12 posts tagged “faith”
Joey Velasco is a Filipino artist who gave so much hope to the lives of those street children he painted in his famous Hapag ng Pag-asa....
Why Hapag ng Pag-asa?....Joey Velasco was moved by his work that he made great efforts to help those street children he used as models in his painting....At first he just used them as his models , but God knocked on his heart and he searched for them, fed, and clothed them ...Now they have been sheltered by Gawad Kalinga....an organization helping people suffering from poverty....Here is an excerpt from the book...."They Have Jesus" written by Joey Velasco....
They Have Jesus
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Foreword (by Cardinal Rosales, Archbishop of Manila)
A dinner table reveals a lot about hunger, manners and relations. Who sits near the host, who serves the guest or who cares for the youngest, all these are made known at the family dinner. More than taste, meanings are associated with what one eats or even on how one sits at the table. Friendship, old ties or the loss of it are suddenly recalled when diners meet, and the passing of food is enriched with stories and sharing of familiar knowledge and feelings. Surprisingly some meals are taken hurriedly, thus crumbs fly and the meaning of the coming together is lost. In the Israelites’ flight to safety at the night of the great escape (Exodus) the surprise of running away left the people with many experiences unexplained; symbols were lost, as people fled in fright. Thus many more meals will be celebrated in order to get to the meaning of their paschal meal. And “one of your children will ask you, what does this ritual mean?” Tell us that some meals have become so private and solitary that no one asks a question? What do we eat? Where’s the patis? Who’s coming to dinner? The art of conversation and telling stories has already been lost at many dining tables. More than enjoying a repast, a diner has need to reveal other wants. Every child diner at the hapag reveals a story of more hunger than a plate of rice could satisfy. Onse, a nine year old lad, for example sits at the hapag ng pag-asa, his plate cleaned to the last crumb, but he listens still to feed his other hungers as a cart-pushing scavenger whose father is a drug addict and the mama is a club strip dancer. At the table of the Master, Itok, the eleven-year old bread winner, another cart pushing scavenger, whispers that he has gone number of times to jail after having been caught in a number of thieveries. What hunger and desires did this talented scavenger bring to the feet of Jesus and those who believe in Jesus? A Christian community is fittingly disturbed as it watches the masqueraded struggle between good and evil, between wealth and poverty, between greed and compassion, power and weakness as played in the lives of these children robbed of innocence and security of an ordinary growing youth. Around the table were young people, including one whose hurt dug deep into her heart and completely erased whatever dignity a young girl had. Much misery is hidden behind the faces of the hapag children whose lives are further shrouded in the destitution of cemetery shack-dwellers and pushcart lodgers. Is the hapag still waiting for food, or are the poor young diners announcing a different hunger that makes young and old, rich and poor, the educated and the ignorant equally famished for nourishment that only love could satisfy? The artist Joey Velasco’s portrait of the young asks us more questions about ourselves rather than probe the hapag children. Rather than ask “why” these young people live in such an unkind and violent world, the challenge to the beholder of the portrait should be “how” in a Christian community the poor children could be helped out of such misery. Pope Benedict XVI in his first encyclical letter, DEUS CARITAS EST, reminded us that the essential core of communion, at the heart of love, remains the same: “within the community of believers there can never be room for a poverty that denies anyone what is needed for a dignified life”. (DCE, 20). The hapag is not an accusatory portrait. But the reality of the shacks under the bridges and the tunnels of homes along esteros, or the slums among the tombs from which many more young ones come, challenges every believer in the Christ who loves the poor. “How” can we be Christians to them? Can a good Christian, a true lover of Jesus, be without compassion for the poor? Welcome this portrait into your own and make the dining table serving life not just a table of hope, but isang HAPAG-IBIG or hapag ng pag-ibig.
In addition the book was entitled "They Have Jesus" because Joey Velasco was inspired by one who viewed the painting and said to him that "No they weren't actually unfortunate or miserable....They have Jesus.", this viewer had said to the artist....
Blessed are the poor in spirit for they shall see God..... |
It's funny...at home I am the servant at school I am the boss...Asking the kids to get me a glass of water....to buy me a merienda....asking them to open the windows inside the class...close the door....erase the board...etc. etc. At home I was like a servant, clean the bathroom, prepare food, wash the dishes, run an errand etc. etc...But then it makes me realize that each of us has a role to play in this world....
This morning while I was riding a vehicle going home after running an errand as I always do every Saturday morning...there was this driver who seemed to be drunk coz I really thought that he could have killed both of us with his style of driving....OMG...I realized also that I wasn't that prepared to die yet when he drove really fast^^....I remember two years ago I had encountered a driver like that who isn't afraid to die I guess....Maybe he is dead by now with his Evil Knievel style of driving while the latest one was like Michael Schumacher I guess^^.....I remember really wanting to shout at "Evil Knievel" then but because of my "shock" at how fast we are running I just prayed to God then to keep us safe and sound...but^^ instead of praying the Lord's prayer or Hail Mary then I remember saying "Lord bless this food that we are about to receive from thy bounty haha^^ while holding onto the vehicle really tight^^"...I was really so nervous then OMG....that was also the time that I realized that I wasn't that prepared to die yet^^But kidding aside...those drivers should know better....They should think of the welfare of those people around them....To all the drivers out there....drive safely ok?
Are we really concern about the welfare of others? Until now I am weak and still struggling to become a better person to be able to really serve others and serve God....and we need God's guidance to keep us safe and sound everyday...
How will you describe life in general?....Our answers would vary depending upon how we have lived life here on earth....if life has been kind to us or not .... or if though we may be experiencing hardships still we appreciate life as something which is so precious and is worth living.....or we find it too complicated and then give it up as something which is not so valuable or worth living....
Yes life is just too complicated at times...There are certain things that we can't even explain....Why do these things happen we might ask?....Those things I can't explain I just leave them to the Father....I know He is the last Hope....The One we should cling to so that we will never lose hope....so that we will continue fighting and live this precious life given to us.....When we say we appreciate life it means having as much faith in God....If we do not have faith, life would be useless....Just have strong faith to the Father...and everything will follow.....Trust Him and He will make you a better person.....and life would be as precious as you are...
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I had a lot of fun today....My partner in crime or buddy buddy in school decided to shop at what we call LA in our town....We only have 500 pesos each or about 10 dollars each to buy sooo many items like bags,personal items,accessories, pillow cases, and food like biscuits, sea foods, soya beans,cauliflowers etc....And since we knew how to really ask for some bargains we were able to buy all those things combining all our money for only twenty dollars....Yes....these days it's like we need to become wiser in buying commodities since we are experiencing financial crisis....and I also notice that there are less shoppers now in most of our stores than before this crisis happened.....So we really need to make some necessary adjustments to cope with this crisis....even in our own little ways....Yeah it's true when you have so much money you have greater demands but if you have less you learn to just seek for what could be enough for you....Do you think we could apply this to what's happening to us now?.... Like in the US they produce much, yet... they waste much as well.....with deficits too.....In our country this is happening as well though it's just one of the many factors we have to blame....
Oh my, while we were shopping I had to bargain and the seller told me....."Yes Maam I can't give that price to you if you want let's just "change roles" here ok?....You'll be the seller^^ and I'll be the buyer so I'm gonna buy it already for you^^. ....Well he really made me and my buddy laugh but while we were walking away from him.....I said to myself....."He is such a loser haha^^"....But that was ok honestly I really am not angry about that coz I knew how hard it is to earn a living nowadays....and these people are just trying to make a decent living in order to support their families....
And as if he had planned his revenge on us^^.....my buddy accidentally stepped on a sticky substance (the place has so many unidentified objects lying around^^....we can't afford to shop to first class stores^^)....."Wait Sollee please step on it.... remove it pls."....."Okie okie".....So I stepped on it...."OMG.....it stuck on my shoes"....."Ces pls. step on it too"...."OMG.....Ces said.... it's too sticky it won't go"...."Scrub it Sollee"....Oh my^^....we were stranded almost in the middle of the road^^.....
Yeah....we Filipinos are easygoing.....even if we are in the middle of a certain crisis....we still manage to smile because we have so much faith in hope that in spite of some problems we may be facing we know everything will be okay in the end....
I was touched by a friend's statement this morning when I read about how he felt when others are not feeling well.....Knowing there are still people who still feel bad when things don't work well to other people would be just so inspiring.....
We live now in a world where people are confused because no one cares with what happens to other people.....We don't even care of what other people would say about us.....Yes, everyone is doing this thing so I should do it too.....There's nothing wrong with it......so you do something even if it is not right......What is good could not be differentiated from what is bad.....Instead we build clouds of confusion to people's hearts that is why the world is getting smaller and we fail to see the goodness in our neighbor's heart.....
We all have our ups and downs.....For now we are on top but tomorrow we might not be.....and vice versa.....but never never lose faith in loving our neighbor.....God said to love Him is to love our neighbor.....The only thing that we could do to love Him is to love our neighbor.....both should go together and this world will be a better place to live in.....
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A Happy Tune On A Lazy Afternoon
Teardrops fell on my pillow
One lazy afternoon
While I listen to a sad song
After playing the spoons
So I kept my mind busy
And tried not to be lonely
Kept the teardrops off my pillow
And sang a happy tune
A few years back I was so very lonely....I thought the pain in my heart won't leave me.....I kept hurting myself.....I thought I knew better......Then I humbled myself....I asked our Father to forgive me.....I realized how selfish I had been.....When I finally humbled myself.....that was the turning point......The blood in my teardrops were gone......Instead I noticed a "star" formed from my teardrops.....Though I still cry every now and then....there was not much pain anymore on some tears that I shed.....Humility has healed my wounds.....
God Loves Us
We were poor kids who had nothing to offer....
We were little kids who had nothing but hope....
But we survived coz God loves us...
Our house was built out of scraps of wood....
There was a storm and there were openings on our roof....
But we survived, coz God loves us....
We shared a simple meal everyday....
At times there's even none to share...
Yet we survived, coz God loves us...
Our parents have wounds in their hearts....
Yet they worked hard to keep us alive....
So we survived, coz God loves us....
If you think God doesn't love you....
You won't survive in this world...
You will be lost like a driftwood...
But if you believe in Him...
You will survive till the end....
God loves us...don't ever forget....
It's really quite difficult to search for a hero in this modern age, in this generation where injustice, poverty, and immorality rule...
I agree with what this certain journalist said about how some leaders in Asia and in other parts of the world lose their "heroic charms" once they can't change or better yet improve some institutions or systems governing their own people...
Remember the time when Moses despite his good leadership, had experienced instances where his followers had turned away and lost faith and confidence in him... Remember even Jesus Christ with all His heroic acts was even betrayed by His follower and friend Judas, who wanted Jesus as a brave and gallant hero, who would rise up against the Romans and change drastically their system of government back then...Instead Jesus chose to have it peacefully and was crucified as a prize for being a hero, a good man....
Today we have so many good leaders around the world yet their characters change once the system had swallowed their faith, their morality...It's hard for them to play fair and square...They deal with dirty tactics to get what they want, even in making changes and reforms they deviate from the rules, because the system itself is filthy...If you play it fair, you won't stay long, you will be crucified too, just like Jesus......But then, just like Jesus let us think positively and have true faith..... Why not take the chance?.....We need leaders or heroes who don't lose their faith......Who should be like Jesus......He never gives up until now.....
Oh my...I had so much fun in my class today...^^ ;...But, there are so many heartbreaking scenes as well T_T....One of my pupils who is a very very nice kid got sick today...I told him to just go home and take some medicine but he refused....he was so stubborn and would not leave... He said he was ok....and even finished some activities in school....How patient this kid is...He even came back in the afternoon to complete his attendance...What an ideal student he is....what a brave young man as well....
He has so much patience....he has none in life but only this great interest to learn, to study...in order for him to help his family who are hard up in life...
He is not afraid of struggles....He has so much faith in God...I know he will be able to make it in the future...for he is a survivor...
