A COMMON GOAL – COMPASSION

“It is not by chance that we choose He Cares to be a beneficiary. I call this a serendipitous event. We are here because of a similar goal - COMPASSION. Compassion in Japanese Buddhism is ‘jihi’ composed of two Chinese characters, ji meaning to give happiness and ‘hi’ means to remove suffering. For Christians it is called LOVE.” - ITO Supporting Comity (ISC) chairperson shared during their visit at the He Cares Foundation center on September 18, 2013. 

COMPASSION. When they asked Bro Joe Dean Sola, founder of He Cares Foundation, what motivates him to pursue the mission work, his answer was simple. "I felt God loved me so much, and I can't contain it, I must share it with others also. It is our desire to help them get out of the street, therefore we dream of creating a building for the homeless street children and help them lessen their suffering, help them get out of poverty."  I guess a part of us also has this dream, right?

photo credits to Judith Enriquez

What is the reward? I was moved to tears as the Japanese guests shared their joyous encounter with the kids, especially the part where the kids welcomed them gladly with smiles and said 'mano po' (a Filipino gesture of respect, placing the hands of an elder to forehead of a young one).  Their reward was simple - the He Cares experience from the kids...a spark of  hope through their eyes...a simple song of thanksgiving AND.. dried mangoes (which is really a favorite Filipino pasalubong by Japanese)

As a volunteer, I realized something new that day. Compassion or Mercy is not exclusive to Christians alone, but we are united in God by virtues He planted in every human heart. God is behind everything and He uses different ways and people of different beliefs to express His love to His beloved children. God is a God of all. No more questions. No more motives. No religion. But LOVE.

May God continue to bless them and grant them so much Love that they may be filled and continue to pour out more to others. Through them, the face of Christ shines as they spread happiness and ease suffering. How great our God is -  He exists, lovingly in every good deed they do. Amen.

(ISC is an active social organization from Japan, supporting various humanitarian and international social organizations across the globe. Some of their activities include giving financial aid and support to programs like women in crisis, development programs for the poor,health, education and child welfare.)

Want to have the He Cares experience? know more how you can be part of the solution (click here)

oh, tupa..kay tagal kitang hinintay

"The Lord is my shepherd... (I am His sheep)"- Psalm 23

During PLW desert day, most participants share about the "tupa" (sheeps), palaging bida bukod sa mga langgam. But for me? I haven't seen one. Eh nakailang visit na ako dito sa Sacred Heart Novitiate, Novaliches, Quezon City) I always exclaim, i haven't seen even a single tupa. since they say they're a herd and they're almost everywhere. Before leaving home, I sighed to sis connie, my partner, "magpapakita na kaya sakin ang mga tupa ngayon?"

I was preparing some materials for the closing ceremony when I was distracted by baby-like noises. Wow, there just across the pathway near our room were baby sheeps.

(excerpt from my PLW journal)

June 1, 2013

I feel that I am the happiest creature today.  Not only did I saw the sheeps the baby sheeps waited for me. I was so excited to hear them. They called to me like crying babies.  Thank you Lord. Kay tagal ko silang hinintay. Dati kasi ang kanta ko,saan ka man naroroon tupa. After they posed for me,looked at me, we smiled at each other face to face. ahhh, they did not smile. They maah-ed at me. Then they got back to their family na. So totoo nga ang sinasabi ng mga plw attendees. Ang daming tupa!

    

PLW Attendees - QC Bago Bantay Group January 2013

Know more about PLW ( Prayer and Life Workshop) : Visit http://www.plwphil.com/

Somewhere I have never traveled..

"The First Time I loved Forever" (theme from tv series Beauty and the Beast)

Somewhere I Have Never Traveled 

by E. E. Cummings

Somewhere I have never traveled, gladly beyond
any experience, your eyes have their silence:
in your most frail gesture are things which enclose me,
or which I cannot touch because they are too near

Your slightest look easily will unclose me
though I have closed myself as fingers,
you open always petal by petal myself as Spring opens
(touching skillfully, mysteriously) her first rose

or if your wish be to close me, I and
my life will shut very beautifully, suddenly,
as when the heart of this flower imagines
the snow carefully everywhere descending;

nothing which we are to perceive in this world equals
the power of your intense fragility: whose texture
compels me with the color of its countries,
rendering death and forever with each breathing

(I do not know what it is about you that closes
and opens; only something in me understands
the voice of your eyes is deeper than all roses)
nobody, not even the rain, has such small hands

As I was reviewing wedding song choices for a friend, and listening to them on youtube. This caught my heart and imagination and brought me to "Love World" instantly. I heard this audio poem from the theme song "The First Time I loved forever" from the tv series Beauty and the Beast (1987-1990). Not the disney movie, or the modern 2012 series.. And I instantly fell in love with the lyrics. It seems to me that the author of the poem wanted so much to hold yet with fear,  a love for someone so dear, so fragile and so precious...simply because that someone is too BEAUTIFUL..

I find the poem analysis on this site great and helpful. With added information about the poet and excerpts of his life http://www.johwey.com/2010/09/28/somewhere-i-have-never-traveled/

Prisoner and Prayer

Sin is the darkness that envelopes our souls.

It imprisons our whole being

that we are frozen to do good.

It gradually takes us afar,

so distant from the One who can set us free.

Sin makes our lives miserable,

with no joy, peace and love in our hearts.

It makes us restless, lonely in the darkness

with hearts crying for freedom and salvation.

Dearest Jesus, help us to desire

to seek and find You

that sin may not bind us.

Increase our hunger and thirst for You

so we may choose what is good and not evil.

Shield our ears from the taunting of the enemy.

Fortify our hearts that we may resist his temptations.

You are the Light who can free us from darkness.

Release us from this prison

and let Your divine unconditional love

conquer our whole being

that we may manifest You and not the Evil One

in every deed that we will do in our lives. Amen.