Finally Bowing Out of Senior Choir

I have loved music, and it has been my dream to be part of a choir.  After two years of active participation, I have decided to bow out of the choir.  I think part of me is searching with what I wanted.  And part is some petty disappointment.  

Anyway, I enjoyed singing to the Lord, but it seems most of the Sundays I am out preaching in other churches that I really do not have much opportunity to sing with the choir.  I am more of practice only.

Singing in choir seems therapeutic.  It releases stress and I really enjoy it

I Give Thanks for Supporters

In preparing the council Christmas camp is not easy for me as a former District Commissioner.  I know how hard it was to really recruit people, put each school to work together as a District and the District always lacks equipment and etc to work as a team.  This camp, I was appointed as Camp Director by the Executive Board.

I praise God that I have lots of supporters from in and out of the church.  Many gave goods to support this camp.  I think we are already totaling so much worth of goods that would put this camp in order and memorable for everyone.  Without these external support, it would be very uneasy to manage the camp since most participants come from public schools who have financial difficulty.

I thank God for all His goodness as I prepare for this camp, together with my energetic staff.  I think the Council is adjusting to my involvement in the camp.  It has been a tradition that a principal who is a member of the Executive Board to be appointed as Camp Director.  And since most of them are very busy in their school, the staff does all the work for them.

But since I am a true Scouter that rose from the ranks starting as a Scout myself, I am deeply involve, which according to them is historic, since they have never experience a camp director with so much hands on.

I praise God for sending supporters to help me in providing so many materials and things for the camp.  Roel Can Corporation gave the cans for our Thrifty Program, which was introduce by my former boss Mr. Tan Tay Cuan of Permex Tuna.  Ed Delgado providing the seedling for our tree planting program.  David Lim who provided coolers for each District and the Council to use.  Dexter provided the needed tarpaulin materials and button pins.  Gideon Bendicion provided all the stickers we need especially the decals of the each activities.  Allen Lim of Pamco provided all the school supplies we needed.  Efren Edgard Dieta who provided new facilities in his campsite specifically on our request.  Robby Raymundo and Johann Gohoc provided two petromax for each district.  Lito Caronan for the 10 units of megaphones.  Charlton Chan provided snacks through Rebisco.  Jonathan Lim for designing the "Scout is Reverent" button pin.  John Paul Deloso for creating all the tarpaulin designs we needed.  Michael Torres for creating a camp layout, measuring the whole campsite inch by inch.  John Paredes provided our coffee maker and rice cooker.  Soledad Chiong provided the Manga Messiah for evangelism.  Luke Roxas provided the gospel card also for our evangelism activity.  The Nua Family provided windbreakers for the staff.  Elizabeth Chiong provided the Daily Bread for the adult leaders.  UECP staff and pastor like Tony hia, Rosita, Josy, Zeny, Joco and Peter who help me create the camp booklet. So many I hope I did not miss anyone.

I am mentioning these people not to highlight their contribution but I praise God for these people who always trust my effort to lead more people to Christ.  I praise God for being the God who is great and mighty.  Trusting in Him is always the best and full of assurance.

Though the number of participants is low as of now as compared to our target.  I still believe God is in control and calls the right people to be part of this camp.  Whether how many people participated, this is still a question mark.  But I know God surprises me always.  I would just trust and hope for the best.

This is the first council camp that integrates a lot of spiritual things.  I pray and hope that God would grant me the opportunity to lead more to Christ especially this Christmas.

The Camp Will Push Through Despite

Meeting with my camp staff today, everyone was requesting that we push through with the camp no matter what number it maybe.  So far registration is only 189 and including pledges is only 280.

If I was to decide, I will cancel this camp because it was too stressful.  The lesser participants the bigger the cost.  And where will we get the money to feed and accommodate the present number of staff.  Some suggested that we reduce the staff, some said that we send the staff to eat with their District.  Finally, I said, "If we will push through with this camp, we will not reduce staff, nor send our staff to eat in their District.  I would want my staff to consolidate its effort and develop camaraderie so that we will experience a wonderful partnership with one another that we become advocates for the council in the future."

In the past, it has been a problem when the council disperses some staff because of low budget or something.  This concept demoralized the leaders that so few are willing to sacrifice for the Scouting movement nowadays.

This will not happen under my watch.  Those who have worked with me knows my conviction with this matter.  Everyone is always well taken cared of.  I hope that after this camp more of these staff under my supervision would love the movement and the council.  Though we will not reach the target of 720 participants this time.  But I still hope that after this camp, the leaders would be more committed like during our time when we were in their position.

In the past, our council camp can easily gather 1,400 people.  I still remember that during our time, when I was District Commissioner, each District can gather 120 participants to the Council Camp easily and there were 16 districts as compare to our present setup with only 12 districts.

I was surprised that we even have Commissioner who were even advocating to their district not to participate because they themselves cannot attend.  I already gave orders that these people be stripped off their positions as the First Vice Chairman of the Council.  I hope this camp will create a new culture of leaders who are committed and willing to sacrifice for the formation of the boy.

So far we have extended the deadline of registration hoping that we can get more people in.  The final target is to have at least 400 participants.  This is at least more than half of our target.

I pray to God for mercy, since we have integrated a lot of evangelism opportunities.  I hope the God will bless each participant to come to know Jesus to be their personal Lord and Savior.

For His glory...

A Long Two Weeks

It has been a long two weeks for me.  Two weeks ago, I just remembered that my doctor has asked me to look for a second opinion with regards to my liver that I totally forgot since I was advised to do it last September.

I found his letter in my files, I called up his office and tried to set an appointment but he was not available.  For two weeks, my life seems weird because Betty buzz me telling me in her dream I died, and was reminding me to go for check-up with regards to my liver.  Then, suddenly, another person was reminding me also about I have to take good care of my liver.  Then, another one; until yesterday afternoon.  I was watching the puppet show in NMEC, when Daryl, the son of Cherrie (my good friend) suddenly was saying "hepatitis."  It alarmed me more.  I thought I am going into depression again. After the show, I went to watch a movie and all of a sudden it seems I am experiencing pain on my right side.  The more I was alarmed.

I took my blood chemistry a week ago, and it seems everything is normal.  I ask my friend Rio to ask Dr. Lu if I should still go for a second opinion and he said "yes."

Today, I finally went to see Dr. Stephen Wong in Chinese General Hospital.  He was nice and kind and also a member of CBCP.  He explained to me many things about my liver.  And he told me that so far I am still in good condition.  I just need to keep my diet and daily exercise to remove fatty liver since there is no medicine or cure for fatty liver.

I praise God, maybe God knows that I have been worried about my fatty liver since my good cousin Jorge died of liver complication which maybe still affecting me very much.  I also had liver issue a year ago, but my blood chemistry and ultrasound this year has cleared me from previous diagnose of the doctor.  At least, now I know that I am healthy and not to worry about my liver.   I can serve God freely this time without other worries.

Now, I just need to have a hepatitis b vaccine and hepatitis c check-up to be sure.

Praise God and To God be all the glory

Done My Best

It has been week that I have been overwhelmed in the preparation of the Manila Council Christmas Camp.  I only wanted a wonderful camping experience for the young people who would attend.  I have been going around soliciting for the camp so that the cost would be lighter at the same time the freebies and the activities are all in excellent opportunities for the Scouts to learn Scouting in a different level and perspective.

As of today, one district confirmed not participating.  And the council reported one adult leader and a boy just registered.  One week to and and we still are in need of 599 boys and 120 adult to go... hehehe

Maybe, because I have included so much gospel presentation throughout this camp that it is experiencing hostility from our enemy.  Pray na lang talaga.

If the camp would not push through, at least I did my best to put it in order.  Still, sadly, it seems the council staff were not doing enough to compensate my effort in promoting and recruiting people for the Christmas camp.

God Sends the Right People at the Right Time

I praise God for His goodness, despite of my busy schedule this week.  I was incredibly powered up to preach in our three services.  It seems the Holy Spirit has given me much strength today that I was able to speak and deliver my sermon well.  I believe God has used me to speak to our congregation.  I felt so much conviction in each word I uttered.  I pray that our congregation whether young or old would have the conviction to share the gospel always.

The first service where I usually would falter or would have a poor delivery was fine as compared to my past experiences.  I also praise God for giving me opportunity to really brush my Hookien language that I have been consistent so far to speak in Hokkien to our Hokkien congregation, and speak in English to our English congregation.

I think the SPA during Saturday night helped me to get well rested for the next day's preaching.  My godson and goddaughter convinced me to go for spa with them, which I was hesitant at first because I have not really gone through my messages.  After the SPA, we ate and I was able to go through my message in both languages and had a good sleep.

Also another good thing in our church, we have good people who help me with my Chinese, with Cathy chi helping me with my Chinese characters and line of thought as I translate my English manuscript to Chinese manuscript; Siu Wan chi who makes precise and adjust the translation of my published outline, she even make sure that my point really connects with the passage I have chosen; and of course Leonida chi who will listen to my delivery to help me correct my line of thought making sure they are understandable by the congregation.

God is in control of our life.  He provides the right people around us to support us in our ministry. I praise God for He is real in my life, always taking care of me and my needs.

To God be all the glory!!!

Poor Memory

As I was preparing for some logistics of the Christmas Camp, I discovered that the campsite we have been using for several years has no camp layout.  I called up Architect Ponson to help out but he was not available.  Anyway, we still have many architects in the church so I decided to called others who can be available.  Finally, Michael Torres was available to help out.

I called up Jay to help out as well.  So we scheduled the visit and done a lot of preparation, only to find out today that I have class the next day where I personally scheduled the visit.  I am really getting old.  I have to ask them to go without me.

Maybe I am really quite pre-occupied lately that I do not know which is which.  But still it seems that I am confuse with so many stuffs.  So many things to do and do not know which to do first.  hehehe…