5:45 AM on November 15, 2008 my mobile phone rang. It was my photo buddy, Jun on the other line telling me that it was so cold at Jahili Park. He was already there while I just got up from bed.
This was our second meeting together with other photography enthusiast in Al Ain. New to the group is Dave and Bro. Ross. I am now so excited to see the group grow in numbers. So, those who read this blog and happens to be in Al Ain, loves photography, or knows somebody who loves photography may PM this author and inquire of our next meet up.
The group decided to organize a seminar on the basics of digital photogaphy. Tentative schedule is on December 6, 2008. Details will be annouced later by Mr. Jun Salcedo. You may also visit his multiply account here.
Nice meeting you guys.
What a lovely presentation the Ladies had this afternoon. They had dramatized the lives of some very important women characters of the Bible.
Lately, I was so amused with the digital artwork of fellow photographer and blogger Joel Garcia (http://februarystar.multiply.com/). The images on his aforementioned site indicates his awesome works, the trend of which is onto this so called textured images.
As usual, I am always ready with my camera every time that there will be events and celebrations happening. I enjoyed clicking that shutter and capture and freeze memorable scenes.
Who could ever missed that splendid special number. It also unleashed the acting skills of the YAs. PJ Jalosjos took the lead role as Jesus. Outstanding performance PJ. You also have brother Nick Joaquin as a bad guy as his role. If I were to describe bro Nick, he is one of the shortest memeber of the group, but beating tall and big guys almost twice his size. That gave the presentation some lighter moments.
Yeah, that is me on the above image. I was the speaker for the seminar-workshop. I thank the leadership of the Homebuilder's Ministry, led by Bro Melvin Laru-an for the support. Same gratitude is extended to our dear Pastor Edward and Family.CROSS FIRE!
A TESTIMONY TO ANSWERED PRAYERS
By Bro. Melvin Laruan
The Lord said, "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation." (Psalm 91:14-16)
During our Philippine vacation last August 2008, after spending a few days in Davao City, my home town, we decided to go to Dipolog City, Zamboanga Del Norte to visit my wife’s family. Since there was no direct flight from Davao to Dipolog, we decided to travel by bus because it’s cheaper and this is the way we were doing for the past years. Along the way we have to spend one hour in crossing Ozamis city to Kolambogan by ferry boat. It was 15 hours journey by bus from Davao city to Dipolog city.
We stayed in Dipolog for almost two weeks with my wife’s family. After we settled some important things, we decided to go back to Davao.
On the 18th of August we took the 1:00 AM first bus trip from Dipolog city going to Cagayan De Oro City. (Our route was this: from Dipolog City to Cagayan De Oro City is almost 10 hours journey including one hour in the ferry boat from Ozamis City to Kolambogan. From Cagayan De Oro City we will take another bus going to Davao City).
While on our way going to Cagayan City, we reached Ozamis City by 3:00 AM and the bus we were in boarded a ferry boat. We reached Kolambogan around 4:00 AM. While we were near the Kolambogan public market and Municipal Hall just a few blocks from us, our bus stopped!! The driver told us that there was gunfire ahead (in front of us). So we just calmly stayed inside the bus, waiting until the situation calms down, thinking that it was far away from us.
After almost half an hour of waiting, one of the guys shouted, “RUN!!!”
All at once everybody wanted to go out of the bus. Immediately I grab Kevin and told my family that we had to get out of the bus quickly. Since we were sitting at the back and that bus has only one exit, so we cannot get out at once.
When almost half of the passengers were gone, we were still inside the bus desperately trying to get out, just a few meters away behind the bus, I heard somebody shouted “ALLAH HO AKBAR” (god is great), followed by a sudden burst of automatic rifle fire, followed by the explosion of a rocket propelled grenade (RPG). We were so shocked!! Women inside the bus began to shout and cry. They cried even more when some of the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) rebels nearby shot the tires of the bus with their automatic rifles. We never expected that we were going to be in the middle of a gun battle. Since there was a lot of gun fire around us already, I told my family to better stay in the bus otherwise we might be hit by stray bullets. We just laid flat on the bus floor. Kevin, my son, Jezreel, my daughter and Jedi, my wife were under the bus seats, exactly how they were able to fit in there I don’t know. We were around 8 to 12 people left and trapped in the bus along with my family.
While the gun battle was going on between the police one block away in front of us and the MILF 20 to 25 meters away behind the bus, we just laid flat in the floor praying, sending mobile text messages asking for intercession.
Jezreel and Kevin prayed, Jedi and I prayed in tongues. I spoke the whole PSALM 91 twice. It is my favorite passage in the Bible, and it was the Holy Spirit who reminded me. It contains so many promises. In that passage the Lord promises us that He will be our GOD, our Shepherd, our Savior, our Refuge…..
At around 6:30 AM, after two hours lying on the floor, it became a little bit quiet except for a few gun fires from a distance because the police retreated because they ran out of bullets and their guns are smaller compared to the high powered guns of the MILF rebels. The police retreated and the rebels forgot about us and chased after the police in pursuit.
During that time, it was almost day time that we can already see our surroundings, we realized that our bus was park near a Shell petrol station, but we were still lying on the floor, we continued to pray for our protection and guidance from the LORD.
HALLELUIAH! At that very moment, God answered our prayers. Suddenly we heard somebody was calling us from the other side of the road. He told us to get out of the bus one by one and cross the road. First we thought it was a bluff, so we were hesitant to get off the bus but this man kept on urging us to get down from the bus, so we did, then we crossed the road he brought us inside the mosque, crowded with local Muslim and Christian residents of Kolambogan. The residents there were also afraid that the MILF might burn their houses down. So they were also hiding there with us.
We just stayed inside the mosque. Every now and then we were hearing gunshots and even explosions nearby.
We heard from the local residents there, inside the mosque that the MILF had taken the Municipal Hall and the whole town of Kolambogan. They even burned down a police car, set one school and a few houses on fire. We even heard reports of how people were being shot and killed even children; you cannot imagine how they were killing the children. We even heard some reports that our co-passengers were caught by the MILF in the market while hiding and searching for food.
They bound them and used them as a human shield and we heard later that they were released in some remote mountain of Zamboanga.
We heard also that the next town of Kauswagan was under attack by the rebels. So we decided to go back to Dipolog, but the problem was how to get out from that place and how to cross the sea going back to Ozamis city.
We just continued in our prayers, because we knew that nobody can help us and deliver us at that moment except our LORD JESUS CHRIST.
We even called our relative and friends for help. The least they can do was to send us a boat. My wife’s relative even called their friends in high places in the government and in the military but that place was impenetrable. They advised us to stay and wait.
So we just waited and pray until almost 1:00 PM. My family started to look pale due to hunger and thirst. Since we left home at 1:00 AM, we didn’t even drink water and eat (we left our food in the bus, carrying only with us important stuff during our escape). There was nowhere to buy food and water. I felt pity for them. So I decided to go out from the mosque to find a boat to rent. But all the boats had left for Ozamis City with their families. I felt money was useless at that time. With all the money in our pocket, we had nothing to buy. We cannot buy food or water because no shops were open. We cannot rent a boat because there was not a single boat available. Everything we had was useless.
In desperation, I sat on the sand, behind the sea wall looking at Ozamis City at the other side of the sea, thinking how we can cross back to Ozamis City. I sat there for almost 30 minutes, thinking, I started speaking Psalm 91 to remind me who the Lord is in our life. In that passage He reminded me that He is our God, our Shepherd our High Tower, our Refuge, our Salvation…. after speaking verses 1 to 16, I started to hum one verse from the song “Emmanuel.” My spirit groaned when I hummed this one verse in that song “Holy, Holy, God Almighty there is none like You… Emmanuel, Jesus Christ You will never let me go. My Shepherd King, You’re watching over me, Emmanuel.” I repeated it over and over again. Then along the seashore behind the small houses of the village, around 500 meters from where I was sitting, I noticed a few boats filled with people were coming and leaving. Once again I prayed “Lord, show me that place, once again I need Your favor to reach that place so that we can cross back to the other side.”
I ran back to the mosque, found Jedi, Jezreel and Kevin sitting and praying. At first my wife did not want to go out because she was afraid of any sniper. But I told her that later it would be more dangerous because the Marines were coming and again it would be dark soon. We had to get out of that place while there was a chance. We were now hearing the sound of Marine helicopters from the distance, and we could see in the sky two Military B2 Bombers. Sooner or later for sure the Marine’s ground troops would be here, and for sure once again we would be caught in the middle of a bigger gun battle.
After thanking some resident for keeping us safe, we found their Imam (high priest). He asked us where we were going, and told us it was safer to stay inside their mosque. We told him we were going back to Dipolog city, so we asked him to guide us to the place where we could find a boat safely along with our co-passenger). It was amazing that the Lord once again gave us another favor. The Imam brought us to that place himself!
We waited for a boat there for almost an hour before a fishing boat came. I told my children no matter what happens we should be in that boat. Sure enough we got so wet from top to bottom getting to that boat. We travelled for one hour and a half before we reached Ozamis City. After taking something to eat we went back to Dipolog city still dripping wet!
People were watching us, wondering why all of my families were soaked to the bones. We were not ashamed. At that point in time who cares?
But yes, somebody did care for us. Jesus did. He is always true to His promises to us, that whatever happens He will never leave us nor forsake us. HE will be with us even to the ends of the earth..
We don’t know about you, But for us we love the Lord and we allow Him to use us in His vineyard here in Al Ain, THE WORD INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES, He loves us and He is true and faithful to His promises in Psalm 91:14-16. He is true and faithful to us even to you also as long as you continue to love the Lord. The Lord said in Psalm 91:14-16, He Himself is speaking:
"Because he loves me," says the LORD,
"I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name..
He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."
Amen! To God be the glory.
I encourage EVERY brother and sister: “Do not cease praying regardless of what circumstances you may find yourself to be, we cannot imagine how powerful prayer is! So many times we experience adversity, trials and they are getting bigger and bigger, but God is always with us, HE is Emmanuel. His hand is not too short to reach us; He will never leave us or forsake us.
Brothers and sisters, being Christians, Our God does not promise us comfort as we walk in our daily life, but as we go along, we will experience trials, persecutions and problems in life. If you never experience any trials yet, sooner or later you will experience one, two, or three (who know?).
So I encourage you brothers and sisters: Be watchful and be prayerful and always be ready. I encourage you brothers and sisters if you are not a part of any prayer group: Be part of one. So that when trials come you will be ready. Your friends and relatives in high places cannot help you, and the money in your pocket is useless, just like what we have experienced, so be watchful and be prayerful.
Thank you for your prayer and support.
God bless you all.
GLORY TO GOD BE THE LORD. AMEN!!!
Melvin Laruan
WIN – Al Ain Home Builders Ministry Head
August 8, 2008. On this date we witnessed the opening ceremony of the 2008 summer Olympics, which is hosted by China. At the comfort of bro Kicks & sis Shonie's unit of one of the freehold properties in International City, Dubai.
The kids and the not so young went to sleep the couple invited me and my wife, Rose to a nearby joint for juice and coffee while relaxing to the unique ambiance. The place was so unique that its interiors are decorated with different form of artworks, and as we learned, it was sourced from different parts of the world.Evangelism—Inside Out
By: Bro. Malloy Cabahug
Indeed you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make your boast in God, and know His will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law, and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and truth in the law. You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? You who say, “Do not commit adultery,” do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law? For “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” as it is written. (Romans 2:17-24, NKJV)
In this section of Paul's letter to the Church in
Is this something to boast about? Is this something to be proud of?
If we closely examine the our passage above, do you not think that this has the semblance of this modern day Christian church. Indeed there is. If you are a born again Christian, and you belong to a born again church are we not privileged enough to have now Christ living in us? Are we not having received the teachings from the Holy Spirit who is indwelling in our hearts every time we spend time with our prayer and devotion?
Paul said further on that the Jew, and the Christian for that matter should be the guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish and a teacher of babes.
Simply stated, all Christian, you and me should not keep the privilege to ourselves. We have a twofold task at hand.
First is to be guide to the blind and light to the dark world. The blind and dark world here is figuratively used to mean the unbelievers or those who knows not of spiritual things. And when they come to know the Lord Jesus, through our evangelistic efforts, they now are considered babes in Christ. Paul described this type as foolish and babes. Again, it is a figurative meaning for those who are still immature in their faith. Thereby, you should not only share them the Gospel of Jesus, but teach them and mold them to live the Gospel.
Second task at hand as Paul instructed is for us to be careful in carrying out the first task. Do you think a blind can lead another blind? Imagine two blind men walking along the highways of the UAE where cars are flying on the roads. Can you guide a person out of darkness when you do not have a torch or even a pen light at hand? How much more the giving of instructions and teaching when you know nothing.
Friends, Paul's message is so clear. Genuine Evangelism that sustains over time is one that starts from inside out and not the other way around. True, when we first received Christ, and if indeed it is a genuine conversion that you personally experienced, you will be so fired up to share your experience to the whole world. That is not bad. It is indeed a noble thing to share the Gospel.
If you speak of sustainable Evangelism, follow the twofold task that Paul instructed. Go and share the Gospel, but do not forget to equip yourself. Do not forget to feed your spirit by way of personal prayer and devotion, regular study of the Word, attending a Bible study group, attend seminars and trainings. Do not be content by just attending the weekly worship service.
Another colleague, a kabayan, at APL Emirates is saying goodbye to us. She will be joining British Airways at their Dubai office."Who U?" hahaha. A very familiar text or sms message. More often than not, people use this reply when one receives a message from a number not listed in his or her mobile's phonebook.
That was in the world of texting. Different people receiving the same message may differ in their reception of this type of a message. How about giving some serious flavor to this question. Who you or me really is ?
I am not referring to your name. Neither do I refer to your strengths and weaknesses, just like most questions in interviews. I want eveyone reading this piece to ponder upon as to who or how you and me are formed to be what is now called man.
The human race has tried to find answer to the question of who really man is. In fact, as mentioned in my previous blog, there was this Darwin's theory of evolution. It postulates that man evolved from monkeys or apes.
Of course, being a Christian, I do not buy that theory. It is such an absurd idea.
I remember a story told of Pastor Audie of Word International Ministries-Al Ain. It goes like this:
Child: "dad, how and where do we come from?"
Dad: "well son, we evolved from monkeys or apes."
This time the dad is relating to his son the theory of evolution. In most probability this man is not a Christian.
The child not satisfied with his dad's answer went to his mom and asked the same question, thus her mom replied.
Mom: "my son, the bible says that God created you and me. He took a dust, carefully and wonderfully formed, and finally breathed into it the breath of life and it became a living soul." (Gen 2:7)
Son: "are you sure mom? why did dad tell me that we came from apes?"
Mom: "ahh. (mom thinks for a few seconds). well son, he was just relating to you his lineage."
Hahaha. My wife almost fell to her seat laughing at this joke.
Now if you are confronted the question "who u?' what would be your answer? You have only two options here. If you are a Christian and believe in every word of the Holy Bible, your answer would be based on the biblical perspective.
Or if you believe your forefathers are hairy and lovers of banana, then you state the theory of evolution. Are you once an ape, moy?
Ahhh!!! Man?
By: Malloy Cabahug
When I was just a little kid, I always wonder what I was made of aside from my skin and bones and everything that I could see on the mirror or touch with my bare hands. Was there such a thing inside of me? That was the very question that lingered on my mind then.
My innocent mind was so filled with colorful imaginations regarding my body and my soul. As I recall, I would even imagine my soul separating from my body and spy for evil plans of gangsters in the town. This was of course triggered by watching movies and hearing a lot of ghost stories.
Elementary days in school introduced a new concept to my innocent mind regarding the origin of man. Though enrolled in a
Until now, I believe that this
Even before becoming a born again Christian, I had already dismissed
There were so many instances in the past were I am confronted with questions on the origin of man to what composed the human being in some of the drinking sessions with friends. While writing this piece, I remembered one of my drinking buddies whom we fondly call “Butch”. He is usually the initiator of this type of a topic to debate on as the group passed around drinking glass filled liquor. As the drinking session progresses, we just realized that we are getting drunk faster with the debate than the liquor we drank.
Looking back, I now realize that learning the nature and origin of man relying only on human intelligence is a futile exercise. You will only get drunk, as me and my friends were, discussing round and round so many information and views from so many sources. The best source to know the nature and origin of man is the Holy Bible. Read it and with the aid of the Holy Spirit, you will know who and what you are? Where you come from? And where you are destined to?
This is what our church, Word International Ministries – Al Ain, embraced as a theme for the month of July 2008, “The Doctrine of Man.” I hope and pray that starting August 2008, the rest of our church members will have a straight answer when confronted with questions regarding the nature and origin of man. No one should utter this word of hesitation AHHh!!! MAN?
God bless.
I was in high school during the era of Lakers and Celtics rivalry. It was the era of Ervin "Magic" Johnson and Larry Bird's stardom.
Magic Johnson retired and Kobe and Shaq O'Neal took over and led the lakers to a number of championships during the late nineties and the first decade of 2000. Of course the nineties is ruled by his airness, Michael Jordan.
When Lary Bird retires, nobody took the leadership that he left at the Celtics camp. As a result, it took the team to take the NBA championships 22 long years. Thanks to the addition of Garnette and Allen et al. Though not consistent with their performance during the early rounds of the playoffs, but they pulled it off at the finals.
In most likelihood both the Lakers and the Celtics' lineup will still be intact. Did I smell the revival of the Lakers vs. Celtics rivalry? Let us wait and see in the coming in the ensuing years.
Just read from online news another magic cast by Tiger Woods during the recently concluded U.S. Open at Torrey Pines in San Diego. Magic was not cast by using a magic wand, but a golf club.
Am I now rooting for golf as my new sport? Nah. I just a had some few chances of swinging some golf clubs some few years back. My Dad even gave me some of his old golf club sets. I never had a chance of using them. Playing golf does not just have a slightest appeal to me.
Even though I am not a golf enthusiast, and some other thousands of non-golfing personalities all throughout the world, knows the name of Tiger Woods. When we speak of golf the name of Tiger Woods is always attached to it.
Why do I blog about this new victory of Tiger Woods? Winning a major tourney year in and year out is but ordinary for him. It is no news.
Not this time around. About two months before this Torrey Pines tourney, Woods underwent a knee surgery. In fact, he was limping as he walks and even felt pain every after a swing.
On the final two or three holes of the tourney, Woods was behind by about 2 or 3 strokes by the league leader, Rocco Mediate. If I were in the shoes of Mediate, I may have already smelt victory, considering the lead and the situation that Woods is in pain coming off from the knee surgery two months back. But, lo and behold, Woods was able to force the game to a playoff as he tied Mediate’s score.
Obviously, Woods pulled the victory during the playoffs. It was another magical triumph of the Tiger. He is just like some wounded tiger that is on the loose. After being locked in confinement from playing golf while on a 10 week recuperation from knee surgery, he displayed his fierce skills though still in pain.
You are one such extraordinary athlete Mr. Tiger Woods. You are in the same league with Michael Jordan in the field of basketball.
Four years one month and four days passed since that night I received Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior, I have just completed reading the Bible. Congratulations to my self. But, hey, wait a minute. On second thoughts, I should not boast of this feat as this could not even be considered a feat for that matter.
I was even ashamed as I could have read a magazine and other books, espeially those involving my hobby, photography in a few minutes or hours. As I reflect back as to my attitude in reading the Bible, I noticed that on my first year as a believer, I read the word everyday. There were even times where I find time to read as I woke up from bed and before sleeping. As the days and months passed by, I slowed down the habit of reading the word of God.
Work schedule, taking care of the family, and well my other activities with my hobby took some of my time with the Word of God. Thank God for every time I sensed that I am giving more time to the cares of the world rather than the Word of God, I felt some force from within convicting me as if saying "hey, you have been spending too much with worldly cares...your spirit has become week." I believe that was the Holy Spirit convicting my heart of doing things right.
Anyway, howsoever long the period of time I spent to finished reading the Bible, I still felt a sense of accomplishment. I have done something right. However, it is still far from over.
If you are going to ask me what have I learned in reading the whole Bible, all I can say is not much. There is still a need to read and reread every section.
Now, I kept a promise to my self to start reading over with the aim of digging deeper the true meaning of the Word of God. This time around, I would keep notes and try to make use the full potential of the e-sword software (www.e-sword.com) plus my knowledge gained during the Apollos Project seminar. I would even blog some articles taken out from these notes that I may have prepared.
Having read the Bible cover to cover is not the end of it. I may have done reading the whole Bible, but I am not finished learning the Word of God. Even my lifetime is not enough to dig all the treasures hidden in the Bible. At least this time, I may now have the chance of digging more treasures in less time as I may have gained some familiarity as a result of having gone through all its pages.
On May 3, 2008, Word International Ministries – Al Ain (WIN-Al Ain), our local church in Al Ain City, United Arab Emirates, organized the first ever Laborers’ Day. The event started at 8:30 AM and ended at 6:00 PM.
All Ministry heads, small group leaders were invited. It was well attended that almost all the Ministry Heads are present, save those that were on duty for work at that date and not having any chance of arranging their work schedules.
The event, as I perceived it to be, is aimed at giving 1) recognition to all laborer’s of God’s vineyard in Al Ain by treating them with a free sumptuous lunch at a posh place, the newly opened Palm Spring Sports Resort, 2) a chance to all leaders to share, testimonies, plans, and problems of their respective ministries with the end in mind of addressing all issues identified, and 3) nourishment to the spiritual appetite of all laborers with an inspirational preaching of Dr. Roy Verzosa.
The spiritual feeding was so great. Even though most of the participants to this event were also attending the four-day seminar on the Apollos Project, conducted by Dr. Roy, still they continue to delight on the spiritual food being fed. It even paved the way for a very healthy forum the rest of the day.
Overeating spiritual food, as compared to eating physical food, would not constitute gluttony. But, like eating physical food, for every intake a corresponding amount of energy must be released out of our body, lest one will suffer obesity.
At the end of the full week ending May 3, 2008, I felt a sense of getting heavier spiritually. I have been eating spiritual food for five straight days. There is now an urgent need for me to release some energy by practicing what I have learned and even sharing it to others. I am now starting to apply Hermeneutics I have learned from the Apollos Project as well as the inspirational preaching during the Laborers’ day.
It is my prayer that all brethren who have been overeating spiritual food would do the same thing. I hope and pray that every ministry will rise up and become more active in the coming days that by next year’s Laborer’s day, everyone attending is spiritually fit bringing great and wonderful testimonies.
To Pastor Edward and the rest of the council members who are instrumental in initiating this type of an event, congratulations.
But still all glory will still be given to our God who made all these things possible.
P.S. Photos taken during the laborers’ Day will be uploaded in the next few days at www.malloy.multiply.com/photos
