Editor’s Page From My Heart
To Start a Relationship with Christ
Dear Readers,
Admit you have sinned. “For all have sinned and fall
It’s 2013! Happy New Year! What better way to start the year than to envision a better future, a better country for our children. If we all start working on this now, there is a chance this dream will come true! For our first issue this year, the editorial team picked topics that will inspire you do what you can to make our country a better place to live and raise our children. In this issue, we deal with the cultural expression of crab mentality, a trait associated with Filipinos that destroys the spirit of bayanihan. There is also an interview with a young mother who didn’t allow her difficult situation to hinder her from giving hope to the inmates of New Bilibid Prison. You will read about how to run and keep a business going. This is important because having a business helps improve livelihood in the community. There is an article about learning new technology. This keeps us up to par with the people to whom we want to reach out. Being fit and healthy also equips us to do more for others, thus nutrition is tackled in this issue. “Just Asking” answers a tough question-whether we are actually helping when we give to children begging on the streets. We hope to encourage you, our readers, to mindfully think of ways to help make a difference in somebody’s life, in your community, in our country! God bless you. Evelyn Damian, Editor
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!
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Thank you for your financial help! • Friends from Pateros & Cagayan de Oro City • UEC-General Santos City • Kasibu Christian Fellowship
MOMS EDITORIAL STAFF Chief Editor Kimberly Snider Editor, MOMS Evelyn Damian Editor, MIP Alvin Tud Distribution Johnson Li Cover & Layout Patrick Tan
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Photo by Johnson Li
Photo by Don David
MOMS Editorial Staff (L-R): Johnson, Evelyn, Kim & Patrick
MOMS/MIP Creative Team. They are our featured writers for 2013! Top row (L-R): Peter, Nathan, Rone, Jeanne, Alena, Mary Grace Second row: Gem, Revo, AM, Jesse, Grace Not in the picture: Hazel, Kendrick, Zaldy 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.
Mind & Spirit
Escaping From Our “Bucket” by A.M. Bernal erhaps you have seen or heard about the plot of The P Hunger Games, a movie released early in 2012 where in an annual game, twenty-four youths from different
districts have to kill all the others to win. Only one can survive. Players use different strategies and set traps to kill their opponents. This situation isn’t far from the real life version. Sociologist Gerald Abergos, in an interview on a local television show1 in 2008, said Filipinos are very competitive. We want to be the best. We want to be ahead of the others. But do we have to be like the competitors in the movie in order to be declared the ultimate winner? Isn’t there an “everybody wins” option instead of a “winnertakes-all” picture? Inside the bucket Some people are like crabs in a bucket clamoring to get out ahead of the rest while stepping on other crabs. They resort to harmful ways of getting what they want; they ridicule, backstab, slander and cheat. We label this as “crab mentality,” a trait associated with Filipinos. Abergos said crab mentality is driven by need or the unfulfillment of a desire. This started during the American invasion. He said because Filipinos needed to survive the “great transition,” Filipinos needed to be competitive. This could probably be linked to the “makapili” or the Filipino spies during the time. Carefully crawling out We might all have “buckets” we want to get out of, situations that we want to improve so to speak, but we can do it without having to use “claws” and hurt anyone. Abergos noted that this trait is not ingrained in our culture. “Crab mentality happened to us because of a pressing need.” We can choose to carefully make our way out. How do we reverse the culture and get to a “win-win” situation? Be sincerely happy and build others up. Because all the crabs are trying to get out at the same time, none of them can. This is why fishermen do not need to cover the container: the crabs are not going anywhere. There is one major difference between The Hunger Games battle and real life. In the movie, no one wins. In real life if we help each other, we can start a culture of cooperation and humility, and re-build the bayanihan spirit. Turn it into a healthy competition. Sometimes, just the right amount of jealousy can give the needed inspiration for a situation to improve. There is, in fact, something positive in crab mentality and competitiveness. Filipino anthropologist Felipe Landa Jocano said, “There are no negative Filipino values…there are only wrong uses of the values…” Since crab mentality is triggered by valuing what we do not have, why not use it to work harder and maximize our potential so we can get what we want? Let go and find real joy and satisfaction. As the cliché goes, would we rather love things and use people? When we win at the expense of others, we feel a sense of victory, but does it give fulfillment and peace of mind, knowing that we made others suffer? Because we have different personalities and lifestyles, God blesses us in different ways. Know that we will have our own time to shine, and what we covet may not be as beneficial for us as we think. After all, our desires stem from our emotions, and emotions may not give us a balanced viewpoint. But when we consciously shift our values from the temporary and self-centered to the eternal and other-centered, the desire to lift up one another will come naturally. Our Lord Jesus said, “Life is not measured by how much you own.” (Luke 12:15, NLT) In fairness to crabs, Filipino columnist Larry Pelayo mentioned an experiment done by Filipino scientists in the 60s. At first, the crabs were pulling each other down as expected. When the crab with the largest claw was pushed to the top, it pulled the others up, aiding their great escape. The way out of the bucket involves not just yourself but a collective and united drive to help each other. If crabs in the experiment actually escaped altogether, why can’t we? “Ang kapit-alimango ay sigaw ng damdaming Pilipino na nagsasabing ‘Dalhin mo naman kami dyan. Huwag mo kaming iiwan.’” – Felipe Landa Jocano 1
100% Pinoy. Interview by Joaquin Valdes. GMA Network. Aired 13 March 2008.
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by Mary Grace C. Jumento
Sheryl Gamba Dizon does volunteer work in prison with her inmate husband, Pastor Red Dizon. She tries to know what the inmates in maximum security of The New Bilibid Prison are going through in order to understand their feelings. Despite the danger, and being mocked, she continues to connect and make a difference to inmates in maximum security and their families. The simple things Sheryl does help the inmates find hope in Christ and live a meaningful life. Photo by Johnson LI
Sheryl and Mary Grace
Sheryl Gamba Dizon met Red Dizon, an inmate who was a pastor when she volunteered to help her boss in maximum security in New Bilibid Prison. She couldn’t believe that an inmate could be a pastor and she wasn’t impressed. Red became born again while serving his sentence and was pastoring the other prisoners there. It didn’t take long for Sheryl to realize what the inmates in maximum security were going through and her compassion for them drove her to help and reach out not only to the inmates but to their families as well. After some time, Sheryl and Red fell in love and married. They have three small children. Red continues to pastor his fellow inmates with Sheryl’s help. Although their life is hard in many ways, both continue to serve the Lord with joy.
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ow did you start doing volunteer work inside the prison? It was after I got a job at the Philippine Science and Technology Center (PSTC), a vocational and technical school in Cubao. I was a part time instructor and on the marketing staff. Si Pastor Keno Natividad ang Head Guidance Counselor namin. Lagi niya akong inaaya mag-Bible study sa New Bilibid Prison until one time napilitan akong sumama dahil boss ko siya. He said, “Sumama ka sa akin para maexperience mo naman ‘yung ibang mundo kahit one time lang.” Sumama ako. Sa simula bisita-bisita lang, kalaunan sumasama na ‘ko as a volunteer sa mga outreach sa mga brigada. Ito ‘yung prison cell with more or less 300 inmates. With other volunteers, we visited the inmates’ family. We went to different places, sometimes we brought letters to them. We would mail their letters at the post office using our own money. They couldn’t mail it on their own because they didn’t have any money. Eventually, I married an inmate, Pastor Red Dizon. After a few years, sabi ng asawa ko mas maganda kung mag-full time tayo. I struggled a lot before I gave up my job and worked full-time to help my husband reach-out to the inmates. Siyempre, unang-una na ang financial needs ng family namin. May mga anak kami na lumalaki, paano ang mga basic needs namin? I knew that once I gave up my work, we would live by faith. After months of prayer, I finally decided to fully surrender and trust Him. What is it really like in the prison? From 2000-2005, madalas ang riot doon. There are still gangs inside. Those that have money rule. Those that don’t are obligated to clean the brigada and the bathrooms. They are treated like slaves. If the inmate can pay lots of money to the gang leaders, he can have his own room and have more freedom. He can avoid getting punished for violation of the rules. On regular days my husband gives lectures about “The New Life in Christ,” a series of correspondence courses provided by the Philippine Source of Life (PHILSOL). In my free time I join him in hospital visitation and counselling. We have Bible study every Saturday night. Doon kami nagme-meet ng mga inmate wives and their children during the visiting hours. We always work or stay with a group sa mga gatherings at sa mga prayer meetings. Siyempre delikado sa loob, hindi mo naman lahat mapli-please. Although there are already some inmates who are Christians and pastors, you can never know what will happen. There are inmates who are drug addicts at may mga nawawala din sa sarili because of depression.
Make a Difference
How do the people in prison respond to you? When we started the Bible study, lahat ng walang ginagawa sa isang brigada, tinitipon ng kanilang “Mayor” (ang tawag sa leader ng isang brigada). Those that didn’t like what we were doing would curse as we pass by. Nagmumura sila pero hindi direkta. They couldn’t hurt or insult the visitors directly. If they did, they would be punished. Kailangan pagsikapan mo na maintindihan nila ang itinuturo mo sa kanila kasi usually literal ‘yung translation nila kaya kailangan ipaliwanag talaga. Most of them are illiterate. We use the correspondence courses and we teach them one on one hanggang sa mag-open up na sila at ma-build ‘yung relationship, until they start joining the activities more regularly. ‘Yung iba sa kanila masama ang loob nila. They ask, “Bakit ganyan ang Diyos? Wala naman kaming kasalanan.” Sinasabi namin na merong purpose ang Diyos, tapos ipapaliwanag na namin sa kanila isa-isa hanggang sa maintindihan nila. What is the hardest thing you have to deal with? It’s how to deal with common law wives. We constantly encourage them to do the right thing but they’ll say “mahal namin ang isa’t isa.” This has become a norm inside prison since the institution allows a CLW to stay if they have written consent from their inmate boyfriends. Another difficulty we face is the need for financial support, wala naman silang source of income. Some inmates will say, “Pastor, may sakit po ‘yung anak namin.” Personally, we also don’t have much money to help them. There was a time na gusto ko na ring sumuko but every time we pray, God never fails to provide; it may not be complete but it’s enough. We hope to start livelihood projects in the future. What inspires you to continue helping them? ‘Yung makakita ka ng mga inmates na masaya sila sa buhay nila, na nakatulong ka na makita mo sila na ngumingiti, ‘yun na. They still experience poverty and
problems in their family but they have learned to trust God and say, “Ipag-pray natin.” Before they would get depressed. Isa pa, the riots have also decreased. Meron na kasing intervention sa loob between the gangs. When there is an ugong (term used when there’s a fight between gangs), the RV or religious volunteers will advise them to let the Bureau handle the situation at huwag na gumanti. Once you become a part of their life you begin to understand them. ‘Di ‘yun instant. Like them, untiunti ang naging pagbabago ko. Halimbawa, I would see someone playing cara y cruz or someone smoking and I would ask my husband, “Why don’t you stop them?” He would just say, “Pabayaan mo siya, I’ll talk to him next time.” Tapos, kapag kinausap mo, sa una sumusunod lang sila pero unti-unti mararamdaman nila na maganda ‘yung ginagawa nila. Then they realize may pag-asa pa, that they can still change their life. Hindi mo naman ‘yan basta mababago. We can’t change people, only God can do that. If you see that they really want to change, huwag mo lang siya tatantanan kasi iba ‘yung karanasan nila. They really need guidance. Huwag mo silang iiwanan sa ere. Halimbawa ngayon maganda na ‘yung buhay nila tapos nagkaroon sila ng struggle, bibigay na naman ‘yan. Kailangan aagapan mo sila. I slowly learned to be more patient as I dealt with them. I realized why they had become what they are, hindi pala pwede na husgahan mo ‘yung mga tao. Bakit sila naging masama, baka dahil sa naging environment nila. What is your hope for the inmates? I hope they will accept Christ in their life and continue to walk in the right path. Pastor Gano was imprisoned for marijuana extortion; he was formerly a BIR employee in Baguio. He was caught and put into prison twice. He used an alias to evade the authorities. During his second imprisonment, we were doing our regular Bible studies sa mga brigada when we met him. Hanggang sa na-encourage siya, tinututukan siya ni Pastor Red sa pagkuha ng mga lessons at nagtuloy-tuloy siya sa pag-aaral bago siya naging pastor at naka-graduate. Eventually, Pastor Red recommended him to a Korean missionary who wanted to plant a church inside New Bilibid Prison. Now Pastor Gano is pastoring one of the churches inside the maximum security. His life is totally dedicated to ministering to his fellow inmates. T h e inmates’ biggest problem is when they get out of prison. They’re ashamed to go back to their families or they have no family who will accept them. I advise them kung gusto nilang magbago, huwag na silang babalik kung saan sila nanggaling, kung saan nila nakuha ‘yung hindi magandang impluwensya. What do you see in the future? Ten years from now we hope to establish a foundation that can support former inmates, na meron silang matutuluyan at maging tuloy-tuloy ‘yung pagbabago ng buhay nila. We also hope to open a school para sa mga anak ng inmates.
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Body & Soul
Energizers by Nathan Maliwat
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others have different roles that demand a lot of energy. To meet them, mothers should get the right amount of energy from what they eat. It is important to know the kinds of food that help the body to be at its best condition. The body gets its fuel from three sources of energy and each can be found in specific types of food. The main source of energy comes from carbohydrates which are present in food that typically makes us feel very full. Rice, bread, pasta and cereals are rich in carbohydrates. But carbohydrates are also found in vegetables and fruits. More than half of what active people eat should have carbohydrates because this substance is used up by the body quickly. A good breakfast that includes bread, rice, or cereals, and fruits can boost energy to start off the day. Not all sources of carbohydrates are good, though. Processed food like soda, pastries, and chocolates contribute to weight gain. Many people on diet stay away from fats, but fats
provide the body with another source of energy. Fats are like carbohydrates but are consumed by the body in a slower pace. Milk, cheese, fish and nuts provide fats which can be stored and used as reserves in case the body lacks carbohydrates. Fats also help the body make better use of vitamins and minerals which fight against diseases. People who are very active must stay away from bad fat that cause illnesses like hypertension, heart disease and diabetes. Ice cream, candy bars, pastries and fast food are known sources of bad fat. The last source of body energy is proteins which can be found in meat, fish, chicken, beans and eggs. Proteins help build muscles, skin and tissues in the body. Highly active people need protein to repair the tissues worn out from heavy work. To keep on being active, mothers should have a balanced diet that has all three sources—carbohydrates, fats and proteins. However, these three substances must be taken in moderation because anything in excesses can also be bad for the health.
Tasty Treats by Irene Lao-Ong with Jeanne Ching Fish Fillet with Honeymansi Glaze
Chicken Breasts in Dijon-Yogurt Sauce Ingredients:
Ingredients: ½ k Fish Fillet 6 tbsp Honey 2 tbsp Fish Sauce 1 ½ tbsp Calamansi Juice Freshly ground Black Pepper Non-stick cooking spray or small amount of Olive Oil Procedure: Cut cleaned fish into serving size. Set aside. In a small bowl, mix honey, fish sauce and calamansi juice. Pour glaze onto fillet and let sit for at least 15 minutes. Sprinkle some pepper on both sides of the fish. Pan-fry the fillet. Garnish with parsley and red bell pepper strips.
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Olive Oil
2 tbsp Dijon Mustard
½ k Chicken Breast Fillet
Dash of Salt and Pepper
1 tbsp minced Garlic
100g Yogurt
1 c finely chopped white Onions 1 c Chicken Broth Procedure: • Heat pan. Pour in oil. Brown fillet on both sides. Set aside. • Add garlic and onion to the pan. Reduce heat to medium. If the pan seems dry, add 1 – 2 tablespoons of chicken broth. Cook until the Onion is translucent. Add the remaining chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Slowly blend in the mustard. • Place the chicken in the boiling mixture. Reduce heat to low. Cover. Turn the chicken once or twice until it turns white. Transfer the chicken to a serving dish. • Continue boiling remaining sauce to slightly reduce the liquid. • Put yogurt in a small bowl and gradually add about 1/3 of the sauce. Slowly stir in the yogurt mixture to the remaining sauce in the pan. Simmer till hot. Pour sauce over chicken and serve.
Love & Money Money Talks for Entrepreneurs
Technophobe No More by Hazel A.B. Javier
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ver heard of the word technophobe? Simply put, this word describes a person who is afraid of technology or anything related to it. Technophobes are hesitant to learn because of various reasons such as these stated below: 1. “I’m too old to learn.” What are the things seniors need to know to stay connected? Here are a few: a. Internet connections can either be wired or wireless. Wired connections are usually through your local telecommunications provider, and can be bundled with your landline. Wireless connections can normally be through either your mobile network (meaning, you can access the internet through your cellphone) or through an open/passwordprotected wifi (can be accessed through wifi spots). b. www means world-wide-web. http means hypertext transfer protocol. Think of the net as that of an interconnection of computer systems “talking” to each other through digital information. We normally type these 3 or 4 letters at the start of each webpage we are trying to access. c. Web browsers are computer programs used for accessing sites or information on a network (as the World Wide Web), as defined by Merriam Webster. More common examples of these are Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Safari, and Google Chrome. Any of these can be used to open webpages. For a helpful list, you can read this short (but still inexhaustive) and informative blog on “techie terms” (http:// www.bytestart.co.uk/guide-to-scary-computer-terms-fortechnophobes.html ) 2. “It’s too complicated.” Our mindset determines whether or not we will achieve the goals we’ve set. It’s the same thing with technology. True, dealing with the internet and the gazillions of information pieces we have online can be overwhelming. But our responsibility is to choose the best and most relevant piece of information. 3. “It’s just not for me… I’m okay with television (or radio).” Unfortunately, today, learning new technology is no longer an option. The whole world converses using it. It’s not just about “keeping up” or trying to be “in” anymore.
by Alena Palad with Evie Francisco
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owadays, many people try to start a business to earn additional income. This is what Evelyn Francisco did. She has ventured into several businesses like RTW, a mini grocery store, a review center, and currently an internet shop. Evelyn believes that it is normal to have financial problems when starting a new business, but once the business is established it is important to handle finances wisely to be able to maintain it. Keep your money separated: Business money must be kept separate from personal money. You have to be strategic in putting your money in different accounts based on their functions. Money that comes from your business should be used as capital to purchase the products you sell and to pay the bills related to the business. The money that you use for your personal needs should not come from your business money. A friend who took a loan to start a sari-sari store made this mistake. She and her children took their food and other needs from the store and didn’t pay for them. The store went bankrupt and the family was not able to pay the loan. Keep accounts: Keep daily, weekly, or monthly records of your business accounts in order to monitor your finances. These records will tell you if you are making a profit or not by providing a record of expenses and of how much money remains in your account. Save for emergency: Based on your earnings from the business, save a certain percentage that will serve as an emergency fund if there is a need that arises like an expansion for the business. Only borrow if your profit is greater than your business loan: If you want to expand, and your capital and savings are not enough, you can borrow from banks or any private financial institution if the earning you incur from the expansion is greater than what you will pay for the loan. Along with hard work, following this advice can insure that your business earns the additional income you desire.
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Q A
When I see street children begging for money, I feel so sorry for them that I want to give, but I know there’s a law against it. What should I do?
Your dilemma is understandable. How can you refuse a poor child begging for a few centavos that you have in abundance? However, the law prohibits you from doing so because it has the best interest of the child at heart. When you give alms to the children begging in the streets, you are encouraging them to stay on the streets. There, they can be exposed to constant danger from accidents, crime, sexual exploitation and many other evils. If you really want to help them, look at the bigger picture. The Bible says love always protects (1 Cor. 13:7). We think that by meeting their immediate need, we are helping them. But what we are actually doing is creating a generation who lives off the streets, learn all the wrong values and develop a distorted work ethic. So redirect your help by giving to Institutions, church groups or NGO’s that keep children off the streets. Serve as a volunteer so you can work directly with these children as they develop better choices for the future.
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