Volume 12 / Issue 47 / 2015
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M O MS’
N EWS
From My Heart Dear Readers,
C
hristmas is the busiest time of the year in the Philippines! The traffic is bad, malls and markets are crowded and no matter how early you start your preparation, there are always more things to do as the day approaches. Still, Christmas is my favorite part of the year! The houses are decorated with lanterns and colorful lights. Filipinos working abroad come home to celebrate with their family; reunions are organized and well attended. While it is true that not all of us can afford an extravagant Christmas, everyone seems to be more lighthearted and open to the opportunity of learning new things, sharing what they have, and restoring relationships. In this issue, we have included articles that will help us prepare for the season. There is a touching story of a mother who pursued success thinking that this could make her happy but found hardship instead. Learn how she was able to change her life and find peace at last! I encourage you to use this time to reflect on God’s love for us and His gracious gift of salvation through His son, Jesus Christ. Merry Christmas! Evelyn Damian, Editor
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CHICKA-CHICKA
Family Reunions Feel so Good
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WISE CHOICES
The Cookie Monster: How to Share
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Can Firecrackers Fight Evil Spirits?
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MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Christmas in My Heart
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FIGURATIVELY SPEAKING
Get Ready for Christmas Dinner
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Beef Afritada ni Nanay Flora (with a Twist)
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ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS
My husband and his brother are not in speaking terms...
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What the Bible Says about Jesus...
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M OM S
M A GA ZINE
Photo by Alvin Abad
To Start a Relationship with Christ Admit you have sinned. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23 MOMS Editorial Staff (L-R): Patrick, Evelyn, Kim, and Johnson
MOMS EDITORIAL STAFF Chief Editor Kimberly Snider Editor, MOMS Evelyn Damian Editor, MIP Alvin Tud Distribution Johnson Li Cover & Layout Patrick Tan
Thank you for your financial help! • • • •
A friend from UEC Olongapo Eric Pedroche - Utah Kasibu Christian Fellowship - AG Jesus Reigns Christian Ministry
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!
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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 #2431-0042-27. 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.
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C H I KA - C H I K A
Family Reunions Feel so Good by Hazel Angela B. Javier
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y fondest memory of our annual Christmas family reunion dates back to when I was a small girl. I sang Pocahontas’ “Colors of the Wind,� to all the relatives, dressed in a leather-like costume. It was a time of joy and togetherness. Not everything about family reunions is easy, however. There are lots of challenges involved. Reunions are challenging. Reunions are challenging for both the organizer and the family. On the practical side, you have to find a common date when almost everyone is available. Some of our relatives come from abroad so we set the date plenty of time in advance. Then, we have the venue, activities, and food to think about. What will be suitable for our 90-year old grandmother that will not be boring for our youngsters?
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Finally, we have to think about finances. How much are we spending for travel for the family and for the event itself? How much can each family afford? Sometimes, when there are members of the family who cannot afford to participate, well off relatives sponsor them. Even more challenging than the practical aspects are the internal challenges, like the generation gap. How can we encourage young ones to spend time with the older members of the family? Additionally, the financial status of members of our family varies. Then there are relatives that are more difficult to please and they easily get offended. In a Filipino setting, everyone will hear about it when someone gets offended. In fact, news about people getting offended spreads faster than when they are happy and satisfied.
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Reunions are important. So we ask, what’s in it for me? No matter how numerous the challenges reunions bring, there are many more reasons to keep attending family reunions than there are to stop them. A friend describes it well, “Your family is like an oasis in a desertland.”It is during these reunions that we remember we are linked to people who care about our welfare and who we likewise want the best for. Our foundation is revealed as we attend reunions—the values of honoring the elderly and upholding close family ties. In an article published in USA’s Today’s Christian Woman, entitled, “Why Kids Need Family Reunions,” it says, “...family reunions are once again becoming a popular way to discover ancestral roots and pass on a legacy of faith.” My friend in church shared with me that one time, their reunion even became a venue for reconciliation and forgiveness. It is important for us as followers of Christ to share God’s
M A GA ZINE
goodness, by casually recounting our experiences and testimonies to a cousin or an aunt or whoever we have the opportunity to talk to. We can start by praying, way before the event actually happens, for the event and for relatives that we know are difficult to get along with. It is important to keep in mind the objective of the event. Let’s keep fighting for them. With the increase in internet technology, there is an even greater chance to connect with long-lost family members through various social media channels. The essence of reunions, after all, is in the value of remembrance. Just like Moses reminded the Israelites in the Bible to recite and recall all the great things God had done for them, it is the same for our families of today. Let’s keep the family stories coming and make more memories. Christmas or not, let us remember to always enjoy the blessing of family, and to thank God who binds us into His bigger family.
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W I S E
CH O I C ES
The Cookie Monster: How to Share by Jeanne Ching
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ecently, I overheard a conversation between my friend, Tin, and a one-year-old child, Alyson. Tin offered Alyson some cookies from a jar. As soon as Alyson slipped her hand in the jar, Tin reminded her to take only one cookie. Instead, Alyson took a handful! So then, Tin told Alyson to share the cookies she got with the people around her. At first, the child was hesitant, but with some prodding, she soon gave in and gave away cookies cheerfully. It’s never too early to teach a child how to share. As I observed, even a one-year-old child can learn to share. Alyson saw that everyone around her was happy when she shared her cookies. After all, God loves a cheerful giver. Show children how much fun it is to share. Once my cousin, her husband and their children bought hamburgers and drove around town handing them out to the less fortunate children they came across begging on the street. That day, my cousin’s little ones learned how privileged they were to have food when they were hungry and they learned that they could make other people happy by being generous. Encourage children to share their toys. Toys, especially electronic gadgets like tablets, are expensive. You can’t always afford to buy one toy for each of your children. Teach children to share by setting time limits on the use of the toy or gadget so that each one can have a turn. Instead of playing individual games, encourage children to participate in interactive games so that they can play together. Finally, model sharing and generosity. While on my way to work recently, an elderly man knocked at my window asking for food. I happened to have a few cupcakes so I gave them to the man. My nephew, who was with me at that time, immediately asked, “Don’t you like the cupcakes, why did you give them away?” I told him, “That man needs the food more than I do, so I shared it with him.” Our actions will impact our children more powerfully than our words.
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MOM S
M A GA ZINE
Can Firecrackers Fight Evil Spirits? by Nathan Maliwat
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few weeks from now, hundreds of firecrackers will once again light the skies as we celebrate the coming New Year. Most people at the present time use firecrackers for fun, but there are those who still believe that firecrackers can actually drive away evil spirits. People in China were the first to use firecrackers in celebration of the New Year. In ancient times, they believed a beast called Nian attacked villages and menaced the people at the start of a new year. The Chinese used firecrackers to drive the beast away, and from then on, it has become common to use firecrackers on the eve of a new year. The Bible teaches that evil spirits do exist, just as God and His angels do. In Ephesians 6:12, Paul says, “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” (NLT) However, the Bible warns us against using our human ways to fight evil because evil spirits are not of this world. They are powerful; our strength will fail in the face of evil. Our minds and spirits will be vulnerable to attack because demons know our weaknesses (I John 2:16). If evil spirits exist, then they can only be defeated by the supernatural God. And we can be empowered by God if we allow His spirit to dwell in us. The apostle John says in I John 4:4, “...You are from God and have overcome them (the spirit of antichrist), for He who is in you is greater than He who is in the world.” (ESV) We can have God’s spirit within us by filling our minds with truths from His word. We must replace old beliefs with truth. Studying the Bible leads us to knowing God and His power over spirits. Instead of blindly following tradition, we can learn about God’s promise of protection which has been proven throughout time. With this truth, we can have the faith to call on God and ask Him to guard us against evil spirits.
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as told to Annamaebelle Bernal-Dela Rosa
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always resented Christmas. In my view, it was a tiring, routine occasion that you just had to get through—give gifts, spend a lot, attend parties, prepare food… It was especially stressful if you didn’t have much money. At Christmastime, I really just focused on getting my bonus and worrying about how much it amounted to. I looked at my life in a negative way as well. Growing up with violence and family problems, I had a lot of resentment in my heart, and I often compared my family to others’. I grew up not knowing what it felt like to have independence or to be a part of a peaceful family. I carried this burden over into my first marriage. I had gotten married because I wanted
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to get away from a terrible family situation, which I didn’t think I deserved. Overall, I just wanted to be successful. My uncle’s parents adored him, even though he was a womanizer, because he was the richest one in the family. I wanted to be like that. I thought that if I had money, I would be admired regardless of what I did. I would have power. I was living a relatively normal life during my first marriage, but I wasn’t satisfied. I thought, “I don’t want to be stuck here forever, struggling to make ends meet. I need to find a way out.” Eventually, I left my husband and my twelveyear-old son. That was ten years ago. I thought they kept me from pursuing my career—they divided
MOM S
my attention. I lived alone and focused on studying again to get promoted. I became career-driven and successful. I had a lot of money and bought whatever I wanted. I bought my own car and my own house. I went to places I had never been. I was living a worldly life.
“I thought I was happy because I had plenty.” I thought I had every reason to be happy about Christmas then. I had everything I wanted. I had money to prepare a lot of food and to buy gifts. I thought I was happy because I had plenty. During that time, I only saw my son once a year. Sometimes I visited him at school, but not on birthdays or special occasions, not even at Christmas. Eventually, I had a relationship with a man and we had a son. I was eager for that relationship to work out, and I tried not to make the same mistakes I had made in my marriage. But, I never anticipated what I was in for.
M A GA ZINE
My live-in partner was on drugs. He abused me and I blindly submitted. I lost my career and everything I had. Still, I stayed with him because I thought, “What choice do I have? I have nothing, and it would be a shame if I failed in another relationship.” I suffered extreme physical, mental, and emotional abuse. For six months, I was not allowed to go out of the house nor have access to my mobile phone. From time to time, my live-in partner sent text messages to everyone in my phone directory, pretending to be me, just to check on me. That was how extremely jealous he was. I didn’t have access to any form of outside communication. He suspected me of cheating on him. He hit me for no reason at all. He hit me when I wouldn’t say what he wanted to hear. I was so traumatized that I feared he would hurt me every time he even raised his hand. I was black and blue full of bruises from all his beatings. Continued on next page.
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M A K E
A
D I FFERENCE
I endured everything because I thought I deserved it. I prayed, “God, if I’m going to die, please give me a chance to apologize to my ex-husband and son.” One night, I decided I had had enough. Taking my second son with me, without any money or phone, I found the perfect time to escape. When I arrived at a fast-food restaurant, I borrowed a phone from a stranger and sent a message to my eldest son. He came right away. I was very happy to see him. His pastor came as well and he shared with me how to have a relationship with Christ. That same day I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I did not know that my eldest son had been praying for me since he became a Christian in 2008. He told me that at first, he prayed selfishly for our family to be whole again. He questioned his dad about his choices and his new relationships. As he matured in his walk with God, he understood that God gave His children free will, and so his prayers changed. He longed for the day when his parents would come to know the Lord. He told me that having his parents included in God’s family became even more important to him than rebuilding his lost family.
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My son also told me that a few months before my escape, he was deeply depressed and failing in so many areas of his life. His school and ministry life was going in a downward spiral. When he consulted a psychologist, he found out that his feelings about me were the major reason why he could not let go of the past, or rise above his disappointments. He needed to confront the issue of why I left them, and he wanted to talk to me. Finally, the day came when we talked, and he asked the questions he had been hiding for the past nine years. He let go of his bitter feelings towards me, and released forgiveness. I also opened up about my abusive relationship. The Sunday after that, we went to church together. I cried tears of joy. I felt like God was talking directly to me through the message. The people at the church were kind enough to give me clothes to wear, food, and shelter. When I thought everything was hopeless because I was evil, I experienced God’s grace. Suddenly, I had a family again. People I didn’t even know helped me and gave me what I needed. I was overwhelmed. My life has made a complete turnaround. I don’t get annoyed easily anymore. I have learned to
appreciate the simple things in life. I am now working as a call center agent. During breaks, I read the Bible on my computer. When I’m stressed, I read the Bible. I am not ashamed to do so even if my officemates see me.
“I am a living testimony that His will is always what is best.” I am not earning as much now, but I have a positive outlook on life. I have inner strength that vitamins cannot provide. In my previous life, I panicked when I had only 1000 pesos in my pocket. Now, I’m not bothered even when I have only 20 pesos. I used to live in a house with everything I could ask for. Today, I don’t even have a living room set, but it doesn’t matter as long as my two sons are with me. I am much happier than I was before. God answers my prayers in His own
way. We are bound to fail at times and we cannot always get what we want, but I don’t feel lonely or resentful when that happens to me. We should pray for the desires of our heart to be in line with what God wants for us. I wouldn’t trade my experience for anything, because without it, I wouldn’t know the Lord. I am a living testimony that His will is always what is best. He sustains me every day. Last Christmas was the happiest one of my life. We didn’t have a lot of food or gifts, but I looked at my two sons and I felt very happy just being with them. I look forward to celebrating Christmas this year, because I have Christ and I have them. I am celebrating not because I am obligated to, but because God came into my life. I feel like it is Christmas every day since I met Christ!
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F I G U R ATIV ELY
SP EAKING
Get Ready for Christmas Dinner by Leonie Pisco-Cuerbo
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e are all in a hurry during the holidays! So—here are some fun and time saving tips for planning your holiday dinner. Plan your recipes now. Make assignments as to who will do the buying, and the cooking as early as possible. Prepare some food early. Some dishes can be prepared one or two weeks in advance and stored in the freezer. Stuffing for meat like onions, garlic and herbs can be chopped and kept in a container in the freezer and defrosted on the day you will use them. You can also prepare and freeze some dressings, sauces and gravies ahead of time. You can have a head start on potatoes or carrots by peeling, and chopping them the night before you plan to cook them. Put the potatoes in a container filled with water overnight to keep them from browning. My mom used to do this. Venue for dinner and decorations. Once you have chosen where to hold the dinner, put up decorations weeks before the actual date if possible. Delegate one person who will be in charge of this task. Include your youngsters in decorating the venue. Kids are more creative and have more energy to do this than older people. Have at least one adult to supervise the decorating. Decorations should create a Christmas atmosphere
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and need not be expensive. If you are on a budget, you can recycle your old Christmas decorations. Make your dinner festive. Since we are celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ make dinner an enjoyable one. Remember, it’s not just an ordinary occasion. We are going to be celebrating the birth of the King. You can assign someone from your family or a friend to play host at the dinner. Dinner time should be lively and happy. Purposely let your conversations be focused on the Story of Christmas. Let everyone share the importance of Christmas Day. You can also have a short skit involving the others about this after the dinner to add more fun. Prepare physically. Schedule your activities well. The holiday season is definitely exhausting and stressful for most of us. To prepare for this, exercise and eat plenty of vegetables and fruits, and take your vitamins to keep you healthy and fit for the days ahead. Don’t forget to drink plenty of water. Stay away from sweet foods to avoid, what the doctors call ‘sugar rush’. Have enough rest before the night. Have Fun. By preparing early, you can enjoy the dinner while catching up with the family, instead of being in the kitchen the whole day cooking!
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M A GA ZINE
Beef Afritada ni Nanay Flora (with a twist) Ingredients
Directions
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Deep fry half-cooked potatoes in oil until fork tender. Remove from oil and place in a dish lined with paper towels to remove excess oil. Season with salt and set aside.
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½ kilo tender beef, sliced thinly and cut into strips Olive Oil or any other kind of oil for frying and sauteing ½ kilo marble potato, scrub and wash well, do not remove skin, boil until half cooked ½ cup onion, minced 4 cloves garlic, minced ¾ cup water 1 tablespoon dried annato (atsuete) seed, soak in 1/2 cup warm water or 1 teaspoon annato powder dissolved in ½ cup water 1 small can green peas 250 grams tomato sauce 1 beef bouillon cube 1 medium size red bell pepper, remove seeds, cut in small strips ( Julienne cut) 1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1/2 cup water Green onion, minced Salt and pepper to taste
Season beef with salt and ground pepper. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Fry beef until golden brown. Put beef in a dish and set aside. Sauté garlic and onion in the pan. Add the fried beef and water. Simmer until beef is tender. Put the water from dried annato seeds or annato powder dissolved in water until desired color is achieved. Add green peas and tomato sauce. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Add beef bouillon cube. Stir until dissolved. Add bell pepper. Do not overcook to maintain crispness. Add cornstarch dissolved in water while stirring to thicken sauce. Add pepper to taste. Remove from heat and put in a serving dish. Top with fried potatoes. Garnish with green onion. Serve hot.
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A N S W ER S
TO
YOUR
QUEST IONS
Just Asking with Peter Banzon
Q:
“My husband, my children and myself are not on speaking terms with my brother because he was mad at us when we moved out of the family compound. I feel awkward about meeting him at our reunion this Christmas, but I know my mother will be glad to see us together again. What should I do?”
A:
F
or the Filipino, nothing is as comforting as having the family living together in one location, one house, or one compound. So, when a segment of the family leaves this arrangement, those left behind may feel rejected. I don’t know the circumstances of your leaving, but your brother feels hurt. The right thing to do is to take the first steps toward reconciliation. Avoiding your brother will only deepen the gap. Don’t wait for the reunion. I suggest that even before Christmas comes, you initiate a dialogue with your brother. Ask God to bless this time. Continue to affirm your love and respect for him. You may not come to closure, but at least you will not feel so awkward seeing him at the reunion. Plus, having the family together will be a great Christmas gift for your mom. Jesus said “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God”Matthew 5:9
What the Bible says about Jesus... But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). (Matthew 1:20-23)
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