President’s Pen

Traffic, Rush Hour, and Musings on Peace

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Yesterday, I was out all day preparing and coordinating a lot of things for the 30th National Youth Conference. I went to the United Methodist Headquarters at UN Avenue. At 1:15 p.m. I was at Central UMC for a meeting with Pastor Homer, then I received a text message from Baliwag Trans manong driver telling me that the shirts from Kuya Ely are already in the terminal. What’s more, I have to be there before 2 p.m. because they are leaving for Bulacan. Oh no! I boarded an LRT1 train right away. I also rode LRT2 from Recto to Cubao. Before two o’clock, I arrived at the Cubao station and immediately went to the Baliwag station. Thankfully, the bus was still there.

These days, I barely have time to think about life, about my directions, and much more about peace. The preparations for the NYC are enough worries to occupy my days and my consciousness. Actually, I feel like I have lost a few pounds just because of the busyness for the NYC. Hahah!

I took a taxi from the terminal and braved through the traffic of EDSA. When I arrived home, I carried two sacks full of shirts and climbed three floors. I was panting when I was done! Whew. What a day that was.
As I sat down and listed down some additional items for the NYC, I just took some time off to think about peace and its lack. For young professionals and other members of the workforce, dealing with the busyness of life is a daily affair. With the busyness comes the lack of time for contemplation and musings on peace. When professionals ride jeepneys or taxis going home, they’d rather rest than think about peace or the deeper things in life.

Yet, young professionals, and young people per se, are idealistic. We still possess a worldview capable of harnessing our best potentials so we could do something good for our country, and our world.
In the busyness of our times, we tend to consider only one aspect of peace—economic peace and prosperity. What about political peace, social and cultural peace, and what Ms. Universe-wannabes always say, World Peace?

Peace. Fish.

In a funny mispronunciation of peace, like a beauty pageant we’ve heard about recently (pamily? tough ten?), we can see a particular way of viewing peace. Peace is fish! The fish has been a traditional sign for the Christian faith. So, as Christians, we are agents of peace. Sometimes, we are actively pursuing and promoting it. Other times, we seem like undercover agents, unable to promote peace actively.

Defining peace is a tedious job so I won’t even attempt it. Jesus said that he grants peace that transcends understanding. He was right. Peace transcends our understanding. With Jesus, we have peace yet we cannot fully explain how it works. All we know is that this peace that comes from Him enables us to become peacemakers. According to Jesus, “blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called sons (and daughters) of God.” As Christians and as children of God, we are peacemakers.

Where does justice come in? Mercy should be accompanied by justice. And justice is the foundation of peace. When there is justice, there is more than just equality; there is equitability. Meaning, those who lack more may get more while those who possess more will get less than the others. When there is justice, there is equitability, and eventually there is peace.

As young professionals, we may tend to forget about peace in our bid for economic self-sufficiency. Yet, let us remember that as part of the UMYFP, we want a world build upon Christian principles. As we celebrate the National Youth Conference, let us remember that peace with justice is one of our mandates as young people.
In the midst of traffics, problems, work, and other pursuits, we are called upon to promote peace with justice in our world.

Happy NYC everyone!

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Renewing Our Strength

Flying, Running, Walking…. and Crawling?

Usually, when the race draws to its end, we feel tiredness, exhaustion, even pain — just like a runner who already sees the finish line yet feels that he no longer has the strength for the last leg of the contest. Or perhaps it is like a person approaching the end of the journey and there is relief and longing at the same time.

Kapag nagsisilbi tayo sa Panginoon, minsan parang ang hirap tapusin ng mga ministeryong ipinagkaloob sa atin. In Isaiah 40:31 (NIV), we read about the experience of God’s servants and how they go about their tasks. “They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

Una, para tayong mga agilang lumilipad sa kalangitan. Pangalawa, tumatakbo at hindi napapagod, at panghuli, maglalakad at hindi manghihina. Parang mula sa paglipad, pababa nang pababa hanggang makarating sa lupa at naglalakad nalang. Pero minsan, parang kulang eh… Pakiramdam natin minsan gumagapang na tayo!

Pagtatapos na ba ito?

Marami na ring naganap nitong nakaraang dalawang taon at dahil malamang eh last isyu na ‘to ng Pananaw, magpakasenti mode muna tayo. Heheh. May mga ilang kasama tayo dati na ngayon ay wala sa ating piling. Marami tayong natupad sa ating mga plano at sa ating mga napag-usapan pero mayroon din namang hindi.

Syempre, hindi ko rin naman ilalagay ang Biennial Report ng Execom dito — masyadong mahaba. Heheh. Gusto ko lang ibahagi na noong CI 2008, nagkaroon tayo ng isang panauhin na galing sa Division on Ministries with Young People, si Rev. Mike Ratliff. Kasama si Kuya William, national president ng UMYAFP, dumalaw kami sa pitong CI sa iba’t ibang annual conference. Hindi ko na ikukuwento lahat ng nangyari pero natuwa siya sa nakita niyang ministeryo natin sa UMYFP.

Marami tayong lider kabataan kahit na walang bayad ang pagsisilbi sa UMYFP. Isipin niyo ha, sa lahat ng mga CI natin, kabataan lahat ang nag-iisip at nagpaplano ng program, gumagawa ng souvenir program, at nakikipag-usap sa mga simbahan at iba’t ibang mga tao upang maging matagumpay ang CI.

Maraming mga pastor at diakonesa ang nagdesisyon na pumasok sa ministeryo dahil sa CI. Sa South Tarlac District pa nga eh, kumanta sina DS Canchio at mga pastors doon ng UMYFP medley. Ngayon, mga “tanders” na lang yata ang nakaaalam ng medley na ito.
Base din sa mga pagmamasid ko at sa mga pakikipag-usap sa mga lider-kabataan sa mga distrito, kulang na kulang ang mga resource materials para sa mga kabataan sa mga local churches at sa mga distrito. Mukhang kailangan pa natin ng mas matinding efforts para dito.

Dahil din sa nakita ni Rev. Mike Ratliff, marami pang mga ministry opportunities ang maari nating i-explore sa mga sumusunod na buwan at mga taon. Ang sabi pa niya, ibabahagi niya sa United States, Africa, at kahit sa Europe ang konsepto ng CI. Ang mga Kabataang Metodista sa Cambodia ay nagkaroon na ng CI, ilang mga komperensiya na rin sa US ang nagkaroon at napakagandang alay natin ito kung maibabahagi pa ito sa ibang bahagi ng ating simbahan.

Personalan muna

Hindi madali ang maging lider ng UMYFP sa national level. Simula noong 2006, nakadalawang ulit akong umalis ng trabaho dahil na rin sa commitment sa UMYFP. Mahirap noong una pero kung may natutunan man ako sa aking pagsisilbi, ito ay ang faithfulness ng Panginoon. Hindi ako nagutom sa loob ng dalawang taon. Tumaba pa nga ako eh. Heheheh.

Nagkaroon din ako ng loved one sa UMYFP! Naks. Isa rin ito sa mga malaking pagpapala sa akin ng Panginoon. Sa mga panahong nahihirapan ako sa aking ministeryo laging naroon ang suporta sa akin ng aking beloved.

Mahirap ang pagsisilbi sa ubasan ng Panginoon pero gaya ng sabi ni Pablo, “magagawa ko ang lahat sa pamamagitan ng lakas na kaloob ni Kristo.” Ngayon at patapos na ang term namin sa June 2008, ang aking dalangin at pag-asa ay marami pa ring kabataan ang sumagot sa hamon ng pagsisilbi sa national level.

Pangwakas

Lumipad tayo bilang mga agila, tumakbo at hindi napagod, at naglakad at hindi nanghina. Minsan gumapang pa nga eh. Pero huwag nating kalimutan ang pinakamahalagang bahagi ng Isaiah 40:31: “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.” It is time for us to renew our strength as we end our term with the UMYFP and face the future.

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(Vol. IV No. 3) One Year to Go!

Aba, nakaisang taon na pala kami sa posisyon namin as National Execom. Whew! Akalain mo ganun lang, isang taon na!!!

The last year has been full. Literally full! Andaming meetings, programs and projects, almost every week! Grabe, kumusta naman ang social life at love life? (Uyyy!)

Hmmm… join me as we review the previous year of the National UMYFP. We assumed our offices on the noon of June 15, 2006, with only a bare idea of what was before us. The 29th NYC planned for a great deal of programs and projects for the biennium 2006-2008. Our campus ministry initiative named SMACK, the first ever nationwide songwriting competition and the Constitutional Convention were just some of our major programs. Whew! These ideas were great but we were daunted with the task. Ang dami at ang laki ng scope ng mga projects natin.

Of course, we are drawing upon the legacy of those who have gone before us. Although there have been issues in the previous years of the UMYFP, nakatayo na ang ating organisasyon. Hindi lang yun, I am courageous (or maybe crazy) enough to say that we are making history. Share ko lang yung ilang mga bagay na nagawa na natin at patuloy pang ginagawa.

UP Methodist Student Movement. Nakapagtayo tayo ng isang campus ministry organization sa UP Diliman. Although nag-struggle ang leadership ng organization na ito sa campus, at least, we managed to establish a “beach-head” at UP. Di magtatagal at makakatayo rin ang org na ito at magiging halimbawa sa ibang mga kabataan na nagbabalak i-reach out ang kanilang mga campuses.

Division on Ministries with Young People. August last year, we were represented to the DMYP which is a division of the General Board of Discipleship. Through this, we effectively established good networks with various youth and young adult ministries in the United States.

Global Young People’s Convocation and Legislative Assembly. Four UMYFers went to Johannesburg City in South Africa to participate in the first ever GYPCLA in December last year. Through this gathering, we were able to help in the drafting of legislations or proposals na dadalhin sa General Conference ng ating simbahan. Through this, nagkaroon din ng boses ang mga kabataang Pinoy tungkol sa mga issues na kinakaharap natin. Hindi lang yun, nagkaroon din tayo ng pagkakataon na mapabuti pa ang networks at relationships sa mga friends natin sa US at sa iba pang bahagi ng mundo.

Student Methodists Active in Campus Kirk (SMACK). It was July last year when SMACK was launched. Sa pamamagitan nito, unti-unti na tayong nakakapagtatag ng mga campus ministries all over the Philippines. Kahit na sanggol pa lang ang project na ito, we believe that we will be able to establish UMC-based campus ministries nationwide.

Nagkaroon na rin ng consultations para dito at napakayaman ng naging resulta. Ang final draft din ng SMACK Handbook ay tapos na at malapit nang maipamahagi sa ating mga lider-kabataan at mga paaralan. Oh, di ba? This is a milestone in our ministry! We’d like to thank Terry Carty of the Youth Worker Movement in the US, Cris Zinkiewicz (I hope I got the spelling correctly) and Nicole Corlew of Devozine for giving us some books and other resource materials, which were very helpful in writing our SMACK and curriculum handbooks. We will never forget these gestures of camaraderie and support.

HIV and AIDS Awareness Seminar. Sa pamamagitan din ng ating connections with various church agencies, nagkaroon tayo ng pagkakataon na mapalaganap ang knowledge at awareness tungkol sa HIV and AIDS na isa sa mga napapanahong isyu na kinahaharap ng mundo sa ngayon. Nagkaroon na ng dalawang training sessions – isa sa Tagaytay noong December para sa mga taga-MEA at isa sa Baguio noong March para sa mga taga-BEA. May dalawa pang susunod na trainings na ang target naman ay sa bandang Southern Luzon, Visayas at Mindanao.

Ito nga pala ang isa sa mga unang initiatives tungo sa pagtugon ng simbahan sa usapin ng HIV and AIDS. At take note, nauna pa ang mga kabataan sa pagtugon sa isyung ito! We praise the Lord for this opportunity to serve hand in hand with other youth leaders from other denominations and within our church.

Ecumenical Participation. Napaigting natin ang ating participation with ecumenical bodies such as the Kalipunan ng mga Kristiyanong Kabataan sa Pilipinas (3KP). Our friendship with the national leadership of the IEMELIF youths is also developing. Hopefully, we can participate in more projects together. Sa mga hindi po aware, IEMELIF stands for Iglesia Evangelica Metodista En Las Islas Filipinas, or in English, The Evangelical Methodist Church in the Philippines. Our support to ecumenical activities is also evident. Tanong n’yo si Cheekai! Heheh.

Caravan Mission. Ang ating mga kuya at ate sa UMYAF ay nagkaroon ng project called Caravan Mission with Indigenous Filipinos. We had a chance to minister with our aeta brothers and sisters. We were able to immerse ourselves in their culture at napalawak ang pagtingin sa mission. Mission is not only about conversion and preaching to people about Christ. But more importantly, mission means immersion and empowering people to help them, pretty much as what Jesus did when he walked the streets of our world.

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It has been a busy year. Andaming projects, andaming visions. Minsan nakakapagod, minsan nagkakaroon din ng friction sa working relationships sa isa’t isa. In the course of one year, I’ve learned a lot, like:

Kelangan maging CORNY para mag-survive! Totoo! Promise, kapag puro meeting lang ng meeting, boring tsaka mas nakakapagod. Through all those times of busyness, a laugh or two helped us through. Rhyme yan! Pang-nursery. See, it shows — I’m being corny. Heheh.

Worship entails sacrifice. Kagaya ng madalas sabihin ng aking beloved (uyy), sacrifice is part of worship. There are times that I wonder if it was worth it na nag-resign ako sa IBM, with the good pay I was receiving last year. Minsan din, naiisip ko at naiisip namin na by this age (oo, inaamin ko na medyo matanda nako! Medyo lang naman), dapat iniisip na ang career, ang pagiging stable financially, but then, we still have a demanding commitment to the UMYFP. This is part of our worship. Kagaya ng madalas nating marinig, discipleship has a cost. Worship entails sacrifice. And being with the UMYFP is our offering to the Lord and to the countless Methodist young people in the country. We know that district and annual conference officers also have these moments – yung tipong pressured din kayo ng families ninyo to give them financial support. Oo, minsan mahirap at minsan nakakaiyak. But it is through the grace of God that we survive. This is His work after all, so we need to hold on to the dreams and visions He gave us and follow Him until our tour of duty is done.

One year down, one more to go! Napakayaman pa rin ng mga kaisipan tungkol sa youth ministry. Napakarami pang puwedeng isipin at gawin. At times, we may wonder where we will get the strength needed to get the job done. At times, we even ask ourselves if these things are worth doing. Two verses from St. Paul give me comfort and strength. Una, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 3:14) and our UMYFP verse: “For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21).

As young people, it is so good to become a part of something greater than ourselves. We now stand at the threshold of a new era of Methodist youth ministry in the Philippines. Let’s hold on to our dreams, let’s hold on to our visions. With God’s blessings and help, we can truly become agents of grace and transformation in our society and in our world. Praise be to God!

(Vol. IV No. 2) Usaping Kabataan, Bansa at Simbahan

I have been at a loss on what to write in my column for this issue of Pananaw. Napakaraming nagaganap sa UMYFP at sa aking trabaho na minsan nawawalan na rin ako ng panahong magsulat. I’ll be writing down my random thoughts on a lot of issues, events and concerns that may affect us as United Methodist young people.

I just tried listing down the big programs and activities that we have for biennium 2006-2008: Student Methodists Active in Campus Kirk (SMACK) – ang ating campus ministry program; Awit Kay Yahweh – the first ever NUMYFP songwriting contest; and Constitutional Change. Minsan naiisip ko na ang pag-implement ng mga programang ito ay malaking challenge sa atin bilang mga kabataang Metodista. Ang isang mahirap pa minsan ay may full time work lahat kaming mga National ExeCom. Please pray for us as we implement the programs that we have formulated last NYC.

Di pa man nakababangon ang mga Bicolano sa effects ng bagyong Milenyo, ayun at inatake na naman sila ng bagyong Reming. Nakakaawa ang nangyari sa Bicol – ang mudslides sa Albay, kung saan umabot sa 1,200 ang bilang ng mga patay at nawawala at ayon sa reports, nasa 80,000 katao ang naghahanap ng tirahan. Di lang yan, tinatayang aabot sa mahigit P700 million ang kakailanganin upang maayos ang mga power lines na nasira. Ipanalangin natin ang kalagayan ng ating mga kababayan sa Bicol.

Nawa ay makabangon sila mula sa mga pagsubok na ito sa kanilang buhay. Sa kabilang dako, nawa ay magkaroon din ang ating simbahan ng mga programang ukol sa long-term rehabilitation at pagtulong sa pagbabalik ng kabuhayan ng mga kapatid at kababayan natin sa Bicol.
By the time I’m writing this, I have just requested the AC presidents to gather relief goods from the youth during the Christmas Institutes. On January 2007, we joined hands with the KKKP (Kalipunan ng mga Kristiyanong Kabataan sa Pilipinas), an umbrella organization of church youth organizations, in providing help to our brothers and sisters in Bicol.

Speaking of CI, I hope nag-enjoy kayo at lumalim ang faith. Malamang nagkaroon din ang ilan sa inyo ng mga crush sa CI. (Hahah) Bahagi na yata talaga ‘yan ng mga programs natin. Sabi nga ng ilan, sa UMYF daw nakikita ang nakalaang lovelife. Ewan ko kung totoo (Heheh). I just hope that we will be able to review the CI program and make it more relevant to the needs of our young people. May mga observations kasi na naging pare-pareho na ang mga activities natin sa CI. Minsan, kulang na rin ito ng impact sa mga kabataan. Hmm. Let’s pray together and work in making the CI program better.

Trivia para sa inyo! In the month of December, Justice Reynato Puno was appointed as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Si Justice Puno ang Council Chairman ng Puno United Methodist Church sa Quezon City. When he was younger, he was also active in the UMYFP.
Busy ngayon ang mga congressmen natin in pushing and preparing for Charter Change (Cha-Cha). Sa pagbago ng Constitution ng bansa, puwede tayong magkaroon ng Constitutional Convention (Con-Con). With Con-Con, we will elect the members to represent us. Ang mga magiging kasapi ng Con-Con ay hindi ang mga present congressmen mismo. The second option is the Constituent Assembly (Con-Ass) na kung saan ang Kongreso ang mismong magbabago ng Consitution. Ang problema, ayaw isama ng House of Representatives ang Senado. Isa pa, the devastation in Bicol was so great, ‘yun ang dapat pagtuunan ng pansin at gastusan nang malaki! Another concern, kung magkakaroon ng Con-Ass, napakalaki ng possibility na ang mga nasa Kongreso ngayon ang makikinabang nang husto. Depende sa pagtingin ninyo sa ating mga congressmen, kayo na ang humusga kung mas makabubuti nga ang Con-Ass! Sa part siguro ng National ExeCom, we will be looking for studies and thoughts about the Cha-Cha and share it with you.

Isa pang related na concern ay ang Elections ng 2007. One way for us to show that we care with what happens in our society is by means of voting, so let’s vote! Isa pa, kung hindi tayo buboto, wala tayong karapatang magsalita against those in power. Sabihin na nating may mga dayaan sa election, but the point is, kailangan pa rin nating bumoto at ipahayag ang choices natin. Although bali-balita na kapag nagkaroon ng Con-Ass hindi na matutuloy ang election, let’s wait and see and do whatever is necessary to protect our rights as citizens.
Mula sa mga usaping pambansa, let’s go back sa mga usaping kabataan…

Sometimes it’s a challenge to be a Christian young person. Ang daming temptations, ang daming pressures, ang daming humahatak sa iyo, ang daming kailangan pag-aralan at ang daming kailangang asikasuhin. Do you ever feel old sometimes? As if ang daming issues sa buhay niyo? Tapos kasali pa sa mga commitments ang UMYF.
Isa sa mga challenges na kailangan nating harapin bilang mga kabataan ay ang pagbabalanse ng ating buhay – career o kaya ay pag-aaral, mga responsibilities sa mga magulang at mga kapatid; at ang ating ministry sa UMYF at sa simbahan. Kung tutuusin, puwede namang ‘wag na nating isipin ang UMYF at mag-attend na lamang ng church tuwing linggo at mag-focus sa ating pag-aaral, sa career at sa kung ano mang pinagkakaabalahan natin. Bakit nga ba natin pinagtutuunan ng pansin ang UMYF? Bakit nga ba tayo nagbibigay ng panahon, gumagastos ng sarili nating pera at nagpapakabusy sa UMYF?

Simple lang naman ang rason – mahal natin ang Diyos, ang simbahan at ang kanyang mga kabataan. Ang pagsisilbi sa UMYF ay nagbibigay kulay at lalim sa ating mga buhay. Sa kabilang banda, napakarami na ring naidulot na mabuting bagay ang UMYF sa aking buhay.
I’m just reminded of the Teacher’s admonition in Ecclesiastes 11:9-12:1

“Be happy, young man, while you are young and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment. So then, banish anxiety from your heart and cast off the troubles of your body for youth and vigor are meaningless. Remember your Creator in the days of your youth before the days of trouble come…”

Let’s then make the most of our youth!

*comments? reactions? Send me an email: mightyrasing@gmail.com