My Memories

Music is part of my life ever since I was young. When I was about to step in the higher level of education I took an audition offered by the institution to the students who will be qualified and joined the scholarship program. By God's grace I was chosen and became a Glee Club member and that started my musical journey.

We have had many concerts inside and outside the campus. We had hectic schedules to the point of going home around 12 midnight after our practices.

There were times that we missed classes because the college wanted us (THE CHORAL GROUP) to join NAMCYA (National Music Competition for Young Artists). It's a national contest, so we need to give time for our practices.

After all, we were excused and during the contest that was held at CCP Manila, we garnered 2nd place out of 13 contestants with 13 different regions.

A memory that I could never forget. We look like Batang Negros that time, yet we were able to be 2nd on top. I had good memories when I was still in college. How about you? Hope you have had good memories too...

Bacolod

As what I have said on my blog about our beloved place Bacolod, there were places that you will love to visit.

A place where you can rest and feel the gentle breeze. It's also a city near the beach with fascinating SM Mall around the area. We love to see sunset near the mall, it's so cool!

A lot of people are coming, because it's near to the city, SM, Weesam Express where you can travel going to another island within 45 minutes, or a big ship (we call it Roro)and can travel for 2 hours and gazing the wonders of the ocean.

It's also near the plaza and surrounded by different botiques, small stores where you can buy anything you like, or restaurants and hotels around the city.

Wanna visit?

Bacolod - The City of Smile

This is our new airport...

BACOLOD - city of smiles; Home of the world-famous MassKara Festival; a city where A TOURIST is a FRIEND

Bacolod city is the capital and center of trade, education, transport and medical, communication and many other services of the Province of Negros Occidental.

Some basic facts

barangays 61
Population 450,000 (approx.)
Land Area 16,171 hectares
Only 55 minutes by air and 18 hours by boat from Manila

This city of smiling and friendly Bacolenos has retained her provincial ambiance yet has the conveniences of a highly urbanized metropolis traffic which is tolerable; with world-wide connections through major communications cable; where quality of life is high; is generally peaceful; where energy and water supply is adequate; is attractive for her heritage and lifestyle and where investments potentials are unlimited.

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Bacolod is known as the city of smile. It is a small island found in the Visayas region called Negros Island. It is near to known places like Cebu, Iloilo, Guimaras, Dumaguete and Boracay (though Boracay is a bit far). But it's in the surrounding regions that Bacolod can be found.

During the month of October we usually celebrate the "Masskara Festival" where many people especially the tourists visit and take a look. And where you cound find different masskaras with different shapes and designs. According to many, people living in Bacolod are still showing their best smile even though they are carrying a lot of loads like problems and difficulties that life may bring. That's why we call it Masskara Festival.

Negros is separated from 2 provinces namely; Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental. And Bacolod is part of Negros Occidental. Around Negros Occidental, different towns have different festivals, you name it we have it! Every festival differs from each other with a unique representation of the activity, where many visitors and tourists like to visit. That's the island where we live... want to visit?

If you have some future plans, just visit http://www.bacolodcity.gov.ph/. Enjoy and have fun!

Big Event

Yesterday we attended a christmas celebration in one of the schools here in Hatyai. It was so amazing. When we first came, our boys were quite shy of going around and looking for different stalls and games. We could see parents and students coming back and forth making themselves busy. Then after awhile, our friend came and introduced the boys to different games with amazing taste of food. Then they started to roam around with their Papa and started enjoying some games.

We went back home and rested for an hour and went back to the school and spend the whole night there until 10pm. The boys really enjoyed that night and wished to come back next year, huh!

Only this time that the boys enjoyed christmas since we came. Big prizes were at stake by just buying a ticket worth 10 baht. Many went home with big prizes like refrigerator, computer, washing machine, bikes, and other stuff. It's really fun!

A Season of Giving

Christmas is fast approaching, a time of sharing, giving gifts and having parties. Family members are having more fun with other extended families for one purpose, to celebrate.

For some, it is a great celebration for a big reunion. People are excited to meet friends and relatives. However, not everybody are enjoying, others felt unwanted, staying in the corners or streets without someone or a family to take care, for them it is a time of sadness. They are the less fortunate and needy.

But our Great Father loves them so much! He takes care of them, loves them and use people to help them. It's a privilege on our part to be used by Him to bless these less fortunate.

May we be a blessing to the less fortunate this season of giving and sharing...

A blessed christmas to all...

Miracles Do Happen

I have a lot of stories to tell about miracles. I, for one had experienced it and with my family too. But there is one that happened recently and I want to share it with you.It happened when we were in the Phil. with my family early this year. I have a younger sister who's daughter, Dawna Gaylle, the eldest, was sick of Leukemia. Six years ago, she had already undergone the so- called chemotherapy and she was healed.Last year when we're back to the Phil. we had a blessed reunion with my family, we shared our experiences we have had in the field; it seems that everything was full of happiness and with grateful hearts for all the things God has done. But something happened we could never expect.However, I always believe in this song and I quote:"God never moves without purpose or planWhen trying His servant and molding a manGive thanks to the Lord though your testing seems longIn darkness He giveth a song...O rejoice in the Lord, He makes no mistakesHe knoweth the end of each path that I takeFor when I am tried and purifiedI shall come forth as gold..."This song really gives me strength to endure trials...Anyway, that unexpected thing happened was a time for us to reflect on God's goodness as a family, a hard time for my sister and her family and a crucial time for my niece, Dawna Gaylle.We discovered it before her 13th birthday last March when her mom saw her paleness and felt something bad about her daughter's health. She was brought to the hospital for different laboratory tests and her doctor said that they will get the result after her birthday on the 24th of March.Can you imagine the feelings? A lot of anxieties, tears and fears came...what will happen next? That question came to our mind and a lot of questions that really bother us. But we gave everything to the Lord because we have nothing to do except to TRUST in His mighty power.That expected day came, and the result was that her sickness recurred and it's more crucial than she had before (six years ago). All her laboratory tests were down, everything was not normal.The month of April came and the doctor said, the only medication for that moment was to bring her to the hospital during her monthly period for blood transfusion.It happens many times because after a week of blood transfusion, she needs to go back for another check up and laboratory tests to make sure that she could survive. And many times she needs to go back and forth to the hospital, it seems that the hospital is her home during those times. I could not imagine the money spent during those times but God was able to provide using different people, friends and loved ones. God has been faithful and will always be faithful.Then came May, June, and July the same thing happened and Dawna was already bored of going back and forth to the hospital. Her parents, and our family members were already ashamed of asking help from different people especially for the blood donation and other medicines needed but the Lord as what I have said, never lack of provision, He has faithfully provided everything at the right time.I can attest to this because I was there taking care of her with her mom or dad in the hospital. In August, she started to have allergies of the medicine she's taking in, and a lot of times she stayed in the hospital for longer days. Everytime she went for laboratory tests, I prayed and asked God to show a miracle that many people will be amazed for the life of Dawna. But God has His own time and has His own purpose, so we just waited on His will. And many times she stayed longer hours in the laboratory room because the Medtech could not get her blood because it was too low. She experienced a lot of pains and cried a lot. If you could see her, definitely you will cry with her.August and September came, and she had severe pain because something was coming out from her, a blood clot just as big as a palm of a six year old child, we even take pictures on it. She was crying a lot because everytime it comes out of her it was so painful and she was asking Jesus for help. During that time I can't bear listening to her cries, so I told her just tell Jesus of what you're experiencing and we prayed together. For me, that was a faith of a child asking God's help through Jesus. She told every pain she had to Jesus and that her faith grows. I always told her about the girl who had been bleeding for 12 years but when she touched the cloak of Jesus she was healed. If I could not sleep during night time, I prayed for her and ask God's blessing...In October, a month of surprises and pains, also a month that she learned to pray for hours, time and time again she prayed, and her faith grows, she cried a lot before Jesus, giving all her pains and struggles, and a time that I led her to Jesus. Again and again, I was reminding her of the love of Jesus and told her that her pains were just a bit of suffering compared to the sufferings of Jesus on the cross!This was also the month that we were all waiting for God's mercy, and fears came severely because her tummy was becoming bigger and her toes too. She couldn't walk anymore, if she wants to go to the toilet, she needs to wait for us to carry her, but the doctor said, if possible she has to stay all the time to her bed so that the blood won't come out of her. More severe medicines were given to her and more expensive than before. More and more expenses needed for the hospital, for the doctor and for the medicines. We had been asking help from other agencies to make her live. But only few came, God has taught us to trust Him more!On the 18th of October 2008, she was out of the hospital but very weak. The next day, that was Sunday, we came home late because my sweetie spoke in one of the churches for their Thanksgiving Celebration, it's about 5 hours travel by bus. So I wasn't able to see Dawna Gaylle and we slept. By the way, our house was next to my sister's house. In the middle of our sweet sleeping hours I woke up and couldn't sleep at all, so while I was awake I prayed for Dawna Gaylle. During that time I heard the sound of a car but it's different. My brother-in-law was using his brother's car for a moment, usually when other cars were passing nearby, the car would make a sound because it's brand new. That time I heard only one sound and no cars were passing. I thought to myself, "maybe someone is there outside," but I didn't bother to go out and check because I had the peace. Then after praying I slept.Early morning, I went to my sister's house and my sister asked Dawna Gaylle to tell me what had happened last night. Then I asked, "Why? What happened?" She said, around 2:00 am, she was saying, "How I wish someone would come and massage my forehead because I can't sleep!" Then someone came and massage her forehead and she was talking to that person. She thought that it was one of us doing the massage. When she woke up she told her Mommy Pinky (our youngest sister), whom our children used to call Mommy, who was with her in the room, and my sister said, maybe you are just hallucinating because you just came from the hospital. But my niece Dawna Gaylle was insisting and told my sister it's really true, I even talked to the person. You know, that was the same time that I couldn't sleep and said, maybe someone is there outside. That was the exact time that she was massaged by that someone.The next day we were busy doing a lot of things so my sister wasn't able to bring her to the hospital for check up again. On Tuesday, my sister decided to bring her to the hospital for check up, so that we can prepare for another blood transfusion. I ask my sister about the result but she forgot to get the result because the doctor was not there, she was in Thailand. So they took it in the afternoon. When her mom saw the result she was crying and the people were shocked looking at her because the result were all normal. They told me about it, but then I said, maybe they had a mistake: but immediately I told the Lord, "Lord I'm sorry, I don't want to be like Thomas, I believe in You, Lord!" And many thoughts came to my mind...but I always say, Lord I trust in You, take my unbelief! And we say "THANK YOU LORD" a lot of times for His great love, mercy and goodnes to us as a family!The next day, I went to the 50th Anniversary of the Bible School, and I shared to all the Pastors who were present and everyone was so amazed by the Amazing Love of God and the Miracle that happened!The next week, the doctor came, and she said, it's a miracle! But she wanted to make sure that Dawna Gaylle is well. So she decided to wait for another month and another laboratory tests be given. Yesterday, my sister sent a message that Dawna Gaylle had another laboratory tests and all the results was normal even above normal. Then the doctor was convinced that it's really a miracle! And she asked Dawna Gaylle about story that happened last October 19 at 2:00am.
What do you think, the one doing the massage? An angel or Jesus Himself?
I always believe, God can still do miracles!!! We only need... to Trust and Obey!More stories next time! Blessings from the Most High!!!

Our Party

Last Saturday, 14th of Dec. was our christmas party with other friends here in Hatyai. It was an enjoyable night for all of us, though we were only few but we enjoyed a lot.
A friend gave a message through doing an advent, it's quite a different way of celebrating christmas. Most of us experienced it for the first time, it's simple yet the true meaning of christmas was there.
We had also a kind of exchange gift that is different from what we expected. If you're watching us you will really enjoy. That was also a different kind of exchanging gifts. It's nice to have friends who knew other kinds of gift giving or exchanging gifts. It's fun...
After which, we had played a lot because my sweetie introduced different kinds of games for everyone to enjoy. We had really a lot of fun.
We ended around 11 pm. I could say that all of us gave the best laugh to the fullest without any reservation.
That was a great and enjoyable occasion for all of us present. Merry Christmas to all!

Border Trip

Today marks our first month here in Hatyai since we came back. Indeed, it's an unforgettable day for us as a family. We woke up early morning to go for our border run hoping that there will be no "Traffic Jam." But it was different from what we expected.Another thing is, my sweetie will be driving a car for the first time with our friend going with us. We prayed before going and asked the Lord for His protection. Can you imagine? Since we left until we reach the border, my hands was so cold. I told my hubby and he was laughing at me. Huh!When we're about to reach the other border, there were a lot of people falling in line and waiting for their time to see the officer, it was our first time to see a lot of people in that border! Even the motorcycle driver was shocked seeing all these people. We're almost done, then we checked our passport and we're shocked again, when we saw our next border run. They only gave us 15 days for the first time again instead of 1 month. Yew! It's really unforgettable, right?Anyway, it was already gone, tomorrow is another day! Have a nice day...