When passport comes in handy.. :)

People in our church, especially our pastors would always tell us, "two things are really a must in Victory... your BIBLE and your PASSPORT.."

WHY? you might ask..

Of course BIBLE for Christians are no brainer.. it's really a must!

and PASSPORT?

In every Victory Church the familiar adage.. "Honor God, Make Disciples" would always be seen in the entrance just below the name VICTORY.

It's a mandate that as we honor God in our lives, we also share Gods love to other and equipping them as well in their FAITH.

My first passport expired in 2007.. without even having any stamp from travel!

Still I renewed my PASSPORT for I know it's a must.. it's essential.

I've been praying to GOD to go out on a mission trip and use my PASSPORT but i think it wasn't yet time.. schedule won't allow and permit me.

Then came the news... I'm using my PASSPORT in a few days!

It's a blessing! I won't even spend for my air fare and accommodation!

PASSPORT really comes in handy!

Great isn't it? :))

14th

14 Years!

It was on this day 14 years ago when I accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour! He used people to lead me to His way...

Thank you for the gift of salvation God.. though I'm not worthy you still gave your life for me..

14 years of Gods Faithfulness and Grace!

14 years of Love and Compassion!

expecting more of YOU in my life! THANK YOU SO MUCH LORD! :)

SORSOGON

Its been almost a year.

Naalala ko lang ang masayang araw sa Sorsogon. It was my first mission trip. God is really amazing!

I remember all the people lalo na yung mga nakasama namin sa buong linggo. Si Anne, Mutya and Michelle. Pastor Dandy and Ate Meshelle at ang kanilang anak na si Tres. Kuya Cois and Doc.. at ang mga bata na tinuruan ko sa Sunday school! I miss the kids! the memories linger!

Naalala ko din yung mga minister naming mga youth.. It was just for a week.. but it seems like months.. even years.. salamat sa sulat peeps! I enjoyed reading it when we we're leaving.. NAKAKAMISS! Thanks for appreciating all our efforts.. I just hope that touching your lives through the little things we offered would eventually lead you to knowing Christ! :)

I miss the food! and the gimiks! ang Kalye Nuevo at ang halo-halo! ang kwentuhan at kulitan! ang kainan, ang mga lakad na inaabot ng gabi! ang mga meeting na inaabot ng umaga! ang pag-inom ng tsokolate sa Pier!

WAW! I really missed a lot!

I'm really sorry if we were not able to fulfill our promise to come back.. maybe not now.. but for sure we will in the future! Sorsogon has been a part of my spiritual growth! God really showed amazing things!

And syempre ang Team! Doc Ruby our team leader, Den, Lhei, Ate Annette, Bajet, Kuya Jun, Jed, Norman, and Don.. isa lang ang masasabi ko..

RAK UN! \m/

Winning Moment (part 2)

Game 2 was played last Tuesday.

If necessary, two games will be played at that day. If CITHM wins, Game 3 will be played in the afternoon. If we win, the series will be over and we'll be declared the champion. So our battle cry is that this will be the last game we're playing. We can't afford to lose. We led early in the game by 4 points until an accident struck the team. Erika Hisatomi, our starting point guard bled profusely in the nose after a knee hit her.

Everyone was shocked and felt concern over Aki. The team lost their focus. And the game eventually. We were badly beaten by 11 points if I'm not mistaken.

The team was in low spirit after that. I too didn't know what to say, I need to speak up and say something to lift them up. But no words are uttered. I just said just rest and be back at 1230 for the final game. I said Aki's condition is still uncertain, and we still don't know if she still can play. After the huddle, Aki approached me and said,

"Coach pwede ba ko maglaro mamaya?"

I was moved by her spirit and competitiveness! Anyone would just give up and be more concerned about their well being but Aki is a warrior!

Then came the third and final game.

I encouraged them to show up with spirit once they stepped in the court. Show them that the loss in the morning doesn't mean a thing and they are not moved. Give it their best once tapped to play even for a short time.

I didn't start Aki as I usually do. Jem took her place instead. The game was a roller coaster! People on side were all frustrated with the calls and non-calls of the referees! One referee even gave me a warning for shouting in his face after a call! He wants me to shut up and watch him make his silly calls.

We had a chance to seal the game with free throws. But Cez wasn't able to deliver due to the pressure and fatigue. The game went to overtime with the score tied at 26.

In the over time, the team exchanged triples. Encabo of CITHM nailed us with one, but her sister Anne Jelli answered back with an in your face triple againt her older sister. Free throw shooting tested the nerve of the team. Team CAS responded well while CITHM crumbled in crunch time. We won by two points!

Celebrations followed! What an exciting game! Greetings for the win flooded us! Every member of the team was happy! Picture taking followed while everyone was still ecstatic following the victory!

In the evening, the team was awarded with a gold medal. Anne Jelli Encabo, Joyce Tagalog, and Erika Hisatomi together with two other CITHM players made the mythical first team. Erika Hisatomi won the Most Valuable Player Award she righfully deserved!

And for the others your efforts are greatly appreciated.

To Precious, for her leadership and efforts in securing the practice venues, for your defense and rebounds as well.

Pershella, who was nearly cut during the try outs, your hustle is so valuable!
Your an energizer bunny! tireless! You made the life of the scorers of the other team miserable!

Anne Jelli, who almost cut to during the try outs! your a great scorer! If there would be another MVP, I'll choose you with out any hesitation!

Sarah, for your defense against Tayag (kahit ilang beses ka na bumalibag!) and timely baskets! and for coordinator also for the team for our practices.

Cez, for your defense and scoring,and for all the steals that you made too!

Arah, for for your rebounds and steals, and timely baskets as well.

Lyneth, for taking care of all the requirements, coordinating with the team, rebounds and wall defense, not to mention your hospitality!

Jem, for stepping up in the absence of Aki, your steals and assist, and course your "angas"!

Ally, for juggling your schedules just to attend the practice and for your treat on your birthday too!

Yanda, for sacrificing your body to defend the scorers of the other team.

Abby, for your rebounds and blocks and for cheering all out too! thank you so much!

Lou, for assisting us in the uniform though you played limitedly your efforts are greatly appreciated.

Joyce, for your all around play! defense and offense! Ikaw na! "NITA!" hahaha

Erika, for playing your heart out! thank you much! you deserve to be the MVP!

Thank you so much team! I had a great time coaching you! For all our efforts, we deserve the win!

Looking forward to our swimming! :))

GO TEAM BAOG! :))

Winning Moment

Playing in a game is a challenge. Much more, winning it. And above all leading a team to a win is the hardest. No one wants to lose, people hate losers and love winners. It's a joy to win, but its easier said than done.Winning involves a lot of sacrifice. It was a challenge to me to a coach the women's basketball team of our college for our intramural. I also coached the men's basketball team of our college last year and we finished a satisfying 3rd place last year. Satisfying because considering the opposition we were able to battle tooth and nail and though we lost we were not blown out. It was hard at first, instead of coaching, I was teaching basketball fundamentals! Great isn't it. With limited time to prepare I tried to focus with the task at hand. I know I have the material and I believe that they have the talent. What is more important still is to come up with players who are willing to play as a team. I started to embed some confidence in them. Inculcating the value of confidence in themselves and in their teammates. Slowly we jelled together cracking jokes and making fun of each other. These bonding moments helped a lot in making the team as cohesive as possible.

And then the games.

We felt superior after winning our first game against DCS to the tune of 67-9. It was a blowout and it helped build confidence among us.

In our second game against DOE, we faced a team who relies in just one or two players. The challenge to us is their physical game. My players play like girls, theirs play contrary to their nature, their star players that is. The lad even started talking thrash to my players after an elbow. In the end, a team always play better as compared to a one "man" team. We won by five, 26-21 after the lad bled for her points. Defense won it for us.

The third and final game of the elimination is crucial for all of us. Winning the game would mean automatically entering in the championship match. Losing would make things complicated. The standings of all three teams (DOE, CITHM and CAS) would be 2-1 (W-L) if we lose the game (DOE is expected to win the againts DCS in the second game). We lost to CITHM by a hair line 31-30.

The lost brought us back to earth. We realized that we're not invincible.

We learned afterwards that due to our superior quotient, we our secured of our finals seat. The opponent would be CITHM, the same opponent who beat us by 1 point.

Tayag, their number 12 player killed us in that game. No one boxes her out and that proved to be our doom. So we tried to remedy the problem. But instead, another problem arose, my center Jimenez never played due to miscommunication of the schedule of the game.

The game was relatively easy in the beginning. We were breezing through them and led by as much as 14 points (28-14). But costly turn overs brought the lead down little by little. Till they eventually grabbed the lead at 38-37. They scored another basket increasing the lead to three with less than a minute to go. Anne Jelli Encabo answered with a booming triple tying the score to 40. Series of turn over followed. With 9 seconds left in the game the ball is on our side. A drive by Joyce Tagalog drew a foul from the opposing player with 2 seconds left.. 2 pressure packed free throws is about to come. Making one would at least provide a breather, making two would be a lot safer. Tagalog threw the ball in the air.. it bounces to the cylinder.. before going in! the crowd roars and cheers coming from the CAS students followed another one is about to come! It was a miss. A scramble for the rebound followed until the clock finally expires!

Game one is over! and we won by a solitary point! sweet revenge!