One Child at a Time

"Releasing Children From Poverty in Jesus' Name"

This first line in the Compassion International (CI) brochure so moved me, I tearfully prayed, In however way I could serve . . .

The next day, CI's National Director  was accompanied by a friend to ask me a question. Saying "no" was not an option. 

"Would you be willing to be a part of the five-man National Advisory Committee (NACs)?" 

The NACs would screen candidates for the Leadership Development Program (LDP)—CI-sponsored high school graduates entering college. I looked forward to meeting the other four members. As I was already neck-deep in writing value-driven stories for children, this new job would add dimension to my craft. 

"We commit to honor Jesus Christ in all that we do. Jesus is the core of our ministry and his life and teachings shape our programs," read CI's mission. 

Unto Jesus, I worked with four gentlemen of various persuasions for a good six years (2004-2010), documented in dozens of blogs. We'd meet several times a year to screen LDP prospects and help train the chosen ones in congresses. 

This ministry enabled me to write a book on these scholars'

struggles, dreams, and breakthroughs:

Circle of Compassion

Stories of children released from poverty  

Fast forward to 2021 . . . 

I got a call from CI's Angel, inviting me to speak at a gathering of CI alumni. 

Alumni! The "kids" we helped mentor over 12 years ago! I thought, rejoicing over their  theme, which is the title of one of my books, "Grace under Pressure." 

It was a morning of no pressure, just pure grace, unsullied by pandemic fears. I had a chance to chat with these graduates again, after many years. These once-children-released-from-poverty-in Jesus'-name are now successful professionals in their fields, and are paying it forward by participating in the CI program "Sponsor a Child." 

"Sponsor a Child" is about sharing $38 per month, which translates to life-changing opportunities for poor children to: attend school, afford food and medical care, and be mentored in a safe environment—a local evangelical church where they will get to know Jesus, whose birth Christians the world over are celebrating this month. 

Dear cyber friends, may I invite you to give a life-changing gift to one child in poverty this Christmas?

Here's the link:

https://www.compassion.com/sponsor_a_child/

Home PINK Home

For years and years, I would not repeat my Christmas tree motif. Thinking up of what next? was hard to ignore.   

Then five years ago, we lost our long-time househelper, Ate Vi, to an undiagnosed ailment, and so I lost my persistent prodder, "Christmas is three months away; don't dilly-dally deciding on the trimmings!" 

Our tree departed with her. The pandemic made things worse—or better, depending on how you look at it. My interest in crafts departed as well. 

But on Halloween last month, Mother Teresa brought out a cornucopia of old decor from the storeroom. Before she could ask, I told her to put up some of them herself. 

Just in time, pink parol (lantern) leaped out of social media.  Supporters of VP Leni Robredo were (and still are) ordering them from lantern makers.  "It's symbolic of hope; let's hang them in our homes," they announced.

This trend resulted in a cottage industry in various places. "This is not just for Christmas; let's leave them hanging till May [the presidential election]," friends encouraged other friends.      

Suddenly, I had bespoke Christmas theme! Tony called up several lantern makers who all said, "All sold out. If you can wait another two weeks . . ." 

No, we couldn't wait. Finally we found one, but for pick-up.  

And so, they surround our home (on a corner lot), reminding passers-by that on Christmas, a season of grace, Hope came. 

Two of these lanterns made it to our terrace to frame our shrunken, token (1.5 feet) Christmas tree, trimmed with pink ribbons and balls.  

Indeed, if we vote for an honest, hard-working, and transparent president with exemplary track record like Leni, we can hope to rise from the ruins of the epidemic and calamities that have strained the economy of the Philippines, your home and mine. 

"The Lord curses the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the upright." Proverbs 3:33 NLT 

PINK and Simple

In December, it's Merry Christmas, not Happy Holidays. 

Among Christians, there are no ifs, buts, ands, or maybes. Christmas is when we celebrate the birth of the Savior of the world, Jesus. This Holy Birth is the reason for the holidays, plain and simple. 

The phrase plain and simple means, essentially or fundamentally so, without exaggeration or elaboration.

In our home, we try hard to take this phrase literally—the birth of Christ was plain (no fuss) and simple (no fanfare). We celebrate it with the least fuss or fanfare. 

We attend a solemn Christmas service (online for the second year) then break bread late in the evening, after which we open utilitarian* gifts, others given months before**, for each other.  

This year, as the country gears up for the presidential election, I discovered that "plain" is interchangeable with  "pink," the campaign color of VP Leni Robredo. 

Pink has been defined as volunteerism and giving of self. Because Leni lacks resources, supporters have been donating time, money, food, materials, and energy for the benefit of other people in the community. What a spirit of social responsibility without expectations of any reward!  

Volunteerism can't be anything but love, the color of Christmas. 

Love has been most palpable after Typhoon Odette left many areas in total ruin—homes and crops are either flattened or swept away; people have perished or are gravely hurt; and hearts are in grief or broken. 

On Christmas eve, grace overflowed. We had a home-delivered lunch, a gift from son #2 and family who live faraway. For dinner, we partook of a roasted turkey (this 30-year family tradition is good for three meals), a charcuterie board from a friend, and some go-withs in place of rice. The 13-pound bird is son #1's gift and the preps plus roasting are son #3's. 

The other presents in pink (photos below) are from nieces and other kin.   

000

*I knew son #1 would give me another translation of the chronological Bible this year. But was I suprised when I opened his present: a chronological Life Application Study Bible! 

**My printer died on me in the middle of a book draft. I panicked; I needed a quick  replacement, but I was broke. My knight in shining armor, Tony, bought me a new one and said, "That's my early Christmas gift for you.

"Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever." Psalm 23:6 (NLT) 

Too Wonderful for Words

Christians all over the world celebrate the birth of Christ on the 25th of December. 

But the date is inconsequential, really. It could be on the 12th of September or the 29th of February, or any day. Nothing changes the fact that one day long ago, the King of all creation gave man a Gift nobody could ever deserve.

On Christmas, in a lowly manger, God became a mere mortal, so that 33 years later, He would die on the cross in place of sinful me—to have the chance to live with Him for eternity.

He did this in such an incredibly humble manner that is contrary to what He owns and can do. 

Christmas is not about the date, the trimmings we fuss over, the angels, the shepherds, the magi, about the things invented by modern man—the trees, wreaths, blinking lights, and wrapped gifts that define revelry. 

So what is it about? 

Many songs and books have been written to describe Christmas, but it remains—to this day—too wonderful for words. One song title by the Ball Brothers and the Go Fish Band speaks of Christmas thus:

“It’s about the Cross.” 

It’s about how Jesus “came to be born once so that we could be born again.”  

Christmas, when He came to us, was just the beginning of His earthly story. It ended when He ascended back to heaven, after being nailed on the cross. 

“It’s the ending that will save you” the song goes. It’s Jesus’ earthly ending to give us a heavenly life that will never, ever end again.  

“Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!” (2 Corinthians 9:15)

Reflect and pray: 

How would I personally describe Christmas? 

The above is an entry from Memories of Grace 

It's a devotional with 180 one-page entries on various topics like ageing, living with hope, trusting God in the midst of uncertainty; and virtues like faith, grace, patience, gratitude, humility, generosity, and many more. It's available at shop.omflit.com  

I believe memories of grace are unlimited. Everyone has an endless lake from which marvelous memories spring.

Christmas Extravagance

A few houses in our village are go-to places during Christmas. The owners put up thousands of lights that elicit aahs and oohs from all passers-by. The multi-colored lights blink in ways nobody ever thought possible. Neighbors say the owners scour the world for the most magnificent  lights through the year so they could display them on Christmas—as their gift to one and all.  

Every year, people in the area and from different faraway places come in droves just to behold these spectacles. 

Instead of lights, other houses decorate with everything people associate with Christmas celebrations—Santa riding his sleigh with his reindeers, musical bells, the magi, and angels. All of them are bigger than life and move to the rhythm of Christmas carols. Videos complete the décor.  

These houses, too, draw large crowds. 

Such extravagance!  And yet, we know that because the houses are owned by billionaires, the expense for those Christmas displays is just a drop in the bucket of material riches.     

They may splurge all they want, and yet they—anyone—can never approximate nor even come close to the extravagance ordinary human beings were treated to on that first Christmas. 

God gave His only begotten Son as our Christmas Gift so that we may someday live in His house which, I am sure, is beyond magnificence and splendor, defying human imagination.  

Can anyone or anything compare with such heavenly extravagance?  

“You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9 NLT)  

Reflect and pray: 

Why is there no greater than the gift of Christ Himself? 

Photo credits: top; bottom 

Same Difference

“Mom, you’ve been wanting a new sala set. Now you can choose whatever you want and that’ll be my Christmas and birthday gift to you,” said Mrs. Cruz’ eldest son. 

Mrs. Cruz would turn 75 on Christmas day and was excited over this generous gift. She went to the mall as soon as it opened. After scouring several shops, she saw the sala set she liked. “Please reserve it for me,” she told the salesman. But thinking she might still see something better, she walked round and round the mall. 

One hour later, she exclaimed, “This is it!” She told the salesman she would buy the sala set and wanted it delivered to her home right away.  

“I am sorry, Ma’am,” the salesman replied, “but that sala set has been reserved.” He then looked at his record and Mrs. Cruz read the name, “Mrs. Cruz!” 

She didn’t know whether to laugh or blush. She had totally forgotten it was the same sala set she reserved an hour ago. Am I losing my memory? she worried. Dementia? Alzheimer’s? Amnesia? 

Later, she narrated her boo-boo to her friends and like a deluge, she got similar senior stories from all. 

“But hey,” one of them said, “my apo is only 17 but he always forgets to turn off the light or lock the door! It’s not a senior thing!” 

They giggled like teenagers. 

Upon reaching our senior years, many of us begin to worry about mental health. Surely, failing of faculties come with age, but if we are steadfast in our faith, nothing should shake us. 

“My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.” (Psalm 73:26 NLT) 

Reflect and pray: 

How can I leave my health worries at the Lord’s feet? 

Baby's Firsts

Today, a newborn is welcomed with the best of care—scientific and antiseptic. 

The doctor suctions his mouth and nose to clear away fluids, enabling the baby to breath on his own; cuts the umbilical cord; then takes the baby's heart rate, reflex response, activity, muscle tone, breathing, etc. The infant will also receive antibiotic eye ointment to prevent eye infections and a vitamin K shot to prevent clotting problems, etc. 

Now, contrast this with the night Jesus was born.

Imagine a stable or a cave (the Bible does not specify the place). Both are dark and dingy, perhaps with animals roaring about. There Jesus was laid in a manger, a feed trough for animals, with only His teen-aged mother and father making sure he was comfortable. 

Our Savior’s first human experience was so different from yours, mine, and the babies’ of this modern generation. In the stable or cave, Jesus must have experienced the first of his many tears. He would come to know human sorrow—sickness, death, betrayal, animosity, ridicule, and humiliation, ending in a painful death.  

From that night He was born, God has been with us. “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” (Matthew 1:23 NLT)

Because Jesus loves you and me, He became human, and therefore can relate to our problems. So let us never feel like nobody understands us. Jesus does.

May the Light that shone upon the world that night cast its magnificence into our hearts this Christmas, giving us the peace on Earth of which the angels spoke long ago.

Reflect and pray: 

How can I honor our Savior for such love, first demonstrated on Christmas?  

Less Than Perfect

There are stores selling branded goods at cheap prizes. Reason? 

The merchandise are less than perfect: asymmetrical buttonholes; uneven hemlines; misaligned zippers; unsewn edges, etc. These are goods discarded by quality control. 

Just as there are less than perfect goods, there are also less than perfect people. Well, for one, nobody’s perfect. There are multitudes who spurn God and do everything against humanity and God’s will. But there are those who are the real deal—those who have decided to follow the path Jesus walks on.  

The good news is, Jesus loves all people, including the quality control discards: criminals, lowlifes, and unbelievers. In fact, Jesus did not cast them aside. On many occasions, he sought them out.  

This story is told in Luke 7:37-38 (NLT): 

“When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them.” 

The Pharisee labeled her “a sinner ” but Jesus accepted her. He spoke gently to her, assuring her that her sins were forgiven (verse 48).

Jesus loves imperfect people—which includes me. And the greatest demonstration of His love for us is that He came on Christmas for everyone. “. . .  God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” (Romans 5:8)

As believers in God’s saving grace, may we be vessels of His love to the other flawed people in our communities so they too may know that they can receive God’s love despite their imperfections.

Reflect and pray: 

How can I share God’s love to less-than-perfect people like me?   

Photo credit: "Jesus' Feet" 

PINK Candle of Joy

Since October, I've been blogging quite often about the color PINK—about keeping a rosy attitude despite a polarized political playground.   

That's why the pink candle, which was lit today by son #3 in church (and which is lit on the 3rd Sunday of the Advent season year after year) particularly piqued (or pinked?) my interest.  

Among Christians, Advent season is a time of preparing our hearts and minds for the celebration of Jesus' birth. The Advent (the four Sundays and weekdays leading up to Christmas) this year began on December 3. 

Once a Catholic tradition, Advent was adopted by other Christian groups in the middle ages as part of our spiritual preparation. 

Why pink? 

It is the color of joy in worship. It is to remind us of the world's joy at the birth of Jesus, as well as the joy believers today feel about Jesus becoming flesh on Christmas. 

We remember that glorious day when He came to bestow His all-encompassing grace of salvation on sinful man. 

Pink, symbolic of joy, is about optimism and hope that despite the pandemic problems and other predicaments engulfing us today, we are assured of victory. 

Like the Shepherds one dark night, we are in fear. 

"Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. 'Don’t be afraid! . . . I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!" Luke 2:9-11 (NLT) 

Let's light a pink candle in our heart today and fear no more.  

PINK Be with You

 Peace was the buzzword in the 60s, especially in the US, to protest the Vietnam war. Because of its immense popularity among the hippies, who powered the anti-war movement, it became a generic word to represent world peace. 

Its popularity held till the 1980s among activists opposing nuclear power. 

Today, many peace advocates insist that PINK is the color of harmony and therefore the color of peace, or the opposite of war. 

So in today's political landscape, "Peace be with you" may be said as "Pink be with you."

VP Leni who is running for president, is an advocate for peace (the polar opposite of a warmonger). One of her most quoted statements is, "Madaling makipag-debate, mas radical ang magmahal [rough translation: It's easy to engage in a word war; it is more radical to love]." 

Heeding her call, many of her support groups conduct activities of grace that show this love for peace: free lugaw (porridge, seen as watery and non-essential), a term her competitors used to demean her, but which has been turned into something positive to feed the hungry; and free rides for weary commuters.  

And so, per Leni, it is "Pink be with you." 

These photos say it better. Again, since there are too many of them, not one replicates any of my past collages. 

"Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it." Psalm 34:14 (NLT)

PINKing Out Loud

Squeaky. That's how I described VP Leni's lackluster survey voice in numbers before October 2021. She was a poor 5th among prospective six presidential candidates. Her name hardly resonated with the research sample.

However, after she filed her certificate of candidacy, the squeaky sound suddenly became a clear, audible voice—in PINK. The volume of the once-insignificant sound has been growing louder.  

Two months later, the voice became a distinct PINK sound—blasting, booming, blaring in many parts of the country and the world, intensified by volunteerism, an attitude that is enabled by grace. 

I've never had so many chat and FB groups since social media came to being. Through these groups, with the number of creative ads for various demographics and psychographics (jingles, memes, Tik-Tok, video shorts, songs, poetry, art), the voice is loud, boosted by multiple sharing and re-posting. 

And yet, this volume has to be louder still to drown out the competitors' noise. They have the money, power, machinery and name known in the political scene for many years that can easily amp up their voices without lifting a finger. 

We, who share Leni's values (sincerity, honesty, and transparency), know what she has done and can do for the country. We need to think out loud, express our individual and collective thoughts so that we may be heard by ears deafened by lies and fake news. 

I was once shy about speaking up about my political views, but with the din of fakeries and rudeness, I decided to PINK out loud, using only PINK language that neither belittles nor berates others about their choices. Meaning, I speak only of truth and stay monadic.  

Below are moving photos (I try not to repeat any image from my previous PINK collages) of how volunteers are amplifying this volume. There are tons more. . . I can't keep up. 

"So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body." (Ephesians 4:25 NLT)  

Gift Wrapping

Christmas gifts from my friend Ggie, an art director, are always exquisitely wrapped. The ribbons are tied uniquely and the wrapping papers match or complement the ribbons. She painstakingly spends time wrapping each and every present she gives away. 

“How a gift is wrapped is just as important as the gift itself,” she says. “From the wrapping alone, the recipient will know how you value him/her.”  

Friends and family who receive gifts from Ggie carefully unwrap them so as not to rip or ruin them. They usually keep these wrappers for re-use at another time. 

If wrapping is that important, it makes us think of the wrapping that Jesus  chose when He came on Christmas as a gift to save us from our sinful selves. 

As God almighty, He could have wrapped His coming in a splendid show of splendor and power, lighting up the sky with His presence in mind-boggling  grandness. 

He did the reverse. “Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form . . .” (Genesis 1:26) 

Why would His wrapping be such? 

Being like us, He could relate to and feel our struggles. Like mortals, He experienced deep loneliness, betrayals, humiliation, and false accusations. In this wrapping, we could “. . . come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” (Hebrews 4:16)

It is the most exquisite Gift of all time! 

Reflect and pray: 

The humble, human wrapping of Jesus as man’s Gift on Christmas is as important as the Gift itself.

ooo

Learning from Teaching

Teaching within the four walls of a room (20 years) has taught me countless lessons which now come in handy as we can't reach the outside world or function without the Internet. 

Yes, the grace of teaching has taught me values that I would never have learned elsewhere. Let me cite the four I had prayed hard for, because they were impossible to summon on my own: patience, self-restraint, giving back, and tact.

Patience: Having overstayed in a business that required “yesterday” deadlines, I looked over my staff’s shoulders and exacted from everyone speedy work. In a classroom, waiting is key. Students need space and time to think on their own.

Self-restraint: Losing one’s cool was a daily fare in my former stress-filled workplace, where accounts might be lost anytime. In the classroom, teachers who lose their cool lose their students’ confidence in themselves.

Giving back: I amassed enough knowledge and experience in the corporate world from clients and peers. These treasured trophies have to be shared or they’d gather dust and rust. I strewed them inside the classroom for students to pick up and put to use now and in the future.

Tact: Teaching is like writing. There is always a kinder word, a better phrase, and a more uplifting clause than what are on the first draft. In delivering bad news or critical feedback, I tweak and prune my initial language to encourage smiling instead of shaking.

I had never taken “role modeling” as seriously as when I was on campus (now replaced with bandwidth by the pandemic).

Most of my former students are now leaders in their chosen fields here and abroad, and although I won’t take any credit for their successes, I receive “thank-you notes” that make me feel intensely grateful for the chance to have been a part of their lives inside the classroom.

The 5%: Growing from Good to Great

"It's all good, but you need 5% more to make it great," my former boss said (years ago) after listening to my presentation to client. 

This is a variation of the Level 5 leadership concept and the book by Jim Collins, "Good to Great." Many leaders advocate it as a path to excellence, but in different ways, such as:

"Your greatness is just five extra percent of energy away."  

I used it as well on my college and MBA students in Critical Writing. "This is good! Now add the missing 5% and transition to great," I echoed my ex-boss. 

It always works. People, who want to excel need to exert extra effort.   

That was not the case with Hezekiah, who was acclaimed a good king--likened to David--in the Old Testament. While most other kings through generations did evil in the Lord's sight, Hezekiah did good. 

After his father Ahaz' wicked reign, Hezekiah put the house in order. He destroyed all pagan altars, idols, and temples. He cleaned out and reopened the doors of the temple in Jerusalem shut by his father. He re-instituted the Passover as a national holiday (2 Chronicles 30:1). Judah was revived. 

"He remained faithful to the Lord in everything, and he carefully obeyed all the commands the Lord had given Moses. So the Lord was with him, and Hezekiah was successful in everything he did . . ." (2 Kings 18:6-7)

When the Assyrians, the world power at the time, threatened to invade Jerusalem,  Hezekiah prayed a beautiful prayer for help (2 Kings 19:19).

God, faithful as always, protected Jerusalem. And the Assyrians were vanquished (2 Chronicles 32:22).

Later, Hezekiah became very sick. He begged God to be merciful and to remember all the good he had done. The Lord healed him and extended his life by 15 years (2 Kings 20:5–7)! 

And then, Hezekiah dropped the ball. 

Instead of pursuing the 5%, he backslid big time!  When the Babylonians, who had heard he was sick, sent him a gift, Hezekiah did not speak of the Lord's goodness and of Him as Judah's one true God. Instead, he showed them his treasures, his riches, and everything in his arsenal. 

Although he was a model of faithfulness and trust in the Lord . . . although he was always rewarded with answered prayers, Hezekiah had fallen to the folly of pride. 

We are called to a life of obedience in the one true God.  We need that 5% to grow from good to great. 

PINK at the End of the Tunnel

At the rate the idiom, "a light at the end of the tunnel," is being used during the pandemic, it might soon be a cliche. 

An idiom, as we know it, is a metaphorical figure of speech, and goes beyond the literal meaning of the words. "A light at the end of the tunnel" therefore means we can see hope that the Covid-19 virus and its harrowing effects will soon vanish. 

Dating back to 1800s, as read in old publications, this metaphor for hope was popularized by President John Kennedy in the mid-1960s in reference to the Vietnam war. 

I am borrowing a part of the idiom in light of our political landscape, where we are groping. It is dark, very dark, with all the blinding political maneuverings, lies, deceit, mud-slinging, etc. And what's worse, some people I know applaud them. These have often discouraged me, making my heart sad. But by grace, I know the Lord will give us light.

With the groundswell of the people's pink campaign for VP Leni Robredo, I see this light in the May 2022 elections.    

Try skimming through these photos, which I downloaded from socmed (there are many more, but my feeble hands could only collage this much for today), and see for yourself.  

"Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again—my Savior and my God!" (Psalm 43:5) 

PINKplosion

When the color pink exploded on socmed, I thought it was a fluke. It's been almost two months and the endless explosion is almost deafening.  

And then there was an explosion of an ugly kind in the political scene.

Some candidates (their powerful names appear on popular vlogs and news sites, but they remain unnamed on this blogsite on grace) withdrew their candidacy and substituted for unknowns who were used as placeholders till these superstars made up their minds. 

These are just some of the reactions I culled from various sources: 

"It is a mockery of the electoral process!" 

"It is an affront to the voters!" 

"It is about greed for power—not service to country."   

Whatever their reasons, I have decided not to cause my blood pressure to rise. So I will focus on pink, the color of hope, symbolized by VP Leni Robredo, my candidate for president.  

Why Leni? 

She espouses all the values my parents taught me and which the Lord inscribed in my heart. Her plans and platforms dovetail with my dreams for the country. Most importantly, her significant achievements and passion to serve speak of the kind of president she would be.  

As congresswoman in the 16th congress, Leni wrote the comprehensive Anti-Discrimination Bill (HB3432), and authored, among others: 

- The Full Disclosure Bill (HB 19)

- The People Empowerment Bill (HB4911) 

Even if her job description as VP specifies "spare tire" in case anything happens to the president, she rolled up her sleeves and went to work, especially during the pandemic. 

Her Angat-Buhay Program has benefited 83,707 families across the country in its first year of implementation. 

The Office of the Vice President (OVP) has provided free shuttle services for frontliners and emergency workers, delivered 7,350 PPEs to nine hospitals, and provided care packages for health workers and their families. The OVP has likewise conducted free swab tests in various areas. 

During the several disasters that plagued the country (along with the pandemic), she delivered food and other goods to the victims. Many big companies coursed their donations through the OVP. 

All these expenses—up to the single centavo—have been accounted for. The OVP has been consistently given the highest rating by the Commission on Audit.  

These are just some of my researched data about her. There are more, but I usually keep one post to 500 words.

Why Leni? If not, who? 

No candidate can match her zeal in serving the people with limited budget.  

Now that the campaign is in full swing, I am dazzled by the number of PINKplosions mounted by volunteers, who shoulder their own expenses. I am documenting them, but then, again, they seem to be bottomless; it is difficult to catch all in several blogs (this is my fourth to date, and it won't be the last). 

PINKplosion, no less, in 50 photos: 

"The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil." 1 Peter 3:12 (NLT)

In the PINK of Health

A question often asked these days is, "How are you?" 

Replies vary: 

"So so." 

"Getting by." 

"Surviving." 

"I finally got my second vax." 

"I just recovered from Covid." 

Hardly, if at all, do we hear, "In the pink of health." We all want to be in the pink, but these are unusual times. 

With daily reminders like masks, face shields, curfew, and Covid-19 statistics, somewhere in our core, we feel that our health is far from reaching peak level.   

That's why the pink images on socmed give me a semblance of normalcy and make me feel refreshed and renewed. Outdoor activities like caravans, community pantries, painting dirty walls, and printing posters from all over the country and many places in the world show energized people in pink with happy, hopeful faces. 

These feel-good pictures, some with matching words, make me remember that once we were or once again we will be in the pink of health. 

Scan through them. Savor, like I do, the soaring spirit that drives this pink movement. 

In the pink—let's go there!  

"Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit."

3 John 2-4  (NLT) 

Photo credits: all borrowed from socmed 

PINK-Palette Phenomenon

For whatever reason, or by coincidence, the color pink (in every shade possible) was what people used in memes and images urging VP Leni Robredo to run for president. 

When Leni finally filed her certificate of candidacy on October 7, 2021, pink organically became her official color, sans deliberate planning. She simply went with the tide.  

She lamented her lack of campaign resources that the others have. As though on cue, volunteerism took on a life of its own.  

The movement, as many friends described the spectacle, so stunned me I immediately blogged about it. I called it a phenomenal pink-palette frenzy, for lack of better and more powerful words. 

But one blog is not enough.

The rise of pink (caravans, posters, community events, slogans, convergences, etc. on land, air, and sea) here and abroad has gone unabated till today. The creativity—from all walks of life and professions, in both words and pictures—is unparalleled. 

Here are some that my aging hands and fingers could put together in a collage. Each photo reminds me of grace, giving me hope in various ways through various means.  

This has gone beyond Leni, who exhorts her supporters, "Madaling makipagtalo, mas radical ang magmahal!" (Arguing is easy, but it is more radical to love.)  

This pink-palette phenomenon is about people uniting for a kindhearted, compassionate, and more humane Philippines.  This is about us fighting for good values in governance. 

The Lord exhorts us in Philippians 2:2, "Complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind." 

Photo credits: all grabbed and borrowed from various socmed posts 

Cabin Fever, Anyone?

Being stuck at home for almost two years now has left many feeling bored, irritable, and restless. These feelings are associated with a condition commonly called cabin fever. 

This describes a person who has been confined at home for extended periods. Although cabin fever is not considered a psychological condition, it has real psychological impact on anyone, according to Vaile Wright, director of clinical research and quality at the American Psychological Association.

Cabin fever used to be a literal phrase to describe those living away from civilization for long periods, in cottages on the outskirts of the town. Today, this is a term for people who find themselves isolated from the outside world in the confines of their homes. With the coronavirus epidemic, everyone seems to have his taste of cabin fever, which spawns impatience, anxiety, lethargy, and insomnia, among others. 

Who gets cabin fever? 

"Temperament and personality are big factors," according to psychologists.  Those most likely to get it are extroverted individuals, and those with existing mental health conditions. 

On the other hand, the homebodies viewing the lockdown as a much-needed opportunity to do things they had no time for—hobby, general house cleaning, family bonding time, finishing that oft-postponed project—take longer to reach this point or not experience cabin fever at all. 

I belong to the second category. A homebody at heart, I have no complaints about staying home. I do all the reading and writing I want and be with friends on the phone or social media. 

What I had in the beginning of the pandemic was fear . . .  

1) of technology. The platform for events have moved online, and I was technologically challenged; 

2) of the unknown. People are dying in droves; economies are collapsing; countries are falling apart; workers are being fired; more people are going hungry; and undestaffed hospitals are overcrowded.   

"Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand." Isaiah 41:10 (NLT) 

To face fear #1, I hired a techie to show me the ropes. In no time, I could do things on my own, and have taken fancy to digital art. 

To face fear #2, I went on my knees, reflected on the verse above, casting down every uncertainty at the Lord's feet and asking for calming grace. 

What happened next? 

My book launches were put on hold; the Manila International Book Fair, canceled; our 77th annual clan reunion, called off; son #2 and family's trip to the Philippines, postponed indefinitely; FB has turned into an obituary; our Medical Transcription school transitioned to virtual classes; and our whole household, except for son #1, tested positive for Covid. 

Cabin fever? No. Calming grace, yes.  

I believe the Lord upended the two things I feared most to keep me going. 

Technology enables me to be together with separated loved ones, to attend more events than I ever have, to tour the world anytime, visit past eras and places no transportation can reach, giggle with giggly babies, enjoy all kinds of pets, applaud young prodigies, and scream over the golden buzzer on auditions. 

The unknown makes me ask, with joyful expectation, "Are you coming soon, Lord?"  

Photo credit:IStock

The Greatest Link

In the spring of 2018, Tony and I flew to the US to attend the 50th wedding anniversary of my oldest brother, Manong Peding—a pastor. His children asked me to speak at the reception. Instead, I prepared a slide presentation: the story of how he came into our lives and became my and siblings' brother.  

I am sharing it with you now because early this morning (November 2 in America), I shed copious tears. 

The last six slides are not part of the original presentation. I added them today, because like all life stories, the ending we envision is not usually the same ending that the Lord has for us. 

His parents were adamant. 

He searched for long-lost, distant relatives.  

Next, Pangasinan. 

Finally, a break! 

High school was a snap. 

There had to something beyond all that. 

The street kid with a foul mouth was now a full-fledged pastor. 

To a new place the adventurous new couple headed. 

Now in his 80's, and in deep grief, his health deteriorated.