MOMS Magazine | October 2016 by Asia Pacific Media PH

Volume 13 / Issue 50 / 2016

EDITORIAL

To Start a Relationship with Jesus Christ Admit you have sinned. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23 Believe in Jesus. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish; but have eternal life.” John 3:16b Confess and leave your sin behind. Stop sinning. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just, and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 To continue growing in your relationship with Christ, fellowship with other believers, read the Bible and pray!

(L-R) Johnson, Patrick, Evelyn, and Kim

MOMS EDITORIAL STAFF Chief Editor Kimberly Snider Editor, MOMS Evelyn Damian Distribution Johnson Li Cover & Layout Patrick Tan

Thank you for your financial help! • • • • •

Dela Chambre Hotel Manila Friends from ICS Binondo Full Gospel Family Center Maria Rikka Ocena Eliseo See

We need a little help from our friends...

MOMS has no subscription price; it is supported completely through contributions. We distribute 58,000 copies each quarter for free. To help support this publication, send cash or check made payable to: Asia Pacific Media Ministries FAO MOMS. To make a direct deposit, use our BPI, C/A #24310042-27. All contributions are used entirely for the outreach of this publication. Thank you! Published quarterly by Asia Pacific Media Ministries. Unit 2608 Raffles Corporate Center, Emerald Avenue, Ortigas Center, 1605 Pasig City, Philippines. Telephone: 914-9767. E-mail: moms@apmedia.org. Reproduction of photos and articles is prohibited without permission. 2

MOMS MAGAZINE

From My Heart Dear Readers,

ifts, gifts, gifts! We all love receiving gifts. I have never known anyone who didn’t want gifts. Whether there’s a special occasion or not, receiving gifts lifts my spirit. Well, Christmastime is here! What a season to remember the gifts we have received through Christ, the only Son of God. Here are a few among them – salvation, provision, forgiveness, healing – all these I have experienced and heard about as I journey this road of life. I pray you will be inspired by the stories we are sharing with you in this issue. I hope you will also be able to express heartfelt gratitude to Jesus for the many gifts you receive everyday. Merry Christmas and happy holidays! Evelyn Damian, Editor

Table of Contents EDITORIAL

From My Heart 3 CHIKA-CHIKA

The Gift of Never Being Alone 4 Gift of Forgiveness 4 WISE CHOICES

Gift of Provision 6 MAKE A DIFFERENCE

The Gift of Healing 8 FIGURATIVELY SPEAKING

Christmas Recipes 12 ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS

Sharing Jesus in your Christmas gathering 14 What the Bible says 14 3

CHIKA-CHIKA

The Gift of Never Being Alone by Kimberly Snider

eal encounters with Jesus are always life changing. And they are usually unexpected. Although it is clear that Christ wants a relationship with all of us, none of us can force Jesus to talk to us or show up in our lives whenever we want him to. He comes in His own time, and in His own way. It is most often a surprise. Several months ago, I was attending a conference. I was exhausted and questioning a lot of things that were going on in my life. Suddenly words and a picture popped into my mind. With surprise I realized that Jesus was talking to me in a very specific way. Since that time, I have realized God seldom gives a word that belongs to one person alone; it is usually for all of His children. So, as I write this, I believe that the words and picture are for you, as well as for myself. The words, “Stand on the wall” are the words that came into my mind while I was in the conference room. When I heard those words, my first impression was “Don’t give up. Stand your post. Stay the course. Be willing to keep standing even though there is no end in sight.” If we are tired and discouraged the words “stand on the wall” are not what we want to hear. We want to hear--“It is finished. It is over. Well done!” But that is not what Jesus said to me.

In a sense, if you know Jesus as your personal savior, you are the guardian for the people around you who do not know Him. Some of these are friends; others are family members, or even children and husbands. You are to guard them, to pray for them, to alert them to what God is doing in their lives and in our world. This is not easy. Especially when the people around you are not sympathetic or desirous of what you are trying to do. But that doesn’t let us off the hook. If Jesus has put us as a guardian to “stand on the wall,” there is someone He wants us to care for and look after and pray for. It is often an unappreciated task. Yet, we must not give up. But, it is so hard to stand on the wall alone. I told you at the beginning of this article that God had given me words and a picture. I want to tell you now about the picture. I saw Jesus standing outside of a doorway waiting for someone who was still inside. It appeared as if He were standing in a stone corridor. He was dressed in the kind of clothes He must have worn when He lived on earth. He was carrying a walking staff and on his back he wore a backpack. It was evident that He planned to go on a journey.

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Gift of Forgiveness by Alena Palad

K Wherever we are, Jesus is prepared to be with us. We don’t have to stand our post alone. It was also evident that He was waiting for someone to join Him. I understood that He was waiting for me, for you. Wherever we are, Jesus is prepared to be with us. We don’t have to stand our post alone. If you are praying for your family this holiday season, if you are a single mom, a woman whose husband has left you, an older grandma, remember this--YOU ARE NOT ALONE! Jesus is with you. He is dressed and ready for any trip you make. My favorite name for Jesus is Immanuel. It means “God with us.” In the book of Matthew, chapter 28 verse 20 Jesus says: “And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” You have the gift of never being alone. Always and forever!

rizzia came from an OFW family. When she was young, their family migrated to Dubai. Her father had a good job and they had a luxurious lifestyle. But, all this ended when her father got ill and her parents had to return to the Philippines. Krizzia, with her three sisters were left in Dubai. Due to this, Krizzia was not able to go to college. After high school graduation, Krizzia was forced to work so she could help her family. Krizzia loved the company of her friends. She enjoyed smoking and drinking with them. In spite of her schedule at work, she still managed to hang out with them. One night, Krizzia was invited to a party. She made sure that she didn’t drink more than two glasses of wine. Krizzia arrived at the party after midnight. Her friends noticed that she disappeared soon after her arrival. The next thing Krizzia remembered was waking up in a room with a married friend. She became unconscious again and when she woke up the next morning, she was in the bathroom naked. She was weak and in pain. She couldn’t remember exactly what happened that night, just that something really bad happened. She questioned the man she remembered was with her in the room that night, but his statements were inconsistent. She confirmed that Continued on page 13 5

WISE CHOICES

Gift of Provision by Belinda Garrido

y husband Rene complained of chest pains for months. On May 3, 2016, we attended church. Rene was having pain, so from church we went to the hospital. The doctors admitted him, and we stayed in the hospital for two and a half days. They found nothing to worry about, so we went home and Rene went back to his usual routine. In the third week of May, we went to Bukidnon for a family reunion. Rene felt chest pains again when he lifted his grandchildren.We went to a doctor in Iloilo and she confirmed that Rene had had a heart attack based on 2D echo results. Tests showed he had severe aortic stenosis and needed a heart valve replacement and possible coronary heart bypass. We anticipated medical expenses to be more than a million pesos for an open heart surgery. On June 5, at 3 a.m., my husband complained of having chest pains once more. We rushed him to the hospital and he was confined in ICU because of his critical condition. I asked the Lord where this was leading because it seemed like I wasn’t sure what to pray.The fact is we have prayed for many people and still they died.When I opened my Bible to Philippians 1:21-24, Paul was saying,“For

Belinda and Rene

me to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in this body, it will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain…” I shared this with Rene and he said,“You mean I will not die?” I said, “Yes.” Rene’s doctors recommended immediate heart surgery. I conferred with family, and researched possible help we could have from the government. Finally, we came up with a total pledge of P400,000 from family members. We were still short P600,000. After six days, Rene was discharged from the hospital. We had a week to prepare to go to Manila for the operation. That week, there was a meeting with church members to raise funds for the

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church air conditioning system. Being the treasurer, I presided over the meeting. Five minutes before I left for this meeting, my husband mentioned that if he were not going to be operated on, he would contribute his retirement pay for the project. Having known and experienced the principles and promises of God, I said, “I think it should be the other way around.” The scriptures say, “Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full--pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.“ (Luke 6:38) Immediately, my husband said yes, without arguing. I got the full amount of Rene’s retirement pay and gave it to church. We had peace when we left Roxas City for the Philippine Heart Center. When we released Rene’s retirement fund, we also turned over our burden to God. After all, even if we had millions, there is no assurance Rene will get healed. At the hospital, Rene’s cardiologist told us he had to undergo cardio angiography to confirm the procedures he would need. While waiting for Rene’s turn for the tests, I prayed, “Lord if it is your will, you can go ahead and operate on him so that the angiogram results will confirm you have touched him.” In less than an hour the doctor called me and showed me the film. Rene didn’t need heart surgery. The doctor

couldn’t even see traces of the first two heart attacks. When I heard that, I told the doctor God had healed Rene.The following day, his two cardiologists visited him and confirmed there was no need to perform surgery. We stayed in the hospital for 10 days to check other heart problems.A cardiogram is the gold standard, but for the sake of comparison they performed 2D-echo again which was also the test done in Roxas City. This one showed a big difference. He had an MRI but they found nothing to do with Rene’s heart condition. The whole experience just strengthened our faith. It was also a break for me, and we enjoyed the support of friends and relatives. We had lots of food in the hospital, had a free concert by a missionary family, time to meet old friends, and all our needs were met from vehicles to laundry. To qualify for PCSO assistance we had been scheduled to stay in the ward, but instead we were accommodated in a private room with a wide sofa where I could sleep, and we had access to a garden where Rene could stroll. In times like this, the Father is in charge; we just need to obey. Since childhood I have seen how God provides when we honor him with our tithes and offerings, which came from Him in the first place. Death is not something to be afraid of. If it’s not yet our time, God will make a way to fulfill His purpose in our lives.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE

The Gift of Healing by Evelyn Damian

“At a food court in a mall in Taguig City, Carla, one of his friends, asked him, “How are you?” Jaime replied, “Ate, I’m not feeling well.” Carla teased him, “Oh, lagi ka namang may sakit eh. Ano ba talaga’ng sakit mo?” She was not ready to hear Jaime’s reply, ”Ate, I’m HIV positive.”

aime Gabrera remembers the first time he ever told someone about his condition. At a food court in a mall in Taguig City, Carla, one of his friends, asked him, “How are you?” Jaime replied, “Ate, I’m not feeling well.” Carla teased him, “Oh, lagi ka namang may sakit eh. Ano ba talaga’ng sakit mo?” She was not ready to hear Jaime’s reply, ”Ate, I’m HIV positive.” Carla’s face turned pale, all her joy and energy left her. She held his hands, and cried. That was the first time Jaime had told anyone he was ill. Jaime’s exposure to sex started early in childhood. A close same-sex relative molested him several times and caused him to question his identity. He was too scared to tell anyone about what had happened, and he feared the strife it would bring into his family. His father was working abroad and he knew that telling his mother would result in chaos. Eventually, Jaime put this unfortunate experience behind him. During elementary school, he remembered being attracted to the same sex but he rejected these feelings. In his first year of high school, a teacher shared the Gospel with Jaime. Jaime became active in campus ministry. He was busy with school work, and participated in Bible studies, prayer meetings, evangelism, and other Christian activities. All through high school, this worked for Jaime. He says, “I was attracted to men but I ignored it. Hindi na-process ‘yung struggles ko at the same time nahihiya na rin akong magsabi sa leader ko that I was struggling with my identity. So tuloy-tuloy lang ako sa pagseserve kay Lord. I thought it would eventually go away, after all, I was serving God.”

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Going to college was a different story. “I had new barkadas. I courted one of my classmates and she almost became my girlfriend. Then I learned that a guy had a crush on me so I stopped courting her. The guy, who was also my classmate, and I had a secret relationship. Nakita ko sa kanya ‘yung acceptance, ‘yung father-figure. When rumors about us spread in the classroom, I decided to end the relationship.” Jaime still went to church. One time, he saw a former high school batchmate there. They became best friends. Jaime says, “Wala siyang alam sa struggle ko until one night, nag-sleep over siya sa bahay, tapos nag-fall kami sa sexual sin. Naging puzzle sa kanya ‘yun. Despite what happened, he still tried to rescue our friendship but whenever we would talk, we’d fall. Hanggang dumating ‘yung time na na-fed up na siya and he decided to end our friendship. He stopped going to church na rin since then.” Without Jaime’s knowledge, his friend told their high school teacher about what had happened between them. The teacher, who went to the same church, told Jaime’s small group leader about this. He confronted Jaime and scolded him. Jaime didn’t expect that and he rebelled against his leader. He detached himself from the group. He continued to go to church but he was not growing spiritually. Without an accountability group, Jaime’s same sex attraction grew stronger, and he joined different bisexual social media groups where he could hook up with other bisexuals. He thought it was a way for him to find comfort and love.

Evelyn interviewing Jaime

Jaime says, “I had over a hundred sexual partners but I was not happy. I still felt empty inside. Malungkot ang mundong ‘yun pero dahil parang feeling ko tinalikuran ako ng simbahan sa struggle ko, parang nadidiin rin ako dun.” In 2008, Jaime felt something was wrong physically. The bisexual media site advised readers to get tested for HIV. Jaime decided to get tested. On September 11, 2008 he found out he was HIV positive. He says, “When I got the result, naglakad lang ako, from Manila hanggang makarating ako sa Guadalupe bridge, parang wala sa sarili...I was graduating from college that time. It felt so heavy, ini-expect ng family ko na makakatulong na ako sa kanila, makakauwi na ‘yung tatay ko from abroad. Sa Guadalupe Bridge, gusto kong magpakamatay kasi feeling ko may death sentence na ako pero naisip ko pa rin ‘yung family ko. Pinunit ko ‘yung resulta ng test dun. Continued on next page 9

MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Continued from previous page

“Sa bahay, nagmukmok ako sa kwarto, sobrang depressed, mag-isa, walang mapagsabihan, takot. Pinilit ko pa ring ibangon ang sarili ko para magkaroon ng magandang perspective. Nagtuloy pa rin ang pag-aaral ko.” After the initial shock over his disease subsided, Jaime went back to his lifestyle. Jaime graduated from college and took a job but his HIV manifested itself in boils, laryngites, and phariyngites, and other sickness.

eyes. Change my eyes so that I will look at people with compassion and love. I know that you called me for a reason and for a purpose, and to share the Gospel. Please change my heart.’ That was the first time in my life that I heard the audible voice of God. He said to me, ‘Jaime, you have the power to bring life or death to people.’ I said, ‘Lord, what do you mean? Sabi Niya, you can continue what you’re doing, sinning against me and it will lead eventually to the death of your spirit and death of those people, or you can choose life and lead them to Christ.’

Jaime explains, “Iyak na ako ng “Supposedly, merong iyak kay Lord nun kasi medicines na ite-take. sobra ‘yung revelation You can get them nya. Dun na nag-start “I cried and prayed free, but because takot ‘yung change sa to God, ‘Lord, help akong ma-disclose ‘yung lifestyle ko. I don’t aking status, hindi na me to overcome look at men anymore ako bumalik sa testing with malicious, lustful this sin...Change center to get the thoughts or desire. my eyes so that I medicines, although I look at them, and they followed up on will look at people those with struggles me. I just accepted the like I had, as people with compassion fact that I would die na kailangan din ng and love...” and it was okay as long Gospel because of as my family wouldn’t their brokenness find out about my HIV. from what they experienced in the I wanted to retain my past, na hinahanapan nila ng lunas na feeling “good boy” image, that I was a Christian. nila tama, but actually, what they need I was leading a double life. On Sundays, I is Jesus who can fill the emptiness in went to church, but on weekdays, I would their heart.” give in to sin. Talagang addictive ‘yung pattern ko and I didn’t know how I could Volunteering in church, Jaime met overcome it.” new friends. Jaime became close to “My turning point was when a former partner died of HIV. He was from a very poor area in Mindanao. Pinag-aaral nya ‘yung mga siblings nya. It broke my heart to hear the news. I cried and prayed to God, ‘Lord, help me to overcome this sin. I don’t want to look at people with lustful 10

Carla and two other women. No one suspected what he was going through. The day before his birthday in 2013, the group was going to surprise Jaime. Carla engaged him in conversation while the others prepared for the surprise. Jaime knew his condition was getting worse.

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He was feeling low. He didn’t see any reason to celebrate his birthday. When Carla asked him how he was, Jaime felt he should tell her. Carla cried when she learned her friend was HIV positive. She was worried, “Jaime, you need to get tested again so that you can get the medicine that you need. Get help. We will be here for you.” Jaime felt Carla’s sincerity, “’Yung feeling of condemnation, fear, shame, napalitan lahat ‘yun ng acceptance, ng love na nakita ko sa kanya. Lahat ng judgment ko na pagsinabi ko’ng sakit ko, tingin ko mandidiri sila, me stigma, lalayuan nila ako, nagbago lahat. I felt the acceptance of a friend. She held my hand and prayed for me. She encouraged me to tell another friend the following week. Napakahirap nun, I was thinking of my position, my name, how they regarded me in church. After much prayer, I was able to tell her and another friend about my condition. After that, gumaan ang pakiramdam ko. They became my prayer warriors.” Jaime’s plan was to just go on with life until he died, but his friends urged him to go for a test so he could get the medicines he needed. Finally, Jaime relented. In February 2013, Jaime went for the test. His two friends went with him. Jaime texted Cherry, his ushering team leader, to pray for him as well without telling her what the test was for. Cherry called him. She was crying on the phone as she sensed what was wrong. She asked them to go over to her workplace so they could pray while they were waiting for the result. Jaime recalls, “Hawak-hawak kami ng kamay, we were kneeling and crying out to the Lord na maging favorable ‘yung resulta ng test. Tapos me na-feel kami na parang electricity flowing all over our bodies na talagang it’s

something that gives you the assurance na okay lang, be calm, be confident, be assured of God’s power. After that, okay na ako. I told myself, ‘Sige Lord, whatever the result is, I will accept it, anyway, this is just a medical condition.’ Naging positive na ‘yung thoughts ko tungkol dito. “Later in the evening, when I got the result, nakasulat non-reactive. Sabi ko ano’ng ibig sabihin ng non-reactive? Sabi ng HIV Counselor, ‘It means, Sir, you’re negative for HIV.’ Sabi ko how did that happen, I was positive for the past 5 years? Sabi nya, ‘Sir, we don’t know what happened either. Actually, kami mismo naguluhan, nagulo kami dito lahat because of the result. Positive kayo for 5 years tapos biglang nag-negative. Imposible po ‘yun, Sir.’ So they decided to run another test and it was non-reactive pa rin. Even the people there acknowledged that it was a miracle! Still, they advised me to take another test quarterly, semi-annually, then annually. “At first, paglabas ko dun, tahimik lang muna ako. Nag-aantay si Ana sa labas, si Ate Carla nasa kotse. Pasok ako ng car, kinocomfort na nila ako. Sabi ko, “Ate, eto’ng resulta.” Pagtingin nila it’s non-reactive. Nagsigawan kami sa kotse tapos iyak na kami ng iyak. We were overjoyed sa goodness ng Panginoon. I got tested quarterly and it was non-reactive; semiannually and it was non-reactive; annually and it was non-reactive. Finally, they told me not to get anymore tests because I was healed of HIV.” 11

FIGURATIVELY SPEAKING

by Jessie Cadimas

Saute garlic in the remaining butter until golden brown. Add crushed beef cube and sliced beef turning it once in a while for at least 5 min. Add 1 cup of beef stock. Bring to a boil and simmer. Add cheese, sliced mushroom and pepper. Dissolve cream of mushroom soup in milk and add to beef mixture. Cook for about 5 minutes or until sauce thickens to desired consistency.

Easy and Not so Sweet Fruit Salad

Beef Royale Ingredients • 1 kilo beef (1 big chunk, pot roast part) • 2 tbsps fish sauce (patis) • ¼ cup butter • 1 head garlic • 1 beef bouillon cube • ½ cup grated quick-melt cheese • 1 can mushroom sliced (small can) • ¼ tsp ground white pepper • 1 can cream of mushroom soup • 1 small can evaporated milk Procedure Marinate beef in fish sauce (patis) for 5-10 minutes. Brown beef in half of the butter over low heat. Put the beef in pressure cooker. Add 3 cups beef stock or water. Pressure cook for 45 minutes or if you are using a regular deep pan, simmer in low heat until tender. Slice beef into serving size. Set Aside. Save beef stock. 12

Ingredients • 1 big can fruit cocktail • 1 big bottle of kaong • 1 big bottle of nata de coco • 1 small condensed milk (smallest) •

1 all purpose cream

Procedure Drain fruit cocktail, kaong and nata de coco. Mix well with the rest of the ingredients. Scoop into ice cream cups and cover. Chill well before serving.

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Forgiveness, continued.

something really bad happened when the guy asked her not to tell his wife and children in the Philippines. Because of so much shame and pain, Krizzia tried to commit suicide but she survived. She found the courage to tell her sister and they reported it to the police. Unfortunately, her medical tests did not confirm that she was drugged because three days passed before she reported the incident. The situation became harder for Krizzia. Her friends condemned her for reporting the incident to the authorities. She was accused of being a flirt and selfish by those she considered friends. But her family stood by her. One night, while Krizzia was alone in her room, she prayed. She had been running from God for a long time. She had grown apart from her faith and rebelled. As she was praying, the Lord told her that she had to forgive the man who raped her. Krizzia didn’t want to do that and she started crying out to God. Finally, she forgave the man who raped her. Krizzia mentioned the name of her perpetrator and even the names of her friends who condemned her as she prayed.

was accused in a “Boyfriend Case.” A boyfriend case is observed in Dubai because of Sharia Law. Her perpetrator’s friends falsely accused Krizzia of being a prostitute and her perpetrator’s girlfriend. Krizzia served a month in prison and was eventually deported. During her one month stay in prison, Krizzia led muslim women of different nationalities to the Lord through prayers during their Bible Studies. Krizzia did not seek out these women but they would go to her and ask for her to pray for them. She realized that God wanted her to share the Gospel inside the prison before she returned to the Philippines. Krizzia said, “Mas naunawaan ko na ang grace ni Lord. I have learned to love my enemies.” Krizzia became bolder in telling her testimony. She lets people know that God turned the terrible things that happened to her to good. She learned to be more forgiving, and learned that forgiveness produces freedom. This experience became a turning point for Krizzia and her family. All of them became closer to the Lord. They became active in church ministry.

After several days, Krizzia and her rapist met in court. Unlike her initial meeting with him when she had been so furious, now she looked in his eyes without any anger. “The moment na nagkatinginan kami, una, akala ko manginginig ako sa galit but all I felt was peace,” she said. Krizzia recalls that when she learned to forgive, “…parang may malaking bloke na nawala sa heart ko.” Finally, the man went to prison and was deported. However, after two months passed, an unexpected situation happened. Krizzia 13

ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS

Just Asking with Peter Banzon

It’s Christmas time again. How can I tell my visiting family the truth about Jesus without offending them? I am not confident I can I do this.

eople look forward to celebrating Christmas for many reasons. It’s one of the two seasons during the year, (Holy week is the other), when people are open to the person and message of Jesus. In fact, media will refer to the birth of Jesus as the Savior of the world. Even irreligious people find themselves going to church or singing Christmas Hymns and Carols.

Here are some practical things you can do. •

During your family gatherings take time to lead in singing Bible-based Christmas carols like Hark the Herald Angles Sing, O Come All Ye Faithful, or even Mary’s Boy Child. Make sure you provide the lyrics of the songs either in print with video/ videoke accompaniment. YouTube is a great place to download music videos. You’ll notice that they won’t hesitate to sing along.

•

This is a great time to read the Christmas story from the Bible in Luke Chapter 2. Ask several people to share what Christmas and Jesus’ birth means to them. Always affirm everyone who shares by saying thank you. Briefly conclude the sharing time by connecting Jesus’ birth with his death on the cross for our sins and His resurrection. Emphasize the importance of surrendering our lives to Jesus and making Him the center. Make them feel comfortable. Don’t use religious language or complicated words. Be brief. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you as you speak and to touch people as they listen. Trust God for the results.

•