Here's another set of photos taken during our Palawan adventure in the Philippines. Here you'll see some nice landscapes and the infamous "underground river" where it was nominated to be included in the new "seven wonders of the world". I'm not sure though if it won or not.
It’s just one of the boredom days…But actually I don’t get bored here. I do a lot of things that I can’t even have time to write in my blog even though random thoughts had been bugging my mind for the past days. It was generally a good week. I’d say a couple of weeks. We enjoy having some friends to come over and have fun. My husband has bought a projector from ebay and connected it to the dvd player and voila! It is as if we are watching movies in a theatre! Put the projector on against the large living room wall. Friends seems to enjoy it everytime and they are all eager to come over. And my neverending PANCIT and LUMPIANG SHANGHAI recipe has become so popular in the whole congregation, that everytime they come over, they’d ask for me to do it! Oh well, i’d love to although honestly I am tired doing that hahaha! Hmm, speaking of Filipino food, yeah I missed it. Good thing my husband bought kilos of rice before I arrive here, knowing that I would eat more rice than burgers and sandwiches. And it’s a good thing there’s an asian store around(one is owned by a Filipino) where i can buy pancit bihon(or rice sticks as they call it) lumpia wrapper(or spring rolls here) and guess what? They have SALTED EGGS! My eyes went BIG! It comes in six pieces per box but the only difference is they’re not red as I am used to back home. But it doesn’t matter, it’s still salted eggs. My husband was laughing at me that as soon as we gets home, i quickly cook rice and prepare the salted eggs and diced tomatoes and onions and eat with my washed bare hands…..as if i never ate for ages! I also miss SINIGANG NA BABOY. Well, the Filipino store has KANGKONG(or bokchoy in chinese) and they have my favorite OKRA in the supermarket. And i got Tamarind soup base(from the philipppines), so maybe one of these days i will cook myself sinigang, hmmm, i am getting hungry now. Sorry guys, you must have noticed that I talk about FOOD all this time. Well, i just want to emphasize that i miss Filipino food. Good thing they liked my pancit and lumpia and adobo. American food is okay(mostly burgers, chicken and ham sandwiches, hotdogs, potatoes,salads) But it’s kinda tiring too. There’s a lot of Mexican, Italian and Chinese restaurants here so whenever I feel like missing asian food, I will just ask Steve to go get chinese, which he also loves(good thing). No Filipino restaurant around here(but i see one in Orlando), so the closest home for me will be chinese. We got a married couple friends here that used to live in California(where most Filipinos are)and they arewell-familiar with Filipino foods because they have some Filipino friends back in California. I was amazed when i brought my lumpiang shanghai when we had a get-together, Debbie quickly said, “oh is that lumpia?” She even knows the name! So Steve and I planned that when we invite them here, I would prepare not the shanghai lumpia, but the FRESH LUMPIA. Which Steve also loves. They haven’t tried it so i thought it would be nice to prepare that for them. Oh well….I gotta go for now…food trip ang lola nyo ngayon haha! Not really, namimiss ko lang pagkaing pinoy…..Until next time!
I just got home from a busy day. Doing and rushing errands in processing travel documents. And wow, I never thought that it is this difficult. There are so many requirements you need to meet and pass in order to get what you need. For example, I wanted to avail my passport. I thought, by visiting their website would make it easier for me for at least, know what they need and what to bring. And so it says there, you need your birth certificate be authenticated by National Statistics Office. Your latest NBI clearance for abroad, 3 passport size ID pictures with royal blue background and that's it. And other valid IDs. And so before going there, I already have those documents ready. Went there, and guess what? They changed their system. Instead of standing in a very long line to have your papers verified,they give you appointed date which is a week long. So there's nothing i can do but wait. Only to find out that they don't honor my company ID. Whatta!!! The guy in the counter asked me to get my E1 form from Social Security System because my ID was lost due to my snatched wallet by some scumbags back then. Then, he also asked me to get my voter's records, registration and certificate. I went straight to COMELEC (Commission on Elections) and filled up forms to get my voter's documents. It is so frustrating why can't they say in your first visit what they want? Why do you have to wait for a week only to be told your papers are not enough?It's ridiculous! So the next day, i went to SSS, stand in line for two hours and was told i can only get my E1 form after 7 days. Aaaarrrggghhh!!! Then the face of that guy in DFA surfaced in my mind. Grrr!!!! He's really making it hard for me.
Then came the next day, I got my voter's records. I thought I'd go back to DFA and take my chances.Why not, i said to myself. Even if I still don't have my E1 form, I will take a chance to have my voter's records pass the verification. And so I went to a different window. This time I chose this amiable looking woman and have my papers verified. My heart beating so fast, mumbling prayers in my mind, hoping she'd accept my documents.....and so she did!!!! She even joked and said I was lucky for choosing her. Well, yeah! And so i went to wait in line again for payment. But it's okay to wait in line as long as you know that it's a sure ball already. And for me not to get bored waiting in line, I talk to people. Since we all have the same purpose of going there, we get to talk in the same interest. What strucked me is how you see so many Filipinos all painstakingly waiting in line just to get a passport. Everyday you will see thousands and thousands of Filipinos all wanting to get out of the country and look for a greener pasture anywhere but home. Bottomline is, there's no hope in our poor country. All are struggling to get out. Different destinations, even to warzone countries. People will risk their lives just to earn money. In hopes of making their family's lives get better.
And from there, I get to share with them what I learned from the Bible. As a Jehovah's witness, it is a natural obligation of us to share the hope we have. And that is the hope of everlasting life under God's Kingdom. That if we have knowledge about God's word, this gives us hope and set us free.Free from the world's worries. And even though there's no exception to the rule, all of us suffer from Satan's wicked system. There's a lot of questions raised in everyone's mind. Like, why do we suffer, if God is love, how can He allow such wickedness and injustices? And thru knowledge from the Bible, this sets us free. Free from being hopeless. And when you talk about this to people, they were amazed and you will see that bottomline is, all are in hopes of a better life....in a better world..under a better government. And sad to say, we cannot find it here.It all boils down to the kingdom of God as the sole answer to humankind's sufferings. A place where the only "passport" we need is the accurate knowledge from God's word. Sad to say, most don't give attention and some even mock God to His face. Just like in the days of Noah. When they were warned by Noah, for the coming of deluge. But instead of listening, they laughed and taunt him. And when the great anger of God came, it is too late for them to enter into the ark, that serves as the refuge.And just like in this "last days" ....Witnesses all over the world continued to preach the good news of the Kingdom telling and helping people to acquire accurate knowledge. And we ourselves are doing our best to meet God's standards. And it's nice that God is so good that even though we're not perfect, He accepts us and sees what's in our hearts. It is just up to us how to show appreciation for his kindness.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
My Photo Experience....
I am not a professional photographer but I always have passion for photography and it's one of my most favorite subjects in college. Too bad that i was not able to bring with me my "plates" and scanned and saved them on cd,because we were using the manual camera back then and film rolls. Which for me is interesting and the advanatge of it i guess is it makes you even more careful and avoid mistakes because unlike the digital, it tells you whether you're right or wrong and can delete it in just one click. But of course digital is so convenient and economical. Anyways, here are some of shots i took when we were in Bohol, Philippines. I have no theme here whatsoever. I just took photos as a hobby and took some which I find interesting. Enjoy....,
Friday, October 24, 2008
Miownlil'way (three)
So,here's the 3rd sequel...
"There are over six billion people around the world. And it's amazing to learn that each of us were created unique from the other. Each individual has their own identity,principle,viewpoint and taste. So if you want to gain RESPECT out of this six billion people,LEARN TO RESPECT other people's principle,viewpoint and taste."
The word respect itself is sometimes hard for many people. People tend to be selfish and pushy in things they want to. But since we are created uniquely...respecting one another can make life easier.
"Everything in this world is made by reason. Nothing exists and happen by coincidence. So does our lives. The person that we become and even the tiny things that we tend to overlooked,has its own purpose and reason. So we must not judge everything and everyone...it may have a reason. Just like you,you may have a reason too."
WHY is always the question in everything,in everyone. Even kids asks "why" in everything. Why is the sky blue?Why there are stars in the night? Why does it happen? Why she/he became like this and that? In every WHY,there must be a reason. Whether it's right or wrong.And we must not be judgmental. We tend to get sad or mad over things that one person may did. We may not always like it. She/he has reasons...either good or bad,it still is a reason. And we are responsible for whatever we have become.
"Life is an endless road to challenge. It's up to us to take the risk,face it and allow ourselves to fall, and just be human. Or you can take the safe lane, avoid the danger,the fun,the pros and cons life has to offer.But i believe,you'd learn more to life,if you taste it with zest,chill-out and let yourself be...Because the blame is more painful if you don't do it at all."
Experience is the best teacher,so they say. And i agree with that. It's easy to give advice,to suggest things but it's not once you are in the situation. It's easy to judge and criticize...but not once you are in the middle of the crisis. So why not be ourselves...and let life itself teach us.And yet,learn from it
"Almost always,people tend to set standards when it comes to relationship. Certain rules and everything....without evaluating their own personality."
Does it ring a bell? Oh for sure. You'd hear different claims of "oh she should be like this and and that.He should be like this and that!" But the sad thing is...Hey,have you look at yourself first?Have you ask yourself and evaluate what kind of person you are before you deserve this and that? Duh???
No offense guys...there's no exemption to the rule,i myself is struck by my own analysis and i would say i have to review these every once in a while,LoL!!!
PEACE...
"There are over six billion people around the world. And it's amazing to learn that each of us were created unique from the other. Each individual has their own identity,principle,viewpoint and taste. So if you want to gain RESPECT out of this six billion people,LEARN TO RESPECT other people's principle,viewpoint and taste."
The word respect itself is sometimes hard for many people. People tend to be selfish and pushy in things they want to. But since we are created uniquely...respecting one another can make life easier.
"Everything in this world is made by reason. Nothing exists and happen by coincidence. So does our lives. The person that we become and even the tiny things that we tend to overlooked,has its own purpose and reason. So we must not judge everything and everyone...it may have a reason. Just like you,you may have a reason too."
WHY is always the question in everything,in everyone. Even kids asks "why" in everything. Why is the sky blue?Why there are stars in the night? Why does it happen? Why she/he became like this and that? In every WHY,there must be a reason. Whether it's right or wrong.And we must not be judgmental. We tend to get sad or mad over things that one person may did. We may not always like it. She/he has reasons...either good or bad,it still is a reason. And we are responsible for whatever we have become.
"Life is an endless road to challenge. It's up to us to take the risk,face it and allow ourselves to fall, and just be human. Or you can take the safe lane, avoid the danger,the fun,the pros and cons life has to offer.But i believe,you'd learn more to life,if you taste it with zest,chill-out and let yourself be...Because the blame is more painful if you don't do it at all."
Experience is the best teacher,so they say. And i agree with that. It's easy to give advice,to suggest things but it's not once you are in the situation. It's easy to judge and criticize...but not once you are in the middle of the crisis. So why not be ourselves...and let life itself teach us.And yet,learn from it
"Almost always,people tend to set standards when it comes to relationship. Certain rules and everything....without evaluating their own personality."
Does it ring a bell? Oh for sure. You'd hear different claims of "oh she should be like this and and that.He should be like this and that!" But the sad thing is...Hey,have you look at yourself first?Have you ask yourself and evaluate what kind of person you are before you deserve this and that? Duh???
No offense guys...there's no exemption to the rule,i myself is struck by my own analysis and i would say i have to review these every once in a while,LoL!!!
PEACE...
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Itlog na Maalat With Tomatoes and Sibuyas
It’s just one of the boredom days…But actually I don’t get bored here. I do a lot of things that I can’t even have time to write in my blog even though random thoughts had been bugging my mind for the past days. It was generally a good week. I’d say a couple of weeks. We enjoy having some friends to come over and have fun. My husband has bought a projector from ebay and connected it to the dvd player and voila! It is as if we are watching movies in a theatre! Put the projector on against the large living room wall. Friends seems to enjoy it everytime and they are all eager to come over. And my neverending PANCIT and LUMPIANG SHANGHAI recipe has become so popular in the whole congregation, that everytime they come over, they’d ask for me to do it! Oh well, i’d love to although honestly I am tired doing that hahaha! Hmm, speaking of Filipino food, yeah I missed it. Good thing my husband bought kilos of rice before I arrive here, knowing that I would eat more rice than burgers and sandwiches. And it’s a good thing there’s an asian store around(one is owned by a Filipino) where i can buy pancit bihon(or rice sticks as they call it) lumpia wrapper(or spring rolls here) and guess what? They have SALTED EGGS! My eyes went BIG! It comes in six pieces per box but the only difference is they’re not red as I am used to back home. But it doesn’t matter, it’s still salted eggs. My husband was laughing at me that as soon as we gets home, i quickly cook rice and prepare the salted eggs and diced tomatoes and onions and eat with my washed bare hands…..as if i never ate for ages! I also miss SINIGANG NA BABOY. Well, the Filipino store has KANGKONG(or bokchoy in chinese) and they have my favorite OKRA in the supermarket. And i got Tamarind soup base(from the philipppines), so maybe one of these days i will cook myself sinigang, hmmm, i am getting hungry now. Sorry guys, you must have noticed that I talk about FOOD all this time. Well, i just want to emphasize that i miss Filipino food. Good thing they liked my pancit and lumpia and adobo. American food is okay(mostly burgers, chicken and ham sandwiches, hotdogs, potatoes,salads) But it’s kinda tiring too. There’s a lot of Mexican, Italian and Chinese restaurants here so whenever I feel like missing asian food, I will just ask Steve to go get chinese, which he also loves(good thing). No Filipino restaurant around here(but i see one in Orlando), so the closest home for me will be chinese. We got a married couple friends here that used to live in California(where most Filipinos are)and they arewell-familiar with Filipino foods because they have some Filipino friends back in California. I was amazed when i brought my lumpiang shanghai when we had a get-together, Debbie quickly said, “oh is that lumpia?” She even knows the name! So Steve and I planned that when we invite them here, I would prepare not the shanghai lumpia, but the FRESH LUMPIA. Which Steve also loves. They haven’t tried it so i thought it would be nice to prepare that for them. Oh well….I gotta go for now…food trip ang lola nyo ngayon haha! Not really, namimiss ko lang pagkaing pinoy…..Until next time!
Monday, August 18, 2008
Undeserved Kindness
It's very frustrating to see how people are so unappreciative of things done for them by others. Well, I don't have to be surprised anyways since it's been told in the bible how the signs of last days will be sooo hard to deal with. Here I would like to emphasize the youth. Isn't it amazing that our parents used to compare how their generation differs from us? How young people their time used to be so obedient and kind and respectful to parents? And I have to laugh at myself as I grow older seeing the youth of today compared to my time?(which is not really too long ago, ha!) But I admit, the difference was so vast and sooo distant. I remember, even though I do not always agree with my parents before, but I don't remember talking back to them whenever they correct or reprove me. But gee wheez...how you see the kids today on how they talk back to their parents. On how they conducted and treat the elderly. It just simply blows my mind!
One youth even says that he will have his father put to jail if he don't feed him. And that his dad should be thankful to him that he eats the food that he gives even though he throw some of them when he doesn't like it. They treat their parents as if they were just their own age. They were trying to manipulate the parents. And that's how kids are today. It is so sad that Godly fear is nothing to them. Considering what happened to the ancient characters in the bible who suffers from being disobedient and haughty and such..still, these kids think they know everything. They think that they are invincible and that bad things won't happen to them, that they can take care of themselves, blah, blah,blah....without knowing that they are just inviting bad things to happen to them instead. They are making themselves easy prey for Satan. Easy targets to slowly ruin their lives. The more they rebel, the more it's easy for Satan to get them. It is just so frustrating and sad how these kids are so unappreciative and ungrateful how their parents raise them. Provide what they need, do things to make them a better person, a better christian, a better citizen, a better worker and such. Yes, they are not perfect, and so does the children. And yet, kids are so hard-headed, should i say "pain in the neck" nuisance. And sad to say, we all have been kids too. It's just that children today are more brave. More brave to be disobedient and disrespectful. I remember there are times that I don't see eye-to-eye with my mother. But never do I talk back to her!!! Because I thought, she's my mother. I respect her with all my heart. My parents raised me, took care of me and provide what I need and they did everything just to make me a good, responsible person. I admit I screw up a few times, but I always appreciate all the good things they've done. And I would say, I am fortunate because I have parents. Because some don't. Some were either left abandoned by their parents or some parents died early.
I titled this blog "Undeserved Kindness", because this is the kind of love our Heavenly Father has for us. Notice the word "undeserved". See how we don't even deserved to be loved by God, because we are sinners. And yet, He did! It's a shame how people(specially youth) focus on their parents(and others) mistakes rather than thanking them for keeping them alive and well. It's a shame how people blame God for the sufferings they have, whilst it's their own accountability for whatever happened to their lives.
It's a pity that this world is one SHAMELESS, UNAPPRECIATIVE place. And it's sad that still, people are doing things to their own destruction. People still make themselves as easy prey to satan. People still asks the force of nature to hit them hard before they start to realized the consequence of their disobedience.
But it's a privilege that those who fear God enjoys His "undeserved kindness" and look forward to everlasting life....
One youth even says that he will have his father put to jail if he don't feed him. And that his dad should be thankful to him that he eats the food that he gives even though he throw some of them when he doesn't like it. They treat their parents as if they were just their own age. They were trying to manipulate the parents. And that's how kids are today. It is so sad that Godly fear is nothing to them. Considering what happened to the ancient characters in the bible who suffers from being disobedient and haughty and such..still, these kids think they know everything. They think that they are invincible and that bad things won't happen to them, that they can take care of themselves, blah, blah,blah....without knowing that they are just inviting bad things to happen to them instead. They are making themselves easy prey for Satan. Easy targets to slowly ruin their lives. The more they rebel, the more it's easy for Satan to get them. It is just so frustrating and sad how these kids are so unappreciative and ungrateful how their parents raise them. Provide what they need, do things to make them a better person, a better christian, a better citizen, a better worker and such. Yes, they are not perfect, and so does the children. And yet, kids are so hard-headed, should i say "pain in the neck" nuisance. And sad to say, we all have been kids too. It's just that children today are more brave. More brave to be disobedient and disrespectful. I remember there are times that I don't see eye-to-eye with my mother. But never do I talk back to her!!! Because I thought, she's my mother. I respect her with all my heart. My parents raised me, took care of me and provide what I need and they did everything just to make me a good, responsible person. I admit I screw up a few times, but I always appreciate all the good things they've done. And I would say, I am fortunate because I have parents. Because some don't. Some were either left abandoned by their parents or some parents died early.
I titled this blog "Undeserved Kindness", because this is the kind of love our Heavenly Father has for us. Notice the word "undeserved". See how we don't even deserved to be loved by God, because we are sinners. And yet, He did! It's a shame how people(specially youth) focus on their parents(and others) mistakes rather than thanking them for keeping them alive and well. It's a shame how people blame God for the sufferings they have, whilst it's their own accountability for whatever happened to their lives.
It's a pity that this world is one SHAMELESS, UNAPPRECIATIVE place. And it's sad that still, people are doing things to their own destruction. People still make themselves as easy prey to satan. People still asks the force of nature to hit them hard before they start to realized the consequence of their disobedience.
But it's a privilege that those who fear God enjoys His "undeserved kindness" and look forward to everlasting life....
Friday, July 25, 2008
Changes
Wow,it has been a long while since the last time i post my blog here. Thw past two months has been very hectic with me. My fiance(now my husband) went to my country with his little boy and spent a month with me and my family. It's a sort of asking my family for me for marriage. "Pamamanhikan" is what we call it in the Philippines. So, to cut a long story short, I spent the last two months or so in preparing papers for the immigration and stuffs. Plus, we had a little engagement party over there since we planned to get married in the US. It is more difficult if we marry in the Philippines, it will take forever for me to follow my husband. You know, those complicated stuffs and everything.
Oh well, my very first trip in the US, or should i say outside the country. The anticipation is so great that not until the plane lifts up from the ground, did I finally realized..."hey, I am now actually leaving my country and my family...this is it!" And tears suddenly fell from my eyes. It's a mixed feeling...both sad and happy. Sad because this is not gonna be a temporary thing. It's not just a vacation for several days or months or that you have a contract of a limited time then come back and go home to your family. This is a decision of a lifetime! And I am happy as well because I will be with the one I have waited for....all my life. The one who gives such happiness that family and friends can't give. Of course I value and treasure very much the happiness my family and friends showed and gave me. But like what they say, "no man is an island". Although we are surrounded with love from friends and family, still, we long for that "someone" to love and be loved in return. A complement, a bestfriend, a confidant...someone to grow old with.
I thank Jehovah God for giving me my complement. Although I admit I may screwed up a few times before...but He never lets me down. And although there is no perfect relationship, but accepting the truth about it and both will agree to work on it, nothing is impossible.
And so, June 25, Wednesday at 9:30pm, my plane landed at Daytona international airport....the airport was so quiet, as if no one works in it..it's odd. Then, as I was going down the escalator, feeling groggy for over a 24 hour trip, I see this very handsome man clad in dark-colored long sleeves and tie...beaming at me! Suddenly my senses woke up and felt energetic again! There goes my baby, i said to myself.
The next week has been busy preparing for the wedding. We got our marriage license the next day and witht the help of some sisters in their congregation, the wedding that was supposed to be small and intimate became a "not that small" wedding since it's about a hundred came and welcome us as newly-wed couple. So everything went well that goes well. It's simple yet beautiful.
The congregation is so warm and loving in general. Everyone seems to be happy and caring. Well of course nobody's perfect but it's just amazing that even though I am thousands of miles away from my family, they made me feel at home. Thanks to the new technology, I get to talk and see my family back home.
It is now our Circuit Overseer's visit and what a great speaker he is. He had this talk about the youth, on how to make wise decision in life. And making the Truth their own. Proving if what they believe in is the truth. I had same problems as I was growing up. For me, attending meetings and service is just an obligation. As in you have to do it or else....you'd get scolded by your parents. But as I grow older and mature, God has never been so real until you realized it. For some it started early, some started late. But there is no too late for God. He has given us sooo much time...with his patience and kindness, it's really up to us to use our lives wisely and do not abuse it.
This past few months has been a tremendous change for me. For 38 years confined in a poor country, waking up with the noise of the neighbors. Either they are gossiping or fighting...still you wake up with those loud voices. Sniffing the polluted air amidst the heavy traffic, sweating, burning up under the sun waiting for a passenger's jeepney or trycicle or bus. You'd be lucky enough to get a public SUV(or FX as we call it in Manila) for you to feel cool inside and let your hair stay in place and keep you fresh til you get to your point of destination, wherever it may be....and all of it were gone to where i live now. I am amazed to see different breeds of birds flying in the sky in groups...you will see people fishing in the bridge which you cannot do in Pasig river ha! It's almost like paradise. But there is one disadvatage i guess...and like what the congregation here said, because people doesn't feel they are lacking, they feel that they don't need God anymore. So, it is so hard to convince them to accept the truth and study the bible. Yes, they may have huge houses, peaceful neighborhood...but they don't need God, it is somehow depressing. But what's important is we do our task as christians, that we go make disciples and whether they accept the truth or not, leave it to Jehovah. And this somehow kinda made me feel homesick. Somehow I realized that "poverty" has it's advantages. Because poor people feel the pain and suffering more, they need God. They need a change, they need hope, they need God's kingdom. But I am still positive that even though people here may not be accomodating or too busy at work and such, I know for sure that there are still many out there who are just waiting to be taught or maybe they were puffed up with pride. But one thing I came to realized, people cannot feel the need for God unless they are in distress or in danger. Just like the book of Revelation said, if people doesn't listen, let them be.
Oh well, that has been my life for the past two months...an abrupt changes which I hope i can cope up with. I am sure I can.
Oh well, my very first trip in the US, or should i say outside the country. The anticipation is so great that not until the plane lifts up from the ground, did I finally realized..."hey, I am now actually leaving my country and my family...this is it!" And tears suddenly fell from my eyes. It's a mixed feeling...both sad and happy. Sad because this is not gonna be a temporary thing. It's not just a vacation for several days or months or that you have a contract of a limited time then come back and go home to your family. This is a decision of a lifetime! And I am happy as well because I will be with the one I have waited for....all my life. The one who gives such happiness that family and friends can't give. Of course I value and treasure very much the happiness my family and friends showed and gave me. But like what they say, "no man is an island". Although we are surrounded with love from friends and family, still, we long for that "someone" to love and be loved in return. A complement, a bestfriend, a confidant...someone to grow old with.
I thank Jehovah God for giving me my complement. Although I admit I may screwed up a few times before...but He never lets me down. And although there is no perfect relationship, but accepting the truth about it and both will agree to work on it, nothing is impossible.
And so, June 25, Wednesday at 9:30pm, my plane landed at Daytona international airport....the airport was so quiet, as if no one works in it..it's odd. Then, as I was going down the escalator, feeling groggy for over a 24 hour trip, I see this very handsome man clad in dark-colored long sleeves and tie...beaming at me! Suddenly my senses woke up and felt energetic again! There goes my baby, i said to myself.
The next week has been busy preparing for the wedding. We got our marriage license the next day and witht the help of some sisters in their congregation, the wedding that was supposed to be small and intimate became a "not that small" wedding since it's about a hundred came and welcome us as newly-wed couple. So everything went well that goes well. It's simple yet beautiful.
The congregation is so warm and loving in general. Everyone seems to be happy and caring. Well of course nobody's perfect but it's just amazing that even though I am thousands of miles away from my family, they made me feel at home. Thanks to the new technology, I get to talk and see my family back home.
It is now our Circuit Overseer's visit and what a great speaker he is. He had this talk about the youth, on how to make wise decision in life. And making the Truth their own. Proving if what they believe in is the truth. I had same problems as I was growing up. For me, attending meetings and service is just an obligation. As in you have to do it or else....you'd get scolded by your parents. But as I grow older and mature, God has never been so real until you realized it. For some it started early, some started late. But there is no too late for God. He has given us sooo much time...with his patience and kindness, it's really up to us to use our lives wisely and do not abuse it.
This past few months has been a tremendous change for me. For 38 years confined in a poor country, waking up with the noise of the neighbors. Either they are gossiping or fighting...still you wake up with those loud voices. Sniffing the polluted air amidst the heavy traffic, sweating, burning up under the sun waiting for a passenger's jeepney or trycicle or bus. You'd be lucky enough to get a public SUV(or FX as we call it in Manila) for you to feel cool inside and let your hair stay in place and keep you fresh til you get to your point of destination, wherever it may be....and all of it were gone to where i live now. I am amazed to see different breeds of birds flying in the sky in groups...you will see people fishing in the bridge which you cannot do in Pasig river ha! It's almost like paradise. But there is one disadvatage i guess...and like what the congregation here said, because people doesn't feel they are lacking, they feel that they don't need God anymore. So, it is so hard to convince them to accept the truth and study the bible. Yes, they may have huge houses, peaceful neighborhood...but they don't need God, it is somehow depressing. But what's important is we do our task as christians, that we go make disciples and whether they accept the truth or not, leave it to Jehovah. And this somehow kinda made me feel homesick. Somehow I realized that "poverty" has it's advantages. Because poor people feel the pain and suffering more, they need God. They need a change, they need hope, they need God's kingdom. But I am still positive that even though people here may not be accomodating or too busy at work and such, I know for sure that there are still many out there who are just waiting to be taught or maybe they were puffed up with pride. But one thing I came to realized, people cannot feel the need for God unless they are in distress or in danger. Just like the book of Revelation said, if people doesn't listen, let them be.
Oh well, that has been my life for the past two months...an abrupt changes which I hope i can cope up with. I am sure I can.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Passport
I just got home from a busy day. Doing and rushing errands in processing travel documents. And wow, I never thought that it is this difficult. There are so many requirements you need to meet and pass in order to get what you need. For example, I wanted to avail my passport. I thought, by visiting their website would make it easier for me for at least, know what they need and what to bring. And so it says there, you need your birth certificate be authenticated by National Statistics Office. Your latest NBI clearance for abroad, 3 passport size ID pictures with royal blue background and that's it. And other valid IDs. And so before going there, I already have those documents ready. Went there, and guess what? They changed their system. Instead of standing in a very long line to have your papers verified,they give you appointed date which is a week long. So there's nothing i can do but wait. Only to find out that they don't honor my company ID. Whatta!!! The guy in the counter asked me to get my E1 form from Social Security System because my ID was lost due to my snatched wallet by some scumbags back then. Then, he also asked me to get my voter's records, registration and certificate. I went straight to COMELEC (Commission on Elections) and filled up forms to get my voter's documents. It is so frustrating why can't they say in your first visit what they want? Why do you have to wait for a week only to be told your papers are not enough?It's ridiculous! So the next day, i went to SSS, stand in line for two hours and was told i can only get my E1 form after 7 days. Aaaarrrggghhh!!! Then the face of that guy in DFA surfaced in my mind. Grrr!!!! He's really making it hard for me.
Then came the next day, I got my voter's records. I thought I'd go back to DFA and take my chances.Why not, i said to myself. Even if I still don't have my E1 form, I will take a chance to have my voter's records pass the verification. And so I went to a different window. This time I chose this amiable looking woman and have my papers verified. My heart beating so fast, mumbling prayers in my mind, hoping she'd accept my documents.....and so she did!!!! She even joked and said I was lucky for choosing her. Well, yeah! And so i went to wait in line again for payment. But it's okay to wait in line as long as you know that it's a sure ball already. And for me not to get bored waiting in line, I talk to people. Since we all have the same purpose of going there, we get to talk in the same interest. What strucked me is how you see so many Filipinos all painstakingly waiting in line just to get a passport. Everyday you will see thousands and thousands of Filipinos all wanting to get out of the country and look for a greener pasture anywhere but home. Bottomline is, there's no hope in our poor country. All are struggling to get out. Different destinations, even to warzone countries. People will risk their lives just to earn money. In hopes of making their family's lives get better.
And from there, I get to share with them what I learned from the Bible. As a Jehovah's witness, it is a natural obligation of us to share the hope we have. And that is the hope of everlasting life under God's Kingdom. That if we have knowledge about God's word, this gives us hope and set us free.Free from the world's worries. And even though there's no exception to the rule, all of us suffer from Satan's wicked system. There's a lot of questions raised in everyone's mind. Like, why do we suffer, if God is love, how can He allow such wickedness and injustices? And thru knowledge from the Bible, this sets us free. Free from being hopeless. And when you talk about this to people, they were amazed and you will see that bottomline is, all are in hopes of a better life....in a better world..under a better government. And sad to say, we cannot find it here.It all boils down to the kingdom of God as the sole answer to humankind's sufferings. A place where the only "passport" we need is the accurate knowledge from God's word. Sad to say, most don't give attention and some even mock God to His face. Just like in the days of Noah. When they were warned by Noah, for the coming of deluge. But instead of listening, they laughed and taunt him. And when the great anger of God came, it is too late for them to enter into the ark, that serves as the refuge.And just like in this "last days" ....Witnesses all over the world continued to preach the good news of the Kingdom telling and helping people to acquire accurate knowledge. And we ourselves are doing our best to meet God's standards. And it's nice that God is so good that even though we're not perfect, He accepts us and sees what's in our hearts. It is just up to us how to show appreciation for his kindness.
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