Finding My Truest Self

Finding My Truest Self

When you do not know who you are and whose you are, you will succumb to almost anything. You are an open book to everyone, with no reservations and prudence. You do not have firm ground to stand on. You just go with the flow. Que sera sera as they call it. When you...
You Are Not An Orphan

You Are Not An Orphan

“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” – John 1:12 Have you ever lost a father? I did. They say fathers play a significant role in our lives. Researchers have found that those who grow up...
BEAUTY FROM BROKENNESS: RESTORING A SECOND-HAND WEDDING GOWN

BEAUTY FROM BROKENNESS: RESTORING A SECOND-HAND WEDDING GOWN

Finding My Dream Wedding Dress Damaged with missing beads. A ripped inner skirt. Lace that’s old fashioned. She’s not as beautiful as the others. She’s used. And she only cost me Php3,000.  Because I was growing  emotionally attached to a cheap gown, I started calling...
Joseph the Dreamer: Then and Now

Joseph the Dreamer: Then and Now

“I am special! I am special! I am special!” If there was a scene that stood out for me in Trumpet’s musical production, Joseph the Dreamer (JTD) this year, it was when Joseph said these words while pounding on the prison floor, forcing himself to remember his value...
Why I Love Mindanao

Why I Love Mindanao

The War-Torn Region My love for this war-torn region of the Philippines started—of all places—in Singapore. It was 2013, and members of the One Voice team were on practical training in street missions. We usually trained in this kind of cross-cultural atmosphere...
Remembering Venite PART 3

Remembering Venite PART 3

This is Part 3 in a 3-Part tribute to Venite Castillo, written by his friend, Inah Tolentino.  My Goodbye I already lost my father, mother, and sister, so I can say I am well-acquainted with grief. Still, I got blindsided by the grief over losing Ven. He was a best...
Remembering Venite Castillo PART 2

Remembering Venite Castillo PART 2

This is Part 2 in a 3-Part tribute to Venite Castillo, written by his friend, Inah Tolentino.  His Ministry Venite had been a believer of Christ since 1998. Members of our Christian organization, University of the Philippines Los Banos (UPLB) Students of Destiny (now...
Remembering Venite Castillo PART 1

Remembering Venite Castillo PART 1

I was in quarantine aboard a cruise ship when a message popped on the screen of my phone. It was from our church group chat, and  it said, “Please pray for Kuya Venite. He passed out in the middle of a Zoom meeting. His family brought him to the hospital already....
A Childhood Dream Come True: My Journey to MD

A Childhood Dream Come True: My Journey to MD

I come from a family that is not well-off. We live below the poverty line. My father died of colon cancer before I graduated from high school. My mother tried her best to provide for my kuya and me through housekeeping. Life in College I didn’t intend to take the...
ANGULO sa TITULO

ANGULO sa TITULO

Pakinggan natin ang kwento tungkol sa AKO. Huwag na ang kwento ng iba tungkol SAYO Simulan ang epikong kwento sa tulong ng aking talento kaya makinig at makuntento Handa na ba kayo? Kasi magsisimula na tayo Lapis at Papel ang puhunan sa sulat at tugma na ito, tumatak...