Вы находитесь на странице: 1из 44

April 2012 No. 263 Vol.

22
Inspiring You to Live a Fantastic Life
By Bo Sanchez
CONNIE VELASCO: THERES MORE TO
LIFE AFTER 12 SURGERIES, 32 RADIATION
SESSIONS AND 30 CHEMOTHERAPY
SESSIONS
JEAN ASCAO: STANDING STRONG
DESPITE LOSING EVERYTHING
A
MATTER
OF
TRUST
TRUST DEEPLY
and Expect to Be Blessed
BE A WATER WALKER:
Get Out of Your Boat
and Walk to Jesus
Kerygma Bags the
33
rd
Catholic Mass
Media Award for
Best Family-Oriented
Magazine
KERYGMA BARCODE.pdf 11/16/06 5:43:58 PM
Philippines P60
US $7.00
AUS $ 7.00
Euro 4.00
UK 4.00
CDN $7.00
SING $8.00
HK $45.00
RUPIAH 62000

visit us at
www.shepherdsvoice.com.ph
Shepherds Voice Publications delivers Godd Word right to your doorstep! For a minimum order of PhP 300 worth of books or
magazines, we will deliver it for FREE within Metro Manila (Mailing charges apply to other areas.) So give us a call at 725-9999 or
send us an email at sales@shepherdsvoice.com.ph now!
APRIL 2012 KERYGMA
I
n 2009, my friend Rey Ortega felt God was
calling him to rescue babies from abortion. He
discussedthiswithmeandpassedthisdreamto
myheart.Itoldhim,Letsstartaministry.
Rey then told me, But I have a problem.
How can we raise money for this new work? Ive
exhaustedallmyfriendsalreadyforourotherwork.
TheyallnowdonatetoourTahananngPagmamahal
orphanage and Pag-asa ng Pamilya scholarship for
poorchildren.
ThatswhenIspokemyfaithwordstoRey.Just
threewords.Isaid,Godwillprovide.
Hesaid,Wow,Imimpressedbyyourfaith!
Actually, I was hiding my fear. I was actually
scared! In my mind, I said,Oh no, here I go again,
gettingmyselfintoanotherministry.
WhenIsaid,Godwillprovide,wehadnothing.
Zero. But soon, blessings began to fow like a
waterfall.
That month, out of the blue, my ninang
(godmother)calledupmyofcebecausesheneeded
aspeakerforherlittleprayergroup.Specifcally,she
wanted a speaker to share about the topic, The
SanctityofLife.
Obviously, the best speaker on the topic was
Rey Ortega. He was the one who had this dream
of rescuing babies from abortion in his heart. So I
toldRey,Givethetalk.Andshareourdreamtomy
ninang.Shesrich!
Thatnight,hedid.
MyninangheardReysstoryandinvitedhimfor
lunchthenextday.Whentheymet,myninangsaid,
Youcanusemybuildingforyourministry.Youhave
300squaremetersforyourhalfwayhouse.Notonly
that,shespenttwomillionpesosofherownmoney
toremodelitforouruse.
Wedidntevencallher.Shecalledus.
Wasthatcoincidence?
No. Thats synchronicity of grace. Thats
the universe conspiring to bless us. Were
no longer chasing after blessings. The
blessings are chasing after us. Resources
are rolling at our feet, begging that we
takethem.
Godwillprovidearepowerfulfaith
words.
In May 2009, we began Grace to Be
Born,ahalfwayhouseforpregnantwomen
in crisis and an orphanage for babies. In
six months, weve rescued 15 babies from
abortion.
Friend,areyouprayingforGodtoprovide
foryou?
t
h
e
Boss
By Bo Sanchez
Heresmybelief:Soonerorlater,youroutsideworldwillmatchyour
insideworld.Whatdoesyourinsideworldsay?
Remember,yourfaithismorepowerfulthanyoursight.
Yoursightcanonlydescribeyoursituation;yourfaithcandirectyour
situation.
Mayyourdreamscometrue.
GOD WILL
PROVIDE
We thank PJ and Beng Remollino for allowing their baby,
Philippe Matteo, to pose with his Uncle Bo in this photo.
B
o
s

c
l
o
t
h
e
s

b
y

G
o
l
d
e
n

A
B
C
/
M
e
m
o
.
1
KERYGMA APRIL 2012
room
Mail
2
I am thankful that I studied in
a Catholic school. If I didnt,
I wouldnt have heard of this
wonderful magazine. The articles
are inspiring. More power!
Ma. Vida de los Santos
St. Paul College of Ilocos Sur
Vigan City, Ilocos Sur
I started reading Kerygma when
I was in high school. Now I am a
frst year college student and I still
enjoy reading every issue. It makes
me feel that Im not alone for I
know that God is always there for
me. May God richly bless us all.
Charlene Nocos
Misamis Occidental
Grossly misinformed and
prejudiced! I am referring to
an article that came out in the
January 2012 edition of Kerygma
Magazine entitled Christ in the
Call Center Industry = Decreased
HIV and STDs.
At the outset it may appear
harmless. It may even appear
enlightened and timely. But a
closer look would reveal just how
unfair the article is to the hundreds of
thousands of call center employees and
to the industry which, at present, is a
big contributing factor in keeping our
countrys economy afoat during these
trying times.
The point here is simply this: we
must not single out a specifc industry
as being responsible for the upsurge in
STDs/HIV in our country, which the
title of the article clearly implies. It is
misleading and it is totally unfair.
Melanie A. Lara
Call Center Employee
This is my source of spiritual
nourishment here in Canada. Life here
is diffcult you have to do all things
by yourself, and you do it for your
family back home. But with Bro. Bos
teachings, I am confdent Ill be able
to cope with life in a strange land and
live according to Gods will. Thank
You, Lord!
Marissa B. Ramos
Kerygma Family Member
Just a few minutes earlier, I was crying
hard and I had to get up from bed. I
sat in our living room and noticed
the Kerygma magazine I received
during the Kerygma Conference
last year. I browsed through it
again and realized I hadnt read the
last page, the Point of Contact.
I placed my palm on Bos palm as
instructed and silently recited the
prayer, which seemed like it was
written especially for me.
Im calm now. Its already
midnight and I must return to
bed. Im grateful that a page of a
magazine could restore my peace.
I want to give Bro. Bo a high-fve
here as well. Thank you so much!
Miss J
Via SMS
Ive been your avid reader since
my college years until I became a
professional teacher. In fact, it is
my routine every month that after
I receive my salary I never forget to
buy Kerygma magazine because it
is part of my system now. Keep on
writing for us!
Janeth A. Rio
Polomok, South Cotabato
We Want to HEAR
from YOU!
Email us at editsvp@shepherdsvoice.com.ph or text us at 0917-800-
5535, or write to The Editor at 60 Chicago St., Cubao, Quezon City,
Philippines 1109.
You can also reach us through KERYGMA Family. Log on to www.
kerygmafamily.com.
For subscription-related concerns, text or call Sarah Discutido at 0922-
814-7031 or email subscription@shepherdsvoice.com.ph.
APRIL 2012 KERYGMA
T
here are very few occasions in my life when I had been defeated.Whether it
was a game of table tennis, backgammon or even a stubborn thesis defense
thatIcouldntforthelifeofmepassyoucancountonmetoputupafght,
andamightygoodoneatthat.
My friends know me for this tenacious trait. Lakas ng fighting spirit mo, man!
theywouldsay.Yougotalotofspunk.
No,Rissadoesntgiveupeasily.
But there are days when I go about with hunched shoulders and a tinge of
sadnessinmysoul.
I refuse to accept it, this defeat. Its not like me to lose, much less give up.
Rematch!IdmostlikelysaybeforeIconcede.
Butinthisparticularfght,Isometimesfndmyresolveslowlyebbingaway.
Motherhood has defeated me.
BeforeIhadkids,IenvisionedmyselftobetheperfectChristianmom.
Thinksuperhotandholymamawithaheartofgold.Iimaginedacrossbetween
AngelinaJolieandMotherTeresawiththehomemakingprowessofMarthaStewart.
In the morning, this Supermom will prepare the most nutritious meals for her
kidsasshehumsawaylikeSnowWhite,withdwarvesandbirdsjoviallyhelpingher.
In the afternoon, Supermom tutors her kids, patiently helps them with their
homeworkandhasendlessenergytoplaywiththemafterwards.
At night, she turns into Mother Goose to read them bedtime stories and then
transformsintoMamaMarytoleadthemintoprayerbeforetheysleep.
ButmyrealityisfarfromhowIimaginedthingstobe.
Often, my not-that-enormous patience is at the brink of extinction. I fnd my
voiceraised,notinmelodioustunes,butinanger.Myhandsareupintheair,notas
anactofpraisingtheLord,butpoisedtospankanincorrigiblechild.
I dread homework because I never know if I can get my daughter to sit down
longenoughtofnishatask.AndplaytimequicklyturnsintoaUFC(UltimateFighting
Championship)boutwheremytwokidstheyrebothgirls,mindyoubeginto
wrestleandpulleachothershairtocompeteforacovetedtoy.
Oh,wherecanamothergotoquitwithdignity?CoulditbepossiblethatImthe
frstmominthehistoryofhumankindtofailsomiserablyatchildrearing?Theremust
begraceforafrazzledChristianmotherlikeme.
Irealizemoreandmorethattosurvivethisstageofmymotherhoodjourney,I
needtohaveanafair.Ahot,passionateromance.Athirdpartyinmymarriagethe
otherManinmylifewhofulfllsmyneedsinawaymyhusbandnevercan.
Soeverymorning,notlongafterdawnbreaks,Isneakoutofourbedroomand
leavemysleepinghusbandunderthecozycovers.Istealawayforacoupleofhours
torunintothewaitingarmsofmyLover.HelaysdownHislifeformeeverydayand
feedsmetheBreadofLife.
InHishouse,therearenokidshaving
tantrums. (Or on the rare occasions that
there are, theyre not mine!) There is only
peace. And refreshment. And restoration
foranexhaustedChristianmotherlikeme.
And the more I pour out my troubles
to the Lover of my Soul and beg Him to
transformmykidsintotheimagethatIhad
imaginedthemtobe,IfndthatitisIwhom
my Beloved is slowly chiseling, molding,
changing.
Then I fnally get it. He is not deaf to
myprayersformykids.ButinHiseconomy,
no efort is wasted. As He works on them,
Heissimultaneouslyworkingonme.
SoIabandonmyillusionofSupermom
andIopenmyselftotheideaofaVelveteen
mommy.Youknow,theonewhoispulled,
and dragged, and yanked in all directions
until her fur is worn-out and bedraggled,
liketherabbitintheclassicchildrensstory,
The Velveteen Rabbit.
Shemaynotbeperfect,butherbattle
scarsarealsohermedalsofhonor.
As the clay is in the potters hand, so are
you in my hand. (Jeremiah 18:6)
Email me at justbreatherissa@gmail.com or
follow me on Facebook.
What to Expect This Month:
Rise Up! Its the theme of this years
Grand Easter Feast on April 8, 2012, 8 a.m.
to 12:00 p.m. (Venue TBA. For details, call
(632) 725-9999.)
Bring your whole family to this annual
event and experience a truly uplifting and
glorious Easter!
Free admission!
j
u
s
t
Breathe
By Rissa Singson-Kawpeng
3
Where does a weary mother nd grace?
SUPERMOM VS.
VELVETEEN MOMMY
living by grace
R
i
s
s
a
s

c
l
o
t
h
e
s

c
o
u
r
t
e
s
y

o
f

E
n
s
e
m
b
l
e
s
/
E
l
i
t
e

G
a
r
m
e
n
t
s
KERYGMA APRIL 2012 4
Lost copy?
Changed address?
Defective copy?
For other subscription-related concerns
CALL SARAH
725-9999 local 105 411-7874 726-9918 0922-8147031
subscription@shepherdsvoice.com.ph
Hi,
Im Sarah!
Subs Concern ad 2011(revised).indd 1 7/7/11 11:09 AM
Join the Force. Change the World
Be a Kerygma Shepherd Today.
Name:
Signature:
Age: Birthday: Email:
Telephone No.: Fax No.:
Address (Residence):
Address (Offce):
Telephone No.:
SHEPHERDS VOICE PUBLICATIONS, INC.
60 Chicago St., Cubao, Quezon City
Tel. Nos. 411-7874 / 725-9999 loc. 101 to 108 Mobile #0922-8692872
Email: sales@shepherdsvoice.com.ph
www.shepherdsvoice.com.ph
YES! Im interested in becoming a Kerygma Shepherd. I commit myself to spread Gods Word by distributing
Kerygma magazine every month.
CALL JOSIE
Shepherds Form 2011.indd 1 10/26/11 10:23 AM
APRIL
vol. 22 no. 263
Whats
INSIDE
The Bo Files.
Columns.
Special
Section.
Testimonies.
1 The Boss God Will
Provide
40 Point of Contact
2 Mailroom
6 New You
7 Real Stuff
9 In the News
10 Dear K
12 Kfam Insider
13 Laughingly Yours
14 Feast Snapshots
15 K Shepherd
17 It Happened
Standing Strong
39 One Last Story
A Blinds Serenade
21 A Matter of Trust
22 Happy People Trust
Deeply
28 Walk on Water
3 Just Breathe
Supermom vs.
Velveteen Mommy
35 Bishops Move Modern
Temptations
37 K Preacher Cut Your
Ropes
26 Trusting God through
the Pain
32 Life Is Like a Rubics
Cube
1
32
37
Departments.
26
15
17
APRIL 2012 KERYGMA 5
ABOUT OUR COVER MODEL
Trust and fear are two words that Marissa Opinion, or Op, has learned
well through experience. Her greatest fear is failure, so she studied hard
in college to get the best grades. She graduated with honors and was
immediately accepted in her dream advertising agency. But adjustment
didnt come easy for her. She kept committing mistakes on her job, and
her boss and client were not satisfed with her performance. She got
depressed, her self-confdence plummeted, and she eventually resigned
after only a few months.
But it was during that time that she held on to God more. She
trusted that the failure was part of the unfolding of Gods best plans for
her. And true enough, after some months, she found a new job. She
performed well. She got promoted. And the rest is history.
Presently, Op works as an account director for Publicis Manila, an
advertising agency. She is a regular Makati Feast attendee and has since
grown closer to God through it.
chairman of the board and publisher BO SANCHEZ editor-in-chief and production manager
RISSA SINGSON-KAWPENG managing editor TESS V. ATIENZA creative director REN CORTES
graphics director REY DE GUZMAN assistant layout designer PIO MALLARI contributing writers
JUDITH CONCEPCION, MARJORIE ANN DUTERTE, OSY ERICA, ALVIN FABELLA, ELEANORE LEE,
REY ORTEGA, DINA PECAA, EMERALD SY CHAN, MAYMAY SALVOSA, LELLA SANTIAGO, JOY
SOSOBAN, PIA SUIZA photographers DANIEL SORIANO, DAKILA ANGELES columnists BISHOP
TED BACANI, VIC ESPAOL sales and marketing manager JOSEPH MARTINEZ administration
and fnance manager WENG CEQUEA
KERYGMA. A Greek word meaning Proclamation of the Gospel. It is a Catholic inspirational
magazine. It aims to be an evangelistic tool to all nations, providing Scriptural, practical and
orthodox teachings to Catholics, particularly those in the Catholic Renewal, as an alternative
topresent-daymagazines.Itisalsocommittedtofosteringtherenewalandunityofthewhole
Christianpeople.PhilippinecopyrightShepherdsVoicePublications,Inc.2012.Nopartofthis
magazinemaybereproducedwithoutpermission.KERYGMAispublishedmonthlybyShepherds
Voice Publications, Inc., whose editorial and business ofces are located at 60 Chicago St.,
Cubao,1109QuezonCity.Tels:725-9999,411-7874,725-1190.Fax:727-5615Email:editsvp@
shepherdsvoice.com.ph.Website:www.shepherdsvoice.com.ph
W
hat does abstaining from meat this Lent mean to
you? Is it merely a religious practice youve been
accustomed to but which does not have any meaning for
you?Forexample,whenyoueathome-friedBonuanboneless
bangusinsteadoffast-foodfriedchicken,doyourealizethat
eatingfshisaformofsacrifceinmemoryofJesussufering?
Lenten practices have evolved over the centuries and
nowweredowntorelativelysimplefastingandabstinence.
Maybe its time to rethink the essence of real sacrifce this
season,notonlybyeatingfshbutalsohavingFISHinamore
meaningfulway:
F - Fastnotjustfromfood,butalsofromthingsthatyou
enjoy, like hours of surfng the Internet, watching
movies,andsoon.
I - Infuenceotherstodoactsofcharityandkindness.
S - Spendtimeinprayer.StaystillwithJesus.
H - Haveafrmresolvetoimproveyourselfbylettinggo
ofthingsthatkeepyouawayfromGod.
ThisLent,thinkofChristsultimatesacrifceforyouasyou
eatfshbeitBonuanbonelessbangusorgalunggong,and
thinkofmakingyourspiritualFISHthisLentalovelyofering
toJesus.
Makeup Mistakes
That Make You Look
Old (conclusion)
KERYGMA APRIL 2012 6
Health Beauty
Give Fish a
Deeper Meaning
C
holineisthenewestofcialmemberofthevitaminBfamily.Itkeepsyourcellmembranes,
the gates through which nutrients enter and wastes leave your cells, functioning
properly. It also allows your nerves to communicate with your muscles; prevent the build-up
of homocysteine (a harmful compound that is associated with cardiovascular disease and
osteoporosis)inyourblood,and,reduceschronicinfammation.
Signsthatindicateaneedforhigh-cholinefoodarefatigue,insomnia,poorabilityofthe
kidneys to concentrate urine, accumulation of fats in the blood, and nerve-muscle problems.
Food sources of choline are soybeans, egg yolk, butter, peanuts, potatoes, caulifower, lentils,
oats,sesameseedsandfaxseeds.
Source: http://www.whfoods.org
new
You
tips for personal development
Quick Health Tip:
H
eres the second and concluding part on makeup tips to help you
avoid looking old.
1. Caked-On Concealer. While concealer can be your best friend
when covering blemishes, it becomes an enemy when you use
it to hide dark under-eye circles. Use instead a sheer formula to
camouage circles. Tap it on with a concealer brush and blend
with your nger for the most natural nish.
2. Metallic Lids. Avoid frosty eye shadow, especially when
you reach 40, because shimmer shadows settle into crinkles,
magnifying creepy lids. Use taupes, lavenders, soft peaches and
grays as they work on all skin tones.
3. Overplucked Brows. Overtweezing can make brows disappear
entirely and those strands may never grow back. If this is the case,
compensate by using brow pencils and powders to bring your
brows back to their full potential.
4. Powder Overload. When trying to control shine, dont forget
to leave a little of that natural glow, since a little glisten can make
you look fresh. To tone down oil without going overboard, apply
a lightweight pressed powder, using a small blush-size powder
brush rather than a big dome brush.
Source: http://www.prevention.com
St. Faustina Kowalska
B
atanes, found at the northernmost tip of the Philippines,
relatively isolated and flled with ancient culture, will be the
subject of architectural studies by Mandy Navasero this year.
EntitledBatanesPhotoSafari,thestudieswillfeatureoldchurches
inBatanessuchasTheCathedralofBasco,whichwasbuiltin1795;
theChurchofSanCarlosBorromeo,builtin1787;andtheSanJose
Church,builtin1795.
TheBatanesPhotoSafariwillbeheldonApril6-11,14-17,27-30
andMay4-8,11-15and25-29.Mandyisaprofessionalphotographer
who graduated with a BA in Professional Photography at Brooks
Institute, in Sta. Barbara in California. She has a regular column
calledStreet Smart at the Philippine Daily Inquirer. For inquiries,
call 8963208 or 09155430482 or email mandynavasero@yahoo.
com.Thisisopentolocalandforeigntourists.
D
o you know the biggest urban threat to your hearing?
You probably know the answer: MP3 players.
According to a study by University of Michigan
researchers of 4,500 New York City residents, the noise from
MP3 players and stereos is the primary risk factor for loss
of hearing, even more so than a loud work environment.
This was presented by Rick Neitzel, assistant professor and
researcher.
The study showed that 90 percent of public transit
users and 87 percent of non-transit users are exposed to
damaging noise levels mainly from their MP3 players, at 85
decibels or louder.
I do think its a serious problem, said Neitzel. We
certainly wouldnt tolerate this with another agent, such
as something that caused cancer or chronic disease. Yet
for some reason we do for noise.
As a point of comparison, the average speaking level
is 60 decibels, a bustling street corner is 80 decibels, a
circular saw is 90 decibels, a crying baby is 115 decibels,
and a noise level that induces pain is 125 decibels,
according to the University of Michigan researchers.
Source: http://ph.she.yahoo.com
LOUD MP3
PLAYERS
URBAN
THREAT TO
HEARING
BATANES
PHOTO
SAFARI
APRIL 2012 KERYGMA 7
BORN AND DIED: August 25, 1905, Lodz, Poland October 5, 1938, Krakow, Poland
NOTABLE FACTS:
K
nown as the Apostle of Divine Mercy, St. Faustina joined the Congregation of the
Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy when she was about 20. In the 1930s, she received
from the Lord a message of mercy that she was told to spread throughout the world. The
Lord asked her to become the apostle and secretary of Gods mercy, offering her personal
sufferings in union with Him. Only her spiritual director and some of her superiors
knew of her great mystical experiences, which they slowly learned after her death from
tuberculosis in 1938. Her visions and conversations with Jesus are written in the book
Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul.
Saints at a Glance
Stuff
real
W
hen God was forming 7,100 islands somewhere
in Southeast Asia, He must have been smiling
really big. The results: Boracay Island in Aklan, that was recently
recognized by Travel + Leisure Magazine as the fourth best
island in the world; Siargao in Surigao del Norte, ranked by
CNN as the eighth best surng spot in the world; and the
Underground River in Puerto Princesa, one of the New Seven
Wonders of Nature.
Bottom line, the Philippines is naturally beautiful and fun!
Thats why at the start of 2012, the Department of Tourism
(DOT) headed by Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. launched its latest
campaign, Its More Fun in the Philippines. The new slogan aims to
boost the number of foreign visitors to the country this year.
We have caused excitement and we are expecting a surge of
interest in our country and our people, the latter being the aspect
that highlights our dierence, Jimenez shared with tourism.gov.ph.
Talk Statistics
Surpassing the 2010 year-end arrivals of 3,520,471, visitor arrivals
increased by 12.7 percent last year. According to the 11-month
period industry performance report of DOT, countries in the ASEAN
region contributed a total of 301,708 visitors, comprising 8.6 percent
of the total visitor count.
In order to increase further the connectivity and quality of
travel, the ASEAN Tourism Ministers agreed during their 15th
meeting to hasten the development of a common visa for non-
ASEAN nationals. This is also related to the goal of attracting 107
million tourists to ASEAN countries by 2015.
Problems in Paradise
But hyping the beauty of the Philippines to entice tourists is the
easy part. The real challenge is how to make our country tourist-
friendly. Safety and security is a major issue that needs to be
addressed. Travel advisories from a number of countries, including
the US, UK, Australia and Hong Kong, have labeled the Philippines
with a high risk for terrorist activities and are discouraging travel to
the Philippines, especially to Mindanao.
Another tourist bummer is the lack of tourist information
centers in the country. This makes it dicult for visitors to navigate
their way around our cities. Add to that the fact that the countrys
public transportation system is inecient and unfriendly even to
Filipino commuters.
Another issue that aects travelers to the country, according to
the Peoples Recovery, Empowerment and Development Assistance
(PREDA) Foundation, is prostitution and sex tourism. Its a big
problem that government as well as every Filipino needs to
address so as not to drive away family vacationers.
And it doesnt help that the Ninoy Aquino International Airport
in Manila has been listed among the 10 worst in the world.
Grace Princesa, Philippine Ambassador to the United Arab
Emirates, says, The challenge for us Filipinos and the OFWs (Overseas
Filipinos Worldwide) is to be the rst to visit these beautiful places
God gifted us with. Let us not be strangers in our own country.
With our increased knowledge of the beauty and safety of our
own shores through domestic eco-tourism and trips back home
with relatives and friends, tourism income and job generation will
increase, thus helping alleviate poverty and hopefully minimize
feminized migration. Let us do Bayanihan ng mga Bayani para sa
Maganda at Pinagpalang Inang Bayan!
Be a Proud Favorite
With all the natural beauties of the Philippines, its understandable
for some to think that Filipinos might really be Gods favorite people.
Though there are many problems around us, He provided resting
places for us to rejuvenate and to feel His love. So hit the beach and
spend your summer immersed in Gods love!
The Philippines:
Spotted!
News
By Pia Angelica Suiza
I
n

t
h
e
APRIL 2012 KERYGMA 9
HOW DO I SUPPORT
STUDENTS WHO
GIVE UP ROMANCE
IN ORDER TO SERVE?
dearK

am a volunteer staff of a Charismatic youth
community. I am single and have committed
my state of life in a continuous discernment to
God. I have not seriously entertained entering into
a romantic relationship. I stick to the paradigm of
staying single unless called for marriage.
My situation is this: In the community I am
serving, student leaders are highly encouraged to live
a single life in service to God. This also establishes
their sense of priority and responsibility, which are
essential for spiritual maturity. Im sure this goes
for other youth communities as well. And I am not
unsure or insecure about standing up for this.
My question is: How would you present an
issue like this with a brother or sister who is very
zealous to serve, yet is involved in a relationship?
My service goes beyond pointing out directions or
presenting the side of the community and my own
side. I especially would want to understand my
younger brothers/sisters decisions in letting go of
a commitment and a relationship for Gods service
because of character and principle building
not because of anybodys fault. I know it is really
hard to let go of a relationship in which you have
already invested your feelings and time. I know its
not an easy choice to make and I want to know how
I can help support my brothers/sisters in making the
decision to let go and move on.
Vince
Dear Vince,
I admire your commitment and zeal in loving the Lord and in serving
His people. Im sure God will reward your purity of heart.
Just a note for you personally before we talk about the youth you
serve. Normally, the process of state-of-life discernment has an end date.
Committing my state of life in a continuous discernment to God is
a phrase used on many occasions by those who leave their lives to
circumstances randomly unfolding before them. If a woman who takes
my breath away comes, then Im called for marriage; if not, then Im
for single-blessedness.
The majority of us are called to marriage. If youre at the right age
(fnished with your studies) and moving towards fnancial, emotional
and spiritual stability, then you need to look for a worthy spouse and
take concrete actions to pursue marriage. Otherwise, if you feel called
to single-blessedness, then pursue it and profess it in whatever celibacy
options are available for you.
Now, lets go to your question. The wise counsel of staying free from
exclusive boy-girl relationships while young and still studying can be
promoted not as a moral high bar, but a practical and benefcial path to
grow more in character, servanthood and personal development.
We can encourage those who would decide to take this path by:
(1) Sharing a doctrinally sound, practical and balanced teaching
about this topic, highlighting the benefts of this choice;
(2) Promoting a culture of honor and respect for everyone, treating
girls as sisters and not as date options at this moment in their young lives;
(3) Delegating leadership responsibilities to as many youth as
possible to help them focus on service and mission;
(4) Building strong bonds of brotherhood/sisterhood so as not to
leave so much space for romantic desires;
(5) Loving and consistent coaching or counseling from
members of your community who made that choice in their
younger years, and are now happily married.
At the end of the day, we encourage a free and joyful
choice by our youth members. Any form of exaggerated
control by prayer group heads becomes manipulation.
Im praying for you and your youth group.
Jon
KERYGMA APRIL 2012 10
Kerygma Preacher Jon Escoto is the president of Leadlife,
a training company that specializes in helping businesses
bring the best out of people. He has extensive corporate
leadership experience as a senior executive for top multina-
tional corporations. In 2010, Shepherds Voice Publications
released Jons rst book, How to Find Extraordinary Joy at Work.
He is also the dean of the Light of Jesus School of Leadership.
Jon is insanely in love with his beautiful wife, Marissa, and
their two lovely children, Frances and Yosef.
I
would like to get advice regarding my problem
with some of my friends who borrow money from
me time and again. In the past, I didnt mind
lending to them even if most of the time, they paid
late or didnt pay at all.
A few months back, I started to feel abused. I felt
bad when I realized that it has become their habit
to borrow. They are my co-workers and I noticed
that just a few days after getting their salary, they
are borrowing again. They say that they borrow from
me because their salaries are not enough for their
families, while Im single and support only my mom.
Sometimes, I even let them borrow my tithe money
to my community, expecting that they would pay me
back before I am due to remit it, but there were cases
that they didnt pay. I did that with the thought that
if Im helping others, that is, the benefciaries of my
community, why dont I help my friends, too?
Now Im unemployed and another friend is
asking to borrow P6,000 for her husbands pre-
employment requirements as a seaman. When I
told her that I had just resigned from my work, she
reduced the amount to P3,000. She knew that I have
some savings. I did not lend her the money despite
her promise of paying on time.
Did I do the right thing? Please enlighten me.
Michelle
ITS HARD TO SAY
NO TO FRIENDS
WHO BORROW
MONEY FROM ME
Dear Michelle,
Before I answered your letter, I prayed that God would enlighten you
on your predicament, and would enlighten me, too, on what to tell you.
I do not mind lending money to somebody who has an emergency
need, such as for hospitalization or medical attention. Even then, I need
to fnd out frst if he has explored other means, such as securing assistance
from institutions like the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Offce.
However, I will have second thoughts about lending money to
somebody who will use it for his familys daily maintenance. If I tolerate
this, I am making this person dependent on me. That person will keep on
borrowing from me, which is whats happening to you now. If that person
fails to pay you back, it can cause serious consequences, like damaging
your relationship with her.
I believe that a person must be able to manage ones income and live
within his means. That is the message that we will send to her if we do
not tolerate her borrowing habits. If a person fails to manage her income,
something is fundamentally wrong. She may be living a lifestyle that is
beyond her means, or may be hooked on some vices or addictions.
On your part, as a lender, you may also need to examine yourself and
your motive in helping your friends. Is it motive borne out of a sincere
and selfess desire to help? Or, is it to satisfy a deeper need that you have,
like a need to be accepted?
I believe that you did the right thing in not lending money to your
friend for her husbands pre-employment requirements, especially
considering that you are out of work and you need every peso of your
savings for your maintenance and that of your moms.
I pray that the Holy Spirit may continuously guide you.
Vic
APRIL 2012 KERYGMA 11
Email your questions to editsvp@shepherdsvoice.com.ph. Or if you need to talk to someone, call (632)
726-4709 or 726-6728 to contact a Light of Jesus counselor. Telephone counseling is 24 hours from
Monday to Friday, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. Face-to-face counseling is by appointment.
For correspondence counseling, email lojcounseling@yahoo.com or go to www.kerygmafamily.com.

Or Call (632) 725-9999
Pregnant? Confused? Abortion is not the answer. Contact Grace to Be Born at 0917-816-4700
or email reylindo.ortega@gmail.com.
You may also contact Sr. Pilar Versoza at Pro-life Philippines. Call (632) 733-7027 or text 0920-
945-5494 or email pilar.verzosa@gmail.com.
Vic Espaol is one of the elders of the Light of Jesus Family.
At present, he is the Feast Builder and preacher in the
Ortigas Feast every Monday at 7:30 p.m. and every Sunday
at 9:30 a.m. at Cinema 4, Robinsons Galleria, Ortigas Center
in Ortigas City. Vic and his wife, Ditas, train the counselors
of the LOJ Counseling Center. Vic is a retired executive of a
multinational life insurance company.
GOD OPENS
WINDOWS FOR
THE DENNISES
OF THIS WORLD
KERYGMA APRIL 2012 12
K
fam
insider
W
hen Bo Sanchez wrote,Your past does
not defne your future, he could have
been referring to the Dennises of this
world.
For if anybody sized up Dennis Alibangbang
based on what had happened to him in his
childhood, he could have easily concluded that
Dennis was bound to become just another statistic
inthecountrystensofthousandsofstreetchildren.
Why?Considerthefollowing.
A Dirt-Poor Past
BornonOctober19,1990,Dennisgrewupinafamily
that survived by means of manually delivering
watertofamilieslivinginaslumareainParaaque.
His father and mother shared the job. It was a
backbreakingoccupationthatledtotheearlydeath
ofhismom.Denniswasonly10yearsoldwhenshe
succumbed to breast cancer.It was as if my whole
familybecamedisabledthattime,herecalled.
Thenlightningstruckagain.
His father abandoned Dennis and his sisters
right after he fnished elementary school. As no
relative cared to fnance his schooling after he
graduatedfromelementary,hissistersfriendcame
forwardtosendhimtohighschool.
Thanks to his graduating valedictorian from
elementary school, he was later admitted into
Paraaque Science High School, where he again
excelled.
Aftertwoyears,thefriendquitsupportinghim.
ThenhisbaptismalgodmothertookpityonDennis
andcontinuedsupportinghimthroughhighschool.
But tragedy hit again. His godmother lost her
means of livelihood and told Dennis she could no
longer send him to college. He has two sisters and
they,too,didntgotocollegeduetopoverty.Dennis
was about to follow suit. He remembered,During
my graduation day, when everybody else was
celebrating,Iwasthereinalittlecornerbroodingas
IthoughtIhadreachedadeadendinmyeducation.
But Dennis believes that when God allows a
doortobeclosed,thesameGodimmediatelyopens
awindow.
A Window Opens for Dennis
Denniss high school teacher thought of Pag-asa
ng Pamilya Scholarship Foundation and referred
Dennistothefoundation.Thelatteragreedtosend
himtocollege.
Assured of funding, Dennis took the college
entrance exams of U.P., UST and Pamantasan ng
Pasig and he passed them all, afording him the
luxuryofchoosingwhatschoolhewantedtogoto.
He chose U.P. So in June 2007, he began his By Rey Ortega
Denniss ultimate dream is to be a blessing to others.
Bo Sanchezs teachings inspire Dennis to pursue his
dreams.
APRIL 2012 KERYGMA 13
collegeeducationintheU.P.ManilacampusasaPag-
asascholar.
Problem solved? Not by a long shot. The
foundations fnancial support is limited only to
educational expenses. Dennis still needed money
forfoodandclothes,payforjeepneyfaresandother
expenses.
Sohebecameaworkingstudentthroughouthis
collegiate years. He washed and ironed his clothes,
no easy task since he had to wear all-white uniforms
everyday.
His health sufered due to malnutrition. But for
Dennis,itwasasmallpricetopay.
Countlesswerethenightswhenhesleptonlyacoupleofhours.Hehadto
workevenintheeveningsinordertosurvive.
Little Successes
Every day was a struggle just to survive, said Dennis. But along the way,
feetingmomentsofglorycame.
Likepassingaparticularlytoughsubjectwithaterrorprofessorwherethe
majorityofhisclassmatesfailed.
And the time
when he was
invitedbytheStaf
Community Fund
(SCF) of Asian
D e v e l o p me n t
Bank to give a
talk at the annual
SCF assembly in
February2010.
Until fnally,
afterwhatseemed
like an eternity
of struggles,
its graduation
time. This April
2012, Dennis will
hopefullyreceivehisdiplomainBachelorofScienceinPhysicalTherapy.
A diploma may not guarantee fnancial success, but it levels the playing
feldfortheDennisesofthisworld.
Hehascomealong,longwayindeed.IcanneverstopthankingGod,for
HeistrulyaGodwhoneverabandonsHischildren,hesaid.
Thinking beyond graduation to fnally earning as a professional, Dennis
prays,Godhasblessedmylifesoprofoundly.Iwouldliketobeablessingfor
others,too.
Never walk away from someone who deserves help; your hand is Gods
hand for that person. (Proverbs 3:27)
L
aughingly
yours
Acustomersentanordertoadistributor
foralargeamountofgoodstotalinga
great deal of money. The distributor
noticed that the previous bill hadnt
been paid. The collections manager
left a voice mail for them saying,We
cantshipyourneworderuntilyoupay
forthelastone.
The next day the collections
managerreceivedacollectphonecall,
Pleasecanceltheorder.Wecantwait
thatlong.
A cat and a mouse died on the same
dayandwentuptoheaven.Atthetop
theymetGodandHeaskedthem,How
doyoulikeitsofar?
The mouse replied,Its great, but
canIgetapairofrollerskates?
Godsaid,Sure,andHegavehima
pairofrollerskates.
ThenextdayGodsawthecatand
asked him,How do you like it up here
so far? and the cat replied, Great, I
didnt know you had meals on wheels
uphere!
AChristianmanhadjustdiedandwas
onhiswaytoheaven.Whenhegotto
the gates of heaven he met an angel.
TheangelaskedhimwhatGodsname
was.
Oh, thats easy, the man replied,
HisnameisAndy.
WhatmakesyouthinkHisnameis
Andy?theangelaskedincredulously.
Well, you see, at Church we used
tosingthissong,Andywalkswithme,
Andytalkswithme.
Lets keep our poor children out of the streets. Support their education
through Pag-asa ng Pamilya Scholarship Foundation. It takes only P2,000.00
a month to support one child. You may deposit your donation to Pag-asa
ng Pamilya Scholarship Foundations Banco de Oro savings acct. 397-005-
945-8 and inform Rey Ortega (0917-816-4700, 0922-859-7035, or reylindo.
ortega@gmail.com) of your donation details.
Denniss persistence is
fnally paying off as he is
soon to graduate.
KERYGMA APRIL 2012 14
A
ddmeuponFacebook!
Surely, at least once in
your lifetime, someone must
have asked you to do this. Perhaps a
newfound friend, an old classmate
you recently bumped into, or even just
friends of friends. A Facebook friend
invite has just become a common
conversationending.
Today, almost everyone, especially
the young generation, has an account
on Facebook. Posting, tagging, and
like-ing have become common day-
startersandanintegralpartinprobably
everyteensday-to-daylife.
Ridingonwiththetimes,theFeast
Alabang recently launched its young
counterpart, the Youth Feast Alabang
(YFA), with a theme based on the
famous social networking site but with
morezestandfavor.
For sure, the frst day of the YFA
timeline was one that is full of fun
memories.ItsFeastbooktime!
Check-In
More than 200 young individuals
checkedinattheFeastAlabangCenter
on January 21, 2012 to join the fun.
The youthful vibe could not be denied.
Energy and excitement flled the
Alabang air. Leveling up to the teens
highenergywerehostsFrancisMiranda
and Justine Bernabe, who ushered the
crowdtotheFeastbookbash.
The party started with intensifed
worship led by Velden Lim. He
exhortedthecrowdofyoungpeopleto
deliberately fall in love with Jesus. The
Feast Alabang Dance Ministry gave an
addedboosttothecelebration.
Friend Request Confrmed
YFABuilderJonathanYogawinintroduced
himself as Kuya J to the youth, an
invitationthathecanbeanolderbrother
tothem.Hethentalkedaboutthegiftof
faithful friends and cultivating healthy
friendships. He also encouraged the
young to go out of their comfort zones
and spurred them into action: to accept
Jesus as their friend and to be in a
relationshipwithGod.
Tagged Friends
Tagging friends in YFA took a diferent
turn. In one activity after the talk, the
young Alabangers had sheets of paper
pinned at their backs, where fellow
attendees wrote their one-adjective frst
impressions of them. More so, through
the group sharings and other games
integrated in YFA, the youngsters were
able to interact and eventually add more
peopletotheirfriendlists.
Feast Alabang Senior Builder Arun
Gognawaspresentthroughouttheevent
togivehisfullsupport.
So,whatareyouwaitingfor?Addthe
Youth Feast Alabang to your friend list
now, and dont forget to check in at the
FeastAlabangCentereverythirdSaturday
of the month, 4 to 6 p.m. Get ready to
experience a diferent kind of friendship
withJesus.LIKE!
F
east
snapshots
FEASTBOOK
Text by Osy Erica
Photos by Ysza Bianca
Pineda and I.C. de Guzman
For Feast schedules in other
locations, please call Annie Mesias
at (632) 725-9999 local 205.
The Youth Feast Alabang
Launch
APRIL 2012 KERYGMA 15
M
ore than seven years ago, Edna spotted Kerygma for the frst time in a
Catholic bookstore. She took a peek at the magazine and read Bos article
onthefrstpage.Thearticlecaptivatedherandledherfeetstraighttothe
cashier.Sincethen,shehasbecomearegularreader.
Edna,alreadyamemberofaCharismaticgroupthen,rarelyreadtheBible.When
she discovered Kerygma, she realized how little she knew about her faith. Kerygma
stimulated her appetite for Gods Word. The teachings of Bo and testimonies of
ordinary people strengthened her once nominal
faithandhelpedshapeherChristiancharacter.
Temporary Setback
In2005,Ednasuferedastroke,whichrendered
her right hand and leg paralyzed, and her
speechslurred.Herdoctorsaidshewouldntbe
abletouseherrighthandagain.Butthisdidnot
shakeherfaithintheLordormakehergiveup
hope.ShethankedGodforgivingherasecond
chance at life.I have to fght for my life. I still
haveamissiontodo,thatswhyIsurvived,she
said.
For two years she stayed mostly at home.
She busied herself with scrapbooking and
exercising her paralyzed right hand to make it
functional again by writing on her notebook
the Bible verses she copied from Didache and
Gabay. To regain her normal speech, she read
aloudthereadingsinthemissalette.Inlessthan
two years, she was able to serve again in their
parishaslector-commentator.

A Diferent Kind of Service


In2010,EdnaattendedthePICCFeastthrougha
friendsinvitation.EdnabecamehookedonThe
Feastandstartedattendingasregularlyaspossible.
Ednas desire to serve atThe Feast grew. She wanted to be a greeter and even
signed up in a caring group, but her health condition kept her from doing those
things.
Butoneday,theLordopenedupanopportunitytoserveinadiferentway:to
beaKerygmaShepherd.SoonSeptember2011,whenshepassedbytheKShepherd
table,shesignedup.BeingaKShepherdisherwayofgivingbacktothecommunity
and helping people deepen their spiritual lives. She hopes and prays that Kerygma
wouldtouchpeopleshearts,opentheirminds,andencouragethemtosupportBos
ministries.
Initially, Edna purchased only the minimum required 10 copies because she
doubtedifshewouldbeabletosellthemall.Butinlessthanaweek,shewasableto
disposeofallcopies,sosheincreasedherpurchasetoaminimumof40copiesper
month.
She found out that most of her prospects do not know Kerygma. So she tells
Edna Beltran:
A STROKE VICTIM AIMS
FOR A STRIKE
By Judith M. Concepcion
them,Buythisandyouwillbeblessed
by the teachings of Bo and youll help
hisministriesaswell.Andmostofthem
dobuy.
Edna always brings copies of
Kerygmainherbagwherevershegoes
and takes every opportunity to sell it.
Shedonatesherearningsfromthesale
of the magazine and other
SVP products to Kerygma
Family and to the prison
ministry.
Her Plans as K Shepherd
Edna plans to knock on
doctors clinics and ofer
the magazine so they can
include Kerygma in their
magazinerack.Sheforesees
doing ambush interviews
of Feast attendees, asking
them if they are already
Kerygma subscribers and, if
notyet,shewillinvitethem
tosubscribe.
Prior to her stroke,
Edna was a very active
woman, always on the
go. Her illness might have
slowedherdownphysically
butherspiritisasstrongas
ever. Edna is also a bowler
andhasbeencompetingin
tournaments since 1989. Her
illness did not deter her from playing
again.
As a bowler, her goal is to hit as
manystrikesasshecan.AsaKShepherd,
hergoalormissionistoshareKerygma
to all. Some reject her, but she always
tries again. Who knows, she may hit a
strikenexttime.
Help us spread the Word of God. Be a
Kerygma Shepherd today. Call Josie at
(632) 725-9999 local 102 for details.
Kshepherd
Ednas goal is to share Kerygma to as many
people as possible.
KERYGMA APRIL 2012 16
W
hen the caretaker of my neighbors house started a brush
fre, he had no idea how big it would get. In just 10
minutes, the fre was already licking the fence of my house!
We were all in panic.
The fre spread uncontrollably across the big vacant lot of dry grass. Big boxes
flled with our garments awaiting shipment the following day were stored in our
factory. Horrifed, I cried, Lord! Please dont allow us to lose our bread and butter!
STANDING
STRONG
Fire, P10M Loss,
Ondoy
and then The
Feast
By Virginia Jean Ascao
as told to Bella Estrella
Photos by Arlene
Batislaong
Jean has survived the worst trials in her life
through faith.
APRIL 2012 KERYGMA
happened
I
T
17
I felt powerless so I raised my hands and sang praise
songs.
Firemen arrived on site but their pump motor wouldnt work!
I prayed, Lord, please make the motor work! Our materials are
combustible!
A few more tries and the fre pump fnally worked. A freman
pointed his hose at my house. I looked at him and saw instead
Jesus, with His beard and long white robe, pumping water at
my house. The Lord Himself was there to save us. Tears streamed
down my face. That incident sealed in me a frm trust in God.
I had just attended the Catholic Life in the Spirit Seminar
two months before the fre happened. It was as if God told me
to trust in Him in preparation for big trials that were to come
my way.

MY LIFE BEFORE THE FIRE
I worked for many years in the corporate world as a certifed public
accountant. But in 1993, I left my job and put up my own manufacturing
and exporting business. I converted the ground foor of my house into a
factory of childrens wear.
All those years, my relationship with the Lord consisted of just attending
Sunday Mass.
A friend kept inviting me to a Catholic Life in the Spirit Seminar, but I
was content just fulflling my Sunday obligation. But her persistence bore
fruit when I fnally accepted her invitation in March 2006. In the seminar,
I felt Gods acceptance despite my many shortcomings. I began to hunger
for His Word.
Then, in May 2006, the fre broke out.
TIMES OF PAIN
The years that followed brought me much anguish, but I never questioned God. In fact, I knew that He was with me through
my worst times.
In 2007, at the time when there was an economic meltdown in the United States, I shipped garments worth P10
million to a client in New York. The client did not pay me, claiming that
my documents were not complete. I painstakingly gathered and sent all the
documents they asked for, but I still did not receive any payment. As a result,
I could not pay my suppliers and subcontractors in Manila.
Shame, anxiety and fear engulfed me to the point that I could not tell my
ordeal to anyone. People who I thought were friends abandoned me. There
was no one I could talk to except God.
As I unburdened my troubles to Him, I realized that I should tell my
suppliers and subcontractors the truth. It wasnt easy, but by Gods grace, I
mustered enough courage to face them and tell them my predicament. And
still, by Gods grace, not one of them pressured me to pay. They gave me
time to solve my problems.
In 2008, my company folded up. I looked for a job, and a company
took me in as an internal auditor. The pay was way below what I used to
earn but because I needed the money, I took the job.
At about that time, I was already watching Kerygma TV where I found
comfort in the talks of Bo Sanchez. I also served in a faith community where
fellow servants prayed for me.
Meanwhile, I still couldnt collect payment from my U.S. client. Friends in the business advised me to go to the U.S. to
check the status of my shipment.
I didnt have money for my fare, but again came a blessing. My elder sister received her retirement pay and she
Jeans week isnt complete now with-
out The Feast.
KERYGMA APRIL 2012 18
Jean with some Ortigas Feasters (L-R): Boy and Rose
Alio, Yang Clutario, Zisa Pereyra and JP Hernandez.
volunteered to pay for my round-trip ticket to the U.S.!
In September 2009, I was able to leave for New York. There I found out that
my shipment had already been auctioned off! I tried to get a lawyer to work on
my case, but I could not afford the attorneys fees. Almost penniless, I depended
on relatives and friends for my sustenance.
While struggling in the U.S., I received two more bad news. On September
26, 2009, Typhoon Ondoy ravaged Metro Manila. My house was not spared.
The foods damaged all my machines, equipment and other belongings. I had not
fnished paying for the mortgage of the house and now it was a wreck. Then
in October 2009, a letter came from the bank foreclosing the mortgage for our
house and lot.
There I was losing everything that I had worked hard for for so many years.
I cried to God and raised my hands to Him in total surrender.
I returned to the country in November 2009. My shipment case was still
unresolved. Then in December, my working days as an internal auditor were
reduced from fve to only three days a week.
Only my faith in God kept me going. I contemplated on His Word, Therefore
I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your
body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than
clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in
barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable
than they? (Matthew 6:25-26).
His words comforted me, giving me hope and peace.
A BREAKTHROUGH
I continued watching Kerygma TV regularly. Bos talks made me grow more in my
faith. Every day, I fervently prayed, Lord, be merciful to me.
Finally, in February 2010, a breakthrough came! I was recruited as a fnancial
advisor in an insurance company. I resolved to work hard using my time, talents
and treasure.
Before the Holy Week of April 2010, I began attending The Feast (a Catholic
prayer gathering of the Light of Jesus Family) in Valle Verde, Pasig City. There I felt the presence of the Lord. On April 25, a
Sunday, I put P500 in the love offering envelope. It was the last bill in my wallet. I never gave coins even in my dire need
because for me, the Lord always deserves the best. Again, the Lord could not be outdone.
A pleasant surprise came fve days later. I was able to close a P50-million insurance policy a rare deal in the
insurance business in our country. Because of that, my friend, who invited me to join his group in the company, got
promoted. It was a gift from the Lord for both of us.
Faith and Work
Another gift from the Lord was the fulflment of one of the dreams I wrote in my
Novena to Gods Love booklet regarding the career of my daughter. With the
assistance of my sister, I was able to pay for her review for the board exams in
Architecture in June 2010, and she passed it on her frst take.
On August 22, 2010, I was able to bring her along to The Feast as a frst-
timer. She learned there that its important to pray every day, talking to the Lord like
you are chatting with a friend. Today, she regularly attends The Feast in Singapore
where she works.
My experiences made me a more humble person. I now live a simple life,
entrusting everything to God who has been very gracious to me. He has used my
present job to bless me with travels to other countries, all for free. I went to Macau
and Bangkok together with my family in 2010; to Singapore in February 2011;
to Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, France and Italy in a European tour in May
2011 all beyond my expectations!
I am thankful for everything that has happened in my life. Jesus is not only an acquaintance but my Friend, my Protector,
my Healer, my Provider, and a source of electricity who continuously gives me energy. Im now turning 56 happier,
blessed and untiring in the pursuit of my dreams of an abundant life so that I can continuously help others.
Yes, God fulflled my dreams for my spiritual and fnancial needs. And He is not done yet.
With Ortigas Feast Builder Vic Espaol
APRIL 2012 KERYGMA 19
Life has defnitely turned for the better when
Jean encountered God more personally.
KERYGMA APRIL 2012 20
A
MATTER
OF
APRIL 2012 KERYGMA 21
S
pecial
section
W
hen I was a little boy, my mother told
me, Im praying that you become a
priest.Imnotforcingyou,butIllbethe
happiestwomanintheworldifyoubecomeapriest.

Talkaboutsubtleemotionalmanipulation.

When I was 16 years old, I took up Philosophy in
college, so that just in case God really called me to
priesthood,Idbeready.(A.B.Philosophyisrequired
forpriesthood.)
Aftercollege,Ialsotookalltherequiredsubjects
foramastersdegreeinTheology,again,justincase
God really wanted me to be a priest. All the bishop
would have to do was send me to a seminary for a
yearortwoandvoilaIwasreadyforordination.
ButGodnevercalledmetobeapriest.
When Mom learned that I had a girlfriend, it
brokeherheart.Asidefromthefactthatnowoman
was good enough for her son (except for Mother
Mary), her dream for me to become Fr. Bo was
slippingthroughherfngers.
Im sure there were many days when she
imagined me to be a priest. Im sure she imagined
me wearing the clerical garb, celebrating Mass and
consecrating the host. And one day, that beautiful
picturewasblowntobits.
But I also know that through many tears, Mom
surrenderedherdreamformetoGod.LikeAbraham,
sheplacedmeonthealtar.
AndGodgaveheranotherversionofthatdream.
Ididntbecomeapriest.ButIbecameapreacher,
anauthor,anentrepreneurandaleader.
Today, when my mother thinks of me, shes still
thehappiestwomanintheworld!
I love being a lay preacher. I love sharing about
how I raise my kids and how I love my wife stuf
thatpriestswillneverbeabletoshare.Andwithout
thelongrobe,Ifeelalotmoreirreligiouspeoplecan
identifywithme.
Friend, God has a way of fulflling the dreams
inyourheartinthebestwaypossible.Hewillallow
you to be temporarily disappointed, but never
permanentlyfrustrated.
Youdonthavetounderstanditall.Butwhenyou
surrenderyourdreamtoGodandtrustHimtosend
youthebest,thatsexactlywhathappens.
By Bo Sanchez
Hang on Even When
Your Dreams
Dont Come True
W
hatwerethethingsyouworriedaboutjust10yearsago?
Youwereworriedaboutschoolprojectsandexams.
You were worried whether your friends would laugh at your hairstyle.
Today,youlaughateveryoneshairstyle.
Youwereworriedthatyourboyfriendwasseeingsomeoneelse.Now,youthankGod
hewasseeingsomeoneelse.Goodriddance!
You were worried if your boss liked your reports.You later learned he didnt even
readyourreports.
Whatdoesthismean?
Ninetypercentofthethingsyoureworriedabouttoday,youlllaughabouttomorrow.
Sowhywait?
CanyoutrustGodenoughthatyoucanlaughatyourworriestoday?
Letmetellyouacrazystory.
KERYGMA APRIL 2012 22
S
pecial
section
HAPPY
PEOPLE
TRUST
DEEPLY
Expect to Be Blessed
By Bo Sanchez
Is Fear Killing You?
Onemorning,amansawtheAngelofDeathwalkinginto
histown.
He was brave enough to ask,May I ask why you are
here?
The Angel of Death said, Im going to kill 10,000
peopletoday.
The man stepped back in horror and ran all around
town.Hewarnedpeople,IjustsawtheAngelofDeath.He
said10,000peoplewilldietoday.
Butwhennighttimecame,70,000peopledied.
Thenextday,themansawtheAngelofDeathwalking
out of town. He called after him and said,Wait!You said
you were only going to kill 10,000 people. But there were
70,000whodiedlastnight!
TheAngelofDeathshookhishead,Ikilledonly10,000.
Worryandfearkilledtherest.
Faith and Fear Are the Same Inside
Letmeshockyou.
Faithandfearseemsodiferentfromeachother.
Butifyoutakeaknifeandpeelthecoveroffaithand
fear, youll realize theyre the same inside. Theyre both
beliefs.
Faithbelievesthatgoodthingswillhappen.
Andfearbelievesthatbadthingswillhappen.
The problem is that because theyre beliefs, theyre
powerful.
Becausebeliefscreateourreality.
TheBiblesaysthatwhatyoubelievewillhappen.
Sowhenwefear,wecreatetheverythingwereafraid
of.
Ive met lots of people whose minds are flled with
fearfulthoughts,theydontknowthattheyrecreatingthe
realitytheydread.
They say things like,The economy is so bad, Ill lose
myjobsoon.
Myhusbandwillneverchange.
Mymarriagewillneverimprove.
My parents died of cancer; Im sure Ill have cancer,
too.Ohmygosh,wheredidthismolecomefrom?
Illnevergetmarried,orIllendupmarryingaserial
killer.
Because their beliefs, faith and fear are also
expectations.
Fearexpectsproblems.
Faithexpectsblessings.
Andtheuniverseadjuststoyourexpectations!
Askyourself:Whatdoyouexpecttohappentoday?
Onceuponatime,Iwasapersonoffear.
Whengoodthingshappenedtome,Idgetscared.Id
think,Oh no, too many good things are happening!This
wont last. Im sure bad things will now come like a tidal
wave.
Subconsciously,Ibelievedinthebalanceofthegood
and the bad. (Yep, I watched Gulong ng Palad starring
Marianne de la Riva and Ronald Corveau. Thats ancient history for
someofyou.)
Today, I realize that you cant balance the good and the bad
becausethegoodisalwaysazilliontimesmorethanthebad.
BecauseGodsblessingsarelimitless.
Today,Ivebecomeapersonoffaith.
Whengoodthingshappentome,Isay,Imgoingfromgloryto
glory,goingtohigherlevelsofvictoryandabundanceandlove.
Today, I expect that life will get better, become happier and
becomemoreabundant.
Albert Einstein said,There are two ways of living life. One is to
live as though nothing is a miracle. The other is to live as though
everythingisamiracle.
Eachday,Imchoosingtoliveasthougheverythingisamiracle.
Friend,doyouwanttofulfllyourdreams?
Letmesharewithyoumythreestepsoffaith:
StepOne:SeetheDream.
StepTwo:SowtheDream.
StepThree:SurrendertheDream.
Step One: See the Dream
Doyoureallyknowwhatyouwantinlife?
Youve got to know your dream so well that you see it in your
mind. In fact, you dont just see it; you feel it in your heart. Because
faith and fear are not just beliefs or expectations theyre also
feelings.Whenyouseeyourdreaminvividdetail,youllfeelthefaith
risewithinyou.
Thatswhyfearfulpeoplecannotdream.
Hereswhatyoudo:Imagineallyourdreamsarealreadyfulflled.
Themoreyouseeitandfeelit,theeasieritisforyourdreamstocome
true.
DreaminvividTechnicolorcompletewithsound,smell,taste
andfeel.
The reason why many people dont receive Gods blessings is
because they have a limited capacity to receive those blessings.
The problem isnt in the supply. (Its infnite.) The problem is in the
receivingofthatsupply.
Sohowdoyouincreaseyourcapacitytoreceive?
By increasing your vision. When you increase the size of your
vision,youincreasethesizeofyourblessings.
Seeyourdream.Feelit.
Onceyoudothat,yourereadyforthenextstep.
Step Two: Sow the Dream
Actually,youdontsowthedream.
Yousowtheseedofthedream.Andthatsmallseedwillgrowto
becomeyourbigdream.
Whatstheseed?Youractions.
Nothinghappensunlessyouact.
When you plant 100 seeds, not all of those seeds will grow.
Perhaps99willdie.ButthatsOK.Itstheoneseedthatgrowsthatwill
makeyourdreamcometrue.
Somakemistakes!
Act.Andact.Andkeeponacting.
Wakeupearly.Andruntowardsyourdream!
Evenifyoufeelthatyouhaveverylittleresources.
APRIL 2012 KERYGMA 23
Act on What You Have
WhenDavidfoughtGoliath,hedidntaskforaM9bazooka,amachine
gunorabulletproofvest.Heworkedwithwhathehadaleathersling
andfvesmoothstones.Godtransformedthemintodeadlyweaponsin
hishands.
Sousewhatyouhave!
Ihearthisalotfrompeoplewhomakeexcusesfortheirmediocre
lives:
ButIdonthaveacollegediploma.
IcantspeakEnglishwell.
Idonthavetherightconnections.
ImnotgoodinMath.
Idontknowhowtosell.
Idonthavetime.
Imnotasgood-lookingasBoSanchez.(Haveyoureyeschecked.)
Dont Look for What You Dont Have
Heresthetruth:Youhaveeverythingyouneedtoreachyourdreams.
Everything.
Didyoureadthat?
E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G!
You have the Holy Spirit. You have friends around you. You have
othertalents.
Andheresthelastcrucialstepyouneedtotake.
Step Three: Surrender Your Dream
Someofyoumayevenbeshockedbymythirdstep.
Iveaskedyoutodream,right?Topursueitwithsomuchpassion
thatyouseeitandfeelitinyourheart.
ButinStepThree,Illaskyoutodowhatseemstheveryopposite:To
surrenderyourdreamstoGod.InStepThree,yousaythemostperfect
prayerofall.Lord,notmywillbutYoursbedone.
Totrust.
Toletgo.
To actually tell God that youre happy now even without this
dream.
HeresonethingIfoundoutaboutdreams.IfImdesperate,needy
andfranticIfnditdifculttomakethatdreamcometrue.
But if I surrender my dream to God, relax, and treat my pursuit of
thedreamasplayIfndmyselfattractingeveryblessingIneedinan
almostefortlessway.
Thisismyexperiencewithmoney,too.
WhenImdesperateformoney,verylittlecomesmyway.Everything
Iearnisastruggle,likeImpullingteethfromtheuniverse.
ButwhenImrelaxedaboutmoneytrustingthatImswimming
inanoceanofblessingthemoneycomesrollingatmyfeet,begging
thatItakeit.
WhenIdothis,Idontstruggle.Therightpeoplecometome.The
rightconnectionscometome.Therightbookcomestome.Theright
opportunitiescome.Almostefortlessly.
Let Go
Recently,Itoldmywife,Godisteachingmetorelaxmore.
Shewascurious.Arewegoingtotakemorevacations?
Absolutely,Ichuckled.Butitmeansmorethanthat.Imlearning
todreamandatthesametimeletgoofmydreams.
Whatdoyoumean?sheasked.
ImnotsayingIwontworkwithpassionanymore,
I said.I love my work so much. Ill still get up early in
the morning and pour myself into my ministries and
businesses.ButImlettinggoofallfearandallanxiety.
WhyworrywhenImswimminginGodsabundance?
Thatswonderful,shesaid.CanwegotoSagada?
Shhh. I havent fnished my explanation yet. To
surrendermeansItrustthateverythingthathappensis
formygood.Andtotrustthateverythingthatdoesnt
happenisalsoformygood.
Thatsgreat.So,isSagadaagoodthing?mywife
winked.
Whats Your Lulu?
Irememberthiscrazystory.
One day, in a mental hospital, two doctors were
takingtheirrounds.
Astheyvisitedpatients,theysawamancrouched
inbed,crying,Lulu,Lulu
Whoisthisman?askedthenewdoctor.
Luluwashisgirlfriend.Thismanwantedtomarry
Lulu,butLulumarriedsomeoneelse.
Oh,poorguy,theyoungdoctorsaid,Hecouldnt
takethedisappointmentandlosthismind.
Thetwodoctorswalkedon.Inanotherroom,they
sawanotherpatient,crouchedinbed,alsocryingLulu,
Lulu
Thenewdoctorwassurprisedandasked,Andwho
isthisman?WhyishealsocryingLulu?
ThiswasthemanLulumarried.
Letmeaskyouaquestion:WhatsyourLulu?
YourLuluisaprayerthathasntbeenansweredyet.
Ihaveasimplemessage:IfyoudontgetLulu,dont
loseyourmind.
SurrenderyourLulu.
At the end of the day, God will give you the best
versionofyourdream!
Expect Blessings
One day, I surprised my wife by telling her,Pack your
bags.Werestayinginafve-starhotelfortwodays!
Sheaskedme,Isntthatexpensive?
Illaskforadiscount,Itoldher.
Anddidyoucalltoreserve?
Ididnt,Isaid,welljustwalktothefrontdeskand
expecttobeblessed.
Sheasked,Andifyoudontgetadiscount?Orifits
fullybooked?
I placed my wish before Gods generosity, I told
her.Inotherwords,Isurrendered.Iftheresnodiscount
or no room available, well just move to another hotel.
Itllbeanadventure!
Sowepackedourbagsandofwewent.
When I walked to the front desk of my favorite
hotel,Iasked,Whatsyourcheapestroom?
Theguyshowedmetheratecard.Igulped.
ItwasP8,000pernight.
KERYGMA APRIL 2012 24
Iasked,Willyougivemeadiscount?
Icouldgiveyou10percent,hesaid.
Isighed.P7,200wasstillalotofmoney.
At that precise moment, a tall man, wearing a nice
coat and tie, walked out of the door behind the front
desk.Immediately,Irecognizedhim.Hewasafriend.After
greeting each other, he gave me his business card. On
the card it said,Front Desk Manager. He was the guy in
charge!
Onthespot,fromP8,000,hebroughtdownmyroom
ratetoP3,000.
Not only that, he upgraded my room two notches
higher.SomywifeandIstayedinaroomworthP12,000++
foronlyP3,000anight.
Thatwasntall.
Myupgradedlifehadjustbegun.
God Wants to Upgrade You
Fromthehotel,IwentstraighttotheairporttofytoHong
Kong.(AveryimportantpersoninHongKongwantedto
meet with me to discuss a possible donation. This, too,
is an incredible display of attracting blessings because I
didntcallhim.Hecalledme!Butthatsanotherstory.)
At the Manila airport, I
walked to the check-in
counter. Without
my asking, the
lady behind
the counter
said, Mr.
Sanchez, Im
upgrading
you to
BusinessClass.
Wow. If you
insist,Itoldher.
Two hours later, I
landed in Hong Kong
and went straight to
my hotel. And just
in case you think I
get all these crazy
breaks because
Im famous, the
Chineseladyinthe
frontdeskwhodidntknowmefromAdamsaid,Mr.Sanchez,
wereupgradingyoutoabiggerroom.
Icouldntbelievemyears.Thiswastoomuch!
The next day, after my meetings in Hong Kong (which went
verywell),IwentbacktotheHongKongairport.WhenIcheckedin,
I was half-expecting that I would be upgraded again. But nothing
happened.
I told myself,Im going to enjoy this plane ride. I was applying
theThirdStep:Trust.Surrender.Dontbedesperate.Letgo.
SoIwalkedinsidetheplaneandsatdownonmyeconomyseat.I
pulledoutabookandbeganreading.Thatwaswhenastewardcame
uptomeandsaid,BrotherBo,letmebringyouuptoBusinessClass.
AsIsatinBusinessClass,sippingmyorangejuice,Irelaxed.
When you trust more, youll relax more. And youll realize that
what was a struggle before will now become easy. Doors will open.
Peoplewillcallyou.Opportunitieswillcomenearyou.
Dear friend, I speak blessings to your life to your fnances, to
yourfamilylife,toyourhealth.
ReceiveGodsavalancheofblessings!
Hey,Imnotsayingthatyoullhavenomoreproblems.
Youwill.
Butyoullseeyourproblemsinanewlight.
How About When Bad Things Happen?
Letmetellyoumylaststory.
One day, a king placed a boulder in the middle of the road. He
thenhidapouchbehindtheboulderandwaitedinthebushestosee
whatpeoplewoulddo.
Many noble men, knights, priests and soldiers saw the boulder
and complained why it was blocking the path.That was all they did
complained,complainedandcomplainedsomemore.
Butlaterintheafternoon,afarmerwalkedontheroad,sawthe
boulder,puthisstufdownandpushedtheobstacleoutoftheway.
When he did that, he saw the kings purse underneath. He opened
itandfounditflledwiththepurestgold,includinganotefromthe
king. It said,This is your reward. Because behind every boulder on
theroadoflifeispuregold.
Friend,behindeveryprobleminyourlifeisarichblessing.
Behindeverytrialinyourlifeisatreasurewaitingtobediscovered.
Wheneverbadthingshappentome,Isay,Thisisntaproblem.
Thisisanopportunityformetogrowbyleapsandbounds.Thiswill
beoneofmybiggestblessingsinlife.
Goahead.
Seeyourdream.
Sowyourdream.
Andsurrenderyourdream.
Relax!
Expecttobeblessed.
Emailmeatbosanchez@kerygmafamily.com.
(EditorsNote:ThisarticlewasliftedfromBoSanchezsbook,Dont Worry,
Be Happy.Toreadmoreaboutthesecretsoftrulyhappypeople,orderacopy
now!Call(632)725-9999orvisitwww.shepherdsvoice.com.ph.)
APRIL 2012 KERYGMA 25
TRUSTING GOD
THROUGH THE PAIN
By Connie Velasco as told to Lella M. Santiago
Photos by IC de Guzman
Connie tries to look her
best no matter how much
pain she goes through.
Connie fnds life real life after cancer,
and she lives it to the full.
KERYGMA APRIL 2012 26
M
y doctors were turning me down for
treatment. This was after I had undergone
12 surgeries, 32 radiation sessions and
about 30 or so chemotherapy sessions. My main oncologist
said Ive had too much chemo. The radiation oncologist
couldnt treat me either, as the area that needs it had
already been radiated. My ortho surgeon also couldnt nd
a way to cure me.
In a span of seven years, I almost died seven times. I
had been hospitalized more times than I could count, it
felt like a thousand times already. Now it looked like I had
nowhere to go.
Plagued by Cancer
Three years before I was diagnosed with stage 4 breast
cancer, my husband died of lung cancer. That drained me
physically and nancially. But I said, Lord,
Im going to accept this; just heal my
wounds and help me bear this sadness.
When I learned of my own ailment,
I didnt even worry about it. I had very
little money left. My reaction was, So? If
this is the Lords will, so be it. But God
blessed me with a good family. My
brothers and sisters chipped in for my
medication and hospitalizations.
In 2003, I had a dicult time walking
because the cancer had metastasized
to my bones. The doctors screwed
titanium rods to weld my spinal column
in the lumbar section. Then I went into
remission. It came back in 2006. I had to undergo another
round of chemotherapy and went into remission again. The
cancer returned with a vengeance in 2009. Eight rounds
of chemotherapy and a year on oral chemo did not heal
me. In late 2010, I lost strength in both legs and had to be
carried everywhere.
This was when doctors said they couldnt do any more
for me. Previous scans showed that almost all the bones in
my thoracic section were diseased and looked too brittle to
have metal screwed on. Only another orthopedic surgeon
I was referred to took the chance and scheduled me for
surgery.
I said, Lord if this is my time, Ill accept it. But I still
continued to pray and to seek healing. I had been following
Fr. Suarez since I got sick. He was scheduled to say Mass in
Magallanes, Makati City the day before my surgery. I waited
for two-and-a-half hours but he was rushing and only had
about a minute to pray for me. I was so disappointed by the
long wait and the short pray-over but I felt God talking to
S
pecial
section
TESTIMONY
me. He reminded me about the woman who only had to touch the cloak of Jesus
and was immediately healed.
During surgery, the doctor found one thoracic vertebra had cleared
miraculously and was good enough to screw the plate on. And instead of being
brittle, my bones were so hard that the procedure took six hours instead of two.

Powered by God
My war isnt over yet. After four months, the tumor wrapped itself around my
spinal cord again. I felt like I was being killed, not just by the disease, but also by
the expenses. But God got me through it because during my rst remission He
restored not only my health; He restored my wealth beyond my wildest dreams.
When I was single, I used to work for a trading company that sold equipment to
the military. When I got sick, one of the generals I used to deal with, whose wife
died of cancer, must have taken pity on me and awarded me successive contracts.
I was able to fund not just my treatments but also my dream house.
I am not yet
healed. I sleep in
pain. I wake up in
pain. Last year, I
asked Fr. Suarez why
Ive gotten worse
when Ive been
asking God to use
me in a magnicent
way. He said, God
is already using you
through your pain.
That saddened
me because I
couldnt understand
what he meant. It
was only later that
I understood. A
friend called to say
he was oering Mass for me and asked me to join the Eucharistic celebration
on TV. During the homily, the priest said, If youre sick right now and in real pain,
dont waste it. Oer that pain for the reparation of the world, for the conversion
of sinners and for the forgiveness of sins. This was what Fr. Suarez meant. I never
realized how powerful that statement was.
Despite the pain and even if Im in a wheelchair, I can still go to my job site
to manage our construction company, talk to my suppliers, the architect and the
carpenters and create new designs. I work to overcome my fears for my childrens
future. I have to make sure that my three daughters (Crystal, 24; Camille, 22; Casey,
14) are nancially stable in case anything happens to me.
Despite my ordeal, I still try to look my best. Patients in the chemo room
appear all worn out. Most dont care about their looks anymore. But I go for my
chemo sessions, all made up, complete with a fashionable hat. They get inspired
when they see me. I tell them, Theres still life after stage 4 real life. You can still
make it.
TRUSTING GOD
THROUGH THE PAIN
Connie shares about the breakthroughs in her life at
The Feast Alabang.
APRIL 2012 KERYGMA 27
By Arun Gogna
KERYGMA APRIL 2012 28
S
pecial
section
APRIL 2012 KERYGMA 29
T
wenty-nineyearsago,ImadethefrststepinservingGod.Butwhatyouareseeingnowistotallyopposite
ofwhatIwasasayoungboy.
Iwasveryshy.Whenwehadpartiesinourhouse,Iwouldstayinmyroomupstairs,exceptof
coursewhenitwasmybirthday.ThenIdcallthechildrenwhowerepresenttogoupandplaywithme.When
itwastimetoeat,Idtellthem,Godownandeat,thenjustbringmesomethingafteryouredone.
ButwhenIencounteredtheLordinaLifeintheSpiritSeminar,Islowlywentoutofmyshell.Ilearnedhowtoplaytheguitaron
myown.Where?Onourrooftop!BecauseIdidntwantpeopletoseeme.
WhenIalreadyknewhowtoplaytheguitaralittle,mymotheraskedmetojointhemintheirprayermeeting.Fromthere,Isoon
learnedhowtosingbecausetheywerentusedtosingingwithaguitar,Ihadtoleadtheminsong.
Imadethefrststep.Iprayed,Lord,Ialreadyknowhowtoplaytheguitar.Useme.
AndHedid.Healsogavemethegiftofsinging.
Ididnttakesinginglessons.IjustsangeverytimeIprayed.AndnowIhavetwoalbums.
So, at 13, I knew how to sing and play the guitar. But God
hadmoreplansforme.Myprayerleaderaskedmetoexplainthe
worshipsongstoourgroup.IdidntknowhowtodoitbutIjust
obeyed. And that gave me the confdence to speak in front of
people.
Ilearnedhowtogiveatalk.
Why? Because I made the frst step and trusted that God
wouldshapemylifeaccordingtoHisplansforme.
Iattendedtrainingseminarsandretreatstodevelopmyskills.
AndwhenIalreadyknewhowtogivetalksandretreatsand
directconcerts,Iwasabletowriteabook,andanotherone,and
anotherone.Now,mywifeandIarewritingabookonfamilyand
marriage.
AllbecauseItrustedtheLordandtookthefrststep.
IntheBible,theresacertaincharacterwhotrustedJesusso
muchthathedidtheextraordinary.
Hedidntjusttakethefrststep.Hediditonwater!
LetslearnfromPeterhowtowalkonthewavesoflifeaswe
keepoureyesonJesus.
Then he made the disciples get into the boat and
precede him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.
After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to
pray. When it was evening he was there alone. Meanwhile
the boat, already a few miles ofshore, was being tossed
about by the waves, for the wind was against it. During the
fourth watch of the night, he came toward them, walking
on the sea. When the disciples saw him walking on the sea
they were terrifed. It is a ghost, they said, and they cried
out in fear. At once [Jesus] spoke to them, Take courage, it
is I; do not be afraid. Peter said to him in reply, Lord, if it is
you, command me to come to you on the water. He said,
Come. Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on
the water toward Jesus. But when he saw how [strong] the
wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink,
he cried out, Lord, save me! Immediately Jesus stretched
out his hand and caught him, and said to him, O you of
little faith, why did you doubt? After they got into the boat,
the wind died down. Those who were in the boat did him
homage, saying, Truly, you are the Son of God.
Matthew 14:22-33
THE MAKING OF A WATER WALKER
1. Water walkers recognize Gods presence.
During the fourth watch of the night, he came toward
them, walking on the sea. When the disciples saw him
walking on the sea they were terrifed. It is a ghost, they
said, and they cried out in fear.

Matthew 14:25-26
The Apostles didnt recognize Jesus. They were
overwhelmedwithfearasthewavesbufetedtheirboat.
Water walkers are always aware of the presence of God.
They know that God is present everywhere because nothing
exists outside the presence of God. Even Satan is in the
presenceofGod.
Whenwepray,weusuallystartwith,Letusputourselves
inthepresenceofGod.Thisiswrongbecausewearealwaysin
thepresenceofGod.Whatweactuallymeanisthatweremind
ourselvesthatweareinGodspresence.
IhadtwofriendsbloodbrotherswhoservetheLordin
themissions.Once,theywentintoamoviehouse.Beforetaking
theirseats,theygenufected.Wow!Andthentheyremembered
thattheywereinthemoviehouse,notinachurch.Theywere
justsoflledwithGodspresencethateverythingtheydid,they
thoughtofHim.
If we are always aware of the presence of God, we will
stop sinning. For example, if you go to a beerhouse and you
areawarethatGodisthereandiswatchingyou,Imsureyoud
automaticallyexitfromthetemptationthatlurksinthere.
WaterwalkersrecognizethepresenceofGod.
JustliketheApostlesexperience,Jesusoftencomeswhen
weleastexpectHimespeciallyinthemidstofthestorm.
BereadytorecognizeHimnomatterwhatchallengesand
trialsyouhaverightnow.
2. Water walkers discern between faith and foolishness.
Peter said to him in reply, Lord, if it is you, command me
to come to you on the water. He said, Come.

Matthew 14:28-29
KERYGMA APRIL 2012 30
This isnot a storyof risk-taking. It is a
storyofobedience.
Peterisanimpulsiveperson.Consider
these instances: At the Transfguration,
when Jesus appearance changed, what
didPetersay?Lord,itisgoodforustobe
here. If you are willing, let us make here
three tabernacles, one for you, one for
Moses,andoneforElijah(Matthew17:4).
AndtheninGethsemane,hecutofthe
earofMalchus,thehighpriestsservant,to
defendJesus.
WhentheLordwastellingthemabout
Hisforthcomingsuferinganddeath,Peter
took him aside and rebuked Him.Never,
Lord! he said. This shall never happen
to you! (Matthew 16:22). Jesus, in turn,
rebuked Peter. It appeared, at frst, that
He was addressing Peter as Satan, but, in
truth,ChristrecognizedSatanasspeaking
throughPeter.
Peter was an impulsive person, no
doubt. But while they were in the boat,
why didnt he just jump when Jesus told
him,ItisI,donotbeafraid?
Instead,PeterwaitedforJesustosay,Come.
Why? Because Peter knew that if he were to walk on water, he wouldnt be in
control.
JesuscontrolseverythingandPeterknewthat.
So, a person who wants to walk on water must learn how to discern between
foolishnessandfaith.
How?Wehavetoask,justasPeterdid.
Andhegotananswer.
Letmesharewithyouthestoryofmyfriend.
Whenshewasstillsingle,shediscernedthatshewasforthemarriedlife.Soshe
made a list of what she wanted in a marriage partner. In her list of 20 items, 1 to 9
werenon-negotiable.Thatmeans,ifaprospectivepartnercourtsherwithoutthese
qualities, she wont even entertain him. Because she was good-looking, she had
manysuitors.Everytimesomeonecametopursueher,shedcheckherlist.Onesuitor
metonlysevenoutofninerequirements;anothermadeittonumber11,butstill,she
didntgivein.Butoneguycameandhehadthe19qualitiesshewantedinapartner.
SoafterprayingtoGod,sheansweredtheguy,trustingthathewasGod-sent.
Theirweddingdaycame.Asshewalkeddowntheaisle,shewassurprisedthather
groomwaswearingeyeglasses.Whensheaskedhimaboutit,hesaid,Myeyesight
isgettingpoorsomydoctoradvisedmetoweareyeglassessoIcouldalwaysbehold
yourbeauty.
Later,shetoldhimaboutherlist,andguesswhat,Godhadfulflledher20thitem
onthelistthatherhusbandwouldbewearingeyeglasses.Assimpleasthat.
When you want to ask God for something, you have to ask Him specifcally for
whatyouwant.
Ifyouwanttowalkonwater,asktheLordtohelpyoudiscernbetweenfaithand
foolishness.
3. Water walkers get out of the boat.
Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus.

Matthew 14:29

Whatisyourboat?
Yourboatisyourcommonsense.
Yourboatisyourfears.
Whateverrepresentssafetyandsecuritytoyou,apartfromGodHimself,isyour
boat.
Whateveryouaretemptedtoputyourtrustinisyourboat.
WhateverkeepsyoufromjoiningJesusonthewavesisyourboat.
InourBiblestoryabove,PeterwassocourageousthatmaybeevenJesus
musthavebeensurprisedthatsomeonecouldtrustHimthatmuch.
GettingoutoftheboatisyourgifttoGod.WalkingonwaterisGods
gifttoyou.DoyouwanttoreceivethisgiftfromGod?
Thenyouhavetogetoutoftheboat.Ifyouwanttoreceivethegift
ofGod,takethefrststep.
Remember the parting of the Red Sea?The waters didnt recede
untiltheytookthefrststepintothewater.
Ifyouwanttowalkonwater,youhavetomakethefrststep.
4. Water walkers expect problems and accept fear as the prize of
growth.
But when he saw how [strong] the wind was he became frightened;
and, beginning to sink, he cried out, Lord, save me!

Matthew 14:30
APRIL 2012 KERYGMA 31
WhenPetersfocuschangedfromJesustothestrongwind,he
begantosink.
In reality, when the storm is strong, its dangerous whether
youreinsidetheboatoroutsideit.ThatswhyJesusmostfrequently
repeatedinstructionintheBibleisnotHumbleyourself,orLove
others,butFearnot.
Fearandgrowthgotogether.
Ifyouwanttogrow,thereisalwaysanelementoffearpresent.
And when you face your fear, the opportunity to grow should be
there,too.
Someday,whenyougetusedtolivingwithfear,youwillrealize
thatfeardoesnthavethepowertodestroyyou.Infact,ithasthe
powertomakeyougrow.
5. Water walkers master failure management.
Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him,
and said to him, O you of little faith, why did you doubt?
Matthew 14:31
People usually react to failure in two ways. They either get
paralyzedorenergized.
If you look at the passage again, youd probably think that
amongtheApostles,Peterwasthefailure.Butinreality,theother
ApostlesintheBiblefailedprivately.
Peterknewthathewouldsink,buthetrustedJesuswhenHe
said,Come.Becauseofthat,hewasabletowalkonwaterevenfor
afewseconds.
If you want to walk on water, you have to manage failure.
Otherwise,youwillalwaysstayontheboat.
But heres the better part of the story. When Peter faltered,
JesussavedhimfrstbeforeHescoldedhim.
So if you want to walk on water, you have to master failure
management.
6. Water walkers wait on the Lord.
During the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them,
walking on the sea.
Matthew 14:25
The disciples encountered the storm at around 6 p.m. Jesus
cametotherescueat3a.m.Thismeanstheywereinthemiddleof
thestormforninehours.
Mostofthemwerefshermen,butthestrongwindsandwaves
madethemfearfortheirlives.
WhydidntJesuscomewhenthestormwasjuststarting?
BecauseHedidntwantto.Thisteachesusabiglesson.
GodisneverearlybecauseifHeis,wewontneedourfaith.
IfGodweretogiveyoueverythingyouwantandneedatthefrst
instance,ourfaithwouldbeveryshallowandHewouldbereduced
toameredispenserofoureverywhim.
Godisneverlateeither.Why?
BecausewewouldloseourhopeifHeis.
WaitingontheLordisthehardestpartoftrusting.
You may be a couple waiting for a child. Let me tell you this:
waitontheLord.
Ifyouarewaitingforagoodjoboralifepartner,wait
ontheLord.
Ifyouaresickandyouneedhealing,waitontheLord.
Why?BecauseHeisGod.
And as you wait, you dont wait passively. As the
songsays,AndasIwait,Illriseuplikeaneagle,andIwill
soarwithyou
WaitontheLord.
7. Water walkers know where Jesus is.
Do you know why Peter wanted to walk on the
water?
BecauseJesuswasthere.
When I gave this teaching as a talk about six years
ago,Iwasinthemiddleofapersonaltransition.
Forweeksandmonths,Godwokemeupat3a.m.I
feltthatHewascallingmetowalkonwater,tellingme,
Arun, your mission as a professor is over. Its time to
moveon.
I was afraid. I didnt want to listen, initially, because
it was too risky. But you know, when the Lord calls, you
havetosayyes.SoIgavemyyesandasIwasdraftingmy
resignationletter,Ifeltallmyfearscomingtome.
Finally, on December 22, 2006, to everyones shock,
I resigned from my work as a theology professor in De
La Salle University, College of St. Benilde. I, too, was
shocked at my decision because I had just received
my permanency status as a professor, after 10 years of
teachingintheuniversity.
Whatweremyboats?
Finances. I was earning well then we were the
highest paid teachers in the country. How would I cope
without a regular salary and health benefts? But God
assuredmesomehowandIfeltpeace.
Iwasreadytostepoutofmyboatwhenanotherfear
cameup.Mytitle.Tobecalledaprofessorwasimportant
tome.People,evenstrangers,respectedmeformytitle.
And it had helped me one way or another, especially
whentravelingoutsidethePhilippines.
Still,theLordmademefeelHispeace.SoIsubmitted
myresignationletterthatsaidIwasbeingcalledtoserve
theLordfull-time.
Igotoutofmyboatfnally,andyouknowwhat,Istill
wokeupat3a.m.afterthat,butthistime,Ifeltsomuch
joyinmyheart.
TheLordcametotheApostlesrescueat3a.m.
He,too,cametomeatthesamehour.
As I continue to walk on the water, God has been
faithful. He has provided for our needs He has even
granted our long-time prayer to have a child. Now, we
havetwo.
WhenGodtellsyoutogetoutofyourboat,Hewants
youtowalkonwater.AndHechallengesyoutofearnot,
becauseHeiswithyouonthewater,notontheboat.
Sotakethefrststepnow.
Itsmorefunwalkingonthewater.
For comments, email me at kpreacherarun@gmail.com.
LIFE is like a
RUBICs CUBE
By Ronald Gawat as told to Dina Pecaa
KERYGMA APRIL 2012 32
M
y 10-year-old niece was playing with a
Rubics cube puzzle one day. She tried
hardtosolveitbutcouldnt.Itriedtohelp
buttonoavail.Itwastoocomplicatedforustosolve.
Itwasmuchlikeourfamilylifebackatthebeginning
oftheyear2000whenthingsgotverycomplicated.
A Chain of Misfortune
Our family ushered in the new millenium with a chain of
misfortune.
My grandmother, on whom we all depended for fnancial
support, was swindled and lost a lot of money. She tried to
recoup her loss by gambling but it only made her sink deeper
intodebt.
To make matters worse, my tatay (father) was diagnosed
with rectal cancer. It was Nanay (mother), a home maker, who
carriedtheburdenoffndingmeanstospendforTataysmedical
needs.
Mysisterelopedwithamanwhohadnolivelihoodandsoon
becamepregnantoutofwedlock.
IwasthenaseniorhighschoolstudentinaprivateCatholic
school and on the verge of quitting my studies. We struggled
fnanciallyandemotionally.
Andlinkingthischainofmisfortune,wereceivedaneviction
noticefromtheownerofourapartment.Losingthehouseand
leavingitinpeacewasfnewithus.Butitdawnedsoonafterthat
itwasmorethanahousewewereabouttolose.
A Sequence of Goodbyes
Ourfamilyhuddledtogether,desperatelythinkingofwhattodo.
Lola, where will we live now? we asked my grandmother. She
hadrearedthefamilyfromtheverybeginning;surelyshehada
planinmind.
Her answer shattered our hearts.I dont know about you.
Butasforme,Imsettolivewithoneofmysiblings.Shehadno
plan of bringing us along. I had never felt more helpless in any
other time of my life. It seemed that the one person whom we
completelyreliedonhadgivenuponus.Thehandthatheldall
ofustogetherhadsuddenlyletgo.Tearsstartedtofow.
Without a choice, we left the house, each to a diferent
destination.Tataywenttolivewithoneofhisbrothersandwas
givenlivingspaceinasmallsala.Mysisterandherfamilywentto
liveintheboondocksofBatangaswhileNanayandIweretaken
inbymybestfriendsfamily.
IwashappytobewithmybestfriendandyetwithinmeIfelt
adeepsadnessandwonderedifmyfamilywouldeverbewhole
again.NanaymirroredhowIfelt.Shewassadduringthedayand
criedherselftosleepatnight.Ididntknowhowtoappeaseher
soIjustprayedfortheLordtomakeawayforus.Ourstaywith
mybestfriendsfamilywasshort-lived.Myfriendsparentsspoke
tousandexplainedthattheycouldnolongersupportus,given
that they were also going through tough times fnancially.The
nextdaywesaidgoodbyetothemandlefttobewithmyTatay.
S
pecial
section
TESTIMONY
LIFE is like a
RUBICs CUBE
APRIL 2012 KERYGMA 33
A Trail of Blessings
Tataywassurprisedtoseeusandwashesitanttoletusstay.Hewasembarrassedto
havetoliveofmyuncle.Hefeltitwastoomuchofaburdentoaddustotheequation.
ButTataytookusinanyway.Inthatsmallsalawithonlycurtainsseparatingusfromthe
restofthehousehold,thethreeofusate,sleptandlived.Itdidntmatterthatwelived
crampedinthatspace.Iwasjustgladwehadeachother.
As my family continued to struggle, a trail of blessings opened up before me.
WhiletakingupComputerEngineeringonscholarshipatPamantasanngLungsodng
Maynila(PLM),IwasinvitedbyJimOrbetoaprayermeetingheldbyChristsYouthin
Action(CYA),aCatholiccampusministry.ItwasprovidentialinmanywaysbecauseI
hadbeensearchingforsomereprievefromourfamilyproblems.Also,Iheardthatthey
served food and drinks at the prayer meetings a welcome freebie since my daily
rationwasonlyapackofcrackers.
I saw the joy my fellow students felt in those weekly gatherings. And that joy, I
realized, can only come from choosing the Lord.Through the generosity of the CYA
brothersandsisters,IattendedaCrossroadsretreatandthereIchosetogivemylife
toJesus.
Nothing magical happened to my family after that retreat. But the blessings
continued to come. Nanay found a job as a dishwasher and her salary put food on
ourtable.WhenIlostmyscholarshipduetolowgrades,theCYAbrothersandsisters
pitchedinandraisedmytuitionfee.IwantedtohonortheirsupportsoIstudiedwell
andIgainedbackthescholarshipthenextsemester.ACYAyouthworker,CrisMoreno,
andhisbrotheroferedtoletmelivewiththemintheirapartmentnearPLMforfree.
What a blessing it was because I no longer had to walk the distance from Quiapo to
IntramurosasIdidbefore.
IaskedtheLord,Whoarethesepeople?Theyarenotevenmyrelativesbutthey
treatmeasfamily.Throughthesegenerouspeople,IrealizedthattheLordtrulyloves
me,inawaythatIcanconcretelyexperienceandunderstand.
Reunited by Gods Grace
Iwouldstilljoinmyparentsinoursalaofahomeeveryweekend.OnetimeIwasthere,
mylolashowedupandsurprisedus.Wewerehappytohaveherlivewithusagainbut
howwouldthefourofusftintothatsmallspace?Itdidntmatteraslongasourfamily
wasbecomingwholeagain.
Theyear2001wasbothahappyandsadyearforourfamily.Tatayfnallysuccumbed
to cancer and went home to God.We were sad to lose him but at the same time his
deathpavedthewayforallofusinthefamilytobetogetheragain.Mysister,nowwith
twochildren,cametolivewithus.Somehow,wewereabletoaddamezzaninetoour
tinyhomeandthesixofushappilysqueezedin.
RemembermyprayerforGodtomakeawayforus?Hegenerouslyandgraciously
answeredthatprayer.Hemadeawayformysistertobeemployedatacallcenterand
now she is able to send her children to school and I am gainfully employed in an IT
solutionscompany.Theseprovisionsenabledustoliveourdreamofabetterlife.We
soonmovedfrommyuncleshousetoabetterplaceinBulacanbutthistimewedidit
together.Godistrulygood.
JustliketheRubicscubethatmynieceandIweretryingtosolve,Iwassurprised
toseeheronedayholdingthefxedpuzzleinherhand.Iaskedhowshediditandshe
saidthecubefellfromherhandsandgotbrokenintopieces.Shethentookeachpiece
andreconstructedthecubeintherightway.
Ilaughedsohard,andthenIwasmovedtorecollectthememoryofwhathappened
toourfamilyandtheLordsworkinourlives.Itismuchlikethatcubeourlifegot
complicated,thingsfelloutofourhands,andwebrokeapart.Butinthatbrokenness
theLordshandwasabletopickupthepiecesandHeplacedusbacktogetherina
beautifulway.
Ronalds life shows clearly how all
things work together for good for those
who love God.
By Teodoro C. Bacani, Jr.
Bishops
M
O
V
E
APRIL 2012 KERYGMA 35
T
emptation, the urge coming
from within man or outside of
him, to commit sin is part of the
human condition. Our rst parents were
tempted in paradise. The Lord Jesus
was tempted in the desert and in the
garden of Gethsemane. No one escapes
temptation.
The story is told of a young priest
who was often tempted to commit
sins of the esh (impurity). He felt very
discouraged, so he went to a 75-year-old
monsignor and asked him, Monsignor,
no matter what I do, the temptations
keep on coming. What must I do to get
rid of them?
The old monsignor answered with
assurance, Just be patient, son. That
will all disappear when you reach the
age of 75. Just then, a very scantily clad
sexy woman passed by and caught
the eye of the old monsignor. His eyes
followed her and were glued to her.
Then the monsignor realized that the
young priest was looking at him. He
told the young priest, Errr, my son, the
temptations stop when you reach 80!
Actually, an old CICM (Congregation
of the Immaculate Heart of Mary) priest,
who died past the age of 90, said that
temptations disappear when you are
already buried six feet under the ground.
Present-Day Temptations
The rst temptation is the temptation
of materialism, which aicts even
religious people. This temptation tells
us that what really matters in life are
money and what it can buy. While
heaven and the future life are not denied,
the practical philosophy of materialism is:
Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow you
die, and you cannot bring your money or
anything with you. Materialism teams up
with consumerism to keep on telling people,
Your worth is measured by your material
possessions.
The other temptation is the temptation
of moral relativism. This temptation says,
What is good is what you think is good. No
one can dictate to you what is right and what
is wrong. It is you who determine what is
right and what is wrong for you. Do not mind
what others (parents or Church authorities)
say. Follow your conscience. What matters is
to be sincere and not to be plastic.
The third temptation is the temptation
of power. One psychologist has called
the desire for power as the greatest urge
in human beings. Another one said that
power is the strongest aphrodisiac. People
are tempted to pay millions and do the
unthinkable to gain power or to remain in
power.
Then there is the temptation of
violence. People in power are tempted to
resort to violence in order to preserve the
status quo, while the oppressed are tempted
to use violence to subvert the established
order. Mass media propagates the notion
that violence is the solution to many of
our problems, and that violence is normal
in a world where survival is for the ttest.
Violence is gloried in lms and in sports like
professional boxing and wrestling.
The world in which we live brings
these temptations to our very living rooms
through the mass media and the Internet.
The devil exploits the worlds tools to the hilt,
and whispers as well his own temptations to
the hearts of people.
Our own sin-infected selves bring their
own temptation. We have in us, even when
our sins have been forgiven, what is called
concupiscence, which is not in itself sin but
is from sin and inclines us to sin. Thus, the
three agents of temptation are the devil, the
world, and our sinful self.
Unite with Jesus
Though temptations are countless and
endless, we must remember that Jesus
Himself was tempted like us in all things but
did not sin (Hebrews 4:15). He won over the
devil and the world and all they had to oer
(Matthew 4:1-11).
If we unite ourselves with Jesus, we will
also be victorious like Him. And remember,
God is faithful and will not allow you to be
tried beyond your strength; but with the trial
will also provide a way out, so that you may
be able to bear it (1 Corinthians 10:13).
To overcome temptation, avoid
company, places, things and activities that
lead to sin. And pray, pray, pray. Read the
Bible. Associate with people and groups who
will support you as you strive for goodness.
Look for inspiring models you can imitate,
like the saints and modern heroes. Receive
the sacraments often, especially Penance
and the Eucharist.
All the temptations in the world are no
match for a person who is united to Christ
and does all he can to persevere in goodness.
Email me at ted.bishopsmove@gmail.com
for your comments.
MODERN TEMPTATIONS
KERYGMA APRIL 2012 36
Sun Plaza Shaw and Mall of Asia Branches
Phone : 3776639/4928846
APRIL 2012 KERYGMA
By Vic Espaol
37
I
remember with fondness how each one of my
three sons grew up.
When they were toddlers, I would toss them high up in
the air and would catch them as they were falling. They would
giggle at the thrill of that experience. Sometimes, I would place
them on a high table and cajole them to jump into my waiting
hands. And so they would. (My wife was not fascinated with
these thrills though!)
In any relationship, trust is important. It is essential.
This is the same element of trust that we must have with our
Father. He asks us to throw away our worries and anxieties, and
to trust Him.
All of us go through diculties and trials in this life. Many
times, He tells us not to worry and surrender all our cares to Him.
And He will be there to catch us.
One day, a mountaineer decided to climb a mountain by
himself. It was very dangerous to climb up a snowy mountain
and he was proud that he was doing it all alone.
By nightfall, instead of setting camp, he kept climbing
because he wanted to reach the summit quickly. But in his
exhaustion, his foot slipped and he fell into a deep ravine.
All of a sudden, he felt a violent pull around his waist. The
rope tied around his belt had caught a branch of a tree. In total
darkness, he was now hanging onto his rope.
After a while, he decided to pray and shouted, God, if youre
up there, save me!
Suddenly, he heard a voice say, If you believe that I can save
you, do what I tell you to do.
He answered, What should I do?
The voice said, Cut your rope.
Whawhat? he asked.
Cut the rope and let go, the voice said.
After a few moments, he shouted again, Is there anyone
else up there?
The next day, mountain climbers saw his
frozen dead body hanging by the rope. The
curious thing about what they saw was that he
was hanging only two feet from the ground.
Many of us are like this mountaineer.
We trust in our rope more than our God.
We trust in our money, in our abilities, in
our connections, in our intelligence, and in our
strength more than our God.
Lets cut this rope and trust in our God.
The Lord is my protector; He is my strong
fortress. My God is my protection and with
Him I am safe. He protects me like a shield; He
defends me and keeps me safe. Psalm 18:2

Email me your comments at vmespanol@gmail.com.
Vic Espaol is the Feast Builder and preacher in the Ortigas
Feast every Monday, 7:30 p.m., and every Sunday, 9:30 a.m.,
at Cinema 4, Robinsons Galleria, Ortigas Center.
Preacher K
CUT YOUR ROPES
God, if
youre up
there, save
me!
KERYGMA APRIL 2012 38
APRIL 2012 KERYGMA 39
N
o more talk of darkness, forget these wide-eyed fears Im
here. Nothing can harm you, my words will warm and calm
you
I feel the lyrics of my song as I sing before the judges of Pilipinas Got Talent,
Season 2. I can feel the tension in my body. I am sweating in the midst of the
airconditioned auditorium. My legs are shaking but I have to focus on singing and
playing the keyboard at the same time. Before me is a huge audience and I am
aware my performance is being recorded.
This is my moment. Ive waited a long time for this. They seem to like my
rendition. They later said Luis Manzano was brought to tears. If only I could see
their faces.
Yes, I am gifted with a singing voice and I know I can play the keyboard well.
But what strikes many is that I can do both even if I am blind.
Music and My Childhood
I am the youngest of four siblings, born in Makilala, Cotabato, to a modest family.
My father is a furniture maker while my mother is a housewife. I lived most of my
life away from my family.
At four years old, I was fortunate to have been found by the Hildesheimer
Blind Mission, a German non-governmental organization committed to provide
education for disadvantaged blind children in Asia who would otherwise have no
chance to live a life of dignity and self-determination.
They brought me to Davao City to study in the Davao School for the Blind.
They provided for my board and lodging, hence I only got to see my parents every
Christmas and summertime. My parents are active churchgoers and every time I
was home, theyd prod me to sing in church gatherings with my father playing the
guitar. To this day, I still recall the lyrics to our favorite song, Walking with Jesus.
This started my exposure to music and the encouragement of family and
friends developed my condence to sing in public. One summer vacation, when I
was nine years old, I took basic piano lessons. From then on, the keyboard has been
my constant companion. I would glue myself to the radio listening to my favorite
Story
One Last
songs and then I would play it ouido (by ear)
on the keyboard until I got the tune correctly. I
knew then that my passion was singing and my
joy, performing in public.
Pursuing My Dream
I have always believed my visual impairment
shouldnt keep me from pursuing my dream of
becoming a recording artist someday. I prefer
that people admire me for my talents, and not
because I can do both despite my disability.
Since I graduated from high school, Ive
been using my talent to earn a living for my
family and myself. I sing in hotels, restaurants,
bars and private parties. I recognize that my
talents are blessings from God Almighty, hence,
even if my gigs demand that I work late nights,
I sing for Him four times a week during Mass at
the Shrine of Infant Jesus of Prague (Shrine Hills,
Matina) and every Sunday at The Feast in Alexian
Brothers Wellness Center, also in Davao City.
I got as far as the semi-nals of Pilipinas
Got Talent, Season 2. I was disappointed for not
making it through. But I later realized God was
telling me it was not yet my time to shine. Still,
Im grateful for that experience and I look at the
invaluable lessons I got from the voice coach
they assigned to me as my prize.
In the meantime, I continue to hone my
talents and keep my sight focused on my dream.
I have faith that the Lord has a better talent show
prepared for me.
By Jeremie Tampoy
as told to Miranda Cordova
A
BLINDS
SERENADE
Jeremie uses her gift as well as her handicap to serve
God and inspire HIs people.
KERYGMA APRIL 2012
By Bo Sanchez
40
SPECIAL INTENTION FOR THIS MONTH:
BlessthereadersofKerygma,Lord.Manyaregoingthroughsomeroughtimes.Manyaretryingtoreachfortheirdreamsbutcant
seemtomakeabreakthrough.Itsnotthattheyarenotdoinganythingtosolvetheirproblemsorachievetheirgoals.Butsometimes,
Lord,theydependsomuchonwhattheycandoandnotwhatYoucandoforthem.GrantthemthegracetoletgoandtrustinYour
divinewisdomthatYouknowwhatsbestforthemandthatiftheyonlyletYou,everythingwillworkoutfortheirgood.
Prayingforyou, Emailyourprayerrequeststomeatbosanchez@kerygmafamily.comorwrite
tomeatShepherdsVoicePublications,#60ChicagoSt.,Cubao,QuezonCity,
Philippines1109.
Contact
point of
I
PRAYTHAT GOD LIFTYOURTRIALS,
heal your diseases, bless your
problems and direct you to the
path He wants you to take. I pray that
Godremoveyourfearsandgiveyouthe
courage to surrender your burdens to
Him.
So place your hand over my hand, and lets
pray with trust, together with our prayer
team of intercessors praying for you right
now
This page is our Point of Contact, our
spiritual connection.
Sayafterme
In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the
HolySpirit.
Lord, I surrender to You my worries and
anxieties. I surrender to You my needs, my
problems, my trials. I place them all inYour
bighands.AndIopenmyselftoallthatYou
want to give to me. On this day, I say yes to
Your love, toYour blessings, toYour healing,
toYour miracles. And Lord, specifcally, I ask
forthefollowingmiraclesformylife...
IbelievethatYouanswermyprayerinthebest
waypossible!AndIthankYouinadvancefor
theperfectanswerstomyprayers.Ialsoask
for the special intercession of Mama Mary. I
pray all this in the Name of the Father, the
SonandtheHolySpirit,Amen!
I pray that you
receive your
miracles in
Jesus name!

Вам также может понравиться