A FAMILY VISIT

Last week me with my brother went to a place where our family live. I really miss my 7 brothers :). We have two sisters, the one got married and the one is still studying, a 11 yrs. old girl. I really miss her too. So, I was with my family, talking, laughing, eating etc. It was on Nov. 1 and that was the time where people out there at the mountains prepare food. They believe that souls will come back and eat what they prepare. Different on downtown where they pay money to a priest to make a mass for their relatives/love ones. Tradition! more on this soon.

Three months have passed that my father quit working on coal mining. He is getting older now and working on that kind of job really needs strength. Now, instead of working on coal mining, my father bought a carabao (this is common here in Philippines, I don't think in other countries). Well, that is a hardworking animal and a great help on farming. Now, my father is farming instead of coal mining. Farming is safety and coal is dangerous, this is the one reason why my mother forced my father to quit.

My two brothers are on high school. The school is 1 1/2 km. far more or less. They need to walk every morning for their classes and they need to pass a river. So sad when there is a heavy rainfall. I encourage my brother to do the school instead of working with my father. My mother let them choose what they want to do, whether school or work with my father. My brother explained about the worth of education to my mother. One of my brother visited us one time and he said he want to quit school. My brother gave him money to go back and continue school. We try what we could do helping them on their school. They grow big and I think they'll grow taller than me and will be considered useless if their mind is empty.

Ariel, one of our brother came here in town to participate a poster making contest. It was yestersday. He is third year high school now and he loves to do school. He got the second place on their contest. I was amazed because I have participated that too when I was on high school and got nothing. How proud we are.

STEPS FOR STAYING IN THE RACE

I have read this sermon over and over again. I got the most of my teaching from this sermon. Most of the points are not new to me/us. I just want to make the thing new.

SURF THE WEB

I was reading news yesterday. Usually, I'll go to editorial page. I just want to read what other people could say. I had read about the political issues in the Philippines.

Well, what about this picture here. I forgot the website of this. You can see the kids-web relationship. As a I can see, a lot of kids here know about the internet. If they have a research to do, they can do it by their own. Their parents was/were with them just to be with their sons/daughters BUT not to guide where to get good stuffs from a good website. I'll never say that all parents are like that but mostly here in our place. Kids are more educated about computers nowadays. We can get real good things from the internet but there is a lot things out there which are not good for them to be viewed.

JUNJUN - BROTHER

My brother was having fun creating slideshows with background music.

Great song!

SLIDESHOW

Our photos taken 1 year ago

QUESTIONS ABOUT EVERYTHING

Ask questions, know everything. I was with a girl yesterday who is very talkative. She asked me a lot of questions about my favorites. One question that I like was that when she asked me what my favorite subject is. "English", I answered her. When I was in high school, I really like speaking english and even until now. I wish I could be with an english guy so that I could practice. There is nobody here who listens to me. I'll never say I am lonely because I'm not. Sometimes, I am happy being alone. You don't have to worry about everything. You can make your own decisions, go wherever you want etc. On the other side, having friends is wonderful. Sharing ideas, laughing at jokes and being with somebody could make life colorful. This is related to this girl I have mentioned above. That was my first time I was with her and I like the way she talk, ask questions. She is eager to know about everything.

FIESTA IN OUR TOWN

Fiesta in our town is celebrated annually. This is the one of the cultures of the Filipinos. They really spend time preparing for the Fiesta where their friends, relatives etc. visit them. It is not the date of the Fiesta yet but there are many people coming from different places to be at Fiesta. Some are selling a lot of stuffs. I was at the market yesterday and I saw a lot tents built there. This is the time where people from different places gather. I was thinking about the Pentecost where people from different places and different tongues gathered.

Oh well, mostly filipinos are worshipping idols still. I think some of them knows that it is worthless but they don't have enough reasons. They are doing what their grandparents say, generation to generation. Some people are proving them wrong, letting them see/read what God had said. Some people turned from worshipping idols to worship the true God. It is not new to them when you tell them about God. They know that God created heaven and earth, man and all livings things but they cannot even appreciate how great the God is, they let their traditions carry them. I know what God wants from His people and it is always a great challenge in me when do I tell them.