Cf 20150828

“God’s Word” Edition Devotional: ……………………………..…………….. “Exalting His Word” …..……….….………. Lillian Javellana, BSN’81 Editor’s Thoughts: ……………………..…………… “God’s Word” …………….…. Ardys Joy Caballero-Gadia, BSN’91

Featured Items About God’s Word 1. You Say, God Says …………………………………………..………………………………………………………. The Internet 2. Creator’s Words and the World of Frogs ………………………………………………………………… Group Effort 3. God’s Names and Attributes …………………………….…………………………………………………….. Group Effort

SULADS Corner: …………………………………. “God In The Homes” …………… Rene Omfon, Simunol, Taw-Tawi Jessie’s Patch of Weeds: ……..“Pulpit Bible”, “Seeking Agape”, “24 Heart Facts”, etc …… Jessie Colegado Life of A Missionary: ……………….………………….. “God’s GPS” ……………………………. Romy Halasan, BSBA’86 Alumni News: ……………………. “Illinois Chapter: Where The Fun Begins” ……..……. Nora Munda, BS Bio’90

CLOSING: Announcements |From The Mail Bag| Prayer Requests | Acknowledgements Meet The Editors |Closing Thoughts | Miscellaneous

Devotional: “Exalting His Word”

by Lillian C. Javellana, BSN’81 "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God will stand forever."

Isaiah 40: 8. NKJV

I

gasped when I saw my precious "spathiphyllum plant" or "Peace Lily" in the corner of our living room as I came down from my room one Friday morning. It was all wilted with its stems and leaves hanging limp on the sides of the pot! I could not believe I had neglected to water this precious plant! I was disappointed with myself (and with my family). I had been busy all week and did not even noticed it until then. I reached down into the pot with my fingers and just as I thought, I found the soil as dry as can be.

This plant was precious to me not just because it reminded me of the thoughtfulness of my co-workers when I lost my Mama but most of all it reminded me of my Mama herself who loves plants. This has been an inspiration to me and a reminder of what our dear mother has done for us.

I quickly poured an optimal amount of water into the pot which, to my surprise, leaked much water on to the floor. Apparently, the dried dirt had hardened and was not absorbing the water as quickly as it should.

Furthermore, the plastic lining had torn causing water to leak out.

I finally took the pot to the kitchen and soaked it in a bucket of water as I apologized to the plant (I always talk to my plants) and as I hoped and prayed and coaxed it to revive. Every now and then I was checking it to see if it has sprung back. That night when I went to bed, the leaves and stems were still hanging limp on the side of the pot. My efforts didn’t seem to work. But an amazing sight greeted me that Sabbath morning which made me gasp again! This time I found the plant standing straight and strong!

I drew my family's attention to the lesson the plant had just showed and taught us. It was an opportunity to exalt God's word. I share the message of the plant: Without water plants wither and die. Without water plants will not grow; it will not blossom or bear fruits. It is just like us, we are like plants. Apart from the living water, which is the “Word of God" we will not thrive. We will not grow spiritually. We will not blossom. We will not bear fruit. The neglect of daily study of God's word can dehydrate the soul; it can harden the heart. The hardened heart cannot absorb the Water of Life poured over it. It has lost the ability to absorb, it will just let the water slide over the surface. The heart needs to be softened again in order for it to be able to absorb. Thus we need to soak in the word of God and the Holy Spirit will soften our hearts allowing us to absorb the Living Water. The softening of our hearts would allow us to take root, to grow, to blossom and bear fruits. We need to thirst for the Living Water, to drink of it freely and continually that our roots will grow deep, our branch will grow strong, and our leaves will be green giving an inspiration and being a blessing to those who are around us.

The verses in Psalm 1:2&3 and Jeremiah 17: 7&8 respectively made it clear.

"But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of waters, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper." "Blessed is the man who trust in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord. Foor he shall be like a tree planted by

the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yeilding fruit."

Today I see that the once manicured green grass that landscaped yards and gardens I see on my way to work are now brown due to water conservation efforts. California is experiencing a severe draught. It is physically visible, especially here in the desert. But this is not the only drought that concerns me. I am also concerned with the spiritual drought surrounding me. I may be drinking and soaking myself with the Water of Life freely, keeping myself tapped to the Source; but what about those precious souls around me? They might not even know that they are thirsty, yet dehydrated. Others may know they are thirsting, but may not know the way to the Living Water.

We are the vessels of God, earthen vessels. We have our duty and responsibility to carry the living waters to those who are around us. We have to give them a taste so they will thirst for it. We have to show them the way to the source of the Living Water that they may be filled and satisfied, and" will never thirst again."

It is our duty, SO LET'S DO IT! Let us SPREAD THE WORD. "But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life."

John 4:14. NKJV Lillian C. Javellana (BSN’81, MVCA’71) writes from Palmdale, California where she SHINES ON! as a nursing administrator and where she enjoys her passion for gardening and for God’s word. Her grade school training up to college was from MVC.

Devotional: “God’s Word”

by Ardys Joy Caballero-Gadia, BSN’91 Words are powerful.

They have the ability to build or to destroy, to raise or to tear down, to add to or to take away.

A

few years back I bit off a merry chuckle as a frustrated pulmonologist burst into my office to vent about what he bitterly termed a computer failure. At that time, we usually had 8-9 respiratory therapists (RT) per shift covering all 4 floors including 21 ICU beds, 3 nursing homes, and a busy emergency department. Our tertiary level hospital had more than 100 beds, their staffing seemed inadequate and yet they were having a tough time hiring more people.

Wanting to manage his RT team better, the pulmonologist had thought of many possible solutions to their resource problem. He dropped onto a nearby empty seat, wearily let out a long tired sigh, and sat there for a few moments mulling over his thoughts. Suddenly he blurted it out. He asked if we could put a sensor inside the computer that will tell the respiratory therapists each time doctors ordered oxygen, a breathing treatment, or when a patient to be placed on life support (mechanical ventilator). In addition, he wanted the computer to tell him how much time it took between the order being signed by the doctor and the patient receiving the actual care. He blew some angry steam for a while then ended his tirade with a

sheepish grin apologizing for barging into my office and disrupting my day. Then he said, “thank you for listening to my foolish whining. I guess I’m just having a very frustrating day.”

I chuckled. I couldn’t hold it back. He looked pretty wild with his white coat billowing in the wind as he raced out of my office to take care of more patients. His hair in disarray looked like he had scratched his head a few dozen times in frustration. His face had a determined look of a warrior being sent out on his last battle knowing he would die defending his post: resigned but determined to give it his best.

But I couldn’t forget his wishful idea. I gnawed on it like a nanny goat chewing the cud. It made so much sense to me. It was not foolish at all. And I knew exactly where to pull the data from because all orders and medication administration at our hospital is recorded electronically onto our patients’ records. I just didn’t know HOW to connect the dots to make it happen nor had I ever seen it done before.

I later went to my programmer friend, Emmi. Drawing flow charts then using words and gestures I tried to explain my ideas on how to achieve what the pulmonologist asked but Emmi appeared unmoved. As I talked on and on, she munched on frozen grapes and looked as bored as ever saying nothing. It was then that I realized I was simply getting louder as I talked in circles, saying the same concept over and over with no genuine breakthrough. Frustrated, I slumped onto the seat next to her and sighed. I gave up. I did not have the correct WORDS to express what I thought was a brilliant idea. The idea remained inside me but I had no skills to articulate it.

Thankfully, Emmi was not ready to give up. Proficient in several computer languages, she started sketching things on her sketch book as soon as I stopped talking. Then she went to her computer and rapidly started typing all sorts of numbers, semi colons, and characters followed by quotation marks and a letter. I waited about 5 minutes and finally left knowing she was trying out some ideas of her own. Looking at the screen, I saw that she typed sentences that looked like these (or so I think). . s name=$p(a,"#",4) . set a=$znoblanks(a) . s ptid=$p(a,"#",1) . s date=$p(a,"#",2) . s time=$p(a,"#",3) . s prefix=$p(a,"#",5)

It took Emmi a couple days of script writing and a few days for us test and hone the tool. Clinicians participated in the pilot project. In the end we were able to produce a product we wanted: Each time a respiratory-related order was signed, the specific RT assigned to that patient was notified within 5 seconds. They got the patient’s name and room/bed number as well as further details about the order. At the pulmonary office, staff were able to pull data creating reports that helped with their performance improvement measures. No further human intervention was needed with Emmi’s series of scripts in place (also called a routine)! That was more than a dozen years ago and to this day, we still use this nifty tool and even shared it with colleagues across the nation.

This experience helped me gain a better understanding of what God’s word must be like. I realize that my comprehension is probably merely a gist of what God has in place but … it has helped me nonetheless.

When our Creator God said, “let there be light!” - light was created. Did he have to say it over and over again? Day after day? No! Like Emmi’s program, after the words were said – they stayed as designed.

When He said, “Let there be grass in the field…and birds in the air” … there still continues to be grass in the field and birds in the air. I often wonder if the sound of His word continues to echo through the ages the way sound travels and bounces around. Some claim that scientists were able to record His words as the Son of Man spoke on the hillside of Galilee – but I can’t quote that. But I know for certain that He does not need to create grass and birds over and over again. Once He said the words, that was good enough.

What He intended happened precisely the way He wanted it to. The Bible says, His word does not return to Him void or useless. Isa 55:11. There is much power in His word.

He in His Mercy and Grace uttered promises that someday His Son would save the fallen race from perdition. Signs of the times happened exactly as foretold just as the Baby Christ was born as foretold.

Not a day too soon; not a day too late.

But His word if many times better than Emmi’s programming. Programming can result in glitches, compatibility issues and degradation after a while. God’s word lasts throughout eternity. It is something we can truly depend on – with our very lives!

With that said, does that mean when Jesus uttered in Calvary “It is finished” – is it really? You betcha! No other sacrifice is needed. He paid it all. We have the assurance that this is true. He said it. That’s enough.

When God says, “Come now and let us reason together… Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow. Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” When our sins are neon bright blatantly blinking under multiple spotlights, we have the assurance that WHEN WE COME to Jesus, He would make our sins a spotless white as snow. And when He says, “I will never leave you or forsake you” you know that you can take that to the bank. That promise is far more precious that pure gold.

2. “God’s Words … And The World Of Frogs”

O

n the 5th day of creation God said , “Let the earth bring forth the living soul after its kind; the beast, and the thing moving itself, and the wild animal of the earth after its kind; and it was so. And God made the wild animal of the earth after its kind and the best after its kind, and everything that creepeth on the ground after its kind. And God saw that it was good.” Genesis 1:24-25.

Notice: God created animals (and everything) using words. What creative power! Then he said … let there be … wild animals of the earth after its kind and it was so. Let’s pause right there and analyze that. Does that mean that that horses will have baby horses and frogs will have baby frogs? The Bible clearly says that after God said that, and it was so. It happened! Then – I must point out that frogs didn’t have baby horses and horses didn’t have baby frogs. Neither did plankton like creatures evolve into fishes, which then evolved into crocodiles and eventually monkeys…. God said, and it was so. Creatures were created. And God saw that His creation was good. What a powerful God! Frogs. When I was a freshman in MVC I sat in the Biology class of Ivy dela Cruz. I was new on campus and the only friends I had were the Chan Kids (faculty kids born in MVC in the 60s-80s?).

Alas, none of them were in my class. As I looked around the Biology lab, it was evident to me although I was only a few weeks late starting school, that tight cliques had already formed.

What I did not realize then was that many of the students had been long-time friends from their respective Adventist Academies. So I sat alone close to the door of the lab with one foot outside the classroom and I watched as clusters of giggling friends dissected their frogs. I did not belong to any group, I knew no one except the teacher who was my roommate when we were both in PUC four years prior, and I had no frogs. What was the new kid to do? But in cases like these, kind people always step up. Edward Cerna and Elbert Espinosa looked up from the poor frog that they were dissecting and invited me over to join their 2-person group. I gladly accepted and gained my first two friends in Nursing School. That very day, I skipped going to the cafeteria for lunch and instead jogged to my Uncle Moises’ house on campus (Papang Caballero) and announced that not only had I attended my first lab and met 2 new friends, but that I needed frogs for next week’s class. The following week at Biology lab I showed up with 3 of the fattest, friendliest frogs in the world thanks to my cousins Edwin Caballero (now an Engineer at MVC) and Sunny Caballero. And after class I profusely thanked the teacher for allowing the 3 cute frogs to escape an untimely death.

Were frogs created on the 5th day of the week along with the creatures of the water? Or were they created on the 6th day of the week along with the creatures of the earth? Amphibians is what they are.

When God said the word that brought the frogs to existence, He certainly made a colorful array of them!

He also gave them unique traits so that they would all be different (so who are we to judge others when we were all created different?) Let me share a few frog-trivia with you. And if you want, you can ask the Master Guides around you to share what they know about frogs and toads. 

Some frogs have a disease called neotony: they never develop into adults and remain tadpoles their entire lives! (hala! Is it possible that some of us have spiritual neotony so that even after years of daily worship, our spirituality has never matured and our thirst for spiritual food null?)



Frogs change their skin color to camouflage itself among its environment. (kita, do we lose our spiritual identity when in public? Are we ashamed to stand out as God’s people?)



During breeding season, males may attempt to mate with any moving object thinking that it is a female.



The adult frog cannot eat underwater like the tadpole.



American bullfrogs can catch and eat bats. One African bullfrog was found in a snake cage in South Africa. It had eaten 16 baby cobras.



Most frogs leave their eggs and tadpoles to fend for themselves but a male bullfrog may defend its tadpoles from predators.



Each frog specie has a distinct call that only the females of their specie responds to. (aha! Like the singing group of MVC diay! They have distinct whistles that members of their group respond to!)



In colder regions of the world, a bullfrog tadpole may wait up to two years before transforming into a young frog.



Bullfrogs inhale air to swell its body. This increased size is used to ward off predators.



One of the smallest frogs in the world is the red-and-blue poison-arrow frog which grow in the Costa Rican & Brazilian rainforests. They grow to only a half inch. Indians in western Colombia developed a technique of using this frog’s poisonous skin secretions to poison the tips of their arrows and blowpipe darts.



Unlike other frogs, the red-and-blue poison-arrow frog female lays 4 to 6 eggs which the male fertilizes. When the tadpoles hatch, these babies climb to her back as she carries them to water.

The sticky poisonous mucous of her skin holds the tadpoles tight and keeps them moist during the several hour journey. But instead of a pond or stream, the red-and-blue poison-arrow mother frog places her tadpoles in tiny pools inside tropical plants: one tadpole per plant. She returns each week to feed them by placing unfertilized eggs in these tiny pools. They tadpoles stay in these pools inside tropical plants until they reach adulthood.

To briefly recap, I will highlight the following: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

It only took WORDS from God and the entire universe was created.

He does not have to say those words over and over: once He said it, it was done!

Creatures were created after their own kind ‌ Whales did not evolve into an crocodile then a bird.

He went all out with His creation: such wide array of colors, varieties and beauty out there.

Nothing in God’s creation is boring, or hurtful, or mean.

God made you brilliant, beautiful, and unique.

God did an outstanding job as Creator. He deserves to be acknowledged, praised, and worshipped.

We have the assurance that whatever God says, it would not change, and we can depend of it because He said it. His word is true.

3. “God’s Names and Attributes”

W

hen my husband Andy served in the military, there was no way his family could come live with him on the battleship. No way. But years later as a civilian when was employed by 3ABN staff, there were times when I would get to travel with him and watch him work, helping as needed.

It was during such a trip that I found myself meeting new friends in a very large, predominantly AfricanAmerican Seventh - day Adventist Church. Although I spent some of my growing up years in Africa, I was reminded once again that worship service is Africa is far quieter than the exuberantly joyful worship service in our many African-American churches.

That day, from the moment I walked into the church lobby, I was enthusiastically welcome, hugged, and invited to join the THURSDAY women’s bible study group although they had no idea who I was or what my interests where. They were so THRILLED that I had come to worship with them. Another lady interrupted the welcome, and after I was thoroughly hugged again she had me make a commitment to STAY for potluck after church and not go home without eating. My head was spinning as I disengaged myself from the welcoming committee at the front door. I quickly ducked into the lady’s bathroom to catch my breath and my balance but even there, I got welcomed enthusiastically by a group of ladies and got invited to return to church on MONDAY evening for hor d’oeuvres (light snacks) and ladies’ bible study on the life of Ruth. WOW! I thought to myself. Sabbath School is an hour away from starting and I had been warmly embraced so many times by strangers plus sincerely invited to church potluck and bible study by their ladies! I remember chuckling to myself as I thought, “if the God they serve makes them this loving even to strangers – I would be more than happy to come worship here every day of the week!”

About 30minutes later the 3ABN team arrived with the supplies and equipment and Andy went to work setting up booths where the church members could help themselves to free resources. But I did not help Andy. Instead, I joined a group of young adults doing a devotional at one of the rooms and I hungrily feasted on the word of God. My heart melted with love for Christ as I got to know Him better that day. I experienced for the first time what it is to pray the names and attributes of God – this was something I had NEVER heard of or experienced before. Little did I know how much my soul needed this and how badly I was in need of a Savior.

Though God is infinitely far above our ability to fully understand, He tells us through the Scriptures very specific truths about Himself so that we can know what He is like and be drawn to worship Him. The following is a list of 30 names and attributes of God. I encourage you to use this guide to enrich your time set apart with God by taking one description of Him and meditating on that for one day along with the accompanying passage. Worship God focusing on His and His character. (I have gone a step further and made this into a calendar format).

1.

God is Jehovah. The name of the independent, self-complete being. “I AM WHO I AM” only belongs to Jehovah God. Our proper response to Him is to fall down in fear and awe of the One who possesses all authority in Heaven and earth. Exodus 3:13-15

2.

God is Jehovah-M’Kaddesh. This name means “the God who sanctifies”. A God separate from all that is evil requires that the people who follow Him be cleansed from all evil. Leviticus 20:7-8

3.

God is infinite. God is beyond measurement – we cannot define Him by size or amount. He has no beginning, no end, no limits. Romans 11:33

4.

God is omnipotent. This means that God is all-powerful. He spoke all things into being, all things – every cell, every breath, every thought – are sustained by Him. There is nothing too difficult for Him to do. Jeremiah 32:17-18, 26-27

5.

God is good. God is the embodiment of perfect goodness, and is kind, benevolent, and full of good will toward all creation. Psalm 119:65-72

6.

God is love. God’s love is so great that He gave His only Son to bring us into fellowship with Him. God’s love encompasses not only the whole world but embraces each of us personally and intimately.

1 John 4:7-10

7.

God is Jehovah-jireh. “The God who provides.” Just as He provides yesterday, He will also provide today and tomorrow. He grants deliverance from sin, the oil of joy for the ashes of sorrow, and eternal citizenship in His Kingdom for all those adopted into His household. Genesis 22:9-14

8.

God is Jehovah-shalom. “The God of peace.” We are meant to know the fullness of God’s perfect peace or His “shalom”. God’s peace surpasses understanding and sustains us even through difficult times. It is the product of fully being what we were created to be. Judges 6:16-24.

9.

God is immutable. All that God is, He has always been. All that he has been and is, He will ever be. He is ever perfect and unchanging. Psalm 102:25:28

10. God is transcendent. We must not think of God as simply the highest in an order of beings. This would be to grant Him eminence. But He is more than eminent. He is transcendent – existing beyond and above the created universe. Psalm 113:4-5

11. God is just. God is righteous and holy, fair and equitable in all things. We can trust Him to always do what is right. Psalm 75:1-7 12. God is holy. God’s holiness is not simply a better version of the best we know. God is utterly and supremely untainted. His holiness stands apart – uniqe and incomprehensible. Revelation 4:8-11 13. God is Jehovah-rophe. This name means “Jehovah heals.” God alone provides the remedy for mankind’s brokenness through His Son Jesus Christ. The Gospel is the physical, moral, and spiritual remedy for all people. Exodus 15:22-26 14. God is self-sufficient. All things are God’s to give and all that is given is given by Him. He can receive nothing that He has not already given us. Acts 17:24-28 15. God is omniscient. This means that god is all-knowing. God’s knowledge encompasses every possible thing that exists, has ever existed, or will ever exist. Nothing is a mystery to Him. Ps 139:1-6 16. God is omnipresent. God is everywhere – in and around everything, close to everyone. ‘Do not I fill heaven and earth?’ declares the Lord.” Psalm 139:7-12 17. God is merciful. God’s merciful compassion is infinite and inexhaustible. Through Christ, He took the judgement that was rightfully ours and placed it on His own shoulders. He waits and works now for all people to turn to Him and to live under His jurisdiction. Deuteronomy 4:29-31 18. God is sovereign. God presides over every event, great or small, and He is in control of our lives.

To be sovereign, He must be all-knowing, all-powerful, and by His sovereignty He rules His entire creation. 1 Chronicles 29:11-13 19. God is Jehovah-nissi. This name means “God our banner.” Under His banner we go from triumph to triumph and say, “Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:57. Exodus 17:8-15 20. God is wise. All God’s acts are accomplished through His infinite wisdom. He always acts for our good which is to conform us to Christ. Our good and his glory are inextricably bound together. Proverbs 3:19-20 21. God is faithful. Out of His faithfulness God honors His covenants and fulfills His promises. Our hope for the future rests upon God’s faithfulness. Psalm 89:1-8 22. God is wrathful. Unlike human anger, God’s wrath is never capricious, self-indulgent, or irritable.

It is the right and necessary reaction to objective moral evil. Nahum 1:2-8 23. God is full of grace. Grace is God’s good pleasure that moves Him to grant merit where it is undeserved and to forgive debt that cannot be repaid. Ephesians 1:5-8

24. God is our Comforter. Jesus called the Holy Spirit the “Comforter” and the apostle Paul writes that the Lord is “the God of all comfort.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 25. God is El-Shaddia. This name means “God Almighty”, the God who is all-sufficient and allbountiful, the source of all blessings. Genesis 49:22-26 26.

God is Father. Jesus taught us to pray, “Our Father” (Matthew 6:9) and the Spirit of God taught us to cry, “Abba, Father” an intimate Aramaic term similar to “Daddy”. The Creator of the universe cares for each of us as if we were the only child He had. Romans 8:15-17

27. God is the church’s head. God the son, Jesus is the Head of the Church. As the head, the part of the body that sees, hears, thinks, and decides, He gives the orders that the rest of the body lives by.

Ephesians 1:22-23 28. God is our intercessor. Knowing our temptations, God the Son intercedes for us. He opens the doors for us to boldly ask God the Father for mercy. Thus, God is both the initiation and conclusion of true prayer. Hebrews 4:14-16 29. God is Adonai. This name means “Master” or “Lord”. God, our Adonai calls God’s people to acknowledge themselves as His servants claiming His right to reign as Lord in our lives. 2 Sam 7:18-20 30. God is Elohim. This name means “Strength” or “Power”. He is transcendent, mighty, and strong.

Elohim is the great name of God, displaying His supreme power, sovereignty, and faithfulness in His covenant relationship with us. Genesis 17:7-8

SULADS’ CORNER: “God in the Homes”

by Rene Omfon. Laa Island, Simunol, Tawi-Tawi 3 John 1:4 “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”

We cannot preach among the Muslims. We cannot even share our faith with them, yet God has His own ways to reach into their hearts. One day, I asked my Grade Four Class pupils to draw a house with the names of their family members. Many of them drew beautifully with appealing decorations.

I was amazed to see additional words on the houses of two of my students. One of the two had a phrase above it which said, “Good bless you, Sir.” I believe the student meant to write, “God bless you, Sir.” The second house has the word, “God” in the middle of it. I did not tell anyone about those two papers handed to me for their assignment.

Another time, I asked them again to repeat their drawing of their homes. To my surprise, all the houses had “God” in the center of the homes.

I thank God for working in ways in which I don’t understand. He has strategies to somehow influence these young minds beyond my own knowledge. I believe deep within me that He is silently working in the heart of each of my students. © SULADS International, Inc. If you would like to support this mission program dedicated to taking the Gospel to the people of Mindanao, please write a check to Gospel Outreach. Mark it for the SULADS and send it to: Gospel Outreach P.O. Box 8 College Place, WA 99324 You may also donate to the SULADS using your credit card by logging on to Gospel Outreach's donation site (www.goaim.org) and follow the directions. Again, mark it for SULADS. If you would prefer, you may write your check to the General Conference of SDA and mark the donation for SULADS and send it to: General Conference of SDA Donations 12501 Old Columbia Pike Silver Spring, MD 20904 Thank you for your support of this very important project.

From Jessie Colegado

I

n a spy novel I had just read, the hero hid a letter in a particular statue in Washington, D.C. Since I was in that city at the time, on a whim I decided to see if the statue really contained the small niche the author had described. To my great surprise, it did -- and a cellophanewrapped letter was inside. After a moment's hesitation, I pulled out the letter, opened it, and burst into laughter.

An unidentified reader had penned, "Good book, wasn't it?"

(From GCFL)

Pulpit Bible

E

nding his sermon, a preacher announced that he would preach on Noah and the Ark on the following Sunday, and gave the scriptural reference for the congregation to read ahead of time.

A couple of boys noticed something interesting about the placement of the story in the Bible.

They slipped into the church and glued two pages of the pulpit Bible together.

The next Sunday, the preacher got up to read his text. "Noah took unto himself a wife," he began, "and she was" - he turned the page to continue - "three hundred cubits long, fifty wide and thirty high."

He paused, scratched his head, turned the page back, read it silently, and turned the page again. Then he looked up at his congregation and said, "I've been reading this old Bible for near fifty years, but there are some things in it that are hard to believe."

Seeking Agape

I

n the early 60s, Brother Andrew, a man from Holland, smuggled a load of Bibles in his VW across the Romanian border and past communist guards. He checked into a hotel and began praying that God would lead him to the right Christian groups -- the ones who could best use his copies of the Scriptures.

That weekend Andrew walked up to the hotel clerk and asked where he might find a church. The clerk looked at him a little strangely and answered, "We don't have many of those you know. Besides you couldn't understand the language." "Didn't you know?" Andrew replied, "Christians speak a kind of universal language." "Oh, what's that?", asked the clerk. "It's called Agape." The clerk had never heard of it, but Andrew assured him. "It's the most beautiful language in the world."

Andrew was able to locate several church groups in the area and managed to arrange a meeting with the president and secretary of a certain denomination. Unfortunately, although both Andrew and these men knew several European languages, they found they had none in common. So there they sat staring at each other across the room. Andrew had traveled thousands of dangerous miles with his precious cargo but there seemed no way of telling whether these men were genuine Christian brothers or government informants.

Finally he spotted a Romanian Bible on a desk in the office. Andrew reached into his pocket and pulled out a Dutch Bible. He turned to 1 Corinthians 16:20 and held the Bible out, pointing to the name of the book, which they could recognize. Instantly their faces lit up.

They quickly found the same chapter and verse in their Romanian Bibles and read: "All the brothers here send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss."

The men beamed back at Andrew. Then one of them looked throughout his Bible and found Proverbs 25:25. Andrew found the verse and read: "Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land." These men spent half an hour conversing and sharing -- just through the words of Scripture. They were so happy in this fellowship that crossed all cultural boundaries that they laughed until tears came to their eyes. Andrew knew he had found his brothers. When he showed them his load of Bibles, the Romanians were overwhelmed and embraced him again and again.

That evening at the hotel, the clerk approached Andrew and remarked, "Say, I looked up 'agape' in the dictionary. There's no language by that name. That's just a Greek word for love."

Andrew replied, "That's it. I was speaking in it all afternoon."

(From The Daily Encourager)

23rd Psalm

A

Sunday School teacher decided to have her young class memorize one of the most quoted passages in the Bible -- Psalm 23. She gave the youngsters a month to learn the chapter. Little Rick was excited about the task but he just couldn't remember the Psalm. After much practice, he could barely get past the first line.

On the day that the kids were scheduled to recite Psalm 23 in front of the congregation, Ricky was so nervous. When it was his turn, he stepped up to the microphone and said proudly, "The Lord is my Shepherd, and that's all I need to know."

25 Facts About My Heart that Left Me Stunned Here are 25 facts you may not have known about your incredible heart:

1. Every day you are alive, your heart creates enough energy to power a truck for 20 miles of driving.

2. For your whole lifetime, that would be enough to drive that truck to the moon and back.

3. Your heart pumps blood to almost all of your cells, quite a feat since there are about 75 trillion of them.

4. Only our corneas receive no blood supply.

5. Of all your muscles, the heart does the most physical work.

6. During a normal life span, the heart will pump about 1.5 million barrels of blood – enough to fill about 200 train tank cars.

7. The first heart - a tiny group of cells, begins to beat as early as when the pregnancy is in its 4th week.

8. The biggest heart on earth belongs to the blue whale, with a heart that weighs 1,500 pounds.

9. Studies show an interesting link between education and heart disease. More education = less heart disease.

10. That said, heart disease is still the greatest threat to your health.

11. It has even been found in mummies over 3,000 years old.

12. A few things that keep your heart healthy: Lack of stress, exercise, happiness and a healthy diet!

13. Of the days of the year, Christmas Day sees the most heart attacks, followed by December 26th, followed by New Year.

14. The time when the most heart attacks occur? Monday morning.

15. The size of a heart valve is roughly the size of a 50 cent coin.

16. The very first pacemakers had to be plugged into the wall. Suffice to say, those patients did not do too much walking.

17. The heart is amazingly resilient, and provided with oxygen, can continue beating even after separated from the body.

18. The first cardiac catheterization was performed in 1929, with the doctor, a German surgeon by the name Werner Forssmann, putting the catheter in his own arm vein, and examining his own heart.

19. The first successful heart transplant was performed in 1967 by Dr. Christian Barnard of South Africa.

The recipient only lived 18 days. It was a huge medical breakthrough.

20. If you grab a tennis ball and squeeze it with all your might, you would roughly understand how hard the heart worksto pump blood, every second of every day.

21. Typically, a woman's heart will beat faster than a man's.

22. Laughter has terrific benefits for your heart. Laughter can actually send 20% more blood flowing through your entire body, relaxing the walls of your vessels.

23. Why has the heart become such a symbol of love? Maybe it is because the ancients believed the heart was the center of our soul and emotion? Some historians believe it began with the Greek culture, and not before.

24. People can actually die from a broken heart. After suffering a terrible loss or traumatic event, the body releases stress hormones into your bloodstream that can temporarily mimic the symptoms of a heart attack, even causing heart failure.

25. A recent study in Sweden found that when a choir sings, an amazing thing happens. Their heart rhythms actually synchronize.

Witty Words of Wisdom  

Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.

Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.

  

Accept that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue.

Cooking lesson #1: don't fry bacon in the nude.

Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can be recalled by their maker.



If you eat a live toad in the morning, you can just about be guaranteed nothing worse will happen to you for the rest of the day.

  

If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.

If you can't beat your computer at chess, try kickboxing If you think nobody cares if you're alive, try missing a couple of car payments.

   

Never buy a car you can't push.

Never eat yellow snow.

Never pet a burning dog.

Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you don't have a leg to stand on.

Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig.

When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.

You are what you eat. So stay away from the jerk chicken.

Be nice to the nerds and geeks in high school, you'll be working for them in the future.

Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.

    



“God’s GPS”

A

fter the GC session last month at San Antonio Texas, I went to Orlando Florida to visit the biggest hospital of the SDA church, the Florida Adventist Hospital, and to visit the Holy Land Experience a religious park in Orlando.

I found it more enjoyable to drive than riding an airplane because when driving you can stop anytime and you can visit the interesting places on the way.

On the way back to Los Angeles, I was thinking to see the Mississippi River, the Grand Canyon, the native cacti of Arizona and California and many other interesting place in the United States. But how can you do this if you do not have companion who knows how to go there? And the answer to that is? Thanks to the advent of the Global Positioning System (GPS).

In the countries that I visited in Asia and the South Pacific, I never used GPS. It was only last year that I tried to learn using a GPS. When one of our non-SDA friends in Houston Texas heard that I was going to drive around in the United States using only a map, he decided to give me a GPS receiver. He told me “Romy, it is very hard for you to drive around with only a map as what have you done before. Let us go to my house and I will give you a GPS receiver”. To my surprise, he gave me a new GPS receiver and a big book with a complete map of all the states in the US!

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite-based navigation system made up of a network of 24 satellites placed into orbit by the U.S. Department of Defense. GPS was originally intended for military applications, but in the 1980s, the government made the system available for civilian use after the Korean Air Lines Flight 007, a Boeing 747 carrying 269 people, was shot down in 1983 after straying into the USSR's prohibited airspace, in the vicinity of Sakhalin and Moneron Islands. President Ronald Reagan issued a directive making GPS freely available for civilian use. The GPS program cost at this point, not including the

cost of the user equipment but including the costs of the satellite launches, has been estimated at about USD$5 billion.

How it works GPS satellites circle the earth twice a day in a very precise orbit and transmit signal information to earth.

GPS receivers take this information and use triangulation to calculate the user's exact location. Essentially, the GPS receiver compares the time a signal was transmitted by a satellite with the time it was received.

The time difference tells the GPS receiver how far away the satellite is. Now, with distance measurements from a few more satellites, the receiver can determine the user's position and display it on the unit's electronic map. The accuracy of GPS is up to less than 3 meters.

A GPS receiver monitors multiple satellites and solves equations to determine the exact position of the receiver. At a minimum, four satellites must be in view of the receiver for it to compute accurately.

After a few days in Florida, we traveled from Orlando to Los Angeles. With me were the President and the Treasurer of the North Philippine Union Mission (NPUM). It was an enjoyable 3-day journey.

On the first day, we drove day and night. We passed through several States including Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona and then to California. Because I am used to driving at night, I volunteered to drive from 11 PM until daylight the following morning. It was an amazing feeling to drive in a place you do not know at legal speeds between 70 to 80 miles per hour (120 – 130 Km/hour) with only the familiar voice of the GPS guiding you as all your passengers slept. Many of the States in the US have 65 – 70miles per hour speed limit but in some States, the speed limit is 75 miles per hour. I think it was in Arkansas where the speed limit is 75 miles per hour.

But even then, GPS has its limits. For instance, when I was driving in Los Angeles we drove into a small underground tunnel and the signal of the GPS went out. Perhaps the 4 satellites that needed to give me accurate data did not see me.

Another time in Los Angeles my wife accidentally pulled off the cable to the power which rendered my GPS without power. The GPS turned blank and suddenly I was driving without guidance not sure where to go. I was lost for a while but as soon as the GPS was plugged back on, that familiar voice continued to give me guidance as to where to where to turn, how much time there was to my destination and whether I was over speeding or not. I was able to visit many of our friends all over California and Las Vegas because of this small gadget in our car. Once you have the correct house address this device will deliver you accurately.

GOD’s GPS Not like the GPS which needs 4 satellites in order to provide accurate information, there is only one God - not four Gods - in heaven who sees and watches us 24 hours a day. He gives us accurate guidance and cares for us.

Somewhere in Texas on our way to New Mexico, one of our other drivers might have fallen asleep because he did not notice that we were already on the edge of the road. Good thing I noticed it and brought it to his attention. He abruptly turned the steering which jolted us from our seats. Good we did not meet an accident that day.

Psalms 34:7 it says “The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them”. Many times the angels of God protected us on our travels but sometimes we fail to give thanks to our GPS in Heaven (God) who sends His angels to keep us away from harm. In Life’s journeys, always remember the God in heaven who watches us and gives us direction as we continue to serve him.

T

Romulo “Romy” M. Halasan, (BSBA’86) is a member of the Seventh-day Adventist world church leadership, this father of 3 young adult sons gets to travel to different corners of the world as a Regional Director for the General Conference Auditing Services. His travels provide him with a unique perspective of how the work is going in these areas and we are so blessed to be able to experience these travels second-hand through him. If you have any comments or questions, feel free to reach him at romsnake@gmail.com

Invitation To Write The CyberFlashes editors are looking for MVC alumni & friends to think about their life’s stories and write some of those down. Share your stories before you forget about them!

To give you ideas, below are a few issues currently undergoing work. We invite you to join the team by sharing you experiences! (Don’t be shy! Just pretend you’re sharing it in a small village church for AY!) Date

Alumni Stories needed re:

Submit To

Sept 3 Sept 6

Answered Prayers Life experiences that made an impression on you or changed you snorkeling, swimming, fishing, etc Nursing School stories from MVC SN students, alumni, and faculty Twins!

Lily Lare Raylene Rodrigo Baumgart

Sept 15 Sept 15 Sept 22

Joy Caballero-Gadia Joy Caballero-Gadia Evelyn Porteza-Tabingo

Alumni News. “Illinois Chapter: Where Fun Times Begin”

By Nora Munda – Wingo, BS Bio’90

L

ast Saturday afternoon, August 22, 2015 from 6PM-9PM, the MVC Midwest Alumni (Illinois Chapter) got together for fellowship at Downers Grove, Illinois, at the home of Carlos and Vicki (Osorio) Ybañez. They started with sundown worship outdoors heartily signing visayan hymns and other favorites. Mr. Neil Ando was their guest speaker. However, for those who arrived while daylight was still out, they were able to harvest some vegetables from their garden which they promptly made into delicious soup for dinner that night. Throughout the get-together, they enjoyed catching up and reminiscing about MVC life. Over and over folks kept saying how blessed they are to be part of this alumni group!

The group will meet once again on December 5, 2015 at Niles Illinois for their Christmas Potluck where they will have a white elephant gift exchange. Then the following year on July 2016, the group will reconvene for a weekend getaway at Wisconsin Dells where they will do an upper river cruise, hiking, swimming and much more. For more information contact Nora Munda, Leslie Rosendo, Vicki (Osorio) Ybañez or any of the Illinois Chapter members!

“Oplan Broadcastreeing: DXCR’s Annual Tree Planting Event

T

he KBP Bukidnon Chapter (Kapisanan ng mga Broadcaster ng Pilipinas) holds a tree planting event where broadcasters plant trees together as a sign of their love for the environment. Members of the different radio stations get an opportunity to network with each other as well as nurture friendships with each other. This year tree planting was held in Barobo, Valencia, Bukidnon.

The MVC students who participated were Carina Sophia Pascua, Mary Jean Rubio, Bheb Gatilogo, Gemma Olivia Pomicpic, Lance Russel Cano, Wilson Kenneth Campos, Mervin Dale Benedicto, Nepthalie Apa, Ivy Ann Canete, Twinkle Dinero, Benjie Ente, Gingerly Colegado, Alrich Mostrales, Katheleen Loquinte, Shane Vench Lagan, Cheerifel Catubay, Clint Estore, Jandenber Cael, Floremie Evedientes, Ken Cuares, and Claire De Asis. The group was chaperoned by their sponsors MVC faculty members Dr. Jimmie Solis and Mr. and Mrs. Delsocora of Advent Echo. Together, the DXCR group planted about 560 trees with each participant planting between 25-30 trees a piece. The trees are going to help improve the air quality, prevent soil erosion, and keep Bukidnon green.

DXCR Family School Year 2015-2016

D

id you know that DXCR is one of the oldest ministries of Mountain View College? DXCR was first launched on October 6, 1973 and in 2013 MVCians celebrated the station’s 40th anniversary. But the station is not only a blessing to those who hear her broadcasts on the air. She is also a blessing to those students who serve as volunteer crew members of the station. Here’s why – For many students who come to MVC, it is their first time away from home and they struggle with overwhelming homesickness. Thankfully, at MVC students get assigned to faculty families who serve as their “foster family” for the semester. Each semester, foster families across campus enjoy family-type activities which give students an opportunity to get to know each other better and help them experience a loving family’s atmosphere while away from home. Singing groups also is another avenue where students experience family life (with many siblings!) while they are away from home. The Ministerial Seminar, Earth Society, Advent Explorer and other clubs on campus offer the same opportunity. All these clubs have sponsors/chaperones who stand as parents for the group. And then there is the DXCR Family…

The DXCR Family is composed of volunteers who share a passion for broadcasting. They work together investing their time and talents (for free) and enjoy what they do. Students receive technical training, some of them earning outstanding experiences and some real-world certifications with the KBP. Some of them get entrusted with heavy responsibilities and gain real-life work experience. They learn good work ethics as they serve God through this ministry. They learn the laws of the lands and good labor practices.

And through it all, they gain lifelong friendships with their fellow broadcasters and mentors. They also learn what it is to literally depend on God for everything – including funding to keep DXCR on the air daily.

Celebrating its 42nd year, the DXCR Family was dedicated on Friday evening August 14, 2015, at the MVC Alumni Church. The crew express their utmost gratitude to God for His faithfulness. They also would like to thank everyone who have been supporting the station over the past 42 years as well as all the volunteers who have served throughout the years.

DXCR is pleased to announce that this academic year they have openings for student volunteers to come, get trained, and be part of the crew. The interested individuals simply need to go to the station and apply.

DXCR Program Line-Up for this School Year Takna sa Pag-pamalandong Goodmorning Bukidnon Ang maayong panlawas Takna sa pag inampuay Dxcr Balita Pagpalambo sa pagpanguma Malampusong Pinuy-anan Paglaum serbisyo patrol English news Buluwanong kahibalo Yaman ng pilipinas Pagpamalandong sa udtong tutok Radio quiz show Paglaum luyo sa imong suliran Hali na’t makibyahe Afternoon delight Hapon na Bukidnon News break Panahon sa kabataan Dxcr Balita LAmdag sa kamatuoran 777 prayer Lesson study Pagtuki sa kasuatan Mga garay’ng binisaya Reflection Takna sa pagpamalandong

Pr june rivera Carina Sophia Pascua, Wilson Kenneth Campos Pr. Silverio Reyno Mervin dale benedicto Jandenber Cael agri dept. elsa dayahan Camillo Valmorida mary jean Rubio, Lance Russel Cano Jemuel Dela Pena, almore Pascua shiela canilao, Mary jean Rubio Pr. Jun Rivera Carina Sophia Pascua, Cheerifel Catubay, Lamce cano jemuel Dela pena, Aiza comania Neil Aldrin Dotimas, Kathleen Loquinte Sarah Decelyn Gauzon, Benjie ente, MASCOM STUDENTS Alrich Mostrales, Clint Estore patricia cabriana, Benjie ente Almore Pascua, Ivy ann Canete, Floremie Evedientes, Cheerifel CAtubay, jandenber cael pr. SD Rodrigo pr. Rivera nepthaie apa pr. Alberto canete and company alano ofqueria Camillo Valmorida pr. Jun rivera

Creative steps Teens Greetings Life’s questions Afternoon melody Liwanag ng katotohanan Kalipay luyo sa pagsulay Mga awit pahinungod Ministeral Seminar Jesus is our hope Vespers echo Sabbath Instumental reflection Weekend na bukidnon Lesson review Adventist today Word for the world Relihiyosong mga balita Lines of inspiration Sulads care Balik kasaysayan sa iglesia Tingug sa kabukiran Mag awitan tayo

cheerifel catubay, shane vench lagan Ivy ann Canete, Gingerly Colegado ian alfer baal Jemuel Dela pena jomer clerigo Orlando balagot Lance Russel Cano, alrich Mostrales Mervin Dale Benedicto & MS officers Marcellano Buracho nicoli rivera Camillo valmorida cherry anne sotto, clint estore pr. Rivera, nepthalie apa lance cano dr. jimmie adil, aizhar Montero marcellano buracho ian alfer baal sulads personality Mervin dale benedicto novy mahusay

Panimbaya sa kahapunon Alumni boulevard Kkaraang awit sa kapanahunan Teens voice Mga katungud sa kabataan Buhay MVCIANs Pagsaysay sa kamatuoran Sports Ikaw ug imong panimalay Campos mag Hello Sunday Balita sa kahapunon Bible personality Crossroads Classical instrumental

kaye catolin, clint estore Dr. jimmie adil, dr hope aperocho alano ofqueria clare de asis, gema grace Olivia pomicpic, twinkle dinero ma’am panadero, jomer clerigo daryl guarino, judy ann loregas marcellano barucho rennie biclar ma’am delsocora mascom students Genevieve gatilogo, jaydee jimpayan jandenver cael, cheerifel catubay, june lacaba Camillo valmorida dr. jimmie adil, jasper love butalid, Alfred tornalejo, chen talledo berneil hortillano

DXCR Family’s Ministerial Outing

G

od designed us to have parents: someone who would feed, love, nurture, and train us. They clothe and send us to school providing for our needs day by day. However, fathers are built different from mothers. Fathers do not express their love and emotion the way mothers do. There are some cases where fathers are absent from the household or neglect to do their duties.

On Sabbath, August 1, 2015, the DXCR Family spent Sabbath School at the Upper Lilingayon Adventist Church where the brethren met for a three-church fellowship. DXCR station manager Pastor Ultimino Rivera gave the sermon where he spoke about fathers’ love. He pointed out that earthly fathers fight hard to provide for and protect their children because they could not bear to lose a child. How much more then for our Heavenly Father who loves us so deeply?

Churches around the Bukidnon area continue to invite the DXCR Family to come worship with them on Sabbaths and the team is more than happy to serve God and do church visitation. Would you like to join us?

Alumni Calendar When Sept 5, 2015 Fall/Winter?

Dec 5, 2015 @5:30PM July 29-31, 2016 July 30, 2016 @7PM

Aug 4-7, 2016

What MVC Nurses from NY, NJ & VA Labor Day Weekend Get Together MVC Alumni Asso. Western USA Illinois Chapter Christmas Potluck

Where Virginia TBD Greenwood Avenue, Niles, Illinois

Point of Contact El Mar Raylene Baumgart Elbert Moralde Nora Munda, Leslie Rosendo, Vicki Ybanez

Illinois Chapter Weekend Getaway

Wisconsin Dells. River cruise, hiking, swimming…

Nora Munda, Leslie Rosendo, Vicki Ybanez

4000 E. Ontario Center Pkwy Ontario, CA.

See Heritage Singers on Facebook.

Lake Tahoe, NV

Annaliza Wilensky & Alison Sabanal

Heritage Singers 45th Anniversary Reunion Concert (Advertised in their FB site as the last reunion concert they will be having) MVCSN’s Zoarkes’91 Silver Anniversary Reunion

Our Condolences 1. To the family of Mrs. Lourdes S. Serenio who passed away August 17, 2015 at the age of 97. She was the mother of 3 MVCians namely, Mrs. Mila Aguirre, Mrs. Nery Faderogaya, & Ben Serenio. She was also the grandmother of seven alumni members. Her funeral was on August 27 at Campostela Valley.

2. To the family of Mrs. Estelita Cerna who passed away this week at Cebu at the age of 84. She was the mother of Evelyn Cerna Lloren and Elton Cerna. Her burial is on Monday August 31 at Noramar Memorial Park in Pinamungajan, Cebu. Dr. and Mrs. Edgar Lloren can be reached via Facebook.

3. To the family of Alberto Suan Lim who passed away who passed away yesterday (8/27) at the Adventist Medical Center in Iligan City. He is survived by his wife Erlinda T Lim, daughters Dale Abueva, Mercy Lynn Galula, and Omega Lim; his sons-in-law Teofilo Abueva and Angelito Galula; grandchildren Fiale Abueva, Faiza Abuea, Al Peter Galula, Mera Valunda-Fernandez, and Lara Flynn Galula. Among Albert’s many first degree cousins are Virgilin Suan Masibay, Henry Gozo, Deulito Lim and my husband Andy Suan Gadia.

Funeral services will take place on September 2, 2015 at the Golden Haven Garden, Talamban, Cebu. The family can be reached via Facebook.

Prayer Requests Let us pray for the bereaved family of 1. Roger Banzuelo (Betty Lou’s husband) 2. Pastor Gaudencio Somoso Sr 3. Elizabeth Galo Queruela 4. Lourdes S. Serenio 5. Estelia Cerna 6. Alberto Suan Lim 7. And for the bereaved Dabio family as Jing and Jojo’s dad passed away last month

Let us pray for the concerns close to our hearts 1. Mrs. Elizabeth Mejia Diesta (MVCSN’78) who is hospitalized undergoing radiation treatment. Stage 4 breast CA with mets…

2. Cocoy (Crisville) Jimenez who was suddenly stiken ill and is in a coma in Texas.

3. Those who may be sick or undergoing treatment. Those who have concerns and heartache.

4. The leaders of Mountain View College, the faculty and staff, the students and their families.

5. The health and safety of our missionaries and their families in the different parts of the world.

6. Peace in the Philippines to allow us more time to tell others about Jesus, 7. The leaders of our respective countries as they govern the people…

8. For all of us as we prepare for God’s return.

Acknowledgement A heartfelt THANK YOU and GOD BLESS to the following who assisted in making this issue of CyberFlashes. Yes, it has been quite a week … but God is faithful. Thanks for the love and the prayers.     

Lillian Javellana whose message never fails to inspire and encourage.

Thanking God for inspiring you to suggest that we feature God’s WORD this week. We needed this. We need Him. Romy Halasan for “LIFE of a Missionary” and Jessie Colegado for “Jessie’s Patch of Weeds” Carina Sophia Pascua for the DXCR reports; Nora Munda for the report from the Illinois Chapter Gospel Outreach & SULADs Thanks for reminding us that God can make the best out of anything.

Andy Gadia (the buddy I married) who helped put together the item about frogs. Thanks for continuing to work on this project even though your world had fallen apart with the passing away of Manong Ali (Albert Lim).

Meet The Editors This week’s issue of Cyberflashes is coordinated/edited by Ardys Joy Caballero-Gadia. Next week’s issue will be by Lily Escara-Lare. She is going to feature ANSWERED PRAYERS. Please direct all entries to her or to any of the editors. She’s still looking for stories from alumni and friends.

NAME: Eddie Zamora Evelyn Porteza-Tabingo Jessie Colegado Joy Caballero-Gadia Lily EscaraLare Raylene Rodrigo-Baumgart Melodie Mae Karaan Inapan

EMAIL ADDRESS: ezamora594 at aol dot com etabingo at gmail dot com Cyberflashes at gmail dot com watermankids at yahoo dot com Lily_lare at yahoo dot com dot ph raylene.baumgart at gmail dot com melodieinapan at yahoo dot com

If you wish to subscribe to Cyberflashes, to unsubscribe, or if you changed your email address and want Cyberflashes to be sent to your new address, please send your request via email to any of the editors. We spell out the @ and dot signs in the email addresses to prevent worms, viruses, and robots from harvesting them. If you would like to correspond, simply substitute the correct symbols.

Editor’s Thoughts: “God Our Comforter”

Y

esterday death dealt a heavy blow on our family. My husband Andy grew up in California and didn’t get to meet many of his Filipino side of the family until we went to the Philippines after we got married. Soon after his parents retired they accepted the invitation of Albert Suan Lim to return to the Philippines and enjoy a slower pace at Cebu City. Andy drew the house plans and his parents built their house a few feet away from the Lim residence at Clarita Village. It wasn’t long before Andy got to meet his Manoy Ali (Albert). The eldest among the cousins, Manoy Ali was quite protective of Andy who is the youngest of the cousins. No matter where we wanted to go, he would volunteer to drive us. Often we would beg to experience riding a jeepney or a taxi. He would acquiesce after much discussion and when we thought we would go get a taxi, we would find him outside my inlaws’ house waiting to drive us wherever we went. It was during these many trips that the oldest and the youngest cousins got to know each other. They learned that they had much stories to share, a few things in common, and the same funny sense of humor and sense of duty.

It was at Cebu where Manoy Ali was driving his jeep that rainy fateful day when their jeep was T-boned by a speeding dump truck whose young driver was texting as he drove. The dump truck hit the jeep at Mama’s side and Manoy Ali’s beautiful jeep crumpled like an accordion with the impact. Mama was able to yell out for help shortly after impact but was declared dead on arrival (DOA) at Miller Sanitarium and Hospital. Manoy Ali was pretty bruised up as were his other passengers, Andy’s brother and sister-in-law who were visiting from Virginia. As soon as we heard the news, Andy and I took the first plane out of Los Angeles and flew to the Philippines.

Manoy Ali has this habit of being two hours early to all his appointments. Mama loved that about him because she was the same way. So it was no surprise that we were standing at a deserted pier at Cagayan de Oro (CDO) just before sundown as we waited for the 8:30PM boat that would bring Mama’s remains to us. Sporting bruises on his face and body, Manoy Ali came all the way to CDO to meet us so that we would not be alone when Mama’s body arrived. So there he stood alone at a distance, his posture erect and his fists clenching and unclenching as he looked far into the empty horizon. After a while I went to stand with him. I didn’t say a word; I didn’t know what to say.

He was obviously in so much agony. So I just stood beside him watched the ocean, standing side by side with him.

In our vehicle, the rest of the family snacked while others napped.

Andy joined us. The three of us stood in silence side by side as we looked at the empty horizon. I turned to leave so they could have a moment alone. Andy reached over to put his arm over the man’s shoulders and held him close.

“It’s not your fault, you know” I heard Andy clearly say. “Accidents happen. You had no way of seeing or knowing that you would be hit from the side. It’s not your fault. We all know that. Mama would have said the same.”

“But the pain is there!” Manoy Ali lashed out beating a fist on his chest as he looked fiercely into his younger cousin’s eyes. “The pain is so bad and so deep! What could I have done to prevent it? Maybe if we left the house later or earlier?” They stood in silence together, heads bowed in sorrow. The oldest of the Suan cousins and the youngest.

“For more than twelve years I have cared for them and kept them safe. I always accompanied them wherever they went because I wanted to keep them safe. She was like a mother to me.”

“And she loved you very much as a son, Manoy” I added as I came to hug both Manoy Ali and Andy in my arms.

“That is why Andy and I were never worried about them being so far away from us because you and Ate Linda always took such good care of them. They love you. I don’t think Mama would have held this against you. It’s not your fault.”

I do not know where time went but by the time we saw the ship approaching the pier, I realized that Manoy Ali, Ate Linda, Andy and I were huddled in a group hug lost in our grief. Pops died a few days later leaving Andy an orphan.

Manoy Ali passed away yesterday. Andy text me to come home from work as there was some bad news. I went to him and found him curled up in fetal position fighting not to allow tears to form. He kept saying, “They’re all gone, Gee. They’re all gone: Pops, Mama, and Ali. I wanted to see him so we could laugh together. I wanted to talk to him to see if the pain in my heart would go away. But now, he is gone. Ali is gone.”

Very concerned at seeing Andy this way, I quietly sat down and asked him what we needed to do. His answer brought me much joy. In a voice barely louder than a whisper he said, “Our only choice is to be faithful to God, Gee. Dead is a defeated foe. God is a Conqueror.”

What does God’s word have to say to Andy and me today? To his clan?

To Ate Evelyn Lloren and her family? To the families of Brother Ben Serenio, Auntie Betty Lou Banzuelo, Indaying Somoso, and the many others who are grieving?

Rev 21:4 promises (in writing!) that “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain. For the old order of things has passed away.”

Isaiah 25:8 records another promise: “He wills swallow up death forever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the gears from all faces.

He will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The Lord has spoken.”

If He said it, we believe it! His word never fails.