It's not how long

"It's not how long you have been in the community.
 It's not how less we have been together.
 The most important thin is we continue to
 keep the Lord with us as we grow in holiness."

These were my opening remarks during the anniversary fellowship of units C and D of chapter 3 handmaids of the Lord in Dubai.  It has been a year since they have completed the Christian Life Program or CLP of the Couples for Christ.

People usually ask what I get from joining a Catholic community.  I actually cannot explain.  I cannot explain the kind of joy despite the trials and tribulations of life I can bravely and happily face each and every trial.  I can't explain the joy I feel every time I see these women who like me are also struggling in life but they kept on fight for the sake of love, for the sake of life and for the sake of the Lord.  

CFC Handmaids of the Lord National Conference 2016

HOLD NATCON 2016 Reminders

Nine days to HOLD NATCON 2016

Imagine You and Me Dubai Block Screening

On 29 July 2016, the Handmaids of the Lord, one of the family ministires of the Couple for Christ, had a block screening of the ALDUB movie, Imagine You and Me.   This block screening is for the benefit of the scholars from ANCOP or answering the cry of the poor, which is a fund raising arm of the Couples for Christ for the less fortunate people in the Philippines.  

the raffle ticket

The block screening started with a raffle sponsored by generous members of the Handmaids of the Lord.  The prizes include YES magazine wherein ALDUB is on the front cover, mugs, t-shirts and three balikbayan boxes from Pinas cargo.

mug, one of the raffle prizes

Even after the  movie, our smiles are deep within the bone marrow (ngiting tagos hanggang bone marrow).  My flatmates who were with me during the block screening was amazed how the women of the handmaids of the Lord could scream so loud just because of Aldub.  I told them, well once in our lives we had been hurt, pained and troubled to the point that our hearts have been numbed, but when Aldub came to us, they gave us another option....the option of believing in love eternal.  They made us once again believe that it is okay to wait for that one true love in the right time that has been destined to you.  They made us increase our patience as we wait on that one person destined to be our forever.  Watching Aldub on this movie gave us more endorphins with the ups and downs of emotions of laughter, crying and laughter once again.  And finally, Aldub taught is to take things easy and laugh our problems off.

Inside the VOX cinema 5 at Burjuman Center

IYAM for a cause

Thank you for all the love and support of the CFC handmaids of the Lord Dubai for the block screening of Imagine You and Me.  Thank you ALDUB fan moms of Dubai!

At the heart of the celebration

UAE CFC Handmaids of the Lord National Conference invitation

When sinners are called...

Jesus said, "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance".   Today, i have attended the graduation and Lord's day celebration of the handmaids of the Lord Dubai.  The Lord's day is the final week and celebration of the 12-week program called the Christian Life Program (CLP).  The CLP is an integrated course intended to lead the participants into a renewed understanding of God’s call to them.  This is the entry program to be a member of the Couples for Christ community.   I belong in the ministry of the CFC Handmaids of the Lord, one of the family ministries of the Couples for Christ.  This is the ministry for single mature women, single mother, widow and those whose husbands are in prison.  

The mostly misconceived idea of serving in church is that church workers are "holy".  WRONG!  Most of us serve in the church because we are "sick".  We need healing, spiritual that is.  By serving in the church, we try to heed the calling of God to be like Him...holy.  It's hard but we keep on trying anyway.  When sinners are called, it means that the one who is calling is the healer, the doctor and the great God who makes all  things new and possible.  Today only proves that these new graduates of the CLP had heard the call.  It was a day of fun and praises, of sharing and receiving, and of course of supporting each other in this spiritual journey.  When sinners are called, we heed the call!