Chilling in my bedroom tonight. Literally chilling 'cause I got the fever since yesterday afternoon. This afternoon I went to a clinic to have a check-up and the doctor said it is trankaso, I don't know how you call it in English. It's the kind of fever with matching body pains, headache and runny nose. Pray God will restore my body so it could function normally.

Wasting Your Life on Jesus

Just woke up and finished devotion. God is so good to me, He is so good. And I will totally waste my life on Him [read May 23 entry]. Once a young person with a bright mind and skillful talent chose to go to full time ministry, even Christian's would deem it as a waste of life. God desires not extravagance/sacrifice but obedience. Just as Mary, the sister of Martha & Lazarus chose to pour her perfume costing a year's salary on Jesus - two days before His agonizing ordeal in Calvary, I pray that I will choose the one thing that is needed, what is better, on which side to waste my life on.

First Day Funk

Parokya ni Edgar never loses their freshness & originality in their songs. I heard their new song First Day Funk in the commercial of a deodorant. Then I saw it on MTV, cool video. I like Parokya, their songs are very creative and funny. I got a chance to watch them in Malate last year, they rock, they humor the audience. My band before got to sing front-act for them in ICA during my college days. Also saw Bamboo's video "Hallelujah". Makes me wonder if he is also Christian already. Rivermaya has also released "Christian-like" songs such as "Liwanag sa Dilim", "You'll be Safe Here" & "Imbiscilesque". I feel religious-like songs will be a trend and I fear that others will ride with the trend. I'm thinking of using this song for my message for incoming classes of the youth... First Day Funk [+] Let’s do the funk | Let’s do the first day funk [+] First day of school dapat cool na cool | Mas cool pa sa tubig ng swimming pool | Dapat talaga maganda na agad ang pasok | Pagpasok mo ng classroom, dapat umuusok | Wag na wag kang mapapraning | Sagot kita! diretso ang tingin | Di dapat maatat na mapansin | Kahit hot lahat, dapat “chill” pa rin | Hinding hindi yumuyuko, kahit na nakaupo | Di ko sinasabi na dapat maging mayabang | Pero dapat di ka “mahiyain na halaman” | Confidence chong, lakas loob | Wag na wag kang patataob | Kahit sa tapat ng maganda mong kakalase | Mas lalo na sa prof mong mukhang salbahe | Dance! [+] Itaas ang kamay, iwagayway | Salute the prof at sabay kaway | Mag-classmate high-5 lang kayo | Now don’t be shy, kwela skwela ‘to | Just raise your hand kung may sagot | If you don’t know the answer, eh di lagot | Just erase the board, at magsayaw | Lagyan ng funk ang pag-galaw | Sayaw! [+] May dumating na isang babae | Sobrang “hottie” na ka-klase | Sya’y lumapit at nag “hi” | Ako nama’y napakaway | Akala ko ako ang kanyang kinakawayan at hindi ko inakala na ang nasa likuran | Kahit na napahiya, hindi ako kinakabahan | Wala na tong ibang mapupuntahan | Sayaw

Got Jars of Clay latest CD "Redemption Songs" - a collection of remix gospel hymns. I like Track 5 "Nothing But the Blood" Remix featuring Blind Boys of Alabama got blues bluegrass theme going on.

Today I and the youth went to Quezon City Sports Plaza to play some basketball and badminton. Unfortunately, there was basketball courts were non-existent in the complex which is weird coz this is a sports complex and basketball is the most popular game in the country. So we played badminton in the oven-like gymnasium courts. After which we had dinner at KFC across the street. Pastor Joedy's kids Nina, Joshua and Jessie were there to join us, we stayed for a while in their place after.

Gising, Frend

Got this excerpt on Friendster Bulletin... true...

Tumatanda ka na, frend. Nasa Friday Magic Madness na yung mga paborito mong kanta.Nakaka-relate ka na sa Classic MTV. Lesbiana na yung kinaaaliwan mong child star dati. Nanay na lagi ang role ng crush na crush mong matinee idol noon. Dati, pag may panot, sisigaw ka agad ng "PENDONG!". Ngayon, pag may sumisigaw nun, ikaw na yung napapraning. Parang botika na ang cabinet mo. May multivitamins, vitamin E, vitamin C, royal jelly, tsaka ginko biloba. Dati, laging may inuman. Sa inuman, may lechon, sisig, kaldereta, inihaw na liempo, pusit, at kung anu-ano pa. Ngayon, nagkukumpulan na lang kayo ng mga kasama mo sa Starbucks at oorder ng tea. Wala na ang mga kaibigan mo noon. Ang dating masasayang tawanan ng barkada sa canteen, napalitan na ng walang katapusang pagrereklamo tungkol sa kumpanya ninyo. Wala na ang best friend mo na lagi mong pinupuntahan kapag may problema ka. Ang lagi mo na lang kausap ngayon e ang kaopisina mong hindi ka sigurado kung binebenta ka sa iba pag nakatalikod ka. Ang hirap nang magtiwala. Mahirap nang makahanap ng totoong kaibigan. Hindi mo kayang pagkatiwalaan ang kasama mo araw-araw sa opisina. Kung sabagay, nagkakilala lang kayo dahil gusto ninyong kumita ng pera at umakyat sa tinatawag nilang "corporate ladder". Anumang pagkakaibigang umusbong galing sa pera at ambisyon ay hindi talaga totoong pagkakaibigan. Pera din at ambisyon ang sisira sa inyong dalawa. Pera. Pera na ang nagpapatakbo ng buhay mo. Alipin ka na ng Meralco, PLDT, SkyCable, Globe, Smart, at Sun. Alipin ka ng Midnight Madness. Alipin ka ng tollgate sa expressway. Alipin ka ng credit card mo. Alipin ka ng ATM. Alipin ka ng BIR. Dati-rati masaya ka na sa isang platong instant pancit canton. Ngayon, dapat may kasamang italian chicken ang fettucine alfredo mo. Masaya ka na noon pag nakakapag-ober-da-bakod kayo para makapagswimming. Ngayon, ayaw mong lumangoy kung hindi Boracay o Puerto Galera ang lugar. Dati, sulit na sulit na sa yo ang gin pomelo. Ngayon, pagkatapos ng ilang bote ng red wine, maghahanap ka ng San Mig Light o Vodka Cruiser. Wala ka nang magawa. Sumasabay ang lifestyle mo sa income mo. Nagtataka ka kung bakit hindi ka pa rin nakakaipon kahit tumataas ang sweldo mo. Yung mga bagay na gusto mong bilhin dati na sinasabi mong hindi mo kailangan, abot-kamay mo na. Pero kahit nasa iyo na ang mga gusto mong bilhin, hindi ka pa rin makuntento. Saan ka ba papunta? Frend, gumising ka. Hindi ka nabuhay sa mundong ito para maging isa lang sa mga baterya ng mga machines sa Matrix. Hanapin mo ang dahilan kung bakit nilagay ka rito. Kung ang buhay mo ngayon ay uulit-ulit lang hanggang maging singkwenta anyos ka na, magsisisi ka.Lumingon ka kung paano ka nagsimula, isipin ang mga tao at mga bagay na nagpasaya sa yo. Balikan mo sila. Ikaw ang nagbago, hindi ang mundo.

Sunday service. I lead worship today, God moved wonderfully in our midst. After service, I was chatting with a businessman brother when he brought up my not pursuing my architecture career. Even as I explain to him my personal decisions to serve the Lord with much time, I can see an 'are you crazy?' written all over his face. For someone who is very logical, who would exchange an architecture career earning hundreds of thousands, as he puts it before me, for a hand at shepherding a small group of believers in faith? He told me he feels sayang (too bad) for me, that someday I would change my mind. I assured him that I would take board exams just to shut him up. After that conversation I eagerly wanted to run away from, I felt sad and a little humiliated. Sad because this guy cannot understand my heart; and humiliated because deep in the crevices of my heart craves the approval of all people. I began to think if I am making my parents proud, suffering the same interrogations about their son's twist of lifepath. I am learning to unlearn principles which the world fuses before its generation. I am learning to be illogical. Living with a God who is not logical, who puts twists and surprises in your life, puts your carefully layouted life schedule on the shelf. But at this point in time, I am contented, going with the flow of God. I have experienced it, 'Give us this day our daily bread', His provisions just right for today, and lacking nothing. Lord, may the only One that I will please is You, may my heart only crave approval that is Yours.

This site boasts some good photography of Ilonggo colonial churches.

Sunday service na sunday service...

Finally I am home. Just got home. I arrived in Manila 9:30AM this morning. Went straight to church because our core has a cellgroup meeting at 10. Had lunch at Kim & Zarah's place. Had Young Pro cellgroup in the afternoon. Practiced band at 7PM. Now I am home, home at last! Tired but all worth it.

At this moment I'm already aboard ship from Iloilo to Manila. Right now we just stopped in Bacolod City port. I had the greatest time in Iloilo, though I didn't got the chance to see its popular sites. I so wanted to go to Miag-ao, Guimaras and Boracay, but time restrains. Nevertheless, I was able to try their famous La Paz Batchoy, city sight-seeing - there are quite a lot of old colonial houses and churches in the city. One particular structure was the Jaro Church which boasts of Baroque facade which two towering spires. It's belfry is across the street. The city is a reminiscent of Avenida and Manila itself. I'm also curious about their dialect, Ilonggo. Ilonggo are also called to its people, which in the Philippines, we dub it as the sweetest-sounding people because of their distinct, sweetly (lambing) accent. I stayed in a guesthouse in Central Philippine University, who is celebrating their centennial this year. I slept in the guestroom of the National Youth Department. This was the greatest highlight, I mean GREATEST HIGHLIGHT, in my stay there. I am always starstrucked when I see and talk to Kuya Jerry Balbuena, our National Youth Department director. I am impressed by how he speaks, what he speaks, how he acts, how he relates. For nights I was privileged to observe, listen and interact with great leaders: Kuya Jerry, Kuya Sur (superstar), Kuya Chad, Kuya Alvin and Kuya Herman. I am driven to want to become like them, if not now, soon. I was also privileged to join them for pizza the last night. Pastors can have fun too. Kuya Jerry and Kuya Rodel contest in telling jokes. The event was called "C.A.L.L. to Harvest - Christ Ambassadors Leading Laboring" [view album] attended by over 100 delegates, youth pastors, workers and campus people, from all over the Philippines. I got too meet inspiring leaders and be further recharged in the spirit. I am geared toward reaching the Filipino-Chinese youth in Binondo. My conversation with God the last night was 'Lord, I don't know how, I may know how, but it doesn't count, I need your constant leading and guidance. Put every piece of the puzzle in place that I may see the picture clearly on what to do."

I'm now in an internet cafe in Iloilo. Been here for the past two days for our org's national youth leaders conference in Central Philippine University in Iloilo City. I'll be boarding ship back to Manila tomorrow morning and will arrive Manila Saturday morning. Life is exciting. Been AWOL at home for a month. God has blessed me to go to Palawan, Baguio and Iloilo this summer for His work. After this, I'll be settled again in Manila, back to school & ministry. Iloilo City is a beautiful city. A reminiscent of downtown Avenida, Sta. Cruz and Quiapo. Scattered throughout the city are good old but functional old houses and fortress churches. I wanted to go and see Miag-ao church.

I'm back home again. Finally I get to rest. I came in from Baguio last night after four days of youth retreat. It was great. There is still more to tell about my Palawan trip. this four days in Baguio seemed so short. I am very glad for my team, because God has moved mightily in their lives as God has moved in mine also.

Check out my pictures in Palawan... Haven't finished putting all captions. Leaving for Baguio for our Youth Retreat in 3 hours.

Just got back fresh from Palawan after two weeks of mission exposure in the Badjao Tribe in Bataraza in the southern part of Palawan... So much to tell. But I have to go to Baguio tonight. See if I can blog a little later...

Sailing Home

Sailing home at last, Morning breaks to shades to light; Foreign lands bid farewell, Hoping to glance at my face one last time; Tomorrow holds uncertainty. But my trust is in the Lord, my hope and my fortress. In Him all things are sure, All things already hoped for. Sailing, I am sailing home Sailing, I am sailing home. With Christ in my vessel I can smile at the storm, Until He takes me home.

It's Tuesday morning, I'm in front of the beach, reflecting, meditating on God's Word. It's been already five days since we came to the Badjao village. Though they want to be called Good-jaos because they are already made alive in Christ. I can only hear the calm waves of the sea, the birds, the playing of Badjao kids in the sand. The gentle wind kisses my cheeks. It's warm. All the fishing boats were already out to sea anticipating a great catch. For days we have been feasting on the fruits of the sea: large groupers, tangs, rays, octopuses which would cost much in the city. The Badjao people is one of the eight muslim groups in the Philippines. They are the poorest and deemed lowest of the groups. They would leave their Islamic faith for a foreign one. Here in the village, the tribe is headed by Nany Kesha, a chubby lady. People here are good natured. They have beautiful eyes and great smiles amidst their sun-scorched skin. They are divers of the sea. Divers of pearls. They bathe in the sea. And their culture is passed on from generation to generation. Every night since we came here, we would have pakiring', it's like he nightlife of the urban. We would dress in their traditional clothes called malong and learn how to dance the 'igal' or eagle dance which reflects an eagle in flight. Men here are most graceful dancers of the igal. Btw, this place is called Bataraza, after a datu or tribe chief. Across the sea, are the Balabac Islands, the southernmost tip of Palawan... As of now kids have been watching me write this - Toto, Janel & Aries. Our group is 20 in all made up of teams from Pangasinan and Binondo. In the morning my group is assigned in fetching water in the poso which is two minutes away from the village. We would carry it by twos on a bamboo shaft with the water jugs in the middle. It's hard waking up early to fetch water. I like pumping the water though. It's my only way of exercise which works the upper body. We cook lunch in the afternoon and wash the dishes in the evening. In the afternoon we would bathe in the sea. There was once a night when I slept not having washed the saltwater in my body because it's already too dark to fetch water. There is no electricity her, everything needs to be unlearned. I have learned a couple of phrases and greetings...