Christmas party preparations

Preparations were up early on the week of the Christmas. We were getting prepped up for at least 2,000 children, the most number we'll ever since we started. Last year, we had about 1,800 children and turned down a few hundreds more. Here is a video that will show what kind of preparations do take place for our Christmas party. To see is to believe!

acceptance in a dance

In So You Think You Can Dance Canada, notable choreographer Mia Michaels created a dance for one of season three's opening number. She used the song "Will I" from the Broadway musical Rent. Songwriter Roger Davis performed this song expressing his fears of dying from AIDS.

What I love about this choreography is how it expressed discrimination in the midst of desiring acceptance. It reminds me so much of man's search for love where each one of us tries to be part of something when in the first place, God had been waiting all this time to embrace us for the person that we are.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 

Romans 5:8

thought of you

Last May 10, Google Doodle featured an interesting dance animation in commemoration of Martha Graham's birthday. A choreographer, Graham was considered as the "Picasso of dance" and was noted for the language she has translated through dance.

The Google Doodle was created by Ryan Woodward, whose works include Iron Man 2, Spiderman 2 & 3, and Space Jam.

In his Conte Animated, a project that combines different forms of art, I fell in love with Thought of You. Actually, I became a sucker for The Weepies since I saw this video and been wanting to post it here but did not really took the time to do so. Anyway, here is the video:

Ang Guryon

I came in the church and found the teachers in search for a poem to present during the school's Linggo ng Wika. As I sat down on one of the chairs at the round table and was thinking of what poem to suggest, I was reminded of Pahina, an local educational show which discussed Filipino literary classics through the point of view of a teenager.

Probably the only episode I could remember was when Balt (Carlo Aquino) was running for vice president of the student council and was up against a classmate who whacked up gimmicks but had really no concrete platforms. As Balt was accepting his defeat, he was given a copy of the poem Ang Guryon.

Ang Guryon was written by Ildefenso Santos, a writer of the American colonial period. Santos saw the kite as an image of weakness against the strong breeze, stating that life may knock us down and hit us hard but this should not stop us from pursuing our dreams and seeing ourselves fly.

"Ang Guryon"

ni Ildefonso Santos

Tanggapin mo, anak, itong munting guryon

na yari sa patpat at papel de Hapon;

magandang laruang pula, puti, asul,

na may pangalan mong sa gitna naroon.

Ang hiling ko lamang, bago paliparin

ang guryon mong ito ay pakatimbangin;

ang solo't paulo'y sukating magaling

nang hindi mag-ikit o kaya'y magkiling.

Saka pag sumimoy ang hangin , ilabas

at sa papawiri'y bayaang lumipad;

datapwa't ang pisi'y tibayan mo, anak,

at baka lagutin ng hanging malakas.

Ibigin mo't hindi, balang araw ikaw

ay mapapabuyong makipagdagitan;

makipaglaban ka, subali't tandaan

na ang nagwawagi'y ang pusong marangal.

At kung ang guryon mo'y sakaling madaig,

matangay ng iba o kaya'y mapatid;

kung saka-sakaling di na mapabalik,

maawaing kamay nawa ang magkamit!

Ang buhay ay guryon: marupok, malikot,

dagiti't dumagit, saanman sumuot...

O, paliparin mo't ihalik sa Diyos,

 bago pa tuluyang sa lupa'y sumubsob.

selfish decisions

A friend asked me recently, "What if I save some money to visit her and tell her how I feel?" I answered, "What's the point? She has a boyfriend and they have been together for quite some time now."

Call me a dream killer but allow me to defend myself on the argument. I do feel his need to express his feelings or he will forever have his "what ifs". But freedom of expression is not absolute, as my mass media law professor used to say. My friend had all the right to say what he feels, that I agree. But is this enough reason for him to actually do something? There is just a part of me that cannot find justice to the consequence his actions may be to the girl (who is a friend and a sister in faith), much more to her boyfriend.

ministry video

Thought of sharing a little something I did for the church when my mom requested for a presentation on the church ministries.

Music: Grace Flows Down - Passion: One Day Live (2000)
Photo credits: dad and Angela
Dance: Tina

asking God why

"Di ba sabi sayo ni God kayo? Bakit nangyari sayo 'to?"
(Didn't God tell you, you were going to be together? Why did this happen to you?)

I remember my best friend telling me that a few months ago. She, who recently declared that she no longer believes in religion or God, cares so much for me that I'm sure she did not state those words to offend God or my religion. It was an honest observation. Too honest in fact that I dreaded the day she will be saying this to my face.

But she did anyway. She had to. It was her being my friend. And this is also why I have always doubted telling her that the only reason I held on to him despite our complicated and seemingly unfair situation was that God wanted me to. She always had doubts with religion but she never questioned me for what I believed in.