Day 1 (May 22, 2008)

Manila wasn't so kind in welcoming me back.

Yesterday (May 21, 2008) was my 1st night in my humble shack--in between the newly built high-rise condominium and Benilde's Angelo King Hotel. Rain poured gently, but my head ached badly. I wasn't able to have my dinner since I can't pully myself out of my airbed--luckily i had the strength earlier to inflate it.

My room wasn't so bad, it's concrete walls are painted white (or at least it is); the floor is covered with dirty white linoleum (I believe it wasn't that dirty when it was installed); a painting in black canvass hangs on the wall; and the temperature isn't too bad.

But I guess the problem--which I did not foresee--is ventilation. The window is big enough but since my room is in the ground level, air is blocked, aside from the fact that I have to cover it with a thick curtain for privacy purposes.

To sum it up, I'd like to believe that my body is just adjusting to the new environment that I'm into.

Oh well, If I had the guts to leave all the "fortunes" I had before, then I must have the balls to face the challenges that lie before me. Aluta Continua! (borrowed from Pandot)

An Evening of Music, Praise, and Worship

Last night was my first time to step into the portals of Araneta Coliseum--the Big Dome from which every basketball player wishes to play, and every musician wishes to perform. They say that an artist who can fill the araneta with audience is 'someone'. But last night, it was not just filled, it was jam packed...with Christian Youth--and somehow even Non-Christians--and THEY are not 'someone', Jesus is.

It was the concert of Hillsong United--that Pop Church Music that you usually hear at SM when you pass by House of Praise. I don't know the people, but I know the songs, the melodies, the praises that each note gives unto Jesus.

Aside from the first-time-Araneta experience, it was also the first time for our Praise and Worship team to engage in such an activity. Even better is that we were accompanied by the next generation Praise and Worship MInisters (which somehow reminded me that I'm not getting any younger).

It was a night of overwhelming joy from songs of praise; a night of exciting adventure in the Cubao jungle; a night of bonding moments with fellow worshippers of Jesus Christ. =)