Remembering Ms. Gregoria G. Beltran

Today is the second death anniversary of Hope Christian High School's principal Ms. Gregoria Go Beltran.  She served the school for 44 long years starting as an English teacher, to academic supervisor and later 27 years as principal.


Ms. Beltran was already principal when I entered nursery until I graduated from high school.  I have a total of 13 years of experience and opportunity learning from her as our beloved principal.  Little known to many, when I graduated from the school, she became my ninang because of the closeness we developed.  Though our relationship turned sour some years later which I regretted.


There were so many things that was said during the memorial service but I believe there are still more meaningful things that should have said since the new generation of students does not know her.  Maybe the fourth year students, but I don't think they can remember her since they were still in nursery.


Ms. Beltran can be describe as the Champion of the Gospel through exemplary Christian education.  She was a dedicated principal who comes to school as 6am and leave the school the earliest at 6pm.  She is in school Mondays to Sundays since she also teaches Sunday school on Sundays especially to English only students.


It was in her term, that the school has reached its peak of 3,800 students.  And the school got accreditation.  She was very cautious with evangelism that she makes sure that series of evangelistic meetings were conducted both during the English and Chinese chapels once a year.  She herself teaches the Bible every week.


Ms. Beltran was a woman of prayer.  The most important legacy I believe she have left behind to us and her faculty was prayer.  In my two weeks stay in Hope Christian last year, I started to lead different prayer meetings with the school personnel.  The only comment I was hearing from the senior personnel of the school was that they have not been praying for the school like what I initiated since Ms. Beltran retired from service.  Everyone was telling me that what I did helped them remembered Ms. Beltran because she has caused them to pray regularly for the school as a habit.  According to some of them, through the prayer time we did, their passion and dedication for the school has been awakened.


During my younger years, I often see Ms. Beltran entering the prayer room beside her office to kneel down and pray.  Her example has modeled our minds to seek God as a top priority.  She was also indeed a champion of prayer.


Ms. Beltran is a firm person.  You cannot just talk her out of things.  Her leadership skills has influenced especially the brightest among the school since she spends time with them in the student council, and other activities of the school.  She makes sure that every group of students who will go out to represent the school would have a courtesy call in her office so that she can pray for the delegates.


Ms. Beltran is also an advocate of UECP, though she works silently on this area.  I can still remember that she would personally talk to graduating students on the last quarter of the school year to influence the whole batch to be baptized in UECP.  If you disagree with this idea, you will see her in her office, not to interrogate the students but to share to them the gospel.  She makes sure that every single student who graduates in Hope Christian High School is clear with their relationship with Jesus Christ.  If you will look at the roster of baptized members of UECP, you will really notice that every March during her term, the whole graduating batch gets baptized.


Another important legacy of Ms. Beltran was her love for missions.  She does not only spearhead the white gift drive of the school, but she also organizes short-term mission trip for every graduating batch of Hope Christian High School.  She would personally go with the students to such mission trip.  These trip were to remote areas of the country.  It was during our batch's turn for such mission trip that we got very closed and she recognized me to be her inaanak.


Ms. Beltran indeed gave her life for Hope Christian High School.  Her dedication and service especially to our LORD is worth emulating.  She is a woman, who is a Champion of the Gospel, Champion of Prayer, and a Champion of Dedicated Service.  Her contribution makes sure that each student who passes through her administration gets saved.


Other things that I remembered about her was she was a humble and a lifelong learner.  I can still remember she was enrolling at SpeechPower to further improve herself though she is already an eloquent speaker.  She is also a principal who is game, especially during faculty's Christmas party where she herself will dress-up and act and be cool in front of the faculty.  During raffles, she will always pray that those who are really in need would get the big prizes.  She was a very organized person.


Let's not forget her popular phrases every chapel period.  "When wealth is lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; but when character is lost, everything is lost."  Another of her favorite Scripture as her gift to graduating batch, Proverbs 3: 4-5, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto thy own understanding, in all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."


Let's not forget her popular songs, "To God Be The Glory," Trust and Obey," There a Welcome Here," Bond of Love," "Should I Go Empty-handed," "My Tribute," and "Why Have You Chosen Me.


In this, I salute Ms. Gregoria Go Beltran.  Using her very popular phrase, "To God Be All The Glory."