February 17, 2017, a cold, rainy Friday morning when B1’s first prayer assembly, entitled “Set Apart,” was held. But not even the gloomy day could douse the burning fires in our hearts, especially us 2016 graduates, who were really looking forward to this activity after a long break since our Covenant Orientation Weekend.
We were welcomed warmly by the service team and surprisingly, a photo booth was being set up at the side. The venue was filled with light chatters and greetings while we were being pumped up by our lively music ministry. Bro. JM Comia, our chapter leader who always had smiles for everyone, led us into glorifying our Creator through a very heartfelt morning worship. Worship always feels like coming home, always feels like being embraced, and always makes you feel so overwhelmed that you cannot contain the joy and bliss in your heart that you cannot help but cry. So when Bro. JM had asked us to pair up and pray for each other, one can only imagine the liters of tears shed, especially when others went out of their way to pray for another besides their prayer partners. It was such a beautiful sight to behold.
After calming our overjoyed and full hearts, Bro. JM had asked us to settle down. He told us what it meant to be “Set Apart.” He said that each one of us were handpicked and called to be a part of SFC and to serve the Lord, then quoting 2 Timothy 2:21. He has reassured us, time and time again, even in other opening prayers that he had led, that even if we are full of flaws and that we do not feel worthy to be chosen, we are all worthy of God’s love, that the Lord does not look at our shortcomings and failures; that the Lord has called us to be here, to testify in His goodness and to spread His love. Bro. JM had also noted the importance of our household as a part of our growth in the community and as a vessel in strengthening our relationship with The Father. And with these, he had beckoned three sharers who brought so much inspiration to us.
Sis. Kristine Languisan, my friend since adolescence, fellow household member, and fellow 2016 graduate, was called first. She shared about her growth as a person and in the community. Through her renewed faith, she felt as if she was redeemed and that there were too many changes in her life compared to a year ago. She had mentioned the bond of our household, how each and every member is a source of strength, hope, love, and clarity. She revealed that each of us is growing as well. Our household leader, Sis. Dessa, had become more outgoing and active and was told that she was “stepping out of her shell.” Our youngest, Sis. Kay Anne had become more open and vocal. Sis. Kim was very open to our advices, despite being our eldest. Sis. Eden, despite her busy work schedule, always makes it to a point to be present in our prayer meetings. She also stated the strength of prayers. A single prayer holds so much power, what more with the effort of 6 people? She cited me as a sample of our answered prayer, that after almost a year of being given hope and that hope being taken away due to the slow progress of processing my documents, I would be able to start work in the hospital who had called me last April. Through each member repeating the petitions and thanks of another, she said, “Our household meeting runs about 3.5 hours, ‘pigil pa.’” According to Romans 12:12, “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” And it is through our household, we have learnt the generosity in prayers.
Sis. Beyc Bondoc, a very fun and active sister that I also look up to, was called next. She shared about her uncertainty in being tapped as a discussion group leader during our CLP, and then as a household leader. She divulged the reason for her hesitancy by giving us a brief background on how she started with the community. She had mentioned that after graduating CLP, she joined most of the ministries and she enjoyed it a lot that she became very active in her service. However, she felt somewhat alone, for the sisters who journeyed with her during their CLP days, weren’t growing along with her. She felt less and less of them during their household meetings as well. She felt dubious on how she would be able to handle leading a group of people, how she would take care of them and nurture their spiritual growth, when she herself feels that she lacks the pastoral knowledge or foundation to do so. She braved herself and said, “Yes!” despite her woes. For in Proverbs 3:5-6, it is said, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” She had found strength to succumb to His plans and mentioned that she feels superfluously blessed now because of the members given to her. She felt that each of them was given to her, especially for her. Now, she doesn’t have to grow alone in her household. She has 5 other sisters to grow with.
Bro. RJ Pastora, a very dedicated brother with unending amount of determination, was last called. This was not the first time he had shared something so inspiring to us, but he really left us in awe. He talked about how his household leader’s efforts molded and inspired him to be the household leader that he is now. He mentioned his group’s struggle since their CLP days and noted that not all of them graduated. After this, one by one, his fellow members became inactive or weren’t always available for a household meeting which left him and his leader, Bro. Dindo, to fully rely on each other. I find it very moving that the absence of his other brothers did not hinder Bro. RJ to continue his journey, deepen his faith, and grow in the community. As mentioned in Matthew 18:20, “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” And because he saw how devoted Bro. Dindo was, he became devoted to his set of members as well. He proudly informed us that the members given to him during their CLP graduated together and that they were very eager to always meet up and have their household meeting and always looking forward to the next teaching or activity. Through his experience with his household leader, he makes it to a point to regularly have one-on-ones with his member, even if his work is situated in another emirate.
After the sharing, we were asked to write a love letter to our past and future selves. While Bro. JM, was telling us that this was the time to come into terms and forgive ourselves for our past mistakes, and to give advices to the person who we will become, I found myself writing in my usual small fonts continuously, having so much to tell both past and future self. Mostly saying how proud I am that the hurdles in my life were successfully conquered, how wrong decisions made me stronger in so many ways, how the delay of my aspirations made me more patient, how difficult times could be surpassed through motivation and hanging onto the strong ropes of faith and prayers, and how I should not forget about this in the long run, especially now, that SFC has become another source of strength asides from family and other close friends. It made me realize how grateful I am that I never succumbed to these trials and that the values instilled by my parents and their prayers for me have always guided me to the right path, and it made me acknowledge that faith is such a strong weapon against all the hardships we face.
We ended the prayer assembly with very fond smiles, both to ourselves and to others. We were all asked to take photos with our household, units, ministries, to indicate the strength of the bonds formed to make SFC, to make us feel we #Belong, are #Beloved, and #Blessed.
May God Be Praised!
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