I came from our chapter household meeting last night. Bro Eric confirmed that he will be leaving the chapter to serve in ANCOP as COO. From the time that they became our leader, my wife and I would worry the day when he and sis Carina would leave our group to do another service for the community.
Today's gospel is taken from Luke 5:1-11. In his homily, Fr Larry Faraon described fishing as a boring activity. "If you've tried it", he said, "it can be boring and frustrating. It takes a lot of your time waiting and waiting until you get a bite off your hook. Sometimes you go home empty handed or get to catch only one or two fishes after spending the whole day."
"If you are familiar with the game of soccer, we also see contests end up sometimes in a draw, or 1-0 or 2-1 or 1-all after a long time. It takes patience and perseverance to score a goal and when somebody does, everybody gets ecstatic! You see the players and the crowd in jubilation. It is a magical moment! It is the same with fishing. You also get very happy and excited when you finally catch your fish!"
So imagine what the disciples - expert fishermen - felt when after a long day, they followed Jesus' command to lower the nets again. And when they caught a large amount of fish to the point of breaking the net, imagine the surge of emotions that the disciples felt! You could imagine how they acknowledged Jesus - a carpenter - as the expert in fishing! So when He said to them that from then on, they will be fishers of men, they left everything and followed him.
While I read the gospel today, flashback of memories with bro Eric came back to me - how he taught us to evangelize and how he practiced his evangelization with other people and his flock.
Most of our participants then and members now is probably bro Eric's or sis Carina's recruit. Their gentle and thoughtful relationship to each and every one of us has this couple very much endeared to us all. And their leadership style will forever instill in many of us to have faith in our great God and to be faithful in the little things.
Like fishermen, they now move on to other fishing spots. Their move to ANCOP will greatly benefit and touch more people. To bro Eric and sis Carina, we will forever cherish how lovingly you took care of our chapter and us individually. You will forever be a part of our WB3A and Ancop St Joseph Sunriseville family. Cheers!
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Thursday, March 18, 2010
St Joseph Sunriseville Sibol School Recognition Day 2010
Bro Marvin called me last Monday if I can give a welcoming 
remarks to our Sibol school's moving up and recognition day on Thursday. My mind is struggling if I should go to work that day but my heart tells me to accept the invitation.
This is one of the many projects that we were able to continue despite the lack of manpower after some of the caretakers left in 2007. My wife & I, together with bro Marvin and sis Roan, tried to put up the school with the assistance of teacher Amy Bartolome of GK Tatalon and teacher Sarah, our first Sibol teacher.
Amidst some misunderstandings with some parents and other complexities that arise from our first school year 2008-2009, the school was able to teach some 15 or so kids and they had their recognition day at the more established Sibol schools in Tatalon.
Now, a year after, it is truly an honor for me to address the parents, students and guests with the welcoming remarks. Like the word 'Sibol', our school is still in its infancy and is just starting to sprout. I am proud of the kapitbahayan that is now showing signs of maturity. I salute the parents that are now stepping up to assist in the programs of the school. Today March 18, is truly a day that the Lord has made and chosen for our Recognition Day. Too bad, Suzette was not able to join me as she had some other prior commitments. She would have loved to see those kids, prim and proper in their white angelic outfits.
The guests includes bro Boyet and sis Lyn Hipolito, the current CYD (Child & Youth Development) Sector Heads and sis Amy Bartolome, together with the teachers of GK Tatalon Sibol school. They have to reschedule their own recognition day in the afternoon because they want to support our first independent recognition day.
We are proud of Roel and April, then SAGIP kids now SIGA members, who did very well in assisting our children in the school. They are but volunteers, always there helping the kids learn the basics of reading, writing and counting. They were not able to enroll this school year but hopefully, with the help of Ancop, they can be scholars in TUP this coming school year. They truly represent our modern day youth heroes.
Of course, we can never thank teacher Ping enough for what she has done for our school. Who would have thought that after a year, the kids can learn to write their names, memorize the alphabet, sing the national anthem, recite the Panatang Makabayan, and pray with their hearts out to Jesus - much to the delight of their families. Later on she would tell me that the kids got the medals from written exams and that these serves as proof that the kids were able to achieve the awards and recognitions they were rewarded.
Not many of you know but while she is busy serving the kids, she also has to assist her sister in her chemo therapy every week. No problem or worries in her own family can shake her away from being with our children. Even the little allowance that we give her from our sponsors, she gives back to the school - every centavo of it. And oh yes, did I mention that she and her husband don't have jobs right now? Wow! talk about love and service.
"God will provide!" - this is what teacher Ping said to me with conviction while she was riding with me when I volunteered to drop her off at the hospital for her sister's weekly chemo therapy right after the recognition day. In my mind, I
couldn't measure her faith and dedication. I can only say a prayer to God for her heart's desires to be blessed. God has really blessed our site and our school with good people.
And yes, the parents too! I am happy for the parents and the members of our Kapitbahayan, especially the officers who have stepped up as well in making the members believe once again in the programs of Gawad Kalinga and most importantly in believing in themselves.
God bless GK!
remarks to our Sibol school's moving up and recognition day on Thursday. My mind is struggling if I should go to work that day but my heart tells me to accept the invitation.This is one of the many projects that we were able to continue despite the lack of manpower after some of the caretakers left in 2007. My wife & I, together with bro Marvin and sis Roan, tried to put up the school with the assistance of teacher Amy Bartolome of GK Tatalon and teacher Sarah, our first Sibol teacher.
Amidst some misunderstandings with some parents and other complexities that arise from our first school year 2008-2009, the school was able to teach some 15 or so kids and they had their recognition day at the more established Sibol schools in Tatalon.
Now, a year after, it is truly an honor for me to address the parents, students and guests with the welcoming remarks. Like the word 'Sibol', our school is still in its infancy and is just starting to sprout. I am proud of the kapitbahayan that is now showing signs of maturity. I salute the parents that are now stepping up to assist in the programs of the school. Today March 18, is truly a day that the Lord has made and chosen for our Recognition Day. Too bad, Suzette was not able to join me as she had some other prior commitments. She would have loved to see those kids, prim and proper in their white angelic outfits.
The guests includes bro Boyet and sis Lyn Hipolito, the current CYD (Child & Youth Development) Sector Heads and sis Amy Bartolome, together with the teachers of GK Tatalon Sibol school. They have to reschedule their own recognition day in the afternoon because they want to support our first independent recognition day.We are proud of Roel and April, then SAGIP kids now SIGA members, who did very well in assisting our children in the school. They are but volunteers, always there helping the kids learn the basics of reading, writing and counting. They were not able to enroll this school year but hopefully, with the help of Ancop, they can be scholars in TUP this coming school year. They truly represent our modern day youth heroes.
Of course, we can never thank teacher Ping enough for what she has done for our school. Who would have thought that after a year, the kids can learn to write their names, memorize the alphabet, sing the national anthem, recite the Panatang Makabayan, and pray with their hearts out to Jesus - much to the delight of their families. Later on she would tell me that the kids got the medals from written exams and that these serves as proof that the kids were able to achieve the awards and recognitions they were rewarded. Not many of you know but while she is busy serving the kids, she also has to assist her sister in her chemo therapy every week. No problem or worries in her own family can shake her away from being with our children. Even the little allowance that we give her from our sponsors, she gives back to the school - every centavo of it. And oh yes, did I mention that she and her husband don't have jobs right now? Wow! talk about love and service.
"God will provide!" - this is what teacher Ping said to me with conviction while she was riding with me when I volunteered to drop her off at the hospital for her sister's weekly chemo therapy right after the recognition day. In my mind, I
couldn't measure her faith and dedication. I can only say a prayer to God for her heart's desires to be blessed. God has really blessed our site and our school with good people.And yes, the parents too! I am happy for the parents and the members of our Kapitbahayan, especially the officers who have stepped up as well in making the members believe once again in the programs of Gawad Kalinga and most importantly in believing in themselves.
God bless GK!
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