NEVER GIVE UP!
By: Mar Rosas
last December 5-16, we have conducted a 10-day
reaping crusade in Cabatuan, Zambales.
Lovely was the speaker on the last night of our crusade. Right after we have eaten our breakfast,
Lovely and I went ahead to the Barangay Hall so that she can study her
powerpoint presentation and the sermon outline.
However, my purpose of going there was to check the generator. When I
tried to turn it on by pulling the cord, it functioned instantly. Unlike the previous meetings, it was so hard
to start. But as I examine it, I noticed that the gasoline was not enough for
the entire meeting so I turned it off and filled it. When I start turning it on again, the
generator was not working anymore. I tried it for several times but to no
avail. I was already tired and weak when I remembered to pray. God helped me to realize that I should not depend on
my own strength and skills but to Him alone. Again, I pulled the cord but still it didn’t
work. My upper garment was already soaked in sweat. The natives came to help
me. They tried their best too but they have given up. I told Lovely to study
her sermon outline well and not to rely on the equipment.
It was already 10:30am when one
of my co-missionaries came. She just finished with her house to house
visitations. I explained to her what is happening and requested if we could
adjust the meeting at 2pm so that we will not need additional light. But she said the aetas are very busy during
the day and only few could come. So we prayed again. We asked His power,
strength and wisdom for His glory. After our prayer, we tried to start the
generator for several times. But the cord broke. I was impressed to open the receptacle where
the cord was situated and so I did. I have found out that the oil was soon to
drain. I quickly grabbed the oil and
filled it. Again, I pulled the cord to turn on the generator more than 20
times. I was whispering a prayer to God. Finally the generator worked. Praise
the Lord!
God impressed to me if I let the
spirit of discouragement engulf me, I will not be able to taste the joy of
victory. If I didn’t listen to the still
voice of the Holy Spirit, everything will be in vain.
This principle can be applied
too in planting the seed of truths.
Indeed, it is not easy but our God exhorts us not to grow weary in doing good
for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. (Gal. 6:9)
KAMANA
By: Hernani Loquinario
Aetas believed that Kamana are evil spirits that gives them sickness and death so they are really afraid of them. Kamana could transform in any animals, insects, or even human. They live under the soil, big rocks, clouds and anywhere that they feel strange things especially when somebody died.
One time, we saw a beautiful rainbow just near our house. The other end of the rainbow is in the stagnant water just below our location and the other end is in the pond where 2 family lives - Pakambal & Pamansing who are sisters. What happened was, Pakambal’s husband went to Pamansing’s house to listen to the Karaoke. The Karaoke is newly bought so he enjoyed listening and went home around 2pm in the afternoon to clean & take out grass around their kubo. When he was done he went inside the kubo to rest. His children saw him sleeping on the bed. They tried to wake him up, he was wet with his urine and couldn’t get up. They took him to the barrio because they could still feel his pulse. We decided to take him to the hospital but the chieftain disagreed and said he will be dead soon. The relatives and family decided to just take him to the ‘albularyo/anito’ (quack doctor). We were upset with what they were doing but could not intervene.
He died. And they blamed it on the rainbow believing that the Kamana was there. The aftermath was people became afraid to go out at night. They told strange thing happening – Kamana is banging their walls, dreams about the dead, seeing the dead, and cold wind that gave them ghost bumps. When they sleep, they make fire beside their beds so Kamana will be afraid.
There are a lot of superstitious beliefs here and it gives us the zealousness to stay and draw the people nearer to what the Bible is saying. Please pray for our work.
In the Name of Love
By: Hernani Loquinario
I never thought i could stay long in my project which is very far from where i came from, with different language and culture. There were times i think of giving up because it's really hard to be alone with people you don't know even their language. But i thank God, He never gave up on me until i finally learned their language and culture.
One thing that keeps me from staying here is to see the Aetas struggling with their lives without hope of heaven. What's important to me now is to share God's love to these Aetas even though how hard it is. Sister Vicky, the chieftain's wife once asked me, "Pastor, what is the real reason why do you stay in this far and hard place?” I answered, “In the name of love. God loves you and we also love you." And the chieftain said, "True. They may not stay that long if they don't love the people here."
"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers."(1 Juan 3:16)
