Hillsong Concert at Araneta

It was the first praise and worship I attended in Araneta that is really fullpacked with people to worship God.  I really felt the whole center shaking when all the worshippers jumped at the same time.

I really had fun and intimate moment with God in worship and praise.  The whole praise and worship was so simple and yet so many people accepted Jesus to be their personal Lord and Savior.  Praise God for those who came to know Jesus for the first time.

I was also challenge to be a bright light for the people around me.  To give them hope through Jesus.  Praise the Lord!

Salvation Is Here

God above all the world in motion
God above all my hopes and fears
And I don't care what the world throws at me now
It's gonna be alright

Hear the sound of the generations
Making loud our freedom song
All in all that the world would know Your Name
It's gonna be alright

Cause I know my God saved the day
And I know His word never fails
And I know my God made a way for me
Salvation is here

Salvation is here
Salvation is here and He lives in me

Salvation is here
Salvation that died just to set me free
Salvation is here
Salvation is here and He lives in me
Salvation is here
Cause You are alive and You live in me

Got My Toga!

Praise God for friends like Nathaniel Jason Tan who volunteered to give me a gift - my toga for graduation.  Not all people make their toga for graduation, but I wanted one since I strongly believed that I would be using it often in the very near future.

I have it made three weeks ago, and picked it up today.  It was a long way going to Marikina, we even got lost trying to find the place.  The toga was indeed well made.  It suits me well and talagang bagay hehehe.

Off to graduation this June.  Praise the Lord indeed for His continuous blessings.

52 Annual National Council Meeting

The annual council meeting is just like any other meeting where they conduct reportings, awarding, cultural shows and election.

I felt they could have done a better job with this annual convention.  The cultural shows should have been integrated to the whole affair since it was really too taxing listening to reports the whole day.  The first night show was really a blast and it could have been better if it was integrated during the opening ceremony.  The opening ceremony could have been more colorful.

The reports were exciting and challenging for me on a more personal level as I see the state of Manila Council as compared to the other councils who were accepting recognitions of various categories.  I was challenge to do better for the council as a member of the board.  But sadly only two members of the our board participated this event.

I would suggest that the regional leaders could have been given time for fellowship to strengthen relationship and maybe move to a level of strategic planning so that each region can strengthen the Scouting movement in their locality based on the new resolutions made by the National Executive Board.

Scouting is really the hope of our country for it aims to create a better world the mankind.

Chaotic BTC

I was invited to be an observer of the Basic Training Course and it was the most disorganized BTC, I have ever experience.  I came in late since I was only an observer and to my surprise I have to take the role of the Course Leader since it was only that moment that I learned that the Course Leader assigned declined.

I did not brought my things that would put the BTC in place.  I have to call our church friend/secretary to send my external drive, which is the nearest to the site.  I started printing things that would put shape to the BTC.  I was also happy that those staff that were not tapped earlier were eager to be on call.  In less than an hour, my support staff arrived.  I can't imagine what will happen to the course, even the originally assigned support staff did not come.

At first, I really declined to be the Course Leader since it will tarnish my identity as the well organized Course Leader of Manila Council but the show must go on.  The participants are not to be blamed for this.

When I organized a BTC, I do check the full availability of the staff to be part of my staffing.  Meetings were held several weeks, and lesson plans are carefully checked.  We have staff fellowship before and after the training.  All equipments are ready.

My previous staff who arrived in the scene were also complaining how disorganized the training was.  I just told them, we need to put things in place as seasoned training team members.

The only consolation was seeing those whom I have trained to be BTC staff for the past years has kept high standards of training in Manila Council.  They have maintained the ideals, we have set in our previous training courses that has made this ongoing training possible.

Praise the Lord

Helping People Who Does Not Want Your Help

It is so difficult to be a pastor especially trying to help people who are obviously need of it and yet they do not want to help themselves.  I had three encounters this month alone where three young people who we are overseeing for their college scholarship and yet it seems I am the one who is going after them.

It is so frustrating seeing many young people today are so reckless, insensitive, uncommitted, hopeless and irresponsible.  After going through so many people in order to help them received a scholarship grant, they would just tell you that they are not interested and would not coorperate.

Anyway, it seems there are so many lessons in this experience and you can't really help people who does not want to help themselves.  People today cannot see a macro level of things and too short-sighted.

Pagprepray ko na lang sila... for enlightenment

Reflections of Makiling

It was exactly two years ago the last time I visited the Scout Woodbadge Area in Mt. Makiling.  It has some improvements, new roofs and aluminum glass doors in Stevenott Hall and the Staff Quarters.  I can still remember when we have to move our beds left and right due to leaks from the rain.  The leaks were never in the same place everytime it rains.  And it rains often in Makiling almost every other day.  We do not have doors before and stray visitors would just enter our quarters something ravaging our bags and taking our belongings.

I was so refreshed during my stroll in these two days of service in the Advance Training Course for Troop Leaders.  The place looked greener and it was so quiet and still.  I was amazed again in enjoying God's creation but this time I have a very different feeling.  A feeling of more refreshed and calmed environment.  The place was not as hot as Manila, I even enjoyed taking cold baths where I used to jump because of the icy feeling brought by the cold water.

As I passed through different areas of the Scout Wood Badge Area, I was able to recall so many of my experiences during my own Wood Badge Training in 1990.  It was really a very very memorable experience.  An experience up to this day is still the best experience in my life - the camaraderie, the fun, the tears, the hardwork, the survival, and the challenges.  An outburst of those feelings coming out of me all at the same time.  It was an overwhelming feeling.

God was real to me during these two days.  Though I was so busy with my lectures, I believe I was able to share the love of God to the participants during my spiritual training with them.  And God was able to ministered to me as well.

Praise God for His creation.

To My Co-workers and Friends

Thank you very much for your prayer and support.

All of you have been a blessing to me, as partners in my ministry.  I have been studying for the last eleven years finishing my Masters in Divinity in BSOP 2000, Master of Arts in Educational Management with Distinction in DLSU 2006.  And as of last week, I am officially done with my Doctor of Philisophy in Education Major in Educational Leadership and Management (Executive Program) with High Distinction in De La Salle University.  I believe your prayers, encouragements and support has sustained me these years of serving the Lord and studying at the same time.  All honors I give to God alone who is the provider and sustainer of His children.

Through the years of studying, I learned that there are so many things out there that needs to be learned; we really need to be lifelong learners.  My experiences have broaden my concept of this world, and allowed me to see the world in the eyes of Jesus to seek and save the lost.  There are many opportunities out there for us to reach the lost which should not be confided to our box (the church activities).  We need to go out of the box to effectively meet the needs of people to reach out and introduce Jesus.  Indeed, the harvest is ready and we need to act now.

Please do continue to pray for my ministry and life direction as I am challenge to explore new things to bring the gospel to more people.  Also, please pray that I may effectively use what I have learned through these years to expand the kingdom of our God.

Thank you and to God be all the Glory!

Gusto Kong Umiyak

Actually, these are tears of joy.  Finally, at long last, totoo na to.  I submitted my final paper to the department and officially I have completed my requirements in my PhD program.  This really calls for a celebration hehehe...

Will treat myself tonight at Circles in Makati Shangri-la for dinner... Yum Yum...

I praise God for journeying with me throughout my graduate studies that lasted for 11 long years.  It was worth it since I have earned two Masters and a PhD degree.  I have learn a lot and it was a molding, formation, directional as well as spiritual experience.

Praise God!  Praise God!  Praise God!  Praise God!  Praise God!  Praise God!  Praise God!  Praise God!  Praise God!  Praise God!  Praise God!  Praise God!  Praise God!  Praise God!