Khane turns 3

Be the best of whatever you are

(The Benguet State University Secondary Education Training Department (BSU-SETD) Class 1989 will be having a reunion on December 11, 2010. I can recall that our class graduation song was this song by Douglas Malloch. Maybe it is nice to sing it once again, and indeed live up to what it says. See you all.-che)

BE THE BEST OF WHATEVER YOU ARE
by Douglas Malloch

If you can't be a pine on the top of the hill
Be a scrub in the valley--but be
The best little scrub by the side of the rill;
Be a bush if you can't be a tree.

If you can't be a bush be a bit of the grass,
And some highway some happier make;
If you can't be a muskie then just be a bass--
But the liveliest bass in the lake!

We can't all be captains, we've got to be crew,
There's something for all of us here.
There's big work to do and there's lesser to do,
And the task we must do is the near.

If you can't be a highway then just be a trail,
If you can't be the sun be a star;
It isn't by size that you win or you fail--
Be the best of whatever you are!

Domingo Quitongan Casiwan

(Nov. 27, 1010 marks Daddy's first death anniversary. Even as we do remember him often, I wish to re-post this blog article I posted a year ago.-che)

"THE WARRIOR IS A CHILD"

"Lately I've been winning battles left and right.
But even winners can get wounded in the fight."

Daddy has been fighting since childhood. He fought for his future when at an early age in Agawa village, his father died. He decided that education is his way out so he traveled to La Trinidad and fought for his education. Washing dishes in the then famous Manila Café in Baguio city was just one of his many bouts. God was gracious enough to use his perseverance, and win him a degree and a first job at Easters’ School (now Easter College) as a teacher. He later moved to the then Mountain State Agricultural College, now Benguet State University (BSU).

When God granted him a scholarship to the UK for a diploma course, he thought diplomas are almost not recognized in the Philippines compared with degrees so while completing the course, he applied for a scholarship to be able to pursue an MS degree. In his words, “I never studied very hard that much in my whole life.” By God’s grace, he got himself a scholarship and went on to get his MS degree at Reading University.

He had his share of flaws. When he was young and not so young, he kept fighting his drinking problem. He was a mess when a drunk. He can be found sleeping in some sari-sari store or outside our door. He always tried to control, but always, he was unsuccessful. It took Christ's power and a redeemed heart for him to finally be able to stop.

He fought and worked hard for our family. At some period, we were five going to different universities all at the same time. How unimaginable for parents this time. “That education is the only inheritance he can leave us“ became almost a cliché for the household because of how often he repeated it. He nailed to our minds the value of getting an education. (He silently wished one of us would take up Law, which was his one unfulfilled dream.) I cannot remember anymore what our discourse then was about, but his teasing voice saying "I thought you are intelligent!" with a triumphant laugh subsequently became a household phrase or punchline, even now in my own family.

At BSU, God raised him through the ranks and allowed him to achieve full professorship some years before he retired. He often fought for the faculty and staff. He had detractors, yet often, when there was something the faculty or staff would like to lobby, he was always urged or entreated to assert or be the spokesperson. I know this from his many accounts of how people can be friends or foes depending on the circumstance, and how so often, people forget. He had shortcomings and made mistakes yet I know in those 36 years, he sincerely served and fought for BSU in many little ways unknown to many. When his stint as VP for research was ending, we were discussing whether he should go for renewal during one of our weekend talks. I opined, "What for, when you can just enjoy life sans the stress and the intrigues."

He fought for the pigs, the chicken, the pig raisers. I remember how he was sometimes sought for by neighbors who had sick pigs. He was often mistaken to be a Vet (Dr.) as he was a PhD holder in Animal Science and called Dr. He fought for indigent communities whom he didn’t know. He facilitated a HELP project, a yearly program where students from some British Universities visit the Philippines for sightseeing, but at the same time establish at least one community project they themselves construct with the help of local folks.

Always, he fought for his kakailian (co-villagers). He was a member of the Agawa people’s organization, and a long-time adviser to the Agawa credit cooperative based in Baguio and Benguet. He has been in La Trinidad for around two-thirds of his lifetime, yet he always cherished the times with his kakailian during lalapet, an old Agawa village tradition of eating lalapet, a sort of rice cake – powdered rice and glutinous rice filled with roasted grated peanuts steamed in banana leaves. He boasts of the small Agawa credit cooperative which now has a million-pesos worth assets. It is both conjecture and prayer on my part, but I think in God's sovereignty, his life story inspired and will continue to inspire our kakailian regarding the virtue of hard work and learning.

Months before he was about to retire from the University, he was diagnosed with chronic renal failure. He had to undergo dialysis twice then later thrice a week. This started his long fight with life. He said, it was painful and tiring, but along with mama, he fought with bravery the frequent dialysis sessions, congestions, and the handful of drug capsules and tablets he had to take before or after every meal. He recognized that death is in God’s time, yet human as he is, he asked God to tarry a little while longer if possible. Every injection, every handful of medicines, every hospital admission was a fight for another week, another month, another year. God was gracious enough to him and to our family in those five years.

In August this year, for reasons unknown, he suddenly lost control of his nerves and muscles. He was diagnosed with a spinal problem and couldn’t move from his neck down. His body was weak, but with his mind still sharp, he tried to reconcile God’s love and his tremendous suffering. This started his fight with his own faith, alternating between his assurance of an eternal life with Christ and his human desire to live for a little time more. He recognized how blessed he was in his lifetime, but in his pain and suffering, poverty in spirit overcame him.

A week before he died, he told mama he is tired, and asked to be given a week.

"He drops his sword and cries for just a while.
Cuz deep inside this armor, the warrior is a child."

"Judging by the wrong standards"

(Below are excerpts from the book "What is a Healthy Church Member?" by Thabiti M. Anyabwile. Great reading. - che)

Another thing that often misguides Christians when it comes to spiritual group is the tendency to judge our well-being by comparing ourselves to others. Many Christians are relativists in this way. The Pharisee was proud before God that he "was not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector."...

Jonathan Edwards's eighth resolution is a better approach. Edwards wrote:

"RESOLVED, To act, in all respects, both speaking and doing, as if nobody had been so vile as I, and as if I had committed the same sins, or had the same infirmities or failings, as others, and that I will let the knowledge of their failings promote nothing but shame in myself, and prove only an occasion of my confessing my own sins and misery to God." (Source: The Works of Jonathan Edwards, vol. 1 (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1998),Lxii.)

If we're focusing on others in an attempt to justify ourselves before God or to "exalt ourselves" as "giants of the faith," we will not only not grow as we ought, but we will also delude ourselves into thinking we're better than we are. And we may be sure that God will humble us. So it is better to humble ourselves and trust in the grace of God than to be opposed by God because of pride (James 4:6; 1 Pet. 5:5)

The End of the Struggle

By Stanley Voke

Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness
My beauty are, my glorious dress.

A small boy came home one day from Sunday school and said, “Mum, we had a new hymn today. It said that Jesus knows all about our struggles.” Then pensively he added, “You know, that isn’t right. We don’t struggle. Only snails struggle.” This reminds me of a caption I once saw in a missionary magazine. It showed a snail crawling and a bird flying, under which were the words, “What are you—snail or bird?” Some African Christians, blessed at a convention, were seen going home singing, their faces shining with joy. Others said, “Look at those Christians—they are like birds flying.” But they themselves knew how different it could be when their hearts were not right with Jesus. Then they could be like snails, earthbound, selfbound, struggling instead of soaring.

If we see only the plumbline putting us in the sinner’s place so that we remain in the state of feeling sinful, we shall be like snails—struggling. Seeing sin does not set us free—we need Jesus. For every one look at sin, said Murray McCheyne, take ten looks at Christ. Then indeed we are like birds that fly.

The struggle for righteousness

J.B. Philips translates the fourth verse of Romans 10 by saying, ‘Christ means the end of the struggle for righteousness,’ thus throwing light on the Authorized Version: ‘Christ is the end of the law for righteousness.’ There is in all of us a struggle to get and keep our own righteousness, which is why it is so hard to come to the sinner’s place.

This struggle is as old as Adam and Eve who, when charged with sin in Eden, at once put the blame on one another and finally on the serpent, while at the same time they made garments of fig leaves to give themselves some sort of covering from the holy eyes of God. By the time of the New Testament, the struggle was well under way, for the whole Jewish religion was a developed attempt to achieve righteousness by works. Of the Jews of his day, Paul said, they were ever ‘going about to establish their own righteousness,’ rather than submit themselves to the righteousness of God.

We are all the same. Have you ever watched children build a sand castle on the beach before an incoming tide? Frantically they heap up their walls, patting the soft sand into solidity and reinforcing it with sticks and stones only to see it washed away at the last. So we go round and round to establish our defences against the waves of other people’s criticisms. For some of us life becomes one long struggle to be what we know all too well we are not.

The struggle for attainment

One phase of this battle for own righteousness is the struggle to reach a standard of perfection. We have seen how the plumbline of God holds us to a perfect standard and the danger is that life may become a prolonged attempt to reach it. We become Christians under law instead of grace, so that instead of living in peace, we are torn with tension. Sometimes we set the standard ourselves by picturing the kind of Christian we ought to be. We follow an ideal image in our minds. It is as though we see the man we ought to be standing on some lofty height calling us on as we struggle vainly up the slopes, yet he never lends us a helping hand.

Of course other people set the standard for us too. Everyone can tell us what we ought to be. We hear sermons and read books showing us the kind of Christians we should be, which only makes us feel guilty if we are sensitive, and self-satisfied if we are not. People put us on pedestals expecting this and that of us until life becomes one long struggle to be what others demand. So we live on under law trying to keep up to the standards, while behind us is God’s relentless law never letting us off; never lifting us up.

Are you a Christian living under law? Living under continual condemnation because you feel all the time you ought to be a better Christian, who prays more, does more, gives more? You are chained to a moral yardstick. You live under a yoke and a burden when all the while Jesus wants to give you rest.

The struggle to keep our reputation

Another aspect of this struggle for righteousness is the fight for reputation. We are all reputation-conscious. Some of us have a reputation--it may be for piety, efficiency, leadership, preaching, housekeeping, anything! Others of us wish we had a reputation. Once acquired, or assumed, it can haunt us, dog us, browbeat us, wear us to shreds. Bondage to reputation can be sheer slavery, and yet did we but know, it is only a form of struggle for our own righteousness. We are unwilling to be known as failures along any line.

The struggle for appearance

The struggle for righteousness consequently becomes a struggle for appearance which simply means that somewhere we end up with being dishonest about ourselves. I once a heard a man speak to children about eggs. He had three of them with labels attached. One egg was stale and it told us it was not what it used to be. The second was half-hatched and it announced it was not what it hoped to be. But the third was rotten and although it looked good, was honest enough to tell us it was not what it seemed to be.

It is not true that we seem to be what we are not, like the Jews whose struggle for righteousness led them inevitably into hypocrisy. The trouble with success is that we dare not be failures for if we are to keep our reputation we cannot admit ignorance or sin. That would be to collapse the sand castle before the tide had even come in. It is better to struggle on even to breaking point than admit some need that would mean others knowing us as we really are.

The tragedy of all this is the idea that we find favour with God by reaching standards. This is precisely where we are wrong. Again Phillips’ translation helps us in Romans 10, verse 5: ‘The man who perfectly obeys the law shall find life in it’—which is theoretically right but impossible in practice. If we could attain God’s standard we should be blessed. But we cannot, so wend by being cursed. The very law that was designed to give us life has become the means of death, not because there is anything wrong with the standard itself, but because we sinners are unable to reach it.

Christ the end of the struggle

What a relief it is when we see Christ as the end of all this. He is the end of the struggle for righteousness since He not only fulfilled the law for us, but was cursed for us as well. He has not only attained our perfection but atoned for our imperfection. There is nothing more to struggle about, for He has done all for us and God asks nothing now but our repentance and faith.

All the fitness He requireth
Is to feel your need of Him.

How beautifully Joy Davidman puts it: “The only way to get rid of sin is to admit it, for without honesty, repentance, forgiveness and grace are impossible. The Christian does not go around all the time feeling guilty. It is the unfortunate creature who denies the existence of sin in general and his own in particular who must go on carrying it. The way to freedom consists in honest confession and repentance that can open our hearts to the Comforter.” To open our souls to God’s grace means He not only saves us from being the people we are, but changes us into those we ought to be.

How easy it is! The only way to get rid of sin is to admit it! Why is this so hard? Surely because it means letting go our own righteousness which is the very thing we do not like doing. Yet how can we have Christ’s perfect robe of righteousness if we insist on keeping our own? It is impossible.

Jesus is our perfect righteousness. When we come to Him we need no other. The struggle for righteousness is over and He becomes our reputation and glory. We need not fear to come to the sinner’s place, for when we don, it is to cease from our own works, to stop trying to what we are not and admit instead what we are. At that point we accept Christ’s own righteousness, we are justified before God and enter into peace. This is God’s basic blessing for us, and the only true way to peace and joy.

Cast your deadly doing down,
Down at Jesus’ feet.
Stand in Him, in Him alone,
Gloriously complete.

(Friends, I find this a good read. I found it in a Gospel Transformation series from World Harvest Mission. It is a good read when trying to understand the Doctrine of Justification, which as the lesson posits is really not just relevant in the beginning of Christian life, but is also something we need to believe everyday of our Christian lives.)

Rice self-sufficiency: the elusive dream (Part 1)

Before I entered PhilRice in 1993, I really didn’t care whether my country was self-sufficient in rice or not, as I only know about raising strawberries and knew rice only as food on the table with or without viand (there was milk or sugar to eat it with anytime, anyway, as my Ibaloi husband would recount always of his foreigner cousin’s line: “In Bodihew, I ate dabay!” , but that is another story). When I entered PhilRice, I sort of just embraced the policy of rice self-sufficiency which I read was PhilRice’s ultimate mission. I even brought this optimism to graduate school so that in one of our courses in Macroeconomics, when our professor asked about the policy direction of PhilRice, I proudly and nonchalantly answered “rice self-sufficiency”. The reaction of my Professor which I so remember to this date was a dismissing “God bless PhilRice.” The comment kind of breached my optimism and made me wary about every news of a projected target year when rice self-sufficiency will be achieved. True enough, every change of administration, every change of Agriculture secretary brought a new target year. Yet there never was a target year met.

Ten years after, I got a chance to work with a Harvard-graduate, former Department of Agriculture policy analyst, then IRRI economist who opined, complete with facts and figures, about the ‘difficulties’ of the Philippines’ short-run self-sufficiency policy and the wisdom of probably following the Malaysian rice policy path still not forgetting to work for self-sufficiency in the long run. This time in my mind, “Well maybe, it’s really not too bad if we are a little less than self-sufficient, we can always import from our neighbors and it is even cheaper.” I actually felt better knowing that our being not self-sufficient was not really because our farmers are lazier or our technologies cruder but that really, we are just less endowed with land and rivers. It bred a new line of optimism in me: maybe, it’s not just about rice self-sufficiency at all costs; maybe it’s also about diversifying farmers’ income, diversifying crops, and improving the rural non-farm economy.

Bringing with me this new optimism, I left PhilRice again for graduate school only to witness from a distance the soaring rice prices in my beloved country, the seemingly lack of rice in the world market, the alleged hoarding of rice by rice-exporting countries, and the wild search of explanation for this ‘event’ by PhilRice and IRRI policy researchers. At one point, I personally witnessed how fishers’ wives scrambled to Gloria’s Bigasan ng Bayan every Tuesday mornings in Sagurong, San Miguel Island in Albay to get their P18 per kg-NFA rice because the markets were selling at P30 to P35. While the seller (the owner of the house where I stayed in the duration of my field work) was instructed to sell only to the poorest of the poor households, this policy led to conflicts over who is poor or not, so what she did was to defy the policy, make her own schedule, and ensure that all households get a share of the village allotment. The stark reality of the benefits of being rice self-sufficient once again dawned on me. (At that point, I was mighty glad I was working on a research subject related to marine resource conservation, not on rice socioeconomics or policy!)

Now I am back in the Philippines: new Philippine president, new Agriculture secretary, same policy direction: rice self-sufficiency at all costs; rice self-sufficiency to be achieved in 2013, 2015, 2019, 2020, 2025 (a.k.a in the secretary’s term of office). Now I am back at PhilRice: new director, seemingly new R&D programs, same policy direction: rice self-sufficiency at all costs. (Now I am back at PhilRice: a household of my own, P30 per kg rice, a son who eats ‘dabay’, a husband who eats 2 cups rice and now half, same policy direction: save on anything but not on food; rice self-sufficiency at all costs!)

So (after that long introduction), what is my “take” on rice self-sufficiency?

Policy direction: Sustainable rice self-sufficiency

Year it can be achieved (business as usual): unattainable

Year it can be achieved (with interventions): ~ 2040 onwards

How? (Old solutions, not short-term solutions): Water, water, water and seeds

Reliable, controllable and affordable irrigation water supply

Facts and Figures

- Average yield in irrigated ecosystem has more than one ton per hectare advantage over rainfed areas

- Around 600,000 hectares difference in area harvested during wet season and dry season

- Around 9% of the increase in yield from 1997 to 2007 period is owing to irrigation (Mataia, et al., 2009)

- Around one ton per hectare yield difference between irrigated wet season and rainfed wet season

- Around 1.5 ton per hectare yield difference between irrigated dry season and rainfed dry season

- Technology adoption is much higher in irrigated ecosystem (PhilRice-SED data)

- Reason for non-adoption of existing crop management technologies especially on land preparation, nutrient management, land preparation : unreliable, uncontrollable or unaffordable irrigation water supply

- The existing package of modern rice technologies works best with proper irrigation.

Pragmatic solutions (not short-term)

- Government must have the political will to rehabilitate existing irrigation systems and invest in new feasible large irrigation systems

- Encourage private investments in small-scale irrigation systems

- Gasoline/diesel price stabilization?

- Watershed improvement (forest watersheds and lowland watersheds)

- Call for applicable low-cost technologies for rain water harvesting (aside from dams)

- Explore pond system common in China?

- Drop seed and fertilizer subsidies, (price support might be better continued)

Better seeds

Facts and Figures

- Adoption of high quality seeds is the main driver of yield growth in recent years.

- Around 18% and 15% of the increase in yield from 1997 to 2007 period is owing to use of certified and hybrid seeds, respectively (Mataia, et al., 2009)

Pragmatic solutions (not short-term)

- Increase budget for R&D

- More proactive extension (allotment of funding) of high quality seeds by LGU

And now for some wild ideas (Facts and figures on the making):

-At least 1 single rice-farming household member to work as OCW for at least 5 years
- At least 1 household member of a rice farm household given scholarship for tertiary education
- Improving the rural non-farm economy

And some moves that just might contribute (Facts and figures on the making):

- Support RH bill!
- Privatize extension system for selected rice technologies

(Been wanting to blog about rice self-sufficiency for a long time, but was never able to do it. When I found out that the new Agriculture secretary was banking on upland rice for his quest of rice self-sufficiency in 2013, and the PhilRice budget for 2011 is cut from 400M+ to 90M+, it triggered anew my desire to blog about the topic. Can do much better with the facts and figures, but forgive my rush notes. I hope I am wrong, but I don't see us being sustainably rice self-sufficient from 2013. Much that I would like to pray that we can achieve the target, I find it an unrealistic target (even if by divine providence, the weather will permit it, it may not be sustainable). Please forgive the pessimism, and the 'disloyalty' to my institution at least in this area, but my faith fails me. For comments, try the facebook although I open it usually once a week).

Broken world, broken lives

(I found this list in a "Gospel Transformation" lesson series from the World Harvest Mission. Goal: to acknowledge more fully the different areas of a fallen world that can pressure us, tempt us, or bring suffering into our lives. Indeed, indeed, yet some are harder to see than others.)

The suffering and pressures of life: a closer look

1. Relationships. Kids misbehaving, boss at work, family upbringing, husband or wife's neglect, anger, or criticism, in-laws, siblings, people in general (their actions, opinions), physical abuse, sexual abuse, bad role models.

2. Possessions. Car, house, computer, washing machine, lawnmower, television: anything that can break, mess up, or damage something! Lack of possessions, not enough money to make ends meet.

3. Biology/genetics. Sickness, food cravings, PMS, menopause, old age, deformity, injury, panic attacks, depression, anxiety, death, rain, snow, humidity.

4. Work/career. Lack of time, exams, lack of sleep, job concerns, cooking, housekeeping, routine, finances, Monday mornings!

5. Fallen world. Death in family, tears, sorrow, depression, pain, thorns and thistles, and meaninglessness.

6. Satan and the world. The world tempts us to conform, either by force or by seduction. Our culture can tempt us according to various things that are "important" for our culture, such as respect, independence, beauty or superiority.

7. Sinful nature. As Christians, we live with two realities, two natures--the old and the new. The old pressures us towards sin. The sinful nature fights against the Spirit.

8. The wilderness. We are a wilderness community who has not yet entered the Promised Land. Like the Israelites, we are faced with lack of water, same food, same schedule, dust, heat, same clothes, and uncertainty.

9. Good things. Blessings, success at job, unexpected gifts, good family life, promotion, increase in salary, better living conditions. It is harder to see these as temptations, but they can be powerful. Consider the prayer in Proverbs 30:8-9: "Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, "Who is the LORD?" Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God."

Nice question!

Whenever my two-year old son finds something delicious, or is satisfied with how he has stacked his blocks, or finds fulfillment in something he thinks he has accomplished, or sees something he thinks is beautiful, he says his classic "nice" or "mama, nice" or "daddy, nice." It might be the incorrect word on many occasions, but I let it be and even I have allowed myself to use the word increasingly.

I find the following question posed by a certain Stephen Covey nice,

"How many on their deathbeds wished they'd spent more time at the office--or watching TV?"

And the answer nice.

"No one. They think about their loved ones, their families, and those they have served."

And if I may add, probably for those who believe in a Heaven and a glorious body, and maybe even for those who don't, they also think on their deathbeds about whether they or their loved ones will go to Heaven or not.

Nice.

Kaizen

On Accountability to Others

Five Building Blocks for Relationship/Fellowship
1. Authenticity - being genuine/real
2. Courtesy - respecting differences, being considerate of each others' feelings and being patient with people
who irritate us
3. Mutuality - mutual encouragement, mutual honoring, mutual accountability
4. Hospitality
5. Unity

"Leadership is influence."

"If you want to impress people, share your success. If you want to influence people, share your failures." - John Maxwell

On Work Ethic and Professionalism

Two major points: Integrity and Excellence

On integrity - wholeness and consistency

Demonstrations of integrity
- honesty
- faithfulness
- impartiality and fairness
- concern for others' interest
- concern for the nation

On excellence
- continue to improve yourself (Kaizen is a Japanese philosophy of 'continuous improvement)
- be proactive
- proactive people focus on 'circle of influence' (things you have control of) not on 'circle of concern' (things
you have no control of)
- be disciplined
- finishing what you start
- focus
- persevere

On Accountability to God

1. Know the Lord.
2. Love the Lord.
2. Obey the Lord.

"It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man." - Ps. 118:8

(All these are excerpts and quotable quotes during our two-day WE MEAN (work ethic, moral enrichment, accountability and integrity) workshop. Our facilitators are Engr. Sito Silva and wife, and Mr. Inan-che).

Senseless Suffering- - or Pain with a Purpose

(Below is a devotional from www.livingchrist360.com adapted from chapter 7 of Bryan Chapell’s book Holiness By Grace: Delighting in the Joy That is Our Strength (Crossway, 2001).

Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”

— Hebrews 12:3–6

A pastor once told me of the many challenges he encountered in his first two years of ministry: adulteries among the leaders of his church, multiple terminal illnesses and tragedies of young and old, intense political and generational battles within the congregation. He began to wonder how much more he could take. Then he happened to overhear a young woman in the church say to his wife, “I wonder what God is preparing your husband to do that requires him to face so much so early in his ministry.”

Those simple words changed the pastor’s life. He said, “They reminded me that God lets nothing in our lives go to waste. He was preparing me for more service, both by making me tender in learning to care for those who were suffering, and in making me hard so that I could endure their and my pain. Knowing that there was a purpose in my difficulties enabled me to serve God with more courage and conviction.”

God’s discipline of us can be preparatory as well as corrective. He may use a fiery trial to prepare us for greater usefulness or as a means to turn us from sin, or as a combination of both to make us both more tender and more hard than we have been. When we experience loneliness, disdain, poverty, abuse, unfair accusation, fear, betrayal, heartache, fatigue, and trial, our hearts remain tender toward those facing similar difficulties. Even when there is no direct benefit to us, the discipline we experience enables us to sympathize with those who suffer and, consequently, to maintain a biblical concern for them.

Such discipline also loosens our grasp on the temporary distractions and temptations of this world and gives us a clearer vision of the next world’s priorities and promises. Like our Savior, we learn to walk through life with eyes and energies focused on future glory.

Knowing that God has a purpose for our hardship, that his intention is always to bring an ultimate good even when it requires a temporary hurt, we will “not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him” (Heb. 12:5). May we never lose sight of this essential truth, and may we never despise the God who works so mysteriously—yet so wondrously—in our lives!

(I thank God for His love and discipline. The discipline I myself experienced was both corrective and preparatory. It is the gravity that keeps my feet on the ground and keeps me from being judgmental. It reminds me always about God's amazing love and grace. Wondrous!, wondrous!, indeed. - che)

Kochi Yorokobi Kristo Kyoukai

A Lifetime in Kochi

I will remember Kochi as the place where God allowed me to experience many of life’s major milestones – married life, baby, death of a parent, and this coming March, graduation. I came here in autumn of 2006 to pursue my PhD at Kochi University, but by God’s sovereignty, more things unfolded, and three years, in a way, became a lifetime of experience. Looking back, I could not be more glad and grateful for this place.

It was in Kochi where I experienced the wonder and pains of childbirth. And the efficient care of the Nankoku city health center and my Japanese doctor, and the utmost kindness of a Japanese friend helped us greatly. My son who is now two years old will soon probably find it weird to be writing Nankoku city as his birthplace, yet it will forever remind us of God’s goodness and grace while we were here in Kochi. After all, Kochi is a sister province of Benguet province in the Philippines where I was born and raised.

I remember the kindness and prayers of the Japanese brethren at Kochi Yorokobi Kristo Kyoukai in Asakura. They painstakingly stuck and prayed with me when I got married, when I was pregnant, when I gave birth, while I was doing my research, and writing my dissertation, when I heard the news of my father’s death, when I was having my oral presentation and final examinations all in a span of more than three years. Their faith in Christ, and love encouraged me a lot.

So as I prepare to return to my beloved country, the resilient pearl in the orient, I will remember with joy and thanksgiving the wonders and lessons of this lifetime in Kochi. I thank God for his all-time grace and intelligent design. I thank the Japanese government for granting me a scholarship. I thank my professors at Kochi University who supervised my research. I thank the Japanese volunteers for foreign students at Kochi city and Nankoku city for their many help. And I thank the people in Kochi for maintaining such a laid-back but efficient place that was my home for more than three years.

(This is an account of my stay in Kochi which I wrote for the Kochi-Benguet Newsletter produced by the Kochi International Association [KIA]. I should add that I did not know about this Benguet-Kochi sisterhood relationship when I went there to study. -che)

Testimony of God's Goodness and Grace

Good morning. Thank you very much for this chance to testify before you about how I came to know the true gospel of Christ, and about His amazing grace while I was here in Kochi. My conversion story is not as dramatic as Marlon’s. In my case, it was a gradual process. When I was a child, I attended Sunday school. Sunday after Sunday, I just went with my parents to church. One day in my final year in elementary, after the Pastor’s message, I understood that I am a sinner and that I need Christ to come into my heart.

Later in high school, although I continued going to church and participating in youth activities, it soon just became a routine, and I started to wonder about the real purpose of life. Was life just about going to school and church, getting a job, earning some money, getting married, bearing kids, and then sending them to school, and the cycle will repeat itself again and on and on. In college, while joining a campus Bible study, God made me realize that life is not just the cycle that I thought it was. He made me understand from the Word of God the purpose of my existence, which is well summarized in the Westminster Confession of Faith this way: “The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever”. God made me understand that real satisfaction in life is not found in being an honor student in school, not in having friends, not in graduating and having a good job, not even in marrying and having successful children. But that real satisfaction, real joy, comes only from understanding His grace through faith.

I really thank God that He allowed me to understand this truth. This truth helped me a lot to rise up whenever I failed Him and whenever I had difficulties since I started working. It is also because of His grace and mercy that I was able to accept His will that I serve him as Marlon’s partner. At that time, I struggled a lot because I feel so unworthy and sinful. I was and am still afraid. But God continues to remind me of His love, that He died for me, has forgiven all my sins and paid all the penalty, and that He is in control.

Here in Japan, I also saw God’s tremendous grace in my life. When I found out I was pregnant and my adviser did not agree that Marlon will come, I struggled. It is natural and understandable that he should be angry, because I came here to study, yet I also knew that a child is a gift from God. By His grace, I did not have many complications in my pregnancy, my adviser accepted my condition, God allowed Marlon to come here, He provided me Inoue-san to help me even if it was painstakingly time-consuming for her. He also provided me this church, Hoshizawa sensei and Naoko sensei, all of you who all have been very kind to me, to us, to Khane, prayed for us, loved us.

Of course, there were difficult and discouraging times. There were times when I wanted to quit my studies and just go back home. When news of my father’s death came, again I struggled. He wanted to see me finish, and encouraged me to do my best and graduate. But why didn’t he wait for me to graduate? In all these, God, through Marlon, would remind me of His sovereignty. That Christ who was without sin suffered a lot more to save me is an encouragement assuring me that Christ is more than able to sympathize with me.

Brethren, I thank and praise God for His grace through His son Jesus Christ. He put faith in my heart, and He is sovereign and in control even when I cannot exercise strong faith or when circumstances are difficult to understand. I believe that God has allowed all these experiences to prepare me and my family for our life ahead in whatever ministry He has called us to do. For this, please continue praying for us. I thank and praise God for all of you. And from my heart, I thank you all very much for your prayers, for your encouragement, for just being my brothers and sisters in Christ, indeed. I sure have many stories to tell Khane about God’s goodness and grace, and about you all. God bless you.

(This is a testimony of God's grace in my life, the Nihongo version I read on March 21, 2010 at the Kochi Yorokobi Kristo Kyoukai. I thank Inoue-san who edited, actually rewrote my struggling Nihongo version. -che)

That's not Fair!

(Speaking regarding the parable about the story of workers in a vineyard who were hired at different times but paid the same amount, Bryan Chapell quoted Martin Luther. Visit http://www.livingchrist360.com/ for the whole edition.- Che)

“When you go before men, ask for justice. But when you go before God, do not appeal to justice, rather appeal to grace.“ – Martin Luther

“Don’t ask God to be fair. You don’t want God to be fair. You want God to be absolutely gracious.” – Bryan Chapell

Forgiveness and Pardon

(Just want to share with you the links. It encouraged us. It may encourage you too.)

Forgiveness audio 1

"God has lavished forgiveness upon us, even though we don't deserve it. Yet, having received this grace and mercy, we often struggle to extend it to others. Today, Dr. Chapell continues to look at the parable of the unforgiving servant and its practical application for our lives. "

http://www.livingchrist360.com/dailymessages/today/

Forgiveness audio 2

"Forgiving others is one of the hardest things we'll ever do, especially when we have been deeply wounded. When bitterness rules in our hearts, the power of the gospel is hindered. How do we forgive when we have been wronged? Find out in today's webcast."

http://www.livingchrist360.com/dailymessages/today/

Why RP, home to IRRI, is now the world's top rice importer?

(This is a question I came across in the net while reviewing some literature. I know we import rice, but I didn't know that we were elevated? to the top position since 2008! I have no time just yet to blog about this, but just posting the question to encourage every Filipino to ask the same question or related questions, search for answers, and in our own little worlds, in our own little ways, help the Philippines be more food secure, not necessarily 100% self-sufficient. Here are some links to some reasons or attempts to answer the question:)

from Inquirer Analyst Tina Arceo-Dumlao (see links for the full article)

• Government's Neglect of Agriculture. The government is alloting only around 2% of its total budget to Agriculture even while the agriculture sector accounts for close to 19% of the GDP and employs 35% of the labor force.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20080425-132556/Why-RP-home-to-IRRI-is-now-the-worlds-top-rice-importer

http://www.inquirer.net/specialfeatures/riceproblem/index.php

from IRRI website (see links below for more information)

• Land Area: The Philippines has around 300,000 square kilometers, of which around 43,000 square kilometers of harvested area are used for rice production. As most of the country is very mountainous and consists of many small islands, suitable land is limited to expand rice production into without affecting wetlands, forests, or areas producing other crops. Urban areas also continue to expand rapidly.
• Population growth: The population of the Philippines is estimated at 97 million. Its annual growth rate of around 2% – among the world’s highest – means that just to keep pace with growing demand the country would have to increase rice production and yield at rates rarely seen in history.
• Infrastructure: Irrigation infrastructure is not used and maintained as efficiently as it could be, thus reducing productivity potential. Transport infrastructure, particularly good-quality roads, is lacking in the Philippines, which affects the transport of rice and hinders the rice trade.

http://beta.irri.org/test/j15/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=393&Itemid=100104

http://books.google.com/books/irri?id=stemcfAZ8UwC&printsec=frontcover&dq=&sig=ecPVDrqcBXDMFeFz79tSoCCtkiM#v=onepage&q=&f=false

from PhilRice website (see links below)

• Population over-explosion - high annual population growth rate (2.3%)
• Increasing rice demand - rice is the staple food for more than 90% of the country's population; rice accounts for 41% of average calorie intake (IRRI World Rice Statistics)
• Deceleration in growth rates of palay production - declining land; seasonality
• High cost & risk in production - high costs of inputs; pests & diseases, problem soils, droughts & floods
• Insufficient knowledge on modern technologies - high fertilizer & seeding rates;
• Market constraints - price disturbances; poor farm-to-market roads

http://www.philrice.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10&Itemid=73#import

Edited!

(edited! original shows mama and daddy older; khane younger)

My Experience of a Real Satisfied Life

“Before Christ came into my heart, I had an empty life. Only when He came into my heart that I had joy in life.”

I was born in an ordinary family. However, I had many of the things a teen-ager in my province wanted to have such as girls (who were ordinary like me), many friends, and popularity (at least within my very small and ordinary world). Because of these things I was very happy. However, deep inside me I felt empty.

Despite the pleasure of sex, security of having many friends, and nice feeling of having fans in those days, my life had no meaning. If there is a tree that looks nice in the outside but has a hollow trunk and branches, I was like this tree.

I say this because although I was happy, I had no joy. I had joy only when Christ came into my heart. This joy is real not only when my circumstances are good, but also when my circumstances are bad. The happiness I once had existed only during good times but not during lonely moments.

Joy is an experience the common mind cannot understand because it can only be given by Christ to those He indwells in the heart. Surely, there are many things the world can give us. Joy is not one of them.

(This is a testimony I shared last December 18, 2009 at a Japanese women's fellowship, at the request of their leader.- Marlon)