A couple of weeks ago I was taking a walk back to Eastwood where I once lived with Jon and Carmi. I was just gonna head over to the mall and take advantage of the free airconditioners. I go and do my thing then decide that it's time to head back home. Now usually to cross the street there are numerous overpasses or bridges that you can use. The particular bridge that I should have used was very far away and I was in a very lazy mood at that point, so I decided to cross the busy street. It was like I was the frog in the game Frogger.
As I finally made it to the other side, there sitting in a police squad car were two officers. They shouted "Sir come here!!" (They said that in Tagalog but I don't know how to write it)
So I walk over and they tell me that jaywalking is a crime. I said I was sorry but I didn't know (I knew)
They then asked for my identification but I didn't have it on me. So they tell me to get into the back seat. I'm kinda thinking 2 things at this point. Either they are gonna ask for money or they're gonna take me to jail. If they ask for money jokes on them cause I ain't got none!! And if they take me to jail.... that's gonna be a pretty sick blog if I ever get out....
Anyway one of the officers says "Sir jaywalking is illegal and you have to pay a fine." I ask how much I have to pay and he tells me 10,000 Pesos.... The equivilant to well over $200. I began to tell him that I was just a missionary from Canada and that I didn't have much money. The sympathy was clearly not there. The I told them that I was working closely with Pastor Alex and Bishop Ef Tendero. They looked at eachother for a moment, then looked forward.... without even looking back at me they said "Okay Sir goodbye." As I got out I thanked God!!
The moral of the story is don't jaywalk and if you are ever in trouble, always always NAME DROP!!
Be blessed and stay classy
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Monday, May 7, 2012
Accidental Missionary: You want me to be what?!
A few weeks ago, one of the kids on the worship team got sick so I was asked to fill in. Being the karaoke connesuir that I am, I gladly said yes. I didn't think too much of it cause I used to sing background at my home church back in Canada.
So Sunday comes and we sing and worship and it was an awesome time. After the service, one of the elders comes up to me and says "I think you should be the song leader next Sunday." I asked him again what he had said cause I didn't think I heard him right. Sure enough that is exactly what he said. I respectfully declined and said that I don't have the voice for a song leader.... I have a voice that belongs in the background.... far, far in the background. He wouldn't take no for an answer though. As I expressed my insecurities, he walked away and said "This will be your baptism into the worship team!! See you next week!!"
A 4 letter word popped into my head and it started with the letter S.... SING?! I was nervous cause I had never done anything like that before, I didn't think I was ready, I didn't think I was good enough. Scenario after scenario played in my head. One was that I was singing in a voice that can only be described as coming from a banshee. Another would be that people would be talking about how bad it was.
As the days drew closer and closer to Sunday, I was getting more and more nervous. I hadn't picked the lineup of songs cause I was looking for the ones that I was most comfortable singing. For some reason I wasn't even comfortable singing the ones I thought I was comfortable singing. We practiced on Saturday and I still didn't feel ready. I still felt like I wasn't good enough.
Sunday morning I woke up and prayed. I said God i'm scared.... Just give me some words of comfort. As I sat there just waiting. It hit me.... When it comes to worship can you ever really be ready? Are we ever gonna be good enough to worship God? I don't think that there is a certain standard of how good your voice needs to be, or whether you know if you are an alto or soprano. Its worship. Anyone can do it, anyplace and anywhere. I quickly said "Thanks God!!" then head over to the church.
When I took out the fear of pleasing others with a nice voice, when I realized that it wasn't about anyone or anything else.... When I said I'm just gonna worship you God, It was then that I felt ready.... and I rocked the roof off of that church!! Just kidding!!
That week I did something totally out of my comfort zone.... This week try something out of yours.
Be blessed and stay classy
So Sunday comes and we sing and worship and it was an awesome time. After the service, one of the elders comes up to me and says "I think you should be the song leader next Sunday." I asked him again what he had said cause I didn't think I heard him right. Sure enough that is exactly what he said. I respectfully declined and said that I don't have the voice for a song leader.... I have a voice that belongs in the background.... far, far in the background. He wouldn't take no for an answer though. As I expressed my insecurities, he walked away and said "This will be your baptism into the worship team!! See you next week!!"
A 4 letter word popped into my head and it started with the letter S.... SING?! I was nervous cause I had never done anything like that before, I didn't think I was ready, I didn't think I was good enough. Scenario after scenario played in my head. One was that I was singing in a voice that can only be described as coming from a banshee. Another would be that people would be talking about how bad it was.
As the days drew closer and closer to Sunday, I was getting more and more nervous. I hadn't picked the lineup of songs cause I was looking for the ones that I was most comfortable singing. For some reason I wasn't even comfortable singing the ones I thought I was comfortable singing. We practiced on Saturday and I still didn't feel ready. I still felt like I wasn't good enough.
Sunday morning I woke up and prayed. I said God i'm scared.... Just give me some words of comfort. As I sat there just waiting. It hit me.... When it comes to worship can you ever really be ready? Are we ever gonna be good enough to worship God? I don't think that there is a certain standard of how good your voice needs to be, or whether you know if you are an alto or soprano. Its worship. Anyone can do it, anyplace and anywhere. I quickly said "Thanks God!!" then head over to the church.
When I took out the fear of pleasing others with a nice voice, when I realized that it wasn't about anyone or anything else.... When I said I'm just gonna worship you God, It was then that I felt ready.... and I rocked the roof off of that church!! Just kidding!!
That week I did something totally out of my comfort zone.... This week try something out of yours.
Be blessed and stay classy
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Ang Aksidenteng Misyonero
Paano makakuha ko dito? Paano ako napupunta sa Pilipinas? Bakit sa lupa ay ko magpasya na maging isang misyonero?
Nagsimula ang lahat ng ito sa isang pag-uusap sa Tim Hortons sa aking buddy Jon. Nagtanong siya sa akin na dumating sa Pilipinas at mag-tambay sa kanya para sa isang habang. Kaya ko. Sinabi ko yes at isang pares ng mga buwan mamaya hopped sa isang eroplano at ulunan para sa Philipines. Ito ay doon na kung saan ang aking buhay ay nabago. Ako nagtutulog para sa 3 buwan, dumating bumalik sa Canada lamang sa mapagtanto na ang aking puso ay sa Pilipinas.
Kaya ko itinaas ng mas maraming pera bilang maaari ako, hopped sa susunod na bagay na pagpunta sa Pilipinas at dito ako ....
Ngayon na ako dito, ako ay dumating sa mapagtanto na mayroon akong ganap na walang bakas kung ano ako paggawa. (Ako ba ang aking mga supporters ay nasisiyahan na marinig na ....) ngunit iyan ay hindi kung ano mismo ang ibig sabihin ko. Alam ko kung ano ang aking mga tungkulin ay dito sa Pilipinas, alam ko kung ano ang responsibilidad na mayroon ako, alam ko kung ano ang gawain ay kailangang gawin .... ngunit mayroon akong walang bakas kung paano ito gawin. Ito ay lahat ng mga bagong sa akin.
Ngayon na ang aking mabuting kaibigan Jon at Carmi pakaliwa upang bumalik sa Canada, ako talaga nag-iisa dito sa Pilipinas. Ito ay kinda cool na dahilan na ito ay ang simula at dulo ng isang bagay para sa lahat ng 3 na sa amin. Para sa Jon at Carmi, ito ay ang dulo ng isang kahanga-hangang misyon sa Pilipinas at ang simula ng isang bagong isa sa Canada. Para sa aking sarili, ito ay ang dulo ng aking kaginhawahan zone at ang simula ng ... Isang tumalon ng Pananampalataya
Nagsimula ang lahat ng ito sa isang pag-uusap sa Tim Hortons sa aking buddy Jon. Nagtanong siya sa akin na dumating sa Pilipinas at mag-tambay sa kanya para sa isang habang. Kaya ko. Sinabi ko yes at isang pares ng mga buwan mamaya hopped sa isang eroplano at ulunan para sa Philipines. Ito ay doon na kung saan ang aking buhay ay nabago. Ako nagtutulog para sa 3 buwan, dumating bumalik sa Canada lamang sa mapagtanto na ang aking puso ay sa Pilipinas.
Kaya ko itinaas ng mas maraming pera bilang maaari ako, hopped sa susunod na bagay na pagpunta sa Pilipinas at dito ako ....
Ngayon na ako dito, ako ay dumating sa mapagtanto na mayroon akong ganap na walang bakas kung ano ako paggawa. (Ako ba ang aking mga supporters ay nasisiyahan na marinig na ....) ngunit iyan ay hindi kung ano mismo ang ibig sabihin ko. Alam ko kung ano ang aking mga tungkulin ay dito sa Pilipinas, alam ko kung ano ang responsibilidad na mayroon ako, alam ko kung ano ang gawain ay kailangang gawin .... ngunit mayroon akong walang bakas kung paano ito gawin. Ito ay lahat ng mga bagong sa akin.
Ngayon na ang aking mabuting kaibigan Jon at Carmi pakaliwa upang bumalik sa Canada, ako talaga nag-iisa dito sa Pilipinas. Ito ay kinda cool na dahilan na ito ay ang simula at dulo ng isang bagay para sa lahat ng 3 na sa amin. Para sa Jon at Carmi, ito ay ang dulo ng isang kahanga-hangang misyon sa Pilipinas at ang simula ng isang bagong isa sa Canada. Para sa aking sarili, ito ay ang dulo ng aking kaginhawahan zone at ang simula ng ... Isang tumalon ng Pananampalataya
The Accidental Missionary
How did I get here? How did I end up in the Philippines? Why on earth did I decide to become a missionary?
So I raised as much money as I could, hopped on the next thing going to the Philippines and here I am....
Now that my good friends Jon and Carmi have left to go back to Canada, I am basically alone here in the Philippines. It's kinda cool cause it is the beginning and the end of something for all 3 of us. For Jon and Carmi, it is the end of an amazing mission in the Philippines and the beginning of a new one in Canada. For myself, It is the end of my comfort zone and the beginning of... A Leap of Faith.
It all started with a conversation at Tim Hortons with my buddy Jon. He asked me to come to the Philippines and hang out with him for a while. So I did. I said yes and a couple of months later hopped on a plane and headed for the Philipines. It was there where my life was changed. I stayed for 3 months, came back to Canada only to realize that my heart was in the Philippines.
So I raised as much money as I could, hopped on the next thing going to the Philippines and here I am....
Now that I'm here, I have come to realize that I have absolutely no clue what I am doing. ( I'm sure my supporters will be glad to hear that....) but that's not exactly what I mean. I know what my roles are here in the Philippines, I know what responsibilities I have, I know what work needs to be done.... but I have no clue how to do it. This is all new to me.
Now that my good friends Jon and Carmi have left to go back to Canada, I am basically alone here in the Philippines. It's kinda cool cause it is the beginning and the end of something for all 3 of us. For Jon and Carmi, it is the end of an amazing mission in the Philippines and the beginning of a new one in Canada. For myself, It is the end of my comfort zone and the beginning of... A Leap of Faith.
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