A letter to friends and family

30 August 2010

Dear Family & Friends,

After serving for more than a decade as missionaries for Couples for Christ and after even going for long-term mission in Africa together, Clarke and Cynch Nebrao discover that their only 10-month old son Chino has severe mitral regurgitation with mild stenosis, Simply put, the Nebraos’ third child has a defective heart valve. The condition affects only 2% of the world’s population and survival rate is only 5%. Open heart surgery to treat baby Chino’s condition, including hospitalization expenses and medications is going to cost around Php 2 million or USD 45, 000.

This is why, we, a group of Clarke and Cynch’s friends came together to talk about what could be done to help them during this trying time. Concretely, we would like to invite you to help raise a portion of the funds Chino needs to get a chance to live. We are writing this letter to ask for any amount you could spare for Chino’s cause. We need 2,000 generous souls to give, at least, Php 1,000 (USD 20) each. Also, your prayers and gestures of support to the Nebrao family would work wonders.

His doctors say that he needs to undergo surgery before he turns one; he turns one in October. This is why his cause is pretty urgent. We would appreciate it very much if you would help spread the word and take up Chino’s cause as your own and pray for his healing.

You can deposit your donations to:

Cynthia Marie Adalla-Nebrao

Account Number. 3106523407

Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI)

Edsa-Greenhills Branch

For more information about baby Chino’s condition and how you can help, please visit www.championsforchino.com. You can also donate via Paypal on the website. Follow baby Chino, as well, on Twitter @champions4chino.

Love,

Champions for Chino

Meeting LBP Again

It's been years since I had used LBP (Landbank of the Philippines) facilities. I know they are almost always offline, and that their ATMS are offline or hung, and they keep people waiting for about two hours to transact inside their banks.

Today, I had to use their machine. Guess what - one was offline, two were not operating, and one had difficulty transaction (read: hung). As per bank employee, in the whole country, LBP is offline!

Thus, my attempts failed. I had to use another bank to fulfill my transaction, with fees at that.

LBP is very rich, I know, yet their services and facilities are ancient.

Insights on Jiro Manio

I have seen him on films as a child. Who can forget Magnifico? I am moved to tears every time I watch that, like so many times. I even searched almost all the malls in Metro Manila to get an original copy.

He was an advertiser of a milk brand.

I truly believed he would grow to be a wonderful child, son, friend...

Until one day, I watched an episode of rated K. Jiro is a teenage father. Suddenly, my world seemed to collapse. I was so sad. I am happy that he was happy, but I am sad because he failed in what I believed him to be.

The death of his mother truly made an impact on Jiro, on things that he cannot handle, on the problems that were not addressed.

Yet, I wish the best for him. I wish that he would pursue his relationship with the mother of his daughter. The host said "dating karelasyon" (former girlfriend), which, as based on those words, Jiro and the girl has lost the love that they shared, but I know they love Sisha. I look forward that they would marry and have a happy family.

Excess Baggage?

I usually travel within the Philippines, like twice or thrice a year, for personal and business purposes. For business, we use PAL since it is required. Perhaps I have become accustomed to having a baggage allowance of 20kg.

My flight last Monday from Davao to Manila used Cebu Pacific Air. I forgot that their allowance is only 15kg. Mine weighed 21kg. I only had Php400 in my wallet. plus an ATM card. The charge is Php100/kg. I still have to pay the terminal fee of Php200 since I am in Davao International Airport. The lady at the check-in counter would not allow me to hand carry the other bag even if it weights only 7kg. She said it is too big. Reading the guidelines, PAL has a measurement of 44 inches of hand carry, while while Cebu Pacific has 56cm x 36cm x 23 cm for Airbus. My bag measures only 18 inches or 45 cm x 20cm x 23 cm, it can easily be brought and stored in the stow. She even asked me to remove things, but I do not reside there and the contents are all for personal use.

The ATM at the airport is out of order by the way. I had to call friends who would be departing on a later flight to let me borrow money.

I really found it very troublesome and unfriendly. What if I do not know anyone there?

Why and What If

February 19-21, 2010 will be the 17th CFC Singles for Christ International Conference in Davao City. Since this is done yearly, I have prepared for it since last year,

The registration started in October and of course, I was among the early registrants. It costs Php1000, but regular registration costs Php1200.

Second semester came. I enrolled for Epidemiology 201 and Biostatistics 206. The classes began and as I looked at the dates, I almost died: The 2nd exam for Epi falls on February 20. As per University rules, absence in an exam can only be allowed if the student got sick, with a medical certificate at that, or there is death in the immediate family or in a crucial health condition.

Still, I attended the classes religiously. I have never been absent.

Joe bought plane tickets for us. We were to leave Manila Feb. 17 and I would return on the 22nd. Fortunately, the President declared Feb. 22 as a holiday. it meant more leaves in the office for future use. I already filed for a forced leave last week.

I mustered enough courage to see the course coordinator for Epi. She was also my teacher for Biostat. I asked if I could just take an advanced exam or a make-up exam. We were allowed that in college, since I was also in the UP system. I have taken an advanced exam before, because my best friend and I have to go to a CFC Youth for Christ International Leaders Conference, We were classmates also. But she said the conditions. Otherwise if I miss the exam, I will get a zero for that. I have computed that to pass the course (attached file).

I do not want to lie that I was sick, and certainly I do not want the other two situations. Besides the guilt would haunt me, since I am a good Catholic and a leader/ member of the CFC Singles for Christ.

If I take the exam, will I be able to concentrate? Will I pass it? Though I really have to focus on that since it will mean that I am letting go of the conference, and also being with my God's gift.

If I take the exam and pass it, will I be able to pass the course? Will I be able to finish my MS?

If I do not take the exam, that means wasting Php3,000 pesos for the subject, plus the effort of studying, answering, reading, going to school wherein I have not been absent nor late.

Since we have plans that I will be going to PNG as well, I might not be really able to finish the MS, provided I get a work there. That means reaching MRR (maximum residency rule). I can still study, but that means re-enrolling all my subjects.

However if I do not get a work there, I have to return here to the Philippines and continue my MS and my work.

Yet I do not know how long I will stay here, though Joe wants us to live there.

How secure is my future? Only God knows.

So I am asking: Can God make one Saturday before February 20 a no-work, no school day? That means January 30, February 6 and February 13. I am thinking of a lot of possibilities. The President will declare an additional holiday which will be Saturday, or there will be heavy rains and flood up to the waistline along Taft Avenue ONLY from Friday evening until Saturday afternoon. Anyway, the streets there are easily flooded. Or other means that man or God can make.

But as I said, God can do anything,

The next question is: Will He?

Proverbs 19:21 (New International Version (©1984)
Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.

URGENT! Copenhagen Summit

Dear Friends,

With three days to go, the crucial Copenhagen summit is failing.

Tomorrow, the world's leaders arrive for an unprecedented 60 hours of direct negotiations. Experts agree that without a tidal wave of public pressure for a deal, the summit will not stop catastrophic global warming of 2 degrees.

Click below to sign the petition for a real deal in Copenhagen -- the campaign already has a staggering 10 million supporters - let's make it the largest petition in history in the next 72 hours! Every single name is actually being read out at the summit -- sign on at the link below and forward this email to everyone!

http://www.avaaz.org/en/save_copenhagen/97.php?cl_tta_sign=41430e260d5b22f8fa7b16c2c1416d2d

An Avaaz team is meeting daily with negotiators inside the summit who will organize a spectacular petition delivery to world leaders as they arrive, building a giant wall of boxes of names and reading out the names of every person who signs. With the largest petition in history, leaders will have no doubt that the whole world is watching.

Millions watched the Avaaz vigil inside the summit on TV yesterday, where Archbishop Desmond Tutu told hundreds of delegates and assembled children:

“We marched in Berlin, and the wall fell.
"We marched for South Africa, and apartheid fell.
"We marched at Copenhagen -- and we WILL get a Real Deal.”

Copenhagen is seeking the biggest mandate in history to stop the greatest threat humanity has ever faced. History will be made in the next few days. How will our children remember this moment? Let's tell them we did all we could.

http://www.avaaz.org/en/save_copenhagen/97.php?cl_tta_sign=41430e260d5b22f8fa7b16c2c1416d2d

With hope,

Ricken, Alice, Ben, Paul, Luis, Iain, Veronique, Graziela, Pascal, Paula, Benjamin, Raj, Raluca, Taren, David, Josh and the whole Avaaz team.

Monday Excitement...tsk tsk

I bought my Monday uniform cloth last week, since the one that I am using is already not nice in terms of appearance and texture. I had it sewn, so nicely and I got it yesterday. I happily ironed it, even though I hate ironing my clothes. I prepared myself so well for today, like a child, and made sure that my things such as the food samples I collected are ready, my reports and everything. I set my alarm clock at 5am.

Before I became fully asleep, some people were drinking outside and someone was playing with the door.

Morning came, I had a terrible headache, plus my pillows were improperly positioned. I wanted to go to work. So much...but I could not bear the pain. I slept again.

The alarm for my reminders went off, but the pain did not go away.

At 6:30 my sister woke me up and asked why I am still at home. I answered hazily that I was having headache and body pain.

I woke up at past 8am, still feeling sick.

Sigh. So sad. I texted my officemate that I could not go to work. I had a lot to do today: my itineraries, submit reports, study my module for the seminar on Wednesday, submit samples...

Bad day. Hope everything will be fine tomorrow. I already got a body massage to make me feel better. It did, without taking any medicine at all.

Alas, I have no Tuesday uniform. I thought I already bought another one when I bought the Monday's. My Tuesday got burned last August.

Have You Given It a Thought?

"Bakit mas maraming volunteer sa ibang lugar kaysa sa sariling GK site? Sadness. Wala na nga bang dedication, perseverance and commitment?"

I told this to Ching, my sister in SFC. I am referring to our GK site and the GK build in Tarlac. She used to volunteer too. She has gotten too busy now, yet I can count on her everytime I need her during the CYD activities. There are days that I am afraid and alone, yet she and Jean were always there every time I call. We have shared countless memories serving.

Since Melvyn asked me to volunteer for SIGA, all my fears and apprehensions have started to fade one by one. I have seen Joe serve in SIGA before, I have seen how he cried, how he spends (he was very very generous), I have seen his passion, his smile and laughter with them. While I, at that time, was serving in SAGIP, those with children with ages ranging from 7-13. SIGA was for 13-21. Both are counterparts of CFC Kids for Christ and CFC Youth for Christ.

We have teachings, we have concerts, we have picnics and field trips. It was like a regular peer group inclined to God's word, founded on His love.

Tito Boyet and Tita Lyn have asked me what is the status of our site. They reminded me that it's too bad that there are only a few hearts. We were the ones who started the movement in our area, but some have already moved on - married, busy with career, have gone abroad, or simply stopped.

All that I can do now is pray, and maybe, the fire will be rekindled. I have done my part, and still doing it.

Choices

Sometimes it seems to hard for someone to understand that calendar dates are important as a part of everyday life. I live counting and taking note of the days, whether special or something terrible happened. It's in me, in my bloodstream and in my genes.

It makes me sad when this thing is taken for granted, and that something else is more important. And then I am asked to choose, wherein the choice that had to be made does not matter choosing from. It's like making me choose from double dutch ice cream and pistachio ice cream...when both of them are so good, and not choosing either will make me feel bad.

Administrator at Active Dorm

Last September, I paid for an advance and downpayment for a room in Kalimbas St., Sta.Cruz, Manila. It was Php7,000 plus Php1,00 for the electricity.

Upon returning to the building after a few days, I noticed that the floor, the whole floor has no sink,not even a kitchen sink or hand washing sink. A few nights before, my sister said that the stairway and hallways were dark, meaning there was no source of illumination.

With that, we decided to look for another place. Josephine Danganan or Josephine Danganan, was in charge of Active Dorm in España. She was also the one handling business in Kalimbas. I talked to her over the phone and she said that it is her first time to do the refunding. However, they would be taking 30% from the Php7,000. She said that the papers would be a long process since they are a corporation. She also assured that we can only get the refund when new tenants will be occupying what we previously planned to rent. Before I put the phone down, I overheard her saying to her companion "buti na lang di ko pa naasikaso." With that, it meant that there was no processing yet for the corporation to file anything or sign anything. The money was with her.

Yesterday I verified if the room that we were supposed to occupy was leased out. It was. After that, I went to Active Dorm and talked with Agnes (who, by the way, on my firt visit, was being scolded by Josephine with taunting words like stupid and others, in a very degrading manner). I talked to her and she asked me to write a note. I wrote my name, objective and contact number.

Until now I have not received any reply.