Kinilian Moms

Ever since Kinilian began, a number of the younger kids are accompanied by their mothers during the activities.  For quite some time, we have been praying for a way to minister to these women as well.  Our prayers were answered when Joey invited her Tita Anne to come to Kinilian.  For the past three Kinilian sessions, Tita Anne has been conducting small group discussions with about 10 or so moms while their kids are occupied with the Kinilian class activities.

More about this answered prayer after the jump...

A Car Robbery, God’s Grace, and a Motor Accident

This week, we witnessed the work of God's grace sandwiched between two ill-timed disasters involving our beloved family car.

This story begins when our very busy Wednesday was marred by the discovery that someone had smashed the driver's side window of our Chery QQ.  Apparently a botched robbery attempt, the only thing missing from the vehicle was Cecilia's sunglasses (they could have easily taken away the whole car!). The perpetrator tried to winch his way in first through the rubber lining of the window then for some reason shattered the glass totally. Poor Cecilia spent the rest of the day incredibly harassed, filing police and insurance reports.

Despite the harassment for the day, the show must go on! So that evening, with the hot wind blowing through the empty car door window and the school yaya in tow (to stand guard over our poor car at the parking lot), we made our weary way to the Kinilian class. What happened that night was phenomenal and we were truly blessed because we came.

When we arrived, we were very happy to see quite a number of new volunteers were there already helping set up the Parish Deck. Many of the kids were also already there and they continued to pour in. Eventually we had around 120 to 130 kids (we lost count!) that night, plus around ten or so moms and some of the Teens. Despite the exceptionally big crowd, the activities turned out to be quite organized as the kids were on their best behavior and not their typical rowdy selves. Praise God!

We were blessed to have Val and JL from the David Ministry for live worship! The program had a rough start with the Deck sound system not cooperating as usual and JL's guitar song sheets written in the wrong key. Nonetheless, Val was a real trooper and proceeded to belt out I Will Worship You Forever a cappella! Val could give Charice Pempengco a run for her money. The kids were equally enthusiastic and wowed us with their own dance moves to our next song One Way Jesus. We were at awe seeing and hearing more than a hundred kids jumping up and down, pointing to Jesus as the Way, the Truth and the Life!

More about God's grace after the jump...

Kinilian Goes Back to School 2010

Did you know that in the Philippines, out of 100 Grade One elementary pupils, only 66 finish Grade Six? And only 58 of the 66 go on to enroll in first-year high school and only 43 actually finish high school. Of the 43 who finished high school, only 23 enroll in college and only 14 of the 23 graduate from college (2008 data, Commission on Higher Education).

Most if not all of our Kinilian Kids dream of finishing their education with the hope of ensuring a better future for themselves and their families. However, as is common across the nation, some families are forced to send only the eldest or the smartest child to school in order to redeem and uplift their family's condition.

Come every new school year, we show our support for our Kinilian Kids with our Back-to-School drive. Through God's own providence we have given our kids small incentives to go back to school with zeal, such as a pack of ball pens or a box of crayons. And to see their eyes shine as they receive their school supplies, no matter how small, is truly a great blessing.

This coming school year 2010-2011, our Kiniliteens themselves requested for assistance with their uniforms (about P350 a set).  We hope to have enough funds to procure uniforms for at least 75 children.

Looking back on my childhood, going to school and having a good education is something I took for granted. Something I just knew my parents would provide. For that and to them, I am truly grateful. Thankful that I never had to worry if I was going to enrol the next school year and the next. That my uniforms would be white and crisp the first day of school with matching shiny new leather Gregg shoes.  And that every year, I was sure to have not just a complete set of textbooks and notebooks but also the latest lunchbox and pencil case craze.

This coming school year, we pray that our Kinilian Kids may have renewed enthusiasm as they strive for excellence in their studies, for God's greater glory. Come and visit our Kinilian classes and share the hope that continues to burn in these kids' hearts, for a better future living in God's light and love.

The Good Shepherd

'I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me.' (John 10:14)

This week due to a series of unfortunate events, Cecilia and I did not make it to Kinilian Class. Our sick little boy decided to take a very late nap (he usually skips his afternoon nap already) so Cecilia got stuck at home. On the other side of the world, I was stuck in clinic (which has never happened before on a Wednesday!). All this after we had already mapped our day very carefully. We had our songs and special activity ready and a nice big picture book with the Parable of the Lost Sheep and all the Zesto juice and Styrofoam cups packed away ready for the night. God obviously had other plans.

As Cecilia and I were exchanging texts mulling over what seemed to be a dire situation, I believe we both had a very peaceful feeling that all things would be alright. A peace that kept mounting despite my natural compulsion to worry over details. A peace that kept telling me over and over not to be troubled and everything was in the hands of Our Great God. I really have to honour Mel who for the past weeks has been using his supernatural marketing pizzazz to get more people to come for the class. And when he found out about our situation, I felt there was no hesitation to take the lead for the class and organize the whole thing. Just a clear and cheerful "Will do!" What a great example of 1 Peter 5:2 -- Shepherd the flock which God has entrusted to you, guarding it not out of obligation but willingly for God's sake; not as one looking for a reward but with a generous heart. Praise God indeed.

More about the Good Shepherd after the jump...

Words of A Saint

Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely and the unwanted according to the graces we have received and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work.

We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty. 

Make us worthy, Lord, to serve those people throughout the world who live and die in poverty and hunger. Give them through our hands, this day, their daily bread, and by our understanding love, give them peace and joy.

- Mother Teresa of Calcutta 

The Tale of the Three Trees

At Kinilian last night, our activities focused on one of our favorite storybooks The Tale of the Three Trees (as retold by Angela Elwell Hunt). We had lost our original board book copy during Ondoy but I had found a nice large format version at Booksale just this week. That afternoon, Cecilia already shed tears going over the book herself and once again while reading it to our little boy Santino (who sweetly kissed his mama to make the tears go away).

So armed with the new book, Santino's CD player and some art materials we were very excited that night to be bearers of God's message to the Kinilian kids. We also printed out a blank tree with the verse 'Many plans are in a man's heart, but the counsel of the LORD will stand' (Proverbs 19:21). On the blank tree we would ask each child to draw or write about what they wanted to be when they grew up.

More of The Tale of the Three Trees after the jump...

A Godsend

Here's a reflection our friend Joey (aka Joanna) posted as a comment to a previous post on this blog. We feel it deserves to be posted on its own.

I clearly remember the first time Joey brought food for the kids. Our theme then was Dreaming Big and one of our little boys said he wished that he could have sopas. (The only food we could afford to buy was usually an air-filled pastry and Zesto Jr.) And lo and behold Joey (and her trusty driver) brought in 3 large, silver kalderos of hot, yummy sopas!!! Your Father knows what you need, even before you ask him (Matthew 6:8)! 

Thanks a gazillion Joey! And many thanks also to your mom and your sister! You are a Godsend! 

Here is Joey's sharing... 

Joanna Rodriguez said... 

Since joining Kinilian in October 2008, it has brought me nothing but happiness and a sense of fulfillment. To think, my desire to serve stemmed from the time when I fought with an old boyfriend about being kind to the less fortunate and he replied by saying (in so many words) that they want to be treated in a less humane way since that's the only way they know and that I just don't get it. God truly does work in mysterious ways. But from this, and many more experiences in my life, I do try to trust and have faith on His plans for me because there was never a time that I looked back and didn't say that it happened for a good reason.

More of Joey's story after the jump...