeps to go and I will be in Palawan. Will be checking in South Harbor 1PM of Friday.. Hoping to still blog when I get to Palawan through GPRS. I'll be gone there for two weeks. Yesterday went to market with youth to buy sarong and toiletries. The day before there was a jeepney strike and sunday we watched together Five People You Meet in Heaven in the Hallmark channel and played monopoly. It was there when I learned how to play monopoly.. it was fun. We played badminton in the park. Today I will be playing badminton with youth in Columbian Sports Complex in Plaza Dilaw. Sigh.. life.

JP's Despedida

Last night from church I went to dine with my college peeps in Greenbelt 3, Makati. JP is going on a 3-month architectural project in Dubai. We ate in Banana Leaf, which has good Penang fried rice and beefsteak. Afterwards we had dessert in classic Cafe Briton. Tonight our peeps will be meeting again because last night turned out to be too short for a despedida party. Bubu lent me Dan Brown's Deception Point. Earlier I met with Hopenet client and he has with him a guy from Florida whose position I have a faint understanding, but I knew he is someone in a high position. They were inquiring about putting our Philippines Hopenet team in charge of doing the US site. I learned as we lunched in Fridays Sta. Lucia that the Philippine Hopenet has been adapted by other countries (which before they had they're own Hopenet sites) as far as Ghana, Brazil & Russia, because our site is good. Hopefully I'll be doing the design for the US site. God is so good.

Resumed reading Noli Me Tangere for the past two days. Just stayed home today and read Noli halfway. It is until this time that I have greatly appreaciated the work of Rizal. Satirical, and carefully written to engage the reader. I'm reading the English translation by Ma. Soledad Lacson-Locsin, to my astonishment was an 80-something old lady. Very impressive. I feel for Crisostomo Ibarra, who is an idealistic fresh-from-Europe Spanish Filipino longing to 'save' San Diego and impose 'upgrades' undeterred by a nation molded by its present colonial system. (chapter from 'The Philosopher's House'. But some things are hard to change, that not all that comes from the west is good.

Rizal on Faith Development

"It is known fact that this spirit, who once was bold enough to defy and contradict God himself face to face, doubting His Word, as it is written in the holy book of Job; who carried our Lord Jesus Christ through the heavens as he later did to the witches in the Middle Ages, and, they say, continues to do to the asuang of the Philippines, has now become so bashful that he cannot stand the sight of a piece of cloth whereon are painted two arms, and now feats the knots of a rope. But this does not prove anything except that there is some progress in this matter, and the devil has retrogressed, or at the very least, turned to conservative, like all who dwell in the shadows, if we are not to attribute him the weakness of a fifteen-year-old maiden." - an excerpt from Noli Me Tangere (ch. 11) by Dr. Jose Rizal

I want to go to Avilon Zoo! Can someone tell me how to go there?

The Imitation of Christ

Bought a new book called The Imitation of Christ. Been hearing and reading quotes from it since school. Written in the 1400's by Thomas Kempis, the cover says its NEXT to the Bible, the most widely read spiritual work of ALL TIME. I'll dwell on this when I go to Palawan.

Today I just stayed at first service 'cause I had a powerpoint gig in Manila Hotel for a Filipino-Chinese Association. I really don't want to go but I had already commited to the project. The initial agreement was 12noon but apparently that didn't include the preparation and testing so I had to go there at 10. Therefore I missed leading worship and a meeting. My Palawan mission trip is near. I already saw our schedule and we are going to the tribes for real. That's exciting. They even asked us to bring pictures of my family & myself as a souveneir.

"Man's greatest misery is regret."

Bought a Jars of Clay CD "Who We Are Instead", I like the 7th track titled "Show You Love" which I think is the carrier single of this album also. Show You Love [+] Speak | And say the words that no one else will ever say | Love | Love like the world we know is over in a day [+] I'm gonna show you a love in every language | I'm gonna speak with the words that need no form | I'm gonna give you what you never had before [+] You're beautiful and I am weakened by the force of your eyes | So shine bright to separate the truth from the lies | I'm gonna show you love [+] So tie me to a tree and let the smoke and ash collect | No, I won't regret to let love do what love will let | We can drown in mixed emotions or walk across an angry sea | This is the cost of being free

Carrie Underwood - My American Idol 4 bet. Good country singer.

What's Your Sense of Humor?

Patrick, your sense of humor is Sarcasm

Oh yeah, you're really funny. (Actually you are, but you're so sarcastic that it's hard to tell when you're joking.) You mean what you say, but almost never say exactly what you mean. In fact you usually say the exact opposite. For instance, if your friend is wearing an ugly watch, you might tell them, "I wanted a watch like that once, but I got the wrong Happy Meal." Yep, there's a slight edge to your humor, but all you are really doing is telling it like it is, only like it's not. Whether you're roasting a friend or playing social critic, your deadpan delivery and dry cynicism go a long way to expressing your true feelings...and making people laugh along the way.

I just learned that there is another Chinese-looking people like Korea, Japan, Mongolia, Taiwan and HongKong. It's country is called Kyrgyzstan, but they have Russian-sounding names. It's close to China. And they made the news recently when they did an EDSA to oust their president. My non-Chinese friends wonder at my ability to distinguish Koreans from Japanese and Chinese people. I can't explain it, maybe it's instinct.

Laziness Begets Thrift

It's officially my summer vacation now. I find myself nothing to do today. Though I would like to have a haircut and go to the mall, I don't have cash at hand. And the thought of dropping by the bank is tiring, therefore laziness begets thrift, which is a good thing. I still need that sleeping bag for Palawan. Maybe tomorrow.

Pope John Paul II passes away...

I just learned that Pope John Paul has passed away after a struggle with his sickness. The world mourns for its lost and celebrates his life. I can't help but feel loss of the Roman Catholic church, after all, we are all brothers. On a side note, the gathering of cardinals will now spend 15-20 days in Vatican to choose the pontiff's successor. I remember Dan Brown's Angels and Demons, which situates upon the controversial death of the pope and the selection of its successor.

Night of Inspiring People

I just came home from a gig in Century Seafood Restaurant in Vito Cruz. I did powerpoint in the anniversary of Philippine Volunteers Fire Brigade. They had very speacial guests: DILG Secretary Angelo Reyes, Mayor Lito Atienza, Congressman Miles Roces, and Teresita Ang See among others. Mr. Ube Gerry Chua was the incoming president of the association. It was truly remarkable to watch people like these, they made quite an impression to me tonight. I admired Mayor Lito Atienza's charisma to the people. People listen when real leaders speak. This was so true to Atienza. Each word he spoke is very positive, uplifting and unifying. Making Manila a classy city overnight, his works talks more than his speech. He can disagree while being charismatic. People wanted to listen more because he was down to earth, knows his audience. I admired Mr. Gerry Chua, the famous owner of Eng Bee Tin where the ube hopia and tikoy was conceived. He to was a people person, always thanking the team for the effort. He would say 'if you weren't here, i wouldn't be here'. Totally humble and not an inch prideful. He was so down to earth, so real. Even he was officially now the president, his hospitality to the guests were evident. There was one incident after the gig, that the waiter aproached him to surrender a lost cellphone. Seeing the waiter's honesty, he immediate gave him a 1000 bill and praise the guy in front of us. Wow, he witholds nothing. I also ought to see my young people in their outside world. Yesterday Jerald notified me that he will not be going to fellowship, because he had a boyscouting gig. I doubted his excuse, and I said to him I trust him so I don't need to worry. I do not like it when people do alibis, flatout lying. And tonight I saw him marching and yelling marching commands on the gig isle leading a group of flag-carrying boyscouts to the stage. We didn't know that we would be on the same gig tonight! But I was ashamed that I doubted him. Also I had a new-found respect for this sixteen-year-old guy. The kid who kids at church and occasionally a source of headache is totally a different person outside. I was impressed that I thought, 'That's my youth right there,' like a proud parent. I realized that I may be treating my youth like little children just like pastor had told himself about me. Earlier I had this joy, that I engaged myself in a smile therapy. I challenged myself to lift up my countenance, to have a smiling face as a default facial expression. Man, it was really challenging! Doug Fields, the author of the Purpose Driven Youth Ministry, said that to be someone, you have to pretend to be that someone, something like that. So throughout the day I 'pretended' to be a smiling person. But things got a bit challenging going to fellowship, when you encounter people who you would think exist just to rain on your day. I had to leave early because of the gig. Our youth needs fresh rain, especially our leaders. I realize that it doesn't matter how much I put into this ministry, the present of the ministry depends on the ability of the key leader, that even though you put in much effort to build it up, when you pass the torch, the present of the ministry now lies on the person who continues it. Just like Kuya Jess quoted, 'Nasa may katawan lang yan.'

Finally the blogger is fixed. Been itching to blog but everytime I post there's a bug.

5 People You Meet in Heaven

Hallmark Channel has made Mitch Albom's The Five People You Meet In Heaven into a movie. The movie includes Jon Voight & Jeff Daniels. I have read the book, it's good. The Philippines and a Filipino girl played a part in the story. They will be showing it soon in Asia, can't wait to see it.