Updates While I Was Away… (not to mention my voice!)

I haven’t had the chance to blog lately… I really can’t say it was only by circumstance but somehow, a whole lot of things… physically and emotionally, have somehow contributed to my lack of enthusiasm in blogging the past weeks.

Not to mention that I totally lost my voice 2 Sundays ago right after Community Mass.  I was part of the music ministry that performed the church songs during that event.  And my throat bled right before we started.  Soon after, as the final bar of the closing song was winding up, I realized that my vocal chords had started giving up on me…!

Praise God it didn’t happen DURING service.  Whew!  🙂

By evening, I was voiceless… it was frustratingly funny.  Frustrating for me… funny for those who could hear me struggle to barely let out a sound.  It’s been about 2 weeks already since I lost my voice and I’m still on the path to recovery.

My doctor told me it was a severe case of Pharyngitis.  The nasal drip caused by congenital nose problem (yes, the bridge of my nose is bent to the left obstructing air passage on my left nostril), has finally irritated my vocal chords to the point of acute swelling and bleeding.  Sounds bad, huh?

I am currently taking medication combined with steroids and a nasal spray that’s supposed to alleviate the pain and irritation.  I was advised to stay away from dust and possible sources of allergy.

But just what is PHARYNGITIS exactly?  According to the Medicalook website it’s as follows:

Pharyngitis is commonly referred to as a sore throat. It is a very common ailment that may signal a multitude of other possible illnesses. Strep throat, the common cold, ear infections, and many respiratory illnesses all tend to begin with discomfort in the throat, which we call a sore throat.

Pharyngitis is not a disease, but a symptom of another problem within the body. It can be tremendously uncomfortable, and can be difficult to deal with during an average day. Many over the counter treatments may help to alleviate the symptom, but ultimately the patient should seek to find the cause of the symptom and then proceed from there.

If the cause is a bacterial infection, which happens only a small percent, then an antibiotic will help alleviate the discomfort and the cause. However, in most cases, a virus is to blame which renders the antibiotic useless.

Rarely does pharyngitis occur as the only symptom. Other symptoms either accompany a sore throat or are soon to follow. Symptoms such as fever, cough, runny nose, headaches, and fatigue often indicate the common cold or the flu.

Because of this, I missed one Wednesday of Elim, Rosario (A place we go to on a weekly basis to serve and hold praise and worship gatherings for our dwellers there).  But I’ve been serving again… I’ve bounced back to my old routine… I’ve even managed to get back to singing during team revival and was even able to sing during our recent Couples Time Out Gathering last Friday.

My voice (and throat) isn’t back a 100% yet but I’m getting better.  Praise God.

What Has The World Come To?!

I recently came from my regular Elim missions work over at Rosario, Cavite…

For those who don’t know… I am part of a team that goes to that particular province every week to serve and participate in praise and worship service for Elim dwellers in that area.  I have met a lot of good friends over there… young and old… people who are simply just happy to serve the Lord and serve others as well.

I have posted a good number of pictures here in my blog of my recent visits to Rosario and for those who have probably seen those images, you’d notice that there is a significant amount of kids which come over during our services… mostly from “Dreamland” (a neighborhood built entirely on top of mountains and piles of garbage).  These folks exist in the worst and dire of circumstances.  Flimsy shanties erected on stench-filled waste and plastic and no electricity.

Last Wednesday’s service was particularly different from all the other Wednesday services we’ve held.  There were no kids to be found anywhere near the hall (and church) where our events are staged.  At first, we thought it was just coincidence… little did we know that as soon as we inquired as to why there were no children present, we would learn of tragic and very disturbing news that have been circulating in the entire city.

There is a syndicate that has been making the rounds within the Southern Tagalog region since the past week abducting kids between the ages of 5 to 20.  It wasn’t so much the abduction part that surprised us but what these people have been doing to those helpless kids once they’ve been nabbed…

These kids are then found a few days later in the same location where they were last seen… their bodies inserted in a sack… lifeless… their eyes and internal organs missing.  Sometimes, these bodies are discovered with money ranging between Php 7,000.00 – Php 10,000.00 plugged into their slashed tummies… the syndicate’s wicked and twisted way of justifying their heinous acts and compensating the grieving parents of these children.

These stolen organs are sold to the black market.  Sometimes, the child is found with a note on him that says things like, “Pagpasensyahan niyo na po… napagutusan lang” (in English, “Our apologies, we are just following orders.”).

What kind of person can do such a thing…?!  To a child no less!  How can they look into the innocent eyes of these helpless kids and commit the crimes that they do?!

Have we reached an all-time low?  Has poverty pushed society over the edge?

Just because these young ones aren’t cared for and are regarded to have no bright future ahead of them, doesn’t give these individuals the right to take their lives… nor does it rationalize their evil deeds.

As we started our worship service yesterday… a regular dweller of ours was in tears learning that her classmate met the same fate.  Her classmate was about 14 years old.

Some of the kids who were abducted were not alone walking the streets… some were nabbed right under their mother’s noses… and should the parent/guardian fight back or hold on to their children, they were either killed on the spot or their hands were immediately cut-off to release the kids.  Some of the abductors were even reported to wear nun outfits (yes, some of the perpetrators are female).

It’s equally painful to read something like this and realize that some people who actually CAN help simply brush away the issue and regard it as urban legend, nonsense and hearsay.

As we did our opening song entitled, “Purihin Ang Ngalan Ni Yahweh” (in English, “Praise the Name of Yahweh”), a song we’ve performed countless times in Rosario, the lyrics of the refrain had more meaning, strength and resolve as people who attended the gathering sang in unity with the words as follows:

“Sa kabila ng paghihirap,  (in spite of hardships)
Sa kabila ng kadiliman,  (in spite of darkness)
Di magsisisi kahit minsan,  (never shall I regret)
Papuri pa rin sa Iyong ngalan…”  (Your name I shall always praise)

May the Lord comfort the grieving families and friends of those whose lives have been so mercilessly taken… may He bring swift justice to those who have been behind these wicked acts… and may we all find the shelter and protection we so desperately need that only God can provide.

I urge everyone to please say a prayer for these children.  May God bless us all.

Tested

My faith is being tested.  So many trials the past few days… I try not to have it affect me but the “enemy” has a twisted way constantly reminding me of my current predicament.

I take comfort in the fact that I can tell when I am trying to be manipulated by the evil one.  And I battle him with a barrage of prayers.

My problems have not gone away yet… but my prayers and my Saviour are much stronger than my struggles.  I just thank the Lord for these tests and obstacles for it is in these times that I can fully prove to God how much faith I have in Him to single-handedly help me overcome my worldly troubles.

May the Lord be glorified through my trials and afflictions.

A Strong Resolve

My wife is going through a tough time at work. I just found out earlier this evening when she phoned me.

I feel for her… but what can we REALLY do, right? The only thing we have total control over is OURSELVES. Everything else that we don’t have dominance over should be turned over to the Lord through prayer.

I immediately told my wife to pray. To pray and to praise the Lord like she’s never done before. These are the best times to surrender everything to God and to prove to the Lord how faithful we are to Him.

Always and in all ways, we should praise the Lord. Not just in times of victories and triumphs… but all the more so during moments of despair and uncertainty.

Give thanks and praise to God for dire times such as these, for we are given another opportunity to demonstrate our strong faith.

No trial has come to you but what is human. God is faithful and will not let you be tried beyond your strength; but with the trial he will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to bear it.

– 1 Corinthians 10:13