What defines your nation? Posted by Stancy , Monday, February 6, 2012 at 10:00 AM, in

Last Friday, I was going through the books about different countries in the library and ran into a book about the most dangerous countries in the world. I scanned through the book out of curiosity on what dangers the author have encountered and which countries were included. The author/s wrote about the different sicknesses and diseases you could accumulate from different countries; the weapons being created or used in those different countries; and many different facts I believe of whatnot dangers you could encounter. In short this is a pretty scary book so if you're easily scared because of the negative facts throughout the book. Not wanting to waste my time going through all the stated "dangers" of the different countries I decided to check out what the author had to say about my countries of interest--most especially what it had to say about the Philippines.

Though I was not born in the Philippines, growing up in that country as a half-citizen helped me develop great love and knowledge about it. Sometimes I feel like I know it more than I know my birthplace. As I was reading what the author was relaying about how dangerous the Philippines is my heart grieved for a couple of reasons. First, I grieved for how the Philippines was described in a way that an ignorant person about the Philippines would not want to consider going to the country. Unless that person is brave enough to face it's "danger". The second thing that I grieve for is that too many negative is relayed and no positive about the Philippines was relayed. Again a foreigner might perceive very different and could forget their desire to discover the country. No matter how dangerous the Philippines could be, there are many good counterpart to it that makes it a wonderful place to live in. Third is the reality that struck me that the Philippines and any other country can be as dangerous as it could be because people are sinners. Danger could be or is available anywhere as long as man remains selfish enough to steal, rape, murder, covet, and any other danger resulted from selfishness.

If you value safety, do you think you are contributing to making your community, or your country a safer place by rejecting selfishness and choosing to care? Or are you the person who choose to contribute to the danger of the world by not choosing to care for the needs of others above your own?

How would you want your country to be interpreted by others? What would you want your country to be defined as? You choose. Every individual of a certain country plays a big part in defining their nation.

Joining Tortured hearts of the Khmers Posted by Stancy , Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 3:49 PM, in

I still remember walking through the prisons cells where innocent Cambodians were tortured by inhumane leaders of Pol Pot regime known in history as the Khmer Rouge. The cells still had the marks of blood drops of the people tortured inside the prison. As to how they were tortured you wouldn't want me to describe because it's more than cruelty--it's too evil that you might throw up. The torturers even managed to take photos of their innocent prisoners their numbers pinned to their skin. They even allotted killing fields in different places in Cambodia where they take the prisoners and kill them. We also visited the killing fields and saw thousands of people's skulls, bones, and ripped clothing throughout the field. I cannot imagine how the relatives, friends, and even co-citizens during the Khmer Rouge in 1975. My heart joined the tortured hearts of the Cambodians who were victims or family-members of the victims.  This could not only be a simple heart ache but is a torture to the hearts of the Cambodians maybe even till the day they die. With tortured hearts how can it be possible to forgive such an inhumane act?

Toul Sleng Prison, Pnom Penh, Cambodia

Finding out that most of them do not know Christ made my heart sank even deeper. The Khmers having experienced so much mind, heart, and physical torture--for those who were killed need to find hope. They need someone to tell them about the one who was innocent of all sins yet tortured and crucified to death--Jesus Christ. He who died from physical torture did not remain dead but rose again to give us hope. Whatever pain, no matter how hard the suffering was, no matter how tortured our hearts and minds are Jesus is here to set us free because He already paid for those sufferings. He who experienced for Himself the meaning of inhumane torture can set the Khmer free from the enslavement of anger resulted from the Khmer Rouge. He can heal them from the wounds of the past that stayed in their hearts for the longest time.

"But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed." -Isaiah 53:5

You can be an instrument to let them know about Jesus Christ.

The unpredictable Posted by Stancy , Monday, February 21, 2011 at 2:34 AM, in Labels: Greater, higher, stronger, what to do in Unpredictable circumstances

How are you? Did you feel that everything wasn't going to work right? Everything around you seems to show that it is not gonna be okay. But did you consider for just one second that there must be someone watching over you. Someone bigger than any body else. Someone you can count on. Someone who will never let everything to fall apart because He will catch you.

I felt that hand holding me together with all the others. "He's got the whole world in His hands".

Whenever I thought of giving up a voice reminds me that there is Hope in God. Whenever I feel like being broken into pieces a voice reminds me that He will take care of me no matter how fragile I am.

God was right. He is always right. Whenever we think of worrying He replaces it with comfort and hope that there will be a brand new day where He has made everything beautiful in its time.

God is my sunshine after the rain. The moment I choose to entrust everything to Him everything worked out the best way. Everything was more than I wish it could be.

"Our God is Greater. Our God is Stronger. God you are higher than any other. Our God is healer. Awesome in Power. Our God. "

"The God I know righteous and holy. the God I know faithful and true. The God I know my heart beats within me. As He is so are we."

Why not hurry in Love Posted by Stancy , Monday, February 14, 2011 at 1:21 AM, in Labels: falling in love, hurry, love, true love, why wait

Remember? You woke up late today. Again. You had to rush to the bathroom. You ziplocked your breakfast.

You got your bag then ran to ride the jeep or drive your car. When you were in the jeep you remembered you forgot to bring your notebook for the class you were going to have quiz so you forgot to pay the driver because you already arrived school. You realized when you got to school that you also forgot to bring the project you had worked hard for if not for your sister who didn't have school today you will not be able to pass the project. Your bag is a mess. When you get home everything is out of place. Many times in your life whenever you were in a hurry you forgot at least to do or bring one thing that you planned to. Why? You were in a hurry. Hurry means you get panicked and when you're panicked often times you don't know what to do first.

The same goes with entering relationships. Once you don't take things one step at a time and hurry you skip the most important things to consider in relationships. You get so excited, so enamored by the flattery words, so "in love", and you feel like everythings "right". But then, when you are already there, you realize you forgot to consider the character or you realized you were not ready. You get too occupied thinking how to get out of the hole you got trapped "falling in love" so you forget to listen to the voices of your family members then you realized you've neglected your friends and even your time with God seems to get shortened and shortened. Everything seems to be out of place. Then something inside you says, "is this what true love is?", leaving all the other people and responsibilities behind for one person? You realized, you made the wrong decision; "this couldn't be right" so you break up with your boyfriend/ girlfriend whom you promised you are gonna be with for the rest of your life. You tell yourself, "this should not happen again", I will have to make it right next time. But the next time, you checked your age, you feel you are getting old,...I hope you don't commit the same mistake again being too IN A HURRY. Didn't you learn from it before?

True Love Waits. If God is the center of the relationship then everything will fall in the right place. No hurries.

tears? He can give you joy:))) Posted by Stancy , Monday, October 25, 2010 at 5:21 AM, in Labels: loneliness, shameless, solution

There were tears in her eyes…almost flowing but she was trying to stop it…then and there I knew she NEEDED the prayer I was offering her…I feel that SHE couldn’t believe it in her eyes that someone wanted to pray for her…that she was that important to God…she wanted the gift of everlasting life with God but she was very shy or maybe OVERWHELMED with Joy and cry in her heart that she just didn’t want to say anything…she probably didn’t know where to start…

I was hesitant at first because of the people around…”I AM NOT ASHAMED” isn’t Stancy?”…it was as if a voice was telling me…”you have to find a way to tell her that Jesus loves her and want to bless her”…You experienced the joy of being with Jesus…Don’t let them miss the party of being Saved from the Wages of Sin which is death from relationship with God…

She hasn’t declared it yet but I know she will…Pray for her…Maybe you are like her filled with problems and you need prayer…don’t hesitate to ask me…I will help you approach Him…He is just a prayer away…no matter where you are…

The Worthy Conqueror's Triumph Posted by Stancy , Monday, September 27, 2010 at 2:52 AM, in Labels: end to brokenness, joy, no more tears, peace

She was born into this world where everything was “beautiful” before; not anymore. She had grown to know this world as the cruelest place to be. Like in every child’s heart, she was a searching for never ending joy but everywhere she looked it seemed a never ending nightmare. Around her was every EVIL thing beyond her imagination. She herself is a VICTIM of this evil, she belong to a family being BROKEN by a WOMAN who took away the LOVE of their Father because of her HARLOTRY.

She did not know; her tears were never stilled but something inside her encouraged her to keep on HOPING and having faith that all of this will end. She knew could not do it but the one that had been with her through it all can and will.

Her Hope is not deferred; there is someone who is not pleased with her suffering; there is someone who is FAITHFUL AND TRUE that has done something to end her nightmare. He is the Worthy Conqueror, who was slain to give us our life back and live it to the full if we believe. He has already overcame evil when he was slain, now He will help us overcome those sufferings.

This SOMEONE judges and makes war through righteousness. There is NO ESCAPE for those that made this “beautiful” world CRUEL—the Great Dragon, master of deception, destroyer, murderer, thief, He is called the DEVIL and SATAN. He will be bound for a thousand years and can deceive nations no more and in these thousand years those who chose to become FOLLOWERS OF THE WORTHY CONQUEROR—THE LAMB THAT WAS SLAIN—FAITHFUL AND TRUE—THE WORD OF GOD will REIGN with Him, these followers were not deceived by Satan and the beast to put mark on their foreheads and wrists. Satan will be released after a thousand years and while he deceives people, he will be devoured by the fire that will come out of heaven from God. He, the beast, and the false prophet will be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone: There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

The Worthy Conqueror will put an end to this cruelty. Then there will be a NEW BEGINNING for everything--everything will be made beautiful again; no more death, suffering, sorrow, pain, and crying; it will be all never ending joy.

Like her, you must hope and believe in the Worthy Conqueror’s saving power overcome all deception to the end. Your hope would not be deferred too.

“But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” –Revelations 21:8

(See for yourself in the Holy Bible, book of Revelations, NKJV.)

Dedicated to my team mates and CAmbodian friends Posted by Stancy , Wednesday, June 9, 2010 at 7:49 AM, in

Your Beloved People: Khmer (Cambodians)
By Constance Jane A. Tupe
I was walking down the street thanking You
For what You’ve done displays the great You
I was sitting with my family laughing
For You gave us the joy to stop crying
I was riding happy to be one of Your beloved
For You called me one of Your beloved people
I was lying on my bed full of comfort and love
For you are the giver of our comfort and love
I was crying my frustrations to my friends
For You have changed our plans into something new
I was feeling disappointed every time there’s few
For You have a different answer to our prayers
I was thinking we were the only ones
But there are also people in need of the Only One
I am sorry we haven’t thought they are Your beloved too
When all the while we have thought only of ourselves
We have kept You only to ourselves
Not realizing they are also Your Beloved
Your Beloved People, They are also Your Beloved
Forgive us for keeping You only to ourselves
Our Amazing God We are not too late
You have called us to Your beloved People
Our God we have the chance of our fate
You have brought us to Your Beloved People
We should have thought that they are the Khmer
When we were just satisfied with our lives
Thank You for using us Your Beloved People
We were able to minister to Your Beloved Khmer
You removed selfishness from our hearts
To share You to Your Beloved People
You led us to minister to the Khmer hearts
They too are Your Beloved People
We are Your beloved people and the Khmer too
We are Your beloved people and the Khmer too
Thank You for bringing us to Your beloved people
Thank You for letting us show them You love them

----God inspired me to write this for all of YOu------He is amazing!---missing you all!

Timor-Leste Posted by Stancy , Wednesday, March 10, 2010 at 4:14 PM, in

In 1975, 72% of the population of East Timor are animists. Until today Animism spiritualism is very influential among the Timorese.

Animism is a doctrine that the vital principle of organic development is immaterial spirit ;attribution of conscious life to objects in and phenomena of nature or to inanimate objects; belief in the existence of spirits separable from bodies as defined in Merriam Webster's Dictionary. Animism is spirit worship; it is to live with or manipulate worship.

There are different ways of animism through manipulation of spirits. These ways are the power of words, deception, appeasement, protective measures, and direct demonization.

Despite the spreading of the Catholic religion brought by the Portuguese in East Timor the Timorese maintained high beliefs in spirit worship.

Animist religion in East Timor revolves around the spirits of the dead who are both feared and worshipped.
These spirits are materialized through stones, animals, wells, streams or objects endowed with mysterious magical powers that can be either good or evil.
In Timor these are called ‘Luliks’, which means sacred and intangible (http://www.gov.east-timor.org/index.php).

Sometimes we don't realize that we also believe in animism or even support it by buying stuff like anting anting, agimat, gayuma, etc.. Let us be careful and watch-out that we do not be deceived by animistic practices. Remember Joshua 24:15, "And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” Are you going to choose to serve our real God and choose to believe what He says or are you going to believe in these animistic practices. I hope you will do what the people of Ephesus did when they found about God and believed Him, those who practiced magic, burned their books and the Word God prevailed (Acts 19:19-20).

What do you choose? As for me I choose to believe what God says in His Word and I will serve Him only.

It starts with ONE thing: FAMILY Posted by Stancy , Tuesday, March 9, 2010 at 2:53 PM, in

The Filipinos of the Ancient times had great moral values. But now we ask the question, "What has happened to our society today that the morality of the Filipino people degrades?" It all starts with one thing the FAMILY.

According to our guest in our class this morning, Dr. Narciso V. Matienzo, the reason why the Filipinos of the ancient times were of good character and values (hard-worker, respectful to the elderly, obedient, kind, etc. ) is that because their parents trained and disciplined them to be. During those times the parents train their children about household chores and raised them up to be hard working. Prov. "Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he shall not depart from it." Because the parents of the ancient times did not neglect to train, teach their children, and direct them to the right path the children grew up to be well-mannered, having good moral standards, and has very great potential in doing job well done.

It grieves me whenever I think of the way of life of the Filipino children of today. IT ALL STARTED WITH THE FAMILY. Today there are many dysfunctional families composing of single moms, divorced parents, abusive parents, young parents, etc. I believe this happens not only in the Philippines but also in other parts of the World but we must start with our country. Many people enter marriage unprepared which causes them to be permissive, authoritarian, and neglectful parents. We cannot put back time for these dysfunctional families but we can prevent more from coming by starting the change.

To restore the degrading moral values of the Filipinos, the change must start in our own families. It is never too late to change for the better.

God bless the Philippines....Go for a restored sense of morality!

The Missing Ingredient... Posted by Stancy , at 2:52 AM, in

I have always been interested in cooking ever since I was young. I have many experiences of successful and unsuccessful cooking but nevertheless I enjoy it all the time because I learn a lot. Through cooking I am able to express my feelings of creativity, love, passion, dreams, and hopes for the future. There's just some kind of joy I feel whenever I cook. Unexplainable. On the other hand I feel disappointed if the people that tastes the food I prepared did not look happy after eating; it feels like failing to give them a share of the joy I have.

Did you know that...

CHICKEN RICE is the closest thing to comfort food for many Singaporeans - a pale but deceptively flavorful rice dish served with ginger mash, chili lime sauce, and sweet black soy sauce.

Chicken is poached in a broth containing herbs, garlic, chicken bones, and assorted spices. When the chicken is done, the broth is then used to cook the rice together with pandan leaves and garlic. The resulting rice is yellowish and fatty, thanks to the juices left over from the chicken.

Chicken rice usually comes with cucumbers on the side, and (for an extra charge) you can also have it with braised beancurd, braised egg, chicken liver, or vegetables in oyster sauce(http://goseasia.about.com/od/singaporepeopleculture/ig/Ten-Singapore-Dishes/Hainanese-Chicken-Rice.htm) P.S. Just Check the picture in this website, can't post it.

Have you tasted any food that seemed to miss an ingredient? You feel like looking for some kind of spice to complete that GREAT TASTE you were expecting.

I believe cooking is just like building relationships; all ingredients must be intact and none should be missing. In building relationships whether it be at your home, your work, abroad, your school, if there's a missing ingredient the relationships won't end up GREAT. Love is one of the ingredients we always forget to use when our relationships end in conflicts and misunderstandings. You have to have enough LOVE which can only come from God to build good relationships and heal wounds. You especially need this when you're doing a ministry cross-culturally. 1 John 4:11 tells us about loving one another because God loved us. If you will read the whole chapter you will find out that true love comes only from God because He is love. Remember this,
"Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. "-1 John 4:11-12

Singapore is one of the places we can share our love to others. If you visit this place you will find it very interesting because it is composed of the Chinese, Malays, Indians, etc. (http://www.everyculture.com/Sa-Th/Singapore.html)