"Let Go and Let God!"

The Lord is risen! Satan's plans have been thwarted, and hope has been renewed -- Happy Easter to all!

Truly God continues to change the hearts and minds of those who are willing to "let go and let God". And when we give in to His plans by sacrificing our own - the rewards are beyond compare.

While going through pictures in my brother's bedroom a couple of weekends ago, I came across some pictures from my high school days. I almost forgot how thin and lanky I looked back then, and seeing the pictures of myself in a polo barong together with good and real friends just made me smile.

As I shuffled through the stacks of pictures, I got to a picture of Reyniel Catabian, Ruter Agati and myself inspecting the progress of the construction of what was to become the St. La Salle Multi-Purpose Center in Pasong Makipot, Muntinlupa City. Ruter was sifting through scrap wood donated by parents of fellow students from La Salle Zobel, Reyniel was chatting it up with a construction worker, and I was just taking in the entire scene altogether.

The picture was taken sometime in the schoolyear of 1989. It was at the site of our Scout Units' second adopted community. Not many know of it anymore, but I believe it is safe to say that for Reyniel, Ruter and I - as well as for a few of the other Scouts back then - it changed our lives.

It all started at the start of the schoolyear 1988-89. We were in our third year of high school, and over the summer I had decided that I wanted to leave a legacy with the school. I came to know of the Magnolia National Youth Achievement Awards, and I planned to gun for that. I approached our Scout Master (Mr. Ruben Deseo - true green La Sallians from Zobel would know him) and told him my plan: a massive tree-planting project on the slopes of the Scout Reserve on Mt. Makiling. I had the finances planned and had already contacted a seedling bank.

He asked me one question: "Do you really want to make a difference?"

I said I did.

A week later, Mr. Deseo, together with my four patrol leaders and I went to a remote barrio in Binan, Laguna: Barrio Loma. We met with the barrio elders and told them our goal: we wanted to provide adult-literacy classes, child-literacy classes, livelihood programs and the such to the barrio folk. At that time, an average family from the barrio had to live on no more than Php200 to Php300 a week - if they were lucky.

I don't know what convinced them, but the barrio elders accepted our offer of help.

Now, seriously: "what could a bunch of 35 high school students do to augment and uplift the lives of an entire community?"

Reyniel, Ruter and I pushed those thoughts to the back of our minds and just did what we set off to do. Reyniel looked into livelihood programs. Ruter took charge of the LRC and child literacy. I handled adult-literacy and catechism programs. Other Scouts worked together on sports and recreation, socials and other activities.

I spent every single weekend of our third year in high school living in Barrio Loma. I had a different patrol with me every weekend. Before I knew it, the fruits of our labor was starting to grow ripe right before our very eyes. Barrio folks got more involved in working together to raise poultry to augment their income from the rice fields; barrio elders got together to re-organize the residents into stronger units that would cooperate in the ongoing projects. I had 20 students taking up typing lessons three days a week (thanks to Mr. Guzman who patiently taught us how to type), five of whom later on found jobs as secretaries in small businesses in the town proper of Binan. Barrio youth came together to form a formidable youth group - and an entire new Scout Unit was even formed.

By August, the St. La Salle Health and Learning Resource Center was built. Materials were provided by parents of students from Zobel - but the work and the workers were provided by the beneficiaries. I didn't know it then, but it had the makings of today's Gawad Kalinga altogether.

Dr. Antonio Tamayo worked with us by providing medical teams from the Perpetual Help Hospital every month to conduct free medical and dental clinics at the Center. His son, Anthony Tamayo, was also a student at Zobel.

On their fiesta, there was a procession in honor of Mary Immaculate - their Patroness. The procession was so long and so well attended that houses were actually left unattended such that a thief would have had a looting spree. "Mang Ehser", the barrio captain commented that never had so many people joined the processions before.

By the end of the school year, we were already looking into adopting a second community - the community shown in the picture I mentioned earlier.

What started as a selfish dream of winning a national award turned into a real act of community development, spiritual enlightenment and nation-building.

What began as a project with only 35 Scouts turned into an effort of the La Sallian Community, as De La Salle University provided certificates to those who finished a Basic Electrician's Course in Pasong Makipot.

What was once the project of a single Scout Unit became a project of the World Bureau of the Scouting Movement after a representative of the World Bureau flew in from Switzerland to inspect the projects - and then later grant La Salle Zobel some funds to augment the project even more.

What was once a weekend project of 35 high school students later became a project that involved parents, teachers and students from all grade levels.

There were trade-offs for me, though.

I never did go to either my Junior or my Senior Prom (good thing too - I don't dance anyway).

And I never did get that National Award from Magnolia. Heck, I never even applied for it.

But today, as I look back, there are living rewards that I can be proud of. Soon before our graduation in 1990, Reyniel and I received the news.

Two boys were born to two families in Barrio Loma.

One was named Reyniel. The other was named Tyne.

What could be better than that?

Crossing the Street

“You have to go to Tita Beng – it’s an emergency. And you have to go alone”.

This is what my brother told my six-year old daughter.

Just half an hour earlier, my brother JV picked my daughter up from her Kumon classes. She was going to spend the weekend at Mamita’s once again.

When they got home, my brother prepared lunch, and then asked Julia to “call Mamita” to eat. Julia went into my mother’s room and returned a few seconds later telling my brother that “Mamita was not answering and she was not waking-up.”

Mama was recently diagnosed as being diabetic. JV – who has been an insulin dependent diabetic for over two decades now – became very strict with my mother’s diet and sugar intake.

He realized immediately the Mama was unconscious due to low blood-sugar.

JV took her blood-sugar count – and indeed it was a deathly low 25. Being alone at home, he had to go get help, but he also had to stay with my mother. That’s when he told Julia that she had to cross the main road alone to get to our neighbor’s house.

“I can’t, I’m scared”, Julia said.

“Julia, you have to. Mamita needs help, and I can’t leave her. You have to go.” JV then started to prepare some sugar-water to try to administer as soon as my mother hopefully regained consciousness.

A few seconds later, JV heard the gate close and when he looked behind him, Julia was gone.

A few minutes after that, Tita Beng (mother of Felice Fernandez) and Tita Linda walked in. By then JV had already called a few people, and my sister-in-law Lanie was on her way to the house, as was Kit, a childhood friend of ours. My other brothers and I were likewise rushing home.

Mama is okay now, and as I type away, she is sleeping soundly and comfortably in her bed.

No offense to Mama, but this isn’t about her really.

It’s about Julia (again). And about all of us as well.

Sure, Julia is six, and a lot of six-year olds walk and cross streets alone. Lots of kids Julia’s age do so many things alone.

So this isn’t really about her crossing the street to get help in an emergency situation either.

It’s about her crossing the street when she was absolutely sure she couldn’t do it because she was scared to do it.

Julia faced her fears when she had to – and in so doing she actually and literally helped save the life of her grandmother.

And you know what else is amazing about it?

It was no big deal for her. As far as she is concerned she crossed the street because Mamita needed her to do so.

That’s it.

She found a reason to overcome herself and her fear.

I know of many adults – my age and older – who have not yet overcome their fears nor themselves.

There are those who shy away from relationships because they were hurt once or twice.

Those who put off doing what they want to do because they failed at it once too often.

Those who wallow in their sorrows because they feel no one would be interested to listen to them.

Julia faced her fear because she wanted to help Mamita.

Want to be in a meaningful and fulfilling relationship? Then work on it.

Want to achieve something great in your life? Then take the first step – and then the next.

Want to find comfort and a reason to move on? Seek the comfort of the people you call your friends.

Our Lord came into the world for one reason: to give his life so that we would have life.

He came into the world because of the future he wanted for us, not because of the past.

So when faced with your fears, forget the past.

And look into the future you want to achieve.

Then take the first step until you finally cross the street.


P.S. - I wasn't able to publish this earlier, as things were quite busy during the days Mama was in the hospital. Thank you to all who prayed for and with our family; thank you to all who visited and called. Like I said in one of my emails, GOD IS GOOD not only because he has watched over Mama and us, but also because he gave our family people like you. GOD BLESS!