SUNDAY SCHOOL REFLECTIONS: Champ No More?

PACMAN'S LOAD TAKES TOLL

Photo Credit : 

Chris Farina - Top Rank 

(no other credit allowed) 

copyright 2012

For years we have come to believe in the invincibility of the Pacman. Yet his most recent fights have led some of us to doubt his capacity to keep up with the sport. The Pacquiao-Bradley fight, though tarnished with controversy has exposed the former’s partial betrayal of his true calling.

It is true that we can't expect him to win all the time but always hope for his best showing.

He may have gotten knocked out with a lucky punch, but that one certainly came at the right time.

Pacquiao is not a politician, an actor, soldier nor a pastor; 

He is first and foremost a boxer, a peleador.

While he can assume many roles in society, he cannot deviate too far away from the discipline that created his legend. And while he has too good and too big of a heart to go out for his fans, friends, business partners, the President, family, coaching staff, Paris Hilton and even Mitt Romney (little did we know that the ex-US presidential candidate was to extend his loss to Manny.lol!), wolves in sheep’s clothing are some characters lurking in his shadows who would milk what they can from Manny until nothing is left, not even time for his beloved boxing.

Yes, he did make up for the lost time in his training in a few months but considering that JuanMa had been hitting the mitts and snitching around for a year with his coach Nacho Beristain, perhaps the Big Man up there thought of rewarding the efforts of, not necessarily the better one, but the more passionate, the more hardworking; the more faithful.

In today’s preaching by our pastor David Sumrall, the Holy Spirit has made realize a few things. Today’s biblical wisdom in church was meant for me and PACMAN, who, like everyone else fall victim to inconsistency or unfaithfulness sometimes.

Successful people have learned and embraced the principle of faithfulness and consistency, things that are not new to Pacquiao. However, if are to look at the lives of the people who have risen to success and have later fallen, we can see that failure came because they failed to do what they always used to do. Most often, it is because of distractions or a change of heart.

Matthew 6:24

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. 

Faithfulness to a profession or a relationship is so precious for this is how we make ourselves known.

God is worshipped by people because of His faithfulness.

Malachi 3:6

“For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.

People also favor and continually seek us for our faithfulness in what we do.

Here are some of the people in the bible revered and remembered for their faithfulness.

1 Corinthians 4:17 ~ Timothy

Colossians 4:7 ~         Tychicus

Colossians 4:9~          Onesimus

Hebrews 3:2~              Moses

In this light, I have understood that faithfulness results to success and favor.

If you are faithful or at least you think of yourself as one, it does not mean that you should also try to be faithful with everybody. That is not what the bible teaches as God himself is NOT faithful to everybody in this world (yes folks, a bucket of cold water came pouring down huh?).
God is faithful, however, to His people, to those whom He is in covenant with. 

(Ephesians 2:12, Hebrews 10:23.)

Why? Because teaches us that if one will be faithful to everybody then he/she will be spread out too thin and his/her time will be divided therefore one cannot be faithful to anyone as well in this setup. Again, therefore, failure in one or in all of them is certain. (Psalms 25:5, Psalms 57:3)

From the looks of it, Pacquiao has recently received Jesus in his life and has become a bible-believer through the ministry of Pastor Jeric Soriano, I hope that he can also teach the Pacman this principle. 

If he has already done so, then I pray for the Holy Spirit to work in the Pacman’s heart for this message to penetrate. I believe God has a good purpose for Manny and his household and the best is yet to come as what they also said.

As a brother, I really pray for direction in his life and for his recovery.

So what should it be PACMAN? 

politics, military, show business or boxing?

Captives of Freedom: The Sama Dilaut Tribe of the Philippines

THE SAMA DILAUT

Ang Mga Sama ng Laot

Practically unknown to most Filipinos, 
these indigenous people are often mistaken for Badjaos.
The Sama Dilaut are called many things by many people. Most often they are referred to as Badjao by the Tausug people who live near them. Westerners often refer to them as ‘sea gypsies’ the Sama Dilaut spend most of their lives living on the sea (NCCA. 2002). 
Historically, they were a highly mobile people that lead a nomadic lifestyle which depended upon the bounty of the ocean and the use of key resources on land in order to survive (Nimmo. 2001: 21-25).

 

Driven out of the sea by commercial fishing and into the cities where they are forced to ask for food from strangers and seek shelter in streets, public parks, ghettos and even in sewers.

The threats internal to the Philippines that loom over the daily existence of the Sama Dilaut are many. Of primary importance are three: economic hardship, ethnic persecution, and a lack of recognition and representation. The first threat, that of economic hardship, affects their traditional lifestyle. Formerly, they had little need for monetary valuables and were rarely involved in cash exchange. The Sama Dilaut would harvest what they needed from the sea or unoccupied land. This has changed with the advent of fisheries laws, the setting of National boundaries, and over-fishing of waters traditionally used by the Sama Dilaut by large scale commercial fishing operations (Alamaia. 2005). As a result of these changes in resources that were once abundant have become relatively scarce, the Sama Dilaut have become dependent upon wage labor, they are exploited by capitalist fishing operations, and they are forced to compete in a world that they are not adequately prepared to compete in (Arquiza. 2004).

Here's PAC in a ground-breaking interaction with the the Sama Dilaut youth of Mabalacat, Pampanga. The Sama Dilaut community under the care of artist Yatu Ybarra
(sometimes referred to as "Datu" by the Sama Dilaut)
  The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples states that the people of the world must recognize “the urgent need to respect and promote the inherent rights and characteristics of indigenous peoples, especially their rights to their lands, territories and resources, which derive from their political, economic and social structures and from their cultures, spiritual traditions, histories and philosophies…”(UNESC. 2007).

ViDeOs

PAC dancing traditional Pangalay to Ysagani Ybarra's "Sea Nymph Song." in the community center. The song is about a 14-year-old Sama Dilaut girl who was massacred in cold blood due to rage ~ just when the community was starting to establish their dwelling in a sanctuary secured by Yatu in Mabalacat, Pampanga.

The Sama Dilaut's instinct then was to flee to the sea. 

Yatu, however, convinced the people to stand up for themselves and be counted in their newfound community. Without deviating from their peaceful and humane nature, the people exemplified how justice can be achieved through peace, love, and humility, essential virtues the word of God teaches.    

Pangalay Artists Circle's (R-L) Levi Azarcon, Yang Bautista, Boom Granada, Mark Anthony Castillo with Maharlika Artists and Writers Federation's Ysagani Ybarra near the lahar-coated river - traces of the horrors of the Mt. Pinatubo explosion in the early 90's.

PAC with PAMPANGA and MAWF Artists

Dating Gawi

Christmas and New Year is just around the corner and multitudes have yet to come up with their New Year’s Resolutions. 

(Hooray! We’re through with the apocalyptic prophecies of 2012 and onto the imminent World Peace or should I say World War?!).

From my end, waiting for the eve of 2013 before I turn over a new leaf is not a option; and turning over a new leaf means going back to writing (and prolly shedding off a few chunks accumulated from the past holiday feasts)

I have spent a bulk of the last decade seeing life through a kaleidoscope (not with LSD). 

All this time, a loyal companion has never left my side. 

A thing that stuck with me closer than a brother…

My Old Faithful camera “Pixie,” as a tribute to the best canine friend we've ever had (alas!). 

It was originally named Katsutoshi, after a Japanese friend who spent some time here in the Philippines.

NOW...The BLOG! =)

A nation of 7, 107 islands, home to hundreds of known languages and ethnic groups and millions of species of flora and fauna, the Philippines is a paradise, perhaps the lost Eden of the Pacific. 

The Philippines mean different things to each of us. For some, it is a place of  mediocrity, a place of extremes, a place of scarcity, a place of abundance, a place of permanence and a place where dreams are not necessarily met but a launchpad to greener pastures.

One could only imagine the random events that take place within the confines of its vast wealth every minute that goes by.

This site is dedicated to the proliferation of FILIPINISMO…anything and everything related to the Philippines that could harness or revitalize a native soul’s desire to live up to the expectations of the motherland.

KaKosa Nostra is a bastardization of Cosa Nostra, meaning "This thing of ours."

(which is also the formal name of the Italian Mafia).

KaKosa is a term used by inmates to refer to a fellow behind bars for we all incarcerated by our uncertainties and idiosyncrasies as a people and as a country. 

It is time to look into the predisposing factors (our things, are ways) that results to what we are now and use them to build our future...looking back yet moving forward while enjoying the flowers along the way.