Boracay Memories with Youth Leaders

Banana Ride

  
    Many times I've been to boracay, but I guess this one is the most special and exciting one. There are a lot of things that I've overcome eespecially my fears. I feared heights, speed and underwater. Not only that, I also realized something I am happy about. Well, I guess this one is the best experience that I had.

    First of all, it was special because I was with my girlfriend that time. It's so good to feel that everytime I wake up I could see her face early in the morning and it keeps my love stronger than ever before for her. We also ate together with our youth leaders and walk around the island of boracay.

    Let's talk about my fears, I really feared heights, speed and underwater. I just don't know why I feared them. We decided to ride in a banana boat together with the youth leaders and I'm not really that excited because I already tried it before but this one is special because I'm with my co ministers in our church. While we are about to write down our names in the registration area, I decided not to ride with them, instead I asked permission if I could ride in the SPEED BOAT to capture some video and pics, luckily it was okay with them. I took Necco with me because he don't want to ride in the banana boat, (I don't know what's his reason ). The fun started and I could see the excitement in the faces of our youth leaders, and it really overjoyed my heart everytime I hear them shout and their laughs. Something I realized then, that I am also happy to see them enjoying the ride, though I was not with them.

     We had a meeting at night and we decided if what we are going to do on the next day. We are choosing between ISLAND HOPPING and EAT ALL YOU CAN. We chose Island hopping because, It is their remembrance to have island hopping rather than eat all you can which we can also do it here in Iloilo. In the next morning, Greatel, Glory, Rigel, Mac2, and Me tried HELMET DIVING at around 10:30 in the morning. We took Ptr Don together with us to watch for us and he had a FREE SNORKLING that time LOL!!!


     We waited for a long time because there are still people who are not yet finished and I got dizzy because the wave was strong. We decided to have snorkling first and It was really cool because we saw some fishes under the water. Then finally, it's our turn to have helmet diving we were oriented first on how to equaize the air pressure and what are the basic hand signs to use for our communication underwater. While I am going down, I was about to give up becauase of the pain I felt in my ears because of the pressure and the instructor reminds us to equalize the pressure and thank God I overcome that situation. We took pictures, feed the fishes and have fun. God is really awesome! His works are really beautiful and I just can't explain how beautiful are His works....

    After we had our helmet diving, we rest for a while and have Island hopping together with our leaders. It was fun because they had a chance to have snorkling and have fun together at the sea. We also passed by in the beautiful resort of our boxing champion Manny Pacqiuao. Unfortunately, we didn't complete the island hopping because of the wave. Instead, we went back and have a rest.

     We went for dinner and we take time to walk around the island of boracay and we had our food trip and of course the most exciting part of our adventure the BASKETBALL craze at D'MALL. LOL! Our boys took some shots and the girls are our cheer leaders. It was really fun because some of us got only 1pt and 2pts... We went to station 1 and we are really tired and we decided to go back and ride in a tricycle. Well, I already went to sleep early and some of our leaders really used their time to talk to each other and they slept at around 5:00am...

    How I wish we had enough money to extend our celebration at boracay and some of our fellow youth leaders could also join us (Some of them wasn't able to join because of financial problem). But, I believe that we enjoyed our 2 days boracay trip as our compliment to our youth leaders who take time to attend our leadership training to improve theirselves in caring of a small group. It also to let them realize that when serving the Lord is not boring... After this event, our youth leaders will be designated in different outreaches to reach out more young people for Christ. To God be the glory!!!!!

Don't waste it!

     I just came from the ALS Spiritual Retreat and it was really a blessing for me because I realized something from their experiences. ALS students are those students who didn't finish high school and wants to continue their education and proceed to college level. It is a free education by the Department of Education (DEP ED). It's a blessing that our church JRFF is one of the facilitator of this program. If the student will pass the exam, they will receive a certificate to continue their college education.

    Just a while ago, they have their spiritual retreat, to prepare theirselves for their exams tomorrow (Oct. 3, 2010). We divided them into 8 groups so that, they will be facilitated better. I was one of the small group leader and one of our activities was we asked to draw our hands and each finger has a specific question. On the small finger, the question was, what is your "MAJOR MAJOR" mistake in life? In my surprise, most of them answered "THEY STOP SCHOOLING" some of them because of addictions to computer games, barkadas, financial problem and etc. 

    Their answers really came into my realization that education is really important. I was really blessed because I have my parents who are working and they spend so much for my tuitions. I really thank them a lot. They even send me in a private school here in iloilo and one of the best private school (ILOILO CENTRAL COMMERCIAL HIGH SCHOOL). God is really good into my life.

    I was pity to those who are having a struggles about their studies. Some of them needs to work just to earn money to spend for their education. It also came to my mind those young people who are financially stable and still they just take for granted their education.

    Young people, my advise to you is that you must make good in your studies.. That is the only thing that our parents can heir (MANA) for us. That is also for our future.. It is hard to find a descent job without an educational background. Young people, don't wait for the time that you'll have to regret everything an it is too late. Don't let your mistakes experienced by the next generation...

Mending broken hearts...

     Hi, just would like to share this with you. If you feel like you are in pain right now (emotionally), I suggest for you to read this one. This is what I am going to share on ALS Retreat tomorrow (Oct. 2, 2010) at Iloilo Training Mission Center, Bolilao Mandurriao, Iloilo City.

     Before we are going to start, check first your heart status....is your heart...

1. HEALTHY - when we say healthy, it means that you are full of love, joy and etc.
2. BROKEN - you are currently hurt and in pain.
3. RECOVERY STAGE - you are in the process of healing the pain.

     Whatever the status of your heart right now, I urge you to read this article. We can see that in every heartaches there is pain. Pain is something that everyone don't want to experience and as musch as possible we avoid it. But we cannot deny the fact that being heart broken there is pain. We tried everything to avoid pain but we don't succeed. The word of the Lord says that:

"He heals the broken hearted and binds up their wounds"
Psalms 147:3

     It is very clear that God can heal those who are broken hearted and can heal those wounds that we had in our life. Now, let us see what is the cause of our heartaches? There are a lot of causes but let me just share to you the common causes of heartaches..

B - etrayal - when someone betrays you, it really cause so much pain in us.
A - bandoned - when your loved ones abandoned you.
L - oss -loosing of your loved ones is very painful.
A - bused -When you are Physically, verbally and sexually abused is traumatic for someone.

    Now we know the common causes of our heartaches, we now go to on how to restore our broken hearts....

1. Talk to God
     It is ok to talk to someone like your friends, family and pastors about your pain, but above all them there is one person who can actually help you on how to restore your broken heart and that is GOD. Before you come to Him, God knows what are your needs, He knows what you want to pray for Him, He knows everything that you nedd because He's the one who created you and He's the only one who knows how to fix you.
 “ Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

          (Matthew 11:28-29 NIV)

     Jesus is inviting us to come into His yoke because He is gentle and humble in heart. Like in a doctor, we come to doctor to have operations. As much as possible, doctors will inject anesthesia in our body to get rid of pain. Same thing with our Savior, He is just like a doctor, when we come to Him, He is gentle and don't want us to be in pain.

2. Take care of ourselves

    Everytime we are heart broken, most of the young people experienced deprssion and low self-esteem. Most of us will just drink alcoholic beverages, smoke and take illegal drugs to get rid of pain. The question is, after that, what's next? does your problem disappeared? Of course, you will just forget your problem in just a moment, but after that  your problem still exist. The most worst that a person can do to get rid of pain is to end his life by commiting suicide.

    According to research, Male has the highest number listed who has a successful suicide attempt than female. When Judas Iscariot realized his mistake in betraying Jesus, He was very troubled and committed suicide. Where do you think Judas went after his death? of course Judas went to hell. Where in Hell, there is FOREVER TORMENT AND PAIN.

    When I was in a relationship with my ex-girlfriend, and that time our relationship is not really working well and we are planning to end our relationship, I was really afraid of what people may say about us, because they used to see us together for 6 years. I am afraid that I cannot accept it and I don't know what to do. But God said to me that...

"I will never leave you, nor forsake you." Hebrews 13:5

    To make the story short, when we broke up, I was not that affected because I know that my God will not leave me and has a someone much better prepared for me. Praise God! I am happy with my relationship right now and very blessed... If you are planning to do these things, forget about it.. don't be depressed! always remember that everything that happened in your life has a purpose and everything is planned and God is always there for you. So better take care of your body and don't abuse it.

3. Forgive them

     Sometimes it is very hard to forgive someone who hurts you a lot. Let's look upon the life of Joseph "The Dreamer", his brothers betrayed him and tried to kill him. They sold Joseph to the egyptians and while on the egypt, Joseph was betrayed by Potiphar's wife and was put into prison. Later, God used Joseph to be save the nation of egypt, and His brothers were there and afraid that Joseph might take revenge on them. but Joseph's response was the power of forgiveness..

You intended to harm me, but God intended  it for good to accomplish what is now

being done, the saving of many lives. Genesis 50:20

    Joseph see all bad things that happened to him as planned by God to use Him to save the nation of egypt. Everything has a plan and purpose. it may be good or bad. So forgive whoever hurts you because eveyrthing was planned and has a purpose. Don't let the unforgiveness chain your future.

4. Forget about revenge
     Like in a movie, The main character is hurt in the first scene and in the later part, He will take revenge for payback time! Well, life is not like that, we should forget about revenge. If there is someone who hurts us, we really think to revenge and sometimes we are happy if they are in trouble. But God is telling us that...

Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to

avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.” Romans 12:19

    Let everything put n the hands of the Lord. If we really want to restore our broken hearts, and heal the wound, let God do it. I hope that you learned in this article and you will apply it in your life. God Bless

-Algen Lloyd D. Amacio