Health & Home (July–August 2022)

ISSN 0115-0839

MISSIONS MISSIONS

Loving the Least, Reaching the Farthest

COLUMNS

5

Journey Toward Eternity Dr. Carlito P. Quidet, Jr.

Missions

13

Personal Answers Dr. Sheryll Ann M. Castillo

Dr. Linda L. Varona

27

Atty. Silvino L. Sumagaysay, Jr.

Dear Doctor

Is This Migraine?

J U LY – A U G U S T 2 0 2 2

Consult Your Lawyer

Michelle Anne P. Diamante

Stewardship Claro R. Vicente

To Tithe or Not to Tithe Life Musings Health & Home Staff

14

Grace in the Act Lolalyn D.P. Fortin

The Lord Will Make It Happen

Food for the Family Dr. Miriam R. Estrada

The Dual Role of Saba

18

Home Gardening Saul L. Roylo

Garlic

Standpoint Nathanlie M. Baldoza

20

Saving Marites

40

iContact

A Passion for Mission

Disinheritance

38

6 8

21 32

4

Journey to the Stars

Courage to Move On

CONTENTS

REGULARS

Learner’s Lab

Modern Homemaking Engr. Oliver M. Rosendo

Electrical Safety Tips

Health & Home Staff

Is the Appendix Useless?

22

Education Zernah Faith M. Alekseenko

The Three Rules in My Classroom

About the Cover

6

Defying Distance and Circumstance. These young children from the highlands of Brooke's Point, Palawan, are among the beneficiaries of a jungle school built through the efforts of a young pastor and generous netizens (see p. 24).

Cover photo by Jasper Ivan Iturriaga Unless otherwise credited, all photos and graphics are by Harold Bryan L. Namoca and Lebette Angel M. Baybay, respectively.

28 COMING UP . . . Collaborations • Sports Nutrition and an Olympic Gold • Privacy in Public Prayers • What HBA1C Is for • Check Your Privilege • The Tortoise and the Hare: Teamwork Edition • Building Your Marriage With Hugs

34

People & Places

Clendelyn Jand D. Bala

Tausug: Festivities and a Miracle

36

Children’s Corner

Arthur S. Maxwell

Motorboat Miracle

39

Arts & Crafts Harold Bryan L. Namoca

Popsicle Shelf

44

Hope for Today’s Families Series Willie and Elaine Oliver

Parenting and Emotion Coaching

46

Word for the World

47

Notes From the Frontlines

Jecsoon O. Mariñas

The Gospel Into All the World

Annalou M. Maderal

More Than Just a Good Read

10

12

39

FEATURES

24

More Than the Slaves of Appearances Alina Kartman

Personal identity beneath one’s online brand

Mission Quotes to Think About Health & Home Staff

Words of wisdom from mission-minded people

16

The Need for Control: Between Illusion and Responsibility

Genia Ruscu

Help for the “control freak”

24

From Disappointment to His Appointment: A Crowdfunded Jungle School Project

A story of ministry in Brooke’s Point, Palawan

Health & Home Staff

28

Differently Abled Bonita M. Claudel

Why being in special education can be rewarding

30

30

42

7 Ways to Help the Poor Victor Parachin

Modern ways to handle an old reality Tech Neck Dr. Evelyn V. Almocera

Gadgets and a literal pain in the neck

model not subject of the article

More Than the

Slaves of

Appearances

By ALINA KARTMAN

W

hat is left of me after I shut down my computer, turn off my phone, or wipe away my makeup? What about after I quit my job, after I move, after I lose my health, after I get older?

What if no one knew me—would I still be someone?

In 1984, on the 25th anniversary of the premiere of Some Like It Hot, the film’s director, Billy Wilder, and two of the lead actors, Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis, reminisced about what it was like for them to work with Marilyn Monroe. She died in 1962, three years after the film premiered. The three spoke negatively and detached at the same time: Marilyn was a mess during the filming. There were days when they shot dozens of takes for a single line, days when the actress was hours late, and days when she didn’t show up at all.

An interview with Jack Lemmon in the 1990s revealed the deeper causes of Monroe’s dysfunction.

He believed that Marilyn “had been building to such an incredible figure of stardom and everything, that although she wanted it, you know, as a young girl and a struggling actress who wanted to be a star and all of that, it was such an enormous magnitude” that she could not cope.

Compared to stars like Marilyn Monroe, we have not been pushed into public life by talent or poverty.

In fact, most of us do not even monetize our own exposure on various networks. (It is, however, fully monetized by others in our place.) Still, that doesn’t

stop us from continuing to fight to make a name for ourselves, for several reasons deeply rooted in our psychology.

Identities disclosed The primary reason is that, being social, we long for the appreciation of others, and on social media, this appreciation seems more focused and easier to quantify than in real life. This supposed advantage—because reducing appreciation to three emotions: pleasure ( ), enthusiasm ( ), and amazement ( ) only builds our impression that the feelings of others toward us are more transparent—comes with a major disadvantage.

Without us even realizing it, it changes the way we relate to our own identity.

Self-disclosure theory says that our identity is like concentric circles, and each circle is a layer of information about ourselves. When we meet someone new, we show them the first circle from the outside: how we look, what social status we have, what we do, what passions we have, what causes we defend, what music we like, what books we read, and so on. As we get to know each other, we begin to allow the other to access inner circles, which contain more and more specific and more private information, even secrets: what memories we have, what are our fears, failures, regrets, affinities, or unique preferences, and so forth.

The basis of this theoretical scheme is the idea that lasting friendships are built not only on affinity, but

Health & Home ︱ 10 ︱July–August 2022

Grace in the Act

By Lolalyn D.P. Fortin

I

t is said that God does not allow His soldiers to face battles on their own and that He’s always with them. I believe this with all my heart for I myself fought battles and won them with God. I only overcame those ordeals through His grace alone.

Between a rock and a hard place

Health & Home ︱ 14 ︱July–August 2022

photos courtesy of the author

It was the evening after Christmas in 2016. I was about to give birth to my second baby. On the way to the labor room, I silently prayed, “Lord, please give me a smooth and normal delivery. Please take care of my baby girl, too.”

I felt calm and relaxed. In fact, I didn’t feel much pain. I smiled upon hearing the nursing assistant singing, “You won’t give me what I can’t bear . . .” from Gary Valenciano’s classic song “Take Me Out of the Dark.”

Suddenly, an overwhelming pain in my chest stunned me. “Lord, are You going to make it hard for me this time?” I wearily asked God, since I easily gave birth the first time.

The labor only took two hours, but as soon as the baby came out, my gynecologist informed me that my baby had a huge mass on her body.

An hour after I was moved to the recovery room, the pediatrician talked to my husband and me.

“We need a pediatric surgeon for your baby’s immediate operation,” he kindly spoke.

Apparently, there was not a single pediatric surgeon in our province. He had to contact one who was based in Bohol, another island away.

“She has omphalocele,” The doctor explained when he arrived the next day. In simpler terms,

Education

By Zernah Faith M. Alekseenko

The Three Rules in My Classroom

I

only have three rules in my classroom,” I regularly announce at the beginning of every school year.

My teenage students’ ears perk up the moment they hear the word “rules.” They either resent or accept it.

“However you think about rules,” I continue, “we’re going to have them in this classroom.” Then I start the game of rule-guessing.

As Rule #1 has three words only, they suggest some three-word imperatives: “Arrive on time,” “don’t be late,” “do your homework,” “read a book,” etc.

As for Rule #2, it has two words. Guesses are “no food,” “don’t sleep,” “don’t shout,” “no music . . .”

Rule #3 has one word. After a few minutes of brainstorming, only a few words come up: “listen,” “read,” “write,” “learn.”

Then comes the rule revelation. By this time, every­­­­­ body is at edge of their seats, urging me to disclose the three rules to them as if they are craving for their favorite ice cream. When I tell them the rules, no questions are asked. Everyone agrees.

Rule #1: Speak English only. (Exception: when asking for help to save a life).

Rule #2: No phones. (Exception: when Google Translate app is needed to save a life).

Rule #3: Respect. (No exception as this rule saves lives).

By now everyone in my classroom understands, even if not fully, what is expected from each of them.

As a facilitator of my students’ learning process, I am expected to model, set the right atmosphere for learning, and accompany my students through the academic rigor that I demand from them. I let them use the resources at hand so they can independently learn.

Three rules Rule #1 is all about focus. My main objective is to have my students speak English as fluently as pos­ sible. Like traveling and growing in life, the only way to reach a destination or a goal is to take one tiny step after another to arrive where one wants to go.

Health & Home ︱ 22 ︱July–August 2022

FROM DISAPPOINTMENT TO HIS APPOINTMENT A CROWDFUNDED JUNGLE SCHOOL PROJECT

L

ord, I just want to help. I don’t know if this will work at all,” Jasper prayed silently. “But you’ve always had my back.”

Just a few days ago, he opened a fundraiser for a school in a remote village in Brooke’s Point, Palawan.

It was nearly an impossible task, but God had previously made a seemingly unattainable thing happen: a petition for a single sack of rice turned into an overflowing supply of rice, blankets, and fuel.

If it happened before, by faith, it would happen again!

Together with his team, Jasper waited for a miracle. To their utter surprise, the amount on the online fundraiser shot up and steadily increased every single day. Within eight months, they garnered PHP 5,000,000.00 from social media alone—more than enough to support a school for the children, young mothers, and parents in the village.

A long-awaited school was soon built due to fervent prayers, united efforts, and outstanding miracles. How did this dream come true?

Health & Home ︱ 24 ︱July–August 2022

photos courtesy of Jasper Ivan Iturriaga

By HEALTH & HOME STAFF

People & Places

By Clendelyn Jand D. Bala

TAUSUG

FESTIVITIES AND A MIRACLE

A

ssalamu alaikum!”

A voice greeted us in Tausug early one morning. When we opened the door, there stood one of our Muslim students. He asked if we would have classes that day because he would help prepare for a pagtiyaon (Tausug wedding) with his classmates.

In Tausug culture, families and friends of the bride and groom come in full force to lend a hand for the festive occasion. As part of their hospitality to the guests and spectators, they prepare their delicacies and perform pangalay (traditional dance) in the evening as a way of welcoming those who attended.

Festivities such as weddings, however, are not always something that SULADS missionary teachers like me look forward to. When celebrations involve our students, we cannot help but get involved in their personal lives.

More than a teacher Being a missionary teacher, the Lord allows me to build a close friendship with my students inside and outside the classroom. They share with me their plans and dreams in life. In fact, I always pray to God that these children whom He has entrusted to me will be able to achieve their aspirations. I long to see them do well in the future and become the Lord’s light bearer to their own people. I don’t just intend to educate them in the academics, but about Isa Al-Masih,* too.

One day, I observed a different vibe in my classroom. My students were talking in whispers.

Pretending not to notice, I proceeded with our lesson, but I was determined to find out what was bothering them.

After the class, I discreetly asked one of my students if she had something she wanted to tell me.

“Ma’am, Nurmelyn will be married soon,” she disclosed with sadness in her voice.

Startled by what I heard, I hurried to confirm things with Nurmelyn, my 17-year-old student.

“Ma’am, dumdum nagtatangis ako. Tabanga man ako mangayu pa Tuhan,” she confirmed, telling me

Health & Home ︱ 34 ︱July–August 2022

Learner’s Lab

By Health & Home Staff

Is the Appendix Useless?

Leftover?

But did you know that people used to think that the appendix is in our bodies just to cause problems or just to give doctors something to operate on.

Because many people have survived even after their appendix was removed (in a procedure called “appen­ dectomy” or “appendicectomy”), scientists thought the organ was not so important.

Evolutionists even refer to the appendix as a “vestigial” organ.3 They claim that it is just a small, useless organ that remained after evolution.

Studies in 20074 and in 2017,5 however, showed that the appendix helps us digest the food we eat and fight harmful microorganisms.

Safe house Inside our gut are good and bad bacteria. The appendix serves as a safe place for good bacteria to hide from other organisms that can harm them.6

illustrations/Gabriel S. Tiano

H

ave you heard about your appendix?

You may have heard about this little sac between your small and large intestines when someone you know had to be rushed to the hospital and later have surgery to have it removed.

Appendicitis, which means infection of the appendix,1 is dangerous when left untreated. The sick appendix may burst and poison the whole body.

When appendicitis happens, doctors can either give antibiotics to kill the germs causing the infection or recommend an operation.2

When we get sick, like with diarrhea for example, most of the bacteria—both good and bad—get flushed out of the digestive tract. To help restore balance in the gut, the appendix releases good bacteria back into the intestines.

Headquarters The appendix is also rich in immune cells that make up our body’s defenses against viruses, bacteria, parasite, and even cancer cells.

Inside the appendix are many kinds of soldiers: B cells, T cells, macrophages, natural killer T cells, and cells that make antimicrobial peptides.

These tiny cells make antibodies, kill infected cells, protect you from food poisoning, and send alerts for other soldiers when there is a threat in the body.

School Immune cells learn different kinds of bad microorganisms as they are exposed to them in the appendix.

As they get exposed to these enemies, they learn ways how best to fight them.

Scientists believe this is the reason why fewer people in poor countries suffer appendicitis. Their frequent exposure to different kinds of infectious organisms has trained their immune cells and appendix how to handle bad viruses, bacteria, etc.

Health & Home ︱ 40 ︱July–August 2022