BE THE SPARK

Let us consider one another . . . , not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together. -- Hebrews 10:24-25


Churchgoing has fallen on difficult times lately. For some Christians it is a weak substitute for a picnic on a rainy Sunday. Excuses are as plentiful as quarters in the collection plate. The fact is, many professing Christians don't think church is all that important. They think they can be perfectly good Christians without being part of a local congregation.

The author of Hebrews disagreed! For one thing, our own spiritual welfare is not to be our only concern. We go to church not just to get but to give—to spur on other Christians to "love and good works" (Hebrews 10:24). If we stay away, we may give them an excuse to be careless.

On the other hand, if we attend with enthusiasm, we encourage other believers in their ambition to draw near to Christ. If we are faithful in meeting together with them, we will honor the Lord, grow in our faith, and give a strong witness to the world.

The Christian faith allows no room for rugged individualists. To have a fire, you need more than one coal. You also need a spark and a draft of air. One humble, open, involved individual—perhaps you—set on fire by Christ, can be the spark. And the Holy Spirit, the breath of God, may blow on that spark and set a congregation ablaze.

If we are honest, we must say
'Our hearts are sometimes cold';
But fellowship can kindle warmth
And make our witness bold.

Fellowship builds us up and binds us together.

Scriptural reading
Hebrews 10:19-25

Encouraging Those Who are In Need of Upliftment

Brothers, rejoice. Perfect yourselves; encourage yourselves; mind the same thing; be at peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. [2Cor 13:11]

Julie Leslie belongs to the Victory Christian Fellowship in India. I've known her as "julie for jesus" at Multiply. Julie is connected to many prayer groups intercessors from different countries via the internet. Many people send daily prayer requests to Julie: Hindus, Moslems, Americans, Europeans and Asians. This compiling, sending out, praying for them is a commitment. Many people are requesting for prayer and encouragement. There was one specific request reached Julie after she spent a short vacation. Julie got back, she found out that during a brief absence an urgent encouragement was needed for Natalie who lived in New Jersey, USA. Natalie was almost on the verge of suicide. Julie emailed us to pray for Natalie and requested if we could send some nice words of encouragement. Days later Julie said that Natalie was feeling a little better, though continued encouragement was still needed.

Some people know just what to say and do to encourage others who are going through difficult times. Their words give strength to those who are discouraged and comfort to those who are grieving. These people are sensitive to God’s voice. They are not self-centered or unaware of the struggles of those around them. They are the ones we immediately seek when we enter a crisis. They are welcome visitors when we are in distress, for their presence sustains us.

Scripture testifies of many whom God enabled to encourage others. When Moses was overwhelmed by his work, Jethro went to him and encouraged him. Jethro gave Moses wise counsel that eased his strain (Exod. 18:1–27). When Paul was imprisoned far from those who loved him, Epaphroditus risked his health and safety in order to go to Paul and minister to him (Phil. 2:25–30). Later, Paul urged Timothy to come and visit him, for Paul found strength and encouragement in Timothy (2 Tim. 4:9; Phil. 2:19–20). Paul asked Timothy to bring Mark also. Mark was the kind of friend Paul needed when he was enduring hardship (2 Tim. 4:11; Philem. 24). Paul also relied on Luke for encouragement. When everyone else was absent or preoccupied, Luke could be found with Paul (2 Tim. 4:11). Paul experienced trials throughout his life, but God sustained him by placing godly friends around him who provided support in practical and sacrificial ways.

God wants to develop you into the kind of friend who can strengthen others. Some people may be going through emotional stress brought about by problems with friends or family, or maybe some financial difficulties, or any sadness. The words you share and the things you do can bring comfort and encouragement to your family, your friends, your neighbors, and your coworkers. As Christians, let us be sensitive to people around us. We can be a light to a darkened world, or a salt that would add taste to a bitter life. As needed, let us strengthen believers and unbelievers. We can demonstrate the image of Christ and become what we are... Christians.

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Reminiscing the 1998 June 12 Centennial

It was exactly 10 years ago when the National Historic Institute and the Department when the pioneers of the Magna Kultura Foundation to do something in line with the celebration the Philippine Independence Day. Back in 1998, both government agencies submitted a recommendation to the Philippine Centennial Commission which was then chaired by headed by the late Salvador "Doy" Laurel, for our team to be tapped as the Marketing Directorate of the June 12 Parade. It was not just any other Centennial event that would happen anywhere in the country --- as there were numerous events in Bulacan, Cavite, or even in Pampanga where they had that big Centennial Expo project --- they tapped us for the "D-Day" event, none other than the June 12 Parade at the Luneta. While many event organizers and civic groups had many Centennial related event, we had the honor of organizing for the parade at the Quirino Grandstand and Roxas Boulevard on June 12, 1998.

ARTWORK SKETCH OF THE RIZAL FLOAT BY THE LATE LEANDRO LOCSIN

Back then, our task had to do with the production and marketing of the parade floats, each representing important periods or events in Philippine history. You wouldn't believe the actual cost for producing each parade float --- each of the 56 floats were mounted on flat-bed trucks and produced anywhere from P 800,000 to the more magnificent ones which cost about P1.8 million --- it was like constructing a house. Add to the cost the technicals, like the built-in sounds and lighting system; plus the theatre and movie celebrities that would stand as actors --- there was Joel Torre at the Rizal Float, Charlene Gonzales at the Freedom Float, Bong Revilla (who was Governor of Cavite at that time) played the role of Emilio Aguinaldo [parading on a white horse with comrades], and many theatre actors and artists from the Cultural Center of the Philippines, from PETA, U.P Repertory --- name it, all the illustrious actors, artists, production designers and even well-known architects of the country were there to do the once-in-a-lifetime celebration of the 100th year anniversary of our country's freedom. It was a "Cecil B. DeMille" production so to speak.


Like I said, our task was to oversee the production, and the marketing --- meaning, looking for corporate sponsors and NGOs who would like to "own" the float. I kidding-ly mused during those days that "my task is to sell the country". I even vividly remember that 1 week before the June 12, then Tourism Secretary Gabor asked me to take her place in presenting the whole plan for June 12 to President Fidel Ramos and his Cabinet! When she said that, I remember shaking on my feet and arrogantly exclaimed, "Hindi kayo data yun, ma'm???", to which the charming Mina Gabor simply responded, "Ikaw na, maganda naman lagi ang barong e..." The rest is history. I stood at an august assembly of cabinet ministers with his Excellency at the head table. Funny, but I recall during that presentation, to refrain any of the ministers or the President to stop and ask detailed questions, I backed up my Powerpoint slides with a majestic movie scoring that left them quietly watching and inspired, as I mouthed fully vernacular Filipino spiels. After the scoring and the slides, when it was over, in a dignified AM radio announce-like extro-spiel, I said "At ngayon, para sa mga detalyeng katanungan hinggil sa makasaysayang celebrasyon ng Araw ng ating Kalayaan, narito po ang Kagalang-galang na ministro, Secretary Mina Gabor". Gabor who was quietly enjoying the presentation, dropped her jaw to the unexpected turn-over of scene, but nevertheless stood up --- and in a dignified way, I scurried out of the conference room. Those were the light moments during those days. I actually enjoyed working with Secretary Gabor and her staff. To me she was one of the best Tourism Secretary our country ever had.


It was a biggest event our country ever had --- it was unparalleled, not like any other June 12 celebration before or even after. The parade day in 1998 attracted over 6 million Filipinos, flocking the Luneta and the entire stretch of Roxas Boulevard up to the Cultural Center Complex. The Western Police District of Manila and the MMDA has to block all roads leading to Roxas Boulevard --- and re-route all vehicles traffic starting from Taft Avenue. The millions of had to walk, and when they arrived, you couldn't even drop a needle --- from 7 a.m. to p.m. (I remember one of my corporate sponsors, with all fleets of sales delivery trucks, ran out of mineral water supply by 5 p.m. and the parade and fireworks was not finished yet --- it was a mass draught at the Roxas Boulevard) It was all historic. And we, the pioneers of Magna Kultura Foundation, had the honor of being part of that once-in-a-lifetime historic celebration. It was not not just any other June 12 event--- not the 99th, not the 101st, or the 110th --- neither was it just any other Centennial event in any part of the country --- but the historic 100th year anniversary celebration right at the Quirino Grandstand, the "D-Day" --- the 1998 June 12 Independence Parade, the centerpiece of the Centennial celebration.


When Director Romulo Delos Reyes of the Department of Tourism called me on the 4th week of May this year, he asked if Magna Kultura Foundation could join in the 2008 Independence Day celebration, and specifically requested if we could bring the foundation's current project that was popularly being conducted in Metro-Manila barangays --- the Larong Pinoy Sports Clinic. "Puede n'yo bang dalhin ang mga laro ng ating lahi sa Luneta sa celebrasyon ng Araw ng ating Kalayaan", he mused over the telephone in Tagalog knowing the tagalog-speaking patriot that I was back then. I quietly listened to his persuasion, but I was actually exuberant about the proposal since it has been ten years since I last worked on the June 12 parade and with the Department of Tourism. Personally, I am a conscious with numbers and sate, being a Biblical Hebrew "numerologist", and to me the Number 10 is a fascinating "call slip".

So, as I posted in a blog post at our multiply site (http://luckymelarongpinoy.multiply.com/journal/item/13/LARONG_PINOY_SA_ARAW_NG_KALAYAAN ),Magna Kultura will be taking the Larong Pinoy Eskwe-Laro sports training and mini-palaro at the Rizal park. The Larong Pinoy is a program advocating the revival of the the Filipino Street Games, especially among the new generation of Filipino kids. Eskwe-Laro outreach activities have been rolled out many barangays this summer of 2008 during school vacation. It has revived the Pinoy games of our heritage, and has made communities alive again with kids playing Tumbang Preso, Patintero, Trumpo, Holen, Piko, Luksong Tinik and many more. Amidst all the modern high-tech games, the revival of the indigenous street games are indeed timely, most especially that children from public schools and depressed areas don't own expensive gadgets or even have computers at home. The revival of the games among the young generation also instills Filipino pride, and yet more important, it brings a heartwarming bonding among families and relatives --- from the the lolo's and lola's, nanay and tatay, talking about the games they are familiar with among the their children. This is our advocacy. On June 12, 2008, Larong Pinoy will be at the Rizal Park. We are proud to part of the Independence Day Celebration.


Amidst the crisis dilemma that this nation is experiencing, Magna Kultura moves on to promote love of country and pride in the Filipino Heritage. Our country will rise again, and the youth of today will take the reigns of the future. Moving forward, let us not just build the future of our country, but Let us all make conscious efforts Build the Youth of our Nation For The Future.