Our youngest bundle of joy turned 3 last March 12!
Straightforward and having no iota of arrogance and capriciousness in her body, we quietly celebrated it first at McDonald’s - Regalado Ave. in Fairview. Lovey and I brought her there along with older brother Joshua for a treat of French fries, soft drinks and spaghetti.
Going home, we bought Faith a cake which we brought home from the Fairview Center Mall (FCM).
The celebration continues at home
Faith blows her birthday candles as her brothers try to beat her to it
I felt very happy seeing the twinkle in Faith’s eyes as we celebrated this special day with her. Unlike before, she has begun to realize the significance of one’s birthday and the fun that goes with it every year.
Now, she always talks and impatiently waits for her next birthday.
Thank you Lord, for our youngest child. May she grow in Your care, wisdom and protection.
Parents worship the Lord during the 1st Kids for Christ Parent’s Assembly
The very first Kids for Christ Parents’ Assembly was held last March 5 at the Lay Force Chapel inside the San Carlos Seminary compound in Guadalupe, Makati City. I was fortunate to have been one of the KFC coordinators and parent to have been part of this significant event.
I actually came in early when practically nobody was yet around. As the organizers started coming in, I had the good opportunity to talk to Kirby LLaban, KFC’s International Coordinator on a number of things about the kids and the ministry.
It was nice to know that a number of the participants who came were not KFC coordinators but simply parents of KFC kids. I think that is the best target audience for this assembly because many KFC parents remain untapped for this ministry especially in view of Kirby’s vision and plans.
There were two speakers who gave inspiring messages that night after the corporate worship. Bro. Mannix Ocampo emphasized the point that “Evangelization starts at the Church of the Home.” Parents play a vital role in the work of evangelization. He cited the Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Paul VI – Evangelii Nuntiandi (On Evangelization in the Modern World).
While this document was released way back in December 8, 1975, its message remains relevant today in the 21st century. I did some research and the following excerpt from the exhortation laid out the role of the family in evangelization:
“The family
71. One cannot fail to stress the evangelizing action of the family in the evangelizing apostolate of the laity. At different moments in the Church's history and also in the Second Vatican Council, the family has well deserved the beautiful name of "domestic Church." This means that there should be found in every Christian family the various aspects of the entire Church. Furthermore, the family, like the Church, ought to be a place where the Gospel is transmitted and from which the Gospel radiates. In a family which is conscious of this mission, all the members evangelize and are evangelized. The parents not only communicate the Gospel to their children, but from their children they can themselves receive the same Gospel as deeply lived by them. And such a family becomes the evangelizer of many other families, and of the neighborhood of which it forms part. Families resulting from a mixed marriage also have the duty of proclaiming Christ to the children in the fullness of the consequences of a common Baptism; they have moreover the difficult task of becoming builders of unity.”
Pope Paul VI, Evangelii Nuntiandi
Whole families - should be evangelizers. Fathers and mothers as evangelizers should be seen in how they live out our lives as parents.
How do we evangelize our own families?
Parents, particularly the head of the family has three main roles: the priestly, prophetic and kingly roles.
How does my family touch the lives of other families? Basically through the roles – each family acts as a prophet to the community, a priest or mediator between other families and the Lord; bringing them closer to God and the kingly role by being servant leaders to other families.
In the light of the current and constant attacks on the family, Bro. Mannix states that Christian families should form communities of persons, serving lives and participating and sharing in the life of the society and mission of the Church.
Sis. Nini Villaroman, on the other hand, shared her experiences with their KFC children, Sam and Dave. Through the years, she saw the fruits of their KFC experience. As the boys grew up, they maintained a strong sense of discipline despite peer pressures.
Due to this strong formation, she wasn’t afraid for her kids’ future. Moreover, through KFC, the kids developed a strong belief in the power of prayer. Prayerful children surely are not far from God and His grace and blessings.
She therefore urged parents present to bring their children to KFC that their children may experience the same formation and love. She called on all parents to be champions of the family ministries!
Bro. Kirby also gave a presentation as to his vision, mission and plans for the KFC ministry. He encouraged parents to form Parent Support Teams (PST) in their respective chapter to help KFC Coordinators and the ministry. This move was to get more parents involves and gather feedback from the same parents as a means to hold more relevant activities for the kids (i.e. recollections for kids and parents).
He also shared an acronym for parents present to remember:
D – Develop the CFC Parenting Culture
A – Advocate Christian Parenthood
D – Deepen the Bond between Parent and Child
M – Modules to help parents in bringing their kids closer to God
O – Outpour of human resources for KFC activities & advocacies for transforming society
M – Model families sharing about their experiences
I am very hopeful that these plans will further bring more kids closer to Christ. As a parent, I pray that many more parents will be aware of their respective roles and be evangelizers of their domestic churches and society in general.
Former Sta. Lucia Realtor turned TV sports caster Richard del Rosario joins us in this picture
When I heard from Sta. Lucia Realtors Head Coach Boyet Fernandez in a TV interview that there will be a Fans’ Day on March 7 at the Sta. Lucia Grand East Mall in Marikina City, I told myself I wouldn’t pass on this rare opportunity to finally meet the members of MY PBA team.
So I filed a leave at the office and went to the fans day venue last Friday in the afternoon with Odette my wife and Joshua, my third son. The driver of the cab we got took a wrong turn somewhere in Marikina, finding ourselves in the mountain city of nearby Antipolo. Eventually, we got to the mall before the scheduled program despite the unexpected detour.
In fact there was still a little down time before the program started. We got to the line early giving us the opportunity to come inside the area with limited seats for the general public. While waiting, it also gave us a chance to pose for a picture with former Realtor turned TV host Richard del Rosario. Later during the program, Richard made a lot of people laugh with his remark that this All – Filipino victory meant that the team was already able to adjust without his presence. Levity aside, I believed Del Rosario was a vital member of the SLR team that won the Governor’s Cup in 2001. He was particularly known for his off the bench defense, called upon to effectively replace the Realtors’ frontline first stringers when needed.
The atmosphere came alive with the arrival of the Sta. Lucia team. Unfortunately absent were Kenny Williams – Conference MVP and Rookie of the Year Ryan Reyes. Both I understand where in the United States at the time.
With Assistant Coach Adonis Tierra
IdolSLRCenter Marlou Aquino holds my jersey with his no. – lucky 13!
With SLR Head Coach Boyet Fernandez
With SLR Manager Buddy Encarnando
Sta. Lucia Realtors amidst fans at the Sta. Lucia East Grand Mall
Joshua joins me and Coach Boyet in this picture
6’ 9 Marlou Aquino besides 5’ 11 Ferddie
The program begins!
Players play “Trip to Jerusalem” with fans
I realized that like many other teams’ fan base, SLR fans are a curious lot. They include gray haired matrons who flock to the Araneta rain or shine, to support their favorite team through thick or thin, male blue collar workers who debate whose going to win the NBA Finals (solid – Boston Celtics all the way!), a high school student with accompanying nanny from Project 8, a pesky person who shouts (Dipen! Yes you read it right, not defense – dipen!), and a whole lot more! Every one a true blooded fan! Everyone of them….everyone of us – Realtors!
“Newspaper Dance” came next
The Realtors prepare to show off their dancing prowess to fans
…by the Papaya dance!
Some strut out their individual dancing skills
Forward Nelbert Omolon sings with Pops Fernandez
Marlou accompanies Pops during a song and dance number
Each Realtor talks and thanks the fans for their support through thick and thin
We are the champions! The Realtors flash the victory sign
With 3 - point shooter and namesake Paolo Mendoza
With All Filipino Finals MVP – Dennis Espino
“The Ninja” – Fellow La Sallite Joseph Yeo
The pride of Mindanao and “barometer” of the Realtors - Nelbert Omolon
Seeing many players from my favorite team fresh from a long and fiercely fought campaign during the All-Filipino Conference really made my day today! My only regret during the whole experience was not getting one of their “Believe” Champions shirt many of which were given out during the parlor games. Maybe next championship…
I believe in the Sta. Lucia Realtors so I know there will be a lot more to come.
Like many fans Joshua and I believed – and it came!
P.S. A tribute to the Realtors was aired last night on Channel 5. An edited version of me being interviewed during the fans’ day beside Odette and Joshua was shown during the closing credits.
A few of days ago, my wife told me that Joshua was able to read a book from cover to cover. At the early age of five, I thought that was a great achievement. What book you may ask was he able to read in its entirety? He couldn’t have chosen a better children’s book to start a lifetime of reading than with Dr. Seuss’ “Green Eggs and Ham”.
Published in 1960, “Green Eggs and Ham” was the result of a $50 dollar wager between Dr. Seuss (whose real name was Theodor Seuss Geisel) and publisher Bennett Cerf. After finishing “Cat in the Hat” which used only 225 words, Cerf wagered that Dr. Seuss couldn’t come up with a book using only 50 words.
Not only did Dr. Seuss collect on that wager, but came out with one of the most loved and well received children’s book of all time.
The fifty words Dr. Seuss used were:
a like
am may
and me
anywhere mouse
are not
be on
boat or
box rain
car Sam
could say
dark see
do so
eat thank
eggs that
fox the
goat them
good there
green they
ham train
here tree
house try
I will
if with
in would
let you
Trivia # 1: 46 of the 50 words (all except car, Sam, train, and try) are of Germanic origin.
The book’s story is related totally through images and rhyming dialogue in the form of a cumulative tale, with a list of situations that gradually increase as the story moves forward.
Trivia # 2: 49 of the 50 words (except “anywhere”) are monosyllabic.
While Dr. Seuss utilized the anapestic tetrameter (a poetic meter used by many English poets) for most of his works, the meter of Green Eggs and Ham is described as a combination of trochaic and iambic tetrameter.
The iambs could be seen in the following excerpt:
I would not, could not, in a box.
I could not, would not, with a fox.
I will not eat them with a mouse.
I will not eat them in a house.
I will not eat them here or there.
I will not eat them anywhere.
I do not eat green eggs and ham.
I do not like them, Sam-I-am.
Trivia # 3: Dr. Seuss’ birthday is on March 2.
I wasn’t lucky as Joshua, having to settle for the more orthodox “Come and see…see Baby play ….see Bantay run” locally published children’s books.Actually, I first encountered Dr. Suess’ characters watching the 1971 CBS Cartoon TV Special adaptation of his equally popular “Cat in the Hat” story. I have loved Dr. Seuss books and characters ever since.
I came to know of Green Eggs and Ham much later as I was buying books at a Costco store in Humboldt County, California during my stay in the US as part of a Group Study Exchange (GSE) Team sponsored by the Rotary International.
Trivia # 4: Theodor Geisel also used the pen name Theo. LeSieg (Geisel spelled backwards)
Like Joshua, his two older brothers went though their young lives reading “Beginner Books” like Green Eggs and Ham. As for my youngest, I’m not going to be so surprised if Faith later makes it her first read book from cover to cover too.
What’s not to like in this very readable and visually appealing book? The appeal appears to be universal and cross cultural. From my own experience, it is even across generations.
Shalom! Ferddie's World is all about my life. This website takes a look at my ideas, interests and experiences. I share them in the hope that it may help other people in anyway, while also learning new things and making new friends in the process.
Location: Quezon City, National Capital Region, Philippines
I am currently 44 years old, married with four kids, a Filipino Roman Catholic who serves the public as a civil servant with the Office of the Ombudsman.
