A Night of Fellowship

Just a few days ago we had an amazing evening of fellowshipping with our brethren Kuya ER and Kuya Jhun. It was on January 5th, Kuya Neil and I went to Kuya ER's apartment straight from work, and there we had an emotional and inspiring evening. He shared to us his wonderful testimony of how he encountered our Lord Jesus Christ, he's in tears most of the time and so was I...well, almost. 

After an hour or so, we went to have dinner at a Chinese restaurant just a stone throw away from his apartment, and there Kuya Jhun joined us from work to have dinner with us. Here are some of our photos from the restaurant.

A "Kabayan" waiter took this photo for us.

I don't eat heavy dinner, so we ordered the same thing.

We ordered Lomi, a kind of noodle soup.

Time to call it a night.

Bye Kuya ER and Kuya Jhun, God bless you!

That which we have seen and heard declare we to you, that you also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. ~ 1 John 1:3

There's Nothing New Under The Sun

The thing that has been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. ~ Ecclesiastes 1:9

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Got My New Residence Permit!

Amid the anxieties that continuously befall expatriates nowadays, I want to speak of the blessings and God's never-ending mercies toward His children and here it is: I just received my new residence permit (Iqama) yesterday just in time before the 4-month deadline elapses given by the Saudi Government for those who need to change their job status. Thank you Jesus, You alone are great! Hallelujah!

*I edited some of the important information from the photo of my Iqama above for security reason.

Bye Big Bike! (with Update)

"Darrajah" (Bicicleta) by Pepe Cabrera, January 7, 2010.

I just saw the Saudi Gazette news on the internet today about the world's largest bicycle here in Jeddah. The iconic landmark will soon be taken down to give way for a new overpass. In fact, there are yellow fences already in place around the roundabout where the big bike is located, as you can see in the photo below which I took a week ago.

Photo of the big bike with yellow fence around roundabout. September 10, 2013.

I often pass by this iconic structure for more than 10 years now, in fact my apartment is just a stone throw away from it. The bicycle is at a roundabout on Rawdah and Sitteen streets intersection. I hope the government would have a change of mind and at least transfer the bicycle to a new location here in Jeddah. It's a shame that they are demolishing this iconic landmark. Bye Big Bike!

"Dusk at Dawara Darrajah"  January 6, 2010.

Trivia: The Bike is 15 meters high and was created using scrap metal. It's  by Julio Lafuente, a Spanish artist.

Update - December 31, 2013

It seems like the big bike is here to stay after all, according to pictures which hang around the construction site like the one you see below. Great.

I took this photo of one of the pictures from inside my car.

Close up look shows the giant bike is incorporated in the final plan.

In My Opinion: The Possible US Strike on Syria

I was supposed to blog about the 'leche flan' that I made the other day, but weird as it sounds, could my leche flan be of more significant than the current tension that is happening now here in the Middle East? I'm talking about the possible US strike on Syria. As an expat here in Saudi Arabia for over ten years, and a born again Christian at that who is familiar with some Biblical prophecies, I'm not anymore shocked about the news, in fact, it's eagerly anticipated, at least for me.

I believe that the US strike on Syria could possibly become a proxy war between different Middle Eastern countries. We all know that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, (a Sunni Muslim) and the Islamic Republic of Iran (a Shia Muslim) are arch-enemies (as both love to battle in unending word war). Iran and the Muslim world at large want to obliterate Israel from the the face of the earth - though only the former brazenly expresses so. Russia and China have always been  allies of Syria from the start.  And not to mention the instability in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan could also contribute to  triggering the World War 3.

I'm against the US strike on Syria, but honestly, the thought of it excites me in a way because of the end time prophecies in the Bible and the second coming of our Lord Yahoshua. Everything that is happening right now in our world (wars, famine, earthquakes and the increase of wickedness) had been prophesied before in Daniel, Ezekiel, Revelations; and Yahoshua said in Matthew 24:6:

"You will hear of wars and rumors of wars,
but see to it that you are not alarmed.
Such things must happen,
but the end is still to come."  

A lot of questions come up in my mind every time I think about the situation, like, what will happen to me if the war in Syria spilled over to Saudi Arabia and a full blown war broke out in the entire Middle East? How about the other 3 Million Filipino expats in the Middle East? Can my government afford to repatriate all 3 Million of us? And how about my family back home, will they be affected too? (That's actually the Devil trying to mess up with my mind and injecting me with fear.)

Every time there is unrest in the Muslim world, Christians have always been a natural collateral damage as the chaos precipitates into a war on the 'infidels' - as Egypt epitomizes. It scares me sometimes when I think about what the consequences might be, but then again, I'm not like the heathen anymore as the Bible says, whose concerns are the material things on earth rather than putting their trust on the only true God. I have to fix my eyes on things which are unseen, rather than the physical things. I'm a new creation now, I should not be afraid of anything, God is in control. I just have to put my trust on Yahweh. And in this time of uncertainties, what a relief and comfort to ponder on God's promises in Psalms 91!

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,

my God, in whom I trust.”

Surely he will save you

from the fowler’s snare

and from the deadly pestilence.

He will cover you with his feathers,

and under his wings you will find refuge;

his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

You will not fear the terror of night,

nor the arrow that flies by day,

nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,

nor the plague that destroys at midday.

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Fruit Of My Labor - Thank you Jesus!

As if it was just yesterday when my eldest daughter Maria was born. I can still remember the first time I saw her face at the hospital, I had mixed feelings then. Happy on one side, and fear on the other. Happy because I became a father, and fear because I don't know if I could be a good father to her. I remember the time when she made her first step, it was amazing. And it was awesome when she spoke her first word, "Dada" - she said.

But of course it was not all amazing, and awsome when you come to realize that this beautiful baby would start growing, and would need things like diapers, milk, clothings and would one day go to school etc. During this time I didn't have a job, I only depended on my parents for everything, (that's so typical of Filipinos, you know!), and I think it's one of the mistakes most young Filipino parents do, and never realized, getting into something without planning, or metaphorically, going to battle without a weapon. But God is good, He gave me a job! 

And that was one of the reasons why I am here in Saudi Arabia, to give my Maria (...and Celina) a good future. Looking back, it was a struggle really just to put food on the table back home, and to prove that I'm a worthy father for my children. I've been through a lot since I had my first job, ranging from having a low salary, depression, battling insomnia to having problem with some of my co-workers. I'm doing this for my family because I love them so much, and I don't need appreciations, just to see them happy is enough for me. 

Fast Forward...2013!

It was that time when the tree bears fruit. Maria graduated from college last April, and it made me even happier to learn that she was 'Cum Laude' in her class. I was a bit disappointed because I wasn't able to attend her graduation. It would have been great if I was there to witness it for myself -- the fruit of my labor. Hotel and Restaurant Management was her course, it was exactly the same course I took in college, but didn't finish. In a way, her graduating from HRM somehow fulfilled my dream. 

Maria turned 20 last week. When I told her on the phone that she's no longer a teenager, she replied that she's 'twenteen' now. Yup!, I'm old. I'm proud of her, and I'm so thankful to God for the wonderful blessings. It's Yahweh who made it all possible! I'm praying that the Lord would bless Maria with wisdom and knowledge, and to guide her walk in this dark and wretched world. Thank you Jesus for all the blessings, and for giving me two wonderful and amazing daughters. Halleluiah!

O give thanks to the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endures for ever. ~ Psalm 118:1

I Dreamt of Hearses

I want to write about my dream last night before I completely forget about it. This is the kind of dream that most people wouldn't want to talk about, because of the fear that it might come true. 

This is my dream: 

I was inside a house of one of my aunts in Cavite together with my cousin Alejandro (who died a couple of years ago due to lupus) - we were there for a vacation. When it was time to leave, while walking home, I saw a hearse (just like the one in the photo above), parked on the street about a hundred yards away from me. Then I saw 5 or 6 of my classmates from high school coming out of the hearse as if to surprise me. I thought it was strange because I'm not that close with them. I felt happy in the dream that I'm accepted in their circle. 

Then strangely, I'm back leaving the house again, but this time I saw the hearse coming to me and when it stopped in front of me I saw my cousin Anang (who lives in Rosario, Cavite) who was motioning for me to come inside, but I refused and that's the moment when I woke up. 

There could probably be hundreds of interpretations of this dream, but God has the last word. Jesus is my Lord and my Savior, He owns me, and with Him, I have nothing to fear.

For God speaks once, yes twice, yet man perceives it not. 

In a dream, in a vision of the night, 

when deep sleep falls on men, in slumberings on the bed; 

Then he opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction, 

That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man. ~ Job 33:14-17