Keeping the faith

LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL

Roger D. Sinot 

SOLANO, Nueva Vizcaya - As the auditor of the Provident Amazing Grace- Active Servants Association (PAG-ASA), may I report that the group had raised a sufficient amount from the recent celebration of the National Correction Consciousness Week last October. It was agreed upon by the officers that they will address the immediate needs of the inmates in general, such as medicine, toiletries per individual, and others, to uplift the situation of the inmates. Minus expenses, the group collected a net of P21,000.00 to start with.

In our last meeting with Warden Tapiru, we agreed to organize a concert for a cause to be held this last week of November. The purpose of this concert is to upgrade the musical instruments, computers, the library to become conducive for learning, and other livelihood activities to keep the inmates busy instead of boredom; such as broom-making, pottery-making, etc.

One thing I remember when we started this group was our insecurity that this activity will be a failure. Instead, it turned out to be a success despite of our limited resources. So as an encouragement to the group, may I quote a verse from the bible: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day”- 2 Timothy 4:7-8. There is the saying “God helps those who help themselves.” I think a saying like “God helps us when we are helpless!” is more comforting.

A song I’ve learned from Paeng Marzan goes “... no agmula kami iti tarong dayta ti kunada nga KATARUNGAN, ngem nu laya metenti inmula mi, dayta ti kunada nga KALAYAAN.

xxx

In a cemetery, the American said to the Chinese, “when will your dead love ones eat those bountiful food you offered them?” the Chinaese replied, “they will eat this food after they see your dead love ones smell the flowers you have for them!” The message here is of respect for other’s faith. Last November First festivities, the All Saints Day reminds us that all of us are destined to die, our love ones just went ahead of us.

As an Ibaloi lad, I was taught by my mother to always respect our unseen or dead love ones. In the Baguio Cemetery where my father was laid in 1967, until her death in 1975, my mother saw to it that we all went to the cemetery to pay respects and have our father’s tomb blessed by any priest or pastor available around that day.

She mentioned that streets, roads, and sidewalks are passages for the people that can be seen. Streams, rivers, springs, and other bodies of water are passages of people that cannot be seen. So, let us preserve them for ourselves and for our love ones.

Though November 1st has passed, I’ll have to visit my love ones in the cemetery, my late brothers Bert and Joseph in our family cemetery at Sipitan, Asin road. We always say “time is too short” my friends, let us live to the fullest. To start a new chapter, I recently became a new member of the Fit Works Gym at the basement of Easter Weaving along Guisad. Let us live our lives to the fullest.

Happy trails to all our loved ones, seen or unseen. - RDS