Love Duplicated

The email moved me. It was an appeal to help a brother from another Feast with his expenses for a kidney transplant. He dropped by our center once as he just came from his dialysis nearby. He was a pleasant man and his condition saddened me. I wanted so much to help. I marked the email “unread” so I won’t forget and mentally set aside an amount to give.

Another message came into my inbox. This time it was a request for prayers for one of my ministry member’s father. He needed an emergency operation. Aside from offering prayers I also felt God’s prodding to help in a more practical way. All I had left in my budget for love offering was the amount I already earmarked for the first appeal. I planned to half it so I can give both but felt that was too paltry to make a difference. I decided to give it all to my member. She was closer to my heart.

While singing with the choir that Sunday, I espied the brother needing the transplant among the attendees. My heart bled. I had no more to give. I offered a silent prayer for him and lifted my wish to the Lord to grant me the ability to help. As we sang during worship, the Lord impressed on me to go ahead and give what I had planned anyway. I had the money stashed in my wallet marked with a mental note: “For extreme emergency only. Burn in hell if you use this for frivolities.” That was what I decided to donate.

Soon after, I received two dividend checks and a small windfall from my balikbayan uncle. Ten percent of these blessings was exactly the amount of my emergency stash that I donated. The Lord duplicated my love offering like the loaves and fishes. He granted my wish to be able to love more people in practical ways.

A Stroll in a Prayer Garden

The road snaked – a couple of turns too many for my comfort. Panic mode. I left my motion sickness pills at home. I didn't know I’d need them. Nobody said anything about a zigzag to Infanta, Quezon. The driver said there are actually two sets of zigzags. I’m doomed.

I whipped out my quantum necklace at my cousin Belle’s prodding. This better work or I’m returning it. I pressed it to my wrist right above the pulse. That’s supposed to be the acupressure point to combat motion sickness. What do you know, it worked! Whether it was the necklace or the acupressure that held the dizziness at bay, I didn’t care. All I cared about was being able to enjoy the scenery in the town of Real where the seashore hugged the road like a besotted lover. The road and the beach lay side by side for quite a stretch giving us a panoramic view of waves crashing on sand.

The way to my aunt’s Pag-ibig Prayer Garden is like life’s journey. There are many twists and turns. You find relief when it straightens up only to find another set of trials that turn your stomach inside out. Then you reach the end. It’s heaven – there is peace, there is serenity, there is beauty that gives a comforting embrace.

At the Prayer Garden, our Lord welcomed us to the “Upper Room” where he sat alone at the table. Untypical of the Last Supper, this one invites twelve “apostles” to sit with Him. Guests become part of the picture instead of just being on the outside looking in on the first Eucharist. One can even take a nap on the Lord’s lap after a meal – like a child on a parent’s knee.

And I needed that nap. The meal was sumptuous with freshly caught crabs, prawns and giant talakitok. Belle & I even got an after dessert treat – the chance to once again taste katmon, a tart fruit from our childhood found only in Quezon (I think).

Later, we strolled around the garden and merged into biblical and other saintly scenes:

Slept with the apostles as Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane;

Stood as our Lord’s ninang at His baptism in the Jordan;

Sat with Mary as she watched Joseph and Jesus at play;

Read with St. Clare as she reviews her Rule of Life, the first monastic rule reputed to be the first written by a woman;

Marveled at St. Peter’s attempt to walk with Jesus on water.

The Prayer Garden not only soothes and refreshes ones faith, it also inspires reflection.

Hope Afloat

Walking on water.

Strong wind swirls waves. Faith submerges.

His hand a lifeline.

My Lord calms the raging storm,

washes away regret. Hope.

A Time of Refreshing

“We have a meeting tonight.” Sigh. “There’s a new assignment for Media Ministry.” Whimper. “Sis, can you help with this project?” Groan. Much as I love serving at the Feast Alabang I still felt the early warning signs of service fatigue like a tsunami alert.

But you know that passage in the Bible that says the Lord cannot be out-given? Once again this truth manifested in a wonderful way when I went to Baguio last week.

I was hesitant to join the trip. Reason # 1: the added expense. (Remember me, the obsessive-compulsive budgeter?) Reason # 2: our numbers dwindled as Mar. 17 approached. How much fun can it be with just a handful joining Bro Arun and his family for his Lenten Recollection talks? Reason # 3: our car is in the province. A taxi would be my ride from our drop-off point. Not a nice scenario when I reviewed my shopping list.

With no graceful way to back out, I had to go. Besides, it’s been 22 (or is it 23?) years since I went up to the City of Pines. My husband was still alive, my sons were still toddlers and Hyatt Terraces was still the place to stay. And my last criteria for going on trips with zigzags, boat or plane rides was met. My motion sickness pills that I can only get from the U.S. have not expired.

Going was an inspired decision. Wave after wave of blessings engulfed our trip. I only have one word to describe it – perfect. There’s no other word fit for this gift from God.

Perfect, because our reduced number allowed us to fit into one van. Travelling together was more fun. There was also no hassle coordinating different vehicles. Most of all, it was a chance to bond with people I usually see only during service and community activities. It was a road trip punctuated with lots of laughter – funny catch phrases like “Bente pesos!” from our UKay queen and threats to provide me with a catheter the next time we travel. The last issue made hair-raising by suspected ghostly encounters in the Recoletos’ toilet.

Perfect, because of the generous hearts that treated us to dinner on both nights (Don Henrico's & Rose Bowl) and a sumptuous buffet breakfast at Baguio Country Club. We were like overstuffed sausages ready to burst but we just had to try everything. Several blueberry Danish pastries had my name on them and I couldn’t resist their sinful temptation.

Perfect, because it was not just a pleasure trip but also a chance to serve in ways we don’t normally do at the Feast Alabang. Chris and Mandy danced during Bro Arun’s talk in front of a host of strangers. Something they only do with family and friends. Lallaine, Cora, Lani, Josie and I were salesgirls at the book table. We prayed that almost all the books and CDs will be sold to have space for the jams, peanut brittle, brooms, vegetables and my favorite succulent strawberries that we can’t leave Baguio without. God answered that prayer. The book table was mobbed.

We all felt the same way – it was a blessings-filled trip. And the fun didn’t stop in Baguio. Lunch at Isdaan in Gerona, Tarlac was wacky with crazy poses and serenades by the Salbabida Boys and the Cumbancheros. The second group sent us into stitches with their version of “ABC” and “Ten Litter Indians” for Helene and Yohan.

There was more blessings overflow. My total expenses fell way below my budget. IC, Chris & Lani’s son, saved me from lugging all my extra baggage by giving me a lift home. To top it all, my team heads and members stepped in and ably steered the Media Ministry in my absence.

Perfect trip. Abundant blessings. It was a time of refreshing for a tired soul. I’m now “Happy to serve” (clap, clap) again. Not just in my beloved Feast Alabang but also in Feast Vietnam and Feast Bohol. Wink.

Building a Team, Building a FAMMily

Scene 1:

Gaily colored blindfolds. My team got pink ones – my favorite. With hands on the shoulder of the person in front, they followed me. Hold on, three got left behind. I ran back to get them.

Nine other teams like us gingerly navigated the grounds of the Metrogate Silang club house like caterpillars. At each stop, we were timed for the activity:

Scrounge for objects to put under given letters. Stop that ant – it goes under letter A.

Fill a pail using water bottles peppered with holes. Get drenched in the process.

Crawl like snakes in the grass through a minefield – this while blindfolded and just listening for directions. (It’s bad enough that I’m like one of our former presidents who jokesters say had to wear a wristband to tell his left from his right. I also had to direct my team members in mirror image – right, ay your left pala.)

Step on only 4 soft drink crates – all 7 to 8 different-sized members at the same time – to get to the finish line. Whew, our team made it in one go with planning and coordination.

The last blindfolded activity in the afternoon elicited screams and laughter. We even broke out in song – “Abundance of Rain” – when we heard water splashing nearby (we are with the Music Ministry after all). The swaying bridge encouraged tighter grips and more noise. Being a team leader in the morning and groping blindfolded in the afternoon gave me a different perspective. A follower this time, my instinct was still to find a way to keep the group intact. “I felt a hand rail. Grab it!” I tipped my friends as the bridge began to swing. This, I realized, is what team heads really do – lead and also follow.

“Trust your leader,” we were told. That’s the essence of the whole activity. For as we removed our blindfolds, we found out it was our Feast Builder who led us safely over the bridge.

Scene 2:

FAMMily (Feast Alabang Media Ministry family) members made it to the meeting place on time. The threat that the last ones to arrive will foot the bill for lunch motivated everybody. Violet withdrew her 100-egg offering to St. Claire and so there was rain. Scrap the zip line in Picnic Grove. Mike I. didn’t feel like doing that while holding an umbrella. Instead, the umbrellas were used in Tierra de Maria for photos under the rain.

But we were still blessed. The rain stopped as we rummaged for “treasures” in the ukay-ukay. We got great photos in Sonya’s Garden (with shots of my dream house – thanks to Osy, Mike T. & Jeps) and Caleruega after our lunch in Mahogany Market.

Where to hold our meeting? We thought the dimly-lit dining area in Caleruega was a blessing but we were politely told this was for retreatants only. The real blessing was the roof top which we had almost to ourselves. There was a cabana with a table and chairs, a curtain of light blue flowers over the walkway, a refreshing breeze, outdoor lighting and a great view. And then there’s my personal blessing: a great ministry – team heads and members – who not only give their best but are so much fun to be with.

Anticipated mass was in the foggy courtyard of the Little Souls Convent. Hugs kept each other warm. Dinner was a prelude to a ministry caring group – shared dreams and shared joy for a member’s answered prayer.

These are scenes from dawn to dusk of my past two Saturdays: the first from the Feast Alabang Events Pillar team building, the second from the Media Ministry meeting in Tagaytay. Both were relationship bridges. Bonds tightened. Friendships nourished. A team and a family strengthened.

5:00 a.m. Blessings and an Answered Prayer

Five o'clock. My alarm blares the hour. Snooze. I snuggle under my warm comforter on this chilly morning. After 9 minutes, it clamors for attention again. Another snooze, another snuggle, another buzz. Repeat cycle.

Then I bolt up for mommy duty. Boil the rice. Swish the eggs. Drop the bacon and tomatoes in the pan. Omelet for breakfast done. I can hear my elder son coming down the stairs. Quick, fry the fish fillet. Wait, it needs oyster sauce. Dice bell pepper in a flash. Lunch for baon done just as he finished breakfast. Kiss and bless Son #1 good-bye.

Repeat fish fillet procedure for Son # 2's lunch. (I could have done this in one batch but Son # 1 will be delayed). While fish is frying, thaw hotdogs. Pop breakfast into my mouth as I grab ingredients for his sandwich. Snacks done. This should keep him till his late dinner.

I'm searching for a word a level higher than hectic to describe my mornings for the past week. I guess frenzied will have to do. But amidst all this, I was praising God for my blessings.

First, we are blessed with food to cook. Other people sleep to forget hunger.

Second, I have a sister-in-law whose daughter died in her teens. I know she would give the world to be in my apron preparing her daughter's baon. I am blessed with hungry sons to feed.

Third, all that food I prepared is for my sons who have both entered the work force. Yes, both of them because last week God completely answered Dream # 2 in my Novena to God's Love.

Dream # 2.a is for the whole family (my parents, the other son and me) to attend both of my sons' graduations. My Papa almost didn't make it last Saturday because he had a board meeting in our province. He chose to be present at my younger son's graduation. At my elder son's graduation last year, my parents had no tickets but got in anyway. We were all present on both occasions. And, of course, the big thing here is that both my sons are now college graduates.

Dream # 2.b is for my sons to find well-paying jobs after college. A few days before he marched to get his diploma, my younger son was hired to do free-lance work on a film bound for Cannes.

"Well-paying" is still on the way that's why the packed lunch and snacks and my frenzied mornings. But I'm claiming that answered prayer for my sons already.

As I send off Son #2 with a kiss and a blessing, I thank God for His graces that fired up my new day.

Team LOJ All-Stars Huddle

There I was poised atop a monobloc chair in front of the gigantic Feast Builders’ tarp. Osy twisted around – down on her knees, face almost on the floor – her brand new DSLR camera angled for a shot. Our mission: make me look like I’m part of the big picture and do it quickly before a group from another Feast comes to pose. At that instant I wished I had a camera to take her picture, too. We must’ve been a funny sight.

But our carefree mood was not out of place in this carnival. The horde of servant-leaders in identical blue and white LOJ All-Stars jersey echoed our jubilation. And all the people milling around us were engaged in the national pastime of “Kodak-an”. I guess we all wanted to keep a piece of this happy memory – the 2011 Light of Jesus (LOJ) Leaders Assembly.

The morning of January 29, 2011 was a collage of different scenes. LOJ members in sportswear. Balloons shaped into kooky headpieces. Praise and worship at the Philippine Air Force Gym. The anointing by our “coaches” – Bro Bo Sanchez and the Feast Builders – as we prepare to score more goals. And what would a team huddle be without team pictures and a pep talk.

The pep talk was given by Ardy Abello, a motivational speaker who said, “Everything in life is about team work.” He gave 4 insights about teams that are winners:

1. Goal-driven teams will not settle for the good. They go for the great.

Having just finished visioning with my FAMMily (aka Feast Alabang Media Ministry), I felt confident that my go-getting, close-knit team is on the right track to doing great things.

2. Overcoming teams value discipline. Discipline of the mind, body and soul leads to creativity.

Here I got an affirmation about two of my philosophies – a) “Me” time is essential to a sound mind and body; and b) a fit body is a foundation of success. This is an area of struggle for me because some people think this is an alien philosophy I concocted just so I can escape my responsibilities and hang out in the gym at least twice a week.

3. Leading your team with positive influence is key.

A great lesson for me to apply to my team and even my children is that the mind is strengthened if it receives something positive or true.

4. Determination produces long-term results.

We all go through “Everest” experiences or difficult challenges but if we don’t quit midway, there will be no mountain high enough that we can’t conquer. Persevere, persevere, persevere! Got to keep that mantra going when I go through I-can’t-take-any-more-of-this times.

Together with these thoughts on teamwork and the countless pictures to remind us that we belong to one team, we left the huddle ready to start winning more points for Team LOJ.

Team Feast Alabang All-Stars with our "coaches" Arun Gogna and Bo Sanchez.

My Little Big Artifact

Like ants in a sugar bowl, Proudly Filipina members swarmed around the registration table at the posh entrance of The Spa at the Fort. They each grabbed a token and tied it around their wrists. The less staid Ka-Pinays tied it around their ankles. Each component of the bracelet/anklet was a symbol of our race – a nacre sampaguita, pearls, coconut shell and carabao horn beads. All the lady guests wanted one including celebrity host Christine Bersola-Babao. I felt a pinch of pride. The trinket was something I spent several cross-eyed-from-lack-of-sleep nights crafting for our launch Spa-rty.

That was two years and many articles ago. I brought the bracelet to the writer’s workshop, “Write Now,” that I attended on Jan. 15, 2011, Rissa Singson-Kawpeng, our writing coach, asked us to bring an artifact. It was a tool we can use to introduce ourselves. Also a mental post-it to make the memory about the participants stick.

My artifact chronicles a short story. It tells how I like to make things with my hands – fashion accessories for one. It is also a memento of the first time I had the audacity to write for public consumption through the online magazine of Proudly Filipina.com. Inserted in its pages are the interesting and accomplished Filipinas I met, interviewed and wrote about.

This trinket also linked each chapter in my new profession. My two gifts that the bracelet represented – crafting and writing – were keys that opened the double-locked door to the world of writing for Insight Magazine and Didache. (I have blogged about how long I’ve wanted to write for Didache and how I met Rissa through my accessories.)

Because I wrote a reflection for Didache about an old blog, I was pushed (forced by embarrassment actually) to resurrect it before the reflection was due to come out. Didache readers might look for the blog and find articles as old and outmoded as last season’s fashion bling. I wanted them to read something new and sparkling.

From this blog, another link was created. An article I submitted to Bo Sanchez’s Facebook page was chosen Blog of the Week. It also caught the eye of Kerygma Magazine’s managing editor, Tess Atienza. At that time, she needed a testimony for their January issue. My story was exactly what she was looking for. A new chapter began when Tess asked me to be a contributing writer for Kerygma – another dream inscribed in my heart for many years.

These are the links so far in my story bracelet. Links that show big opportunities can come from little things. You never know where a blessing will start. It can begin from something as trivial as my trinket.

Creative House's Rissa Singson-Kawpeng, Arun & Lallaine Gogna (third to fifth from the left) with "Write Now" participants from Feast Alabang Osy Erica, Lella Santiago, Desi Tomas & Jo Ann Fauni

Thanks to Osy for this photo.