Monday, May 30, 2005
LOST AND FOUND
I was once lost because of SFC(singles for Christ)... but I found myself also because of SFC: a deeper, better and renewed JORY.LOST, DEVASTATED and SHATTERED. That was what I felt before joining SFC because of a sudden end of a happy relationship. Just when you know that everything seems perfect and seamless, then it will come to an end.
That very special relationship with a friend ended because of his struggle and personal issues of his sexuality and his spirituality. It was a fight between following his homosexual inclinations and his service to GOD through the SFC. Yes, he was a member of the SFC community.
After the break-up, I lost my sanity. My work was affected. My friends saw me crying. But I admit that it was not the person I was crying over. I cried because the relationship we had was one of a kind.
Letting him go also unloaded the burden in me. Having a relationship with him made me realize that I was a culprit in his dilemma. I saw him in pain of this particular dillema. No one in the SFC community knew he was gay. Yet his members look up to him because he was a trusted leader and an inspiring speaker. I remember his words "I give a talk on personal healing yet I myself am not healed because of my sexuality"
It was hypocrisy. A betrayal of trust to his friends, family and the community.
Then I thought of joining SFC because it's the only way to understand the situation.
Joining the SFC community entailed a lot of discipline and patience. I attended the Christian Life Program every Thursday for 12 weeks: listening to speakers and sharing my thoughts after the talk. After my 6 pm out in the office, I have my Salsa Dance class for about an hour. Then I immediately leave the building just to catch the CLP talk on time. It was too exhausting but I survived that gruelling routine. I didn't miss any of the talks!!! Perfect attendance!
But during those talks, I had my struggles believing and trusting the speakers especially the men. Ideas would rush into my mind everytime a male speaker gives a talk: What if he's gay like my ex-boyfriend? Would I still believe in him? Is he a hypocrite??? It was a difficult fight for me. I had to overcome what I had in mind and to give everyone a benefit of the doubt.
I fought, struggled and won.
After winning my personal battle, I did not only bring back the sanity I had but I gained more than what I expected: new friends in the community, a grounded faith and a more personal and intimate relationship with God.
As an active member of the community, I serve the Gawad Kalinga Ministry specifically the tutorials for less fortunate kids. Just recently, I attended the Singles Weekend Retreat in Tagaytay from which I learned some new ideas and lessons: courage & insecurity, anger, true & false humility, guilt and repentance.
And now I found myself belonging to the SFC community which at first was the reason why I got lost...
MASAYA MAGING SFC!!!!
jory 1:57 PM
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Tuesday, May 17, 2005
JORY STRIKES AGAIN!!!! (BORACAY ADVENTURE)
The POISON EATERS are back!!!!!! Ayee, Shela and I call ourselves the POISON EATERS. The group name was derived from the news headline: "30 PUPILS EAT POISON, KILLED". We laughed so hard when we read it that we decided to call ourselves the POISON EATERS.Two months after our CEBU-CAGAYAN DE ORO-CAMIGUIN-BOHOL trip, Boracay was the destination for our next trip. Compared to our 4 province trip, this time we had all the time to relax and savor the white sands and waters in Boracay.
Here are the highlights of my BORACAY trip:
- met new friends: GERALD, CHRISTIAN, NING-NING, JING, ACHENA and JEZER
- had a mini show during our second night... bonfire dancing and singing THROUGH THE FIRE
- watched and cheered for the University of Mindanao in the Nestea Beach Volley
- enjoyed drinking my BANANA-AVOCADO shake in JONAS
- picture taking with Ayee doing our stunts
- seen BORGY MANOTOC, MARC NELSON, TISHA SILANG and JAY-R among others
The most memorable of all was on our way home. Ayee and Shela were fast asleep in their beds. I was roaming around the ship, Our Lady of Medjugorje. In the dining area, some passengers were singing in the videoke. I stopped, sat down and listened to their singing. The lady beside me asked if I wanted to sing. I told her I don't have any coins to pay for the songs. She told me she had a few and asked me to sing her song. So, I agreed and sang SOMEWHERE DOWN THE ROAD. After heartily singing my heart out, people around me clapped and cheered, They were asking for more. And to my surprise, they were giving me 5 peso coins just to sing more songs. Some requested their favorite songs. I also sang my videoke favorites: KAHIT ISANG SAGLIT, JUST ONCE and IKAW ANG LAHAT SA AKIN. But I could not let the night pass without singing my signature song: THROUGH THE FIRE. The passengers were so amazed that I belted out the high notes without faltering. I was so happy performing in front of them and seeing them appreciate. It was my MINI CONCERT!!!!! hahaha!!!
Here are few pics taken in Boracay:
MY SAND ART
ang cute!!!!
MY SOLO PICTURES
sun bathing
the coconut model
akyat pa
tampisaw sa buhangin
model na model ang pose
the bridge
the gymnast
the sand balls
dapa sa buhangin
sa bato
sa ibabaw ng bato
sandal sa bato
the swing
the swing 2
ang ganda ng likod
STUNTS WITH AYEE
ang bigat
lipad ayee
wala lang
liyad pa ayee
the best ito
nasa ilalim
SUNSET
with me
with parasail
the best sunset pic
with other people
ako yang nakaupo
HENNA
fresh pa lang
emote
A TYPICAL BORACAY DAY
kids at the beach
playing around
making sand balls
the locals
afternoon rest at the beach
jory 11:41 AM
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Thursday, May 05, 2005
THE TRANSFORMATION
the JORY that was and the JORY that is now
early high school
high school graduation
college pic
latest pic
jory 9:48 AM
4 comments
Monday, May 02, 2005
A YEAR AGO....
I remember vividly every detail of what happened exactly one year ago... APRIL 30-MAY 10 2004.... My First out of the country trip.... THAILAND, MALAYSIA, SINGAPORE...I miss my friends who were with me on our "BACKPACK" travel to Malaysia and Singapore... Fendi: his role as Nimfa (the maid) and the Princess Sarah Story... Bating: her golden singing voice and her sensitivity.... Chloe: her unpredictable silly antics and her peeings on the street of Malaysia and Singapore... Tolits: his hospitality and his kindness.... I MISS YOU GUYS!!!!!!!!
This is one adventure I could never forget. It was filled with so much adventure and laughter.
Unforgettable moments from the trip:
- stayed for only six hours in Singapore
- walked around Kuala Lumpur with a gumamela on my right ear
- the stories, the songs and the jokes we shared while on board the train to Malaysia
- travelling alone from Manila to Bangkok
- the tambayan, MBK mall
- walking in the rain just to see the Petronas Twin Towers
- partying in Landmark Hotel in Bangkok
- the delicious noodles in Penang
- the drama session and the fashion show in our room in Penang
- the Roselle Nava and Basil Valdez concert in BKK
- the MAC make-up make-over in Malaysia
What made this trip really memorable??? I think it's the group that made it more fun-filled. We were all "game" and we went along with each other well. There was never a dull moment with Fendi, Bating, Chloe and Tolits around.
I know it's hard to repeat this kind of adventure with the same people. Why? We now take different roads and it's a miracle that our paths would cross again. Fendi is busy preparing his papers for his wedding in Sweden. Chloe and Bating are enjoying their lives with their own boyfriends. Tolits is now commited to a Thai. We may now have separate lives to take but the memories will still remain.
I MISS YOU FENDI, BATING, CHLOE & TOLITS!!!!!!!!!!!
PETRONAS TWIN TOWERS
ON BOARD THE TRAIN
jory 3:20 PM
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