A Fishing And Agricultural Town In Bicol Region | BULAN

Posted on October 10, 2018 by Christine Lailani

I visited my hometown (Bulan, Sorsogon) just recently as soon as I had the opportunity to take a break from work. I’ve been meaning to ask my Dad regarding the particulars when it comes to palay production such as the financial report, the key Bicol terms used, and the step-by-step process.

Palay production is one of the oldest small businesses in the family for how many generations already starting from our great grandparents. Although the lands being utilized for palay initially belonged to my Mom as an inheritance, it’s my Dad who managed them for the most part.

My Mom and my grandma (aged 72 and 94 as of writing) some decades ago visiting the farm.

The aftermath of palay harvesting.

Engr. Daddy Farmer

There’s a reason why God chose Dad as Mom’s better half – he’s a civil engineer and formerly worked as a superintendent at the National Irrigation Administration (NIA). It was part of Dad’s tasks at work to oversee the irrigation system of the rice fields. A majority of Bicol’s lands is being utilized for agriculture and farming.

Dad and his palay superheroes. 😉

Dad, who is now 78 years old, was very impressed with what digital technology can do especially when I showed him the Microsoft Excel template I made for the financial report. That is, compared to his log notebooks now that are torn and tattered from constantly flipping the pages back and forth. 😀 He also does every computation manually – a solving technique that will be the death of me. Seriously.

I realized only now the extent of Dad’s responsibilities as an engineer and how he juggles everything together. All I know back when I was a kid is that he goes to the farm on weekends and on weekdays, he reports to the office. He held two offices – one in our town and one in the city as an OIC (officer-in-charge) during the later years of his service.

Indeed, being an engineer is not easy. But Dad is just the right person to manage the farm. It’s part of his duties as an engineer to manage a team, conduct accounting and financial reports, analyze how the irrigation systems work, make an assessment of risk factors, and a whole lot more of engineering stuff.

Bicol’s Farming Industry

Palay and rice are Bicol’s primary agricultural products followed by copra (cooked coconut meat processed and converted to coconut oil). These types of agribusinesses were proven to be feasible although Dad said current profit from palay harvest dropped compared to the previous decades. One of the reasons for the decline is the government’s decision to import rice abroad.

Rice planting season.

Circa 2010: Behind me are the perfect Mt. Mayon volcano and the rice fields.

Palay Stalk

Summer harvest.

My siblings and I plan to venture into organic farming. But our parents said it can follow at a later date. I agreed because organic farming will be relatively new to all of us, and it involves a wider scope of farming and management requirements. For now, my siblings and I are learning everything we can about it first.

My parents plan to utilize a certain portion of the larger farm based on the existing agricultural products we have and were proven to produce at a steady rate. I think this is my parents’ way of making sure the risks will be minimal compared if we will utilize a huge part of the property for an agricultural venture that we haven’t tried yet.

Transporting the harvested coconuts.

Some of the locals in our town dry this up and place several of them in a vase as preserved flower replicas.

Ripe coconut meat should be hard enough before harvested and converted into copra.

Dehusked coconut.

There are still lots of uses for these coconut husks. I am thinking about combining it with soil as mulch or potting medium.

This is how Dad’s coco superheroes lay down the coconuts before cooking.

The cooking has started.

Where there are smoke and the smell of coconut oil, there are coconuts. 🙂

How it looks like when they’re all cooked.

This is how it looks like up-close.

My parents are open to the idea of organic farming, but first things first – establish in-depth land preparation to make farming management easier. Also, it takes a long time for the paperwork to be processed. So while waiting, I asked God for His leading what we should do for now. His answers led us to the next steps – new opportunities came along in all forms depending on how God intends them to serve His purpose according to His timeline. There are times when I couldn’t pinpoint how we can benefit from a particular opportunity. But as typical of God, He will reveal it later on, and then I get to understand why.

While in Bicol, I was able to talk to my parents and my 3rd sister, who’s staying with them, about my parents’ vision for the farm. Unfortunately, our stay was too short I wasn’t able to show them me and my other siblings’ vision for the farm in the long run i.e. social enterprise, retreat center, etc.

But that can also wait. My parents know better regarding what needs to come first since they’ve been in the industry for how many decades already. And yet I believe the farm will benefit more from a combination of traditional ideas and farming practices implemented by our parents and new insights and innovative inputs from us.

Some 20 years ago. 😀 Me, our niece, and my 3rd sister.

Businesses Then and Now

Every business must fare well when it comes to adaptability if you want it to be self-sustaining and thrive in the industry. It is, therefore, necessary to transition from the old to the new or a mash-up of both. This is similar to what I learned from a recent financial seminar I attended – creating multiple streams of income. In other words, you have to keep your options open.

In business, I believe there is no “best of both worlds” policy but always a “win-win” situation. This setup is suitable if you want to avoid major losses that can lead to your business/es going bankrupt. To have not just one type of investment will assure you of a win-win setup because you don’t have to borrow money from lending institutions in case one investment channel is losing income instead of the other way around.

While talking to my parents and my sister, they shared other developments in our town that are to start soon. I was very relieved upon hearing the news. I even told my brother that the future is indeed very bright for the family’s projects. I continued that it is not without a purpose when God placed a desire in our hearts to utilize the property back in 2017. It looks like it is about time we do something about the calling. And yet, we still rely on our complete trust in God and how He wants things to take place including the timeline for the farm developments.

“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.” – Proverbs 19:21

Going back to the news, I saw them all as great opportunities for collective efforts and productive collaboration among the community, the government, and the private sectors. The timing is just right, indeed.

God is always a God of perfect timing, isn’t He? But we all know that perfect timing is always preceded by patiently waiting. It comes as no surprise that we were also placed on a standstill as far as developments are concerned to give way to these other major developments that will later on play a huge role in our farm projects.

It reminded me of this verse:

“Look at the nations and watch– and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.” – Habakkuk 1:5

What Is the News all About

My apologies for running around the bush though but here it is. 😀 Can you still remember the Bulan Auxiliary Airport that I talked about in this article? News has it that the development will push through until it becomes fully operational. I still have to confirm this though.

In another news, the construction of the Bulan Fish Port in our town has already started. Yes, next to farming, fishing is one of the bustling livelihoods in our town. Dad said our coastal waters are thriving with fish sanctuaries. I am not sure if it has something to do with the geographical location of our town or God created them this way to serve His purpose. But, I believe in the latter.

Bulan’s coastline.

In yet another news is the Bicol International Airport in Legazpi city, which is now almost done.

The news did not stop here because I still got one more although it’s only a rumor because I lack sufficient data that will support it. There is a possibility of it not happening, but there’s a high chance it can also come true.

There is news going around of plans to utilize a property as a subdivision. This property is situated on the way to our farm. If this pushes through, I see it as another big market with consistent demand. And if God wills it we become a local supplier of agricultural products, this is going to be one big opportunity.

A Vision of the Future

I am not claiming I have the wisdom of God but what I only share are my visions, which cannot be interpreted entirely as God’s will. But maybe we can get a message or two from them.

I mentioned in a previous article that our town is a “sleepy town” because of the low revenues during most times of the year. With all these recent developments, it is not impossible for the town to become a city once urbanization and commercialization start ramping up. Though this means higher taxes, too.

I believe it is not by chance when I mentioned in my previous articles that maybe time will come our town will be the supplier in the Bicol region of basic commodities from agricultural products to seafood demands. And not just in the Bicol region but even across the globe.

I guess I was claiming it in my heart when I shared that it is my vision that the Philippines will be sending these products to other countries as our way of helping them alleviate problems of hunger and poverty. At the same time, an increase in revenues will also mean flourishing businesses which will provide more opportunities for the local community when it comes to other sources of livelihood and income.

Yes, I see all of these promising opportunities as a way to boost the country’s economy and one of the ways to alleviate poverty. The Bicol International Airport, the Bulan Auxiliary Airport, and the Bulan Fish Port are all reliable channels when transporting goods. Now, there are more options to transfer goods from one location to another and not just by land. This will help minimize logistics and shipping expenses as well as cut down the travel time while keeping all perishable goods in excellent condition.

Bulan’s Auxiliary Airport.

If the products are all in good condition when they are delivered to the buyer, you’re assured of having a regular client as far as the business partnership is concerned. And more importantly, consumers will have the best products on top of getting their money’s worth.

God Closes Doors Because He Knows the Right One for You

In another news, another God-given opportunity came along. I tried a lot of doors but God kept on closing them either because they rejected me or it was I who declined their offers. Why? He reserved this one particular career opportunity, which I earnestly prayed for – earn an income but the work schedule and location will allow me to manage the family project on the side.

I felt it in my heart to resign from my previous work after I asked God for His leading. I ended up with this new job where I get to deal with every data when it comes to real estate. Once again, it is like hitting two birds with one stone because it has something to do with properties. What I can gather from doing research at work, I get to apply it in our family project and vice versa.

“Land development is both an art and a science. It is an art that builds on creativity, instincts and vision to transform an idea from concept into reality. As a science, it systematically progresses through a series of activities to accomplish a successful outcome — a new development.” – Professional Builder

God is simply amazing, and He never fails to work His wonders all throughout even though there were times that I had to suffer for a while because I was waiting for His right time. And yet, what I suffered is nothing compared to the glory that He has reserved for us in the future. And I am not just talking about the good things here on Earth but what is in store for us after death – life in eternity.

Sometimes I get to think that what I do and everything I do now don’t really matter in the end. Because we all will leave this place anyhow. But I guess that is not God’s purpose for us – waiting for our dying day. His purpose for us is to do what He asked us to do while waiting. The way I see it is that all these things that happen around us are never for our own glory but for His glory.

He wants His Name to be proclaimed everywhere. Yes, nothing else but this. Nothing is far better than leaving a legacy that glorifies His Name to remember by. 🙏

To end this article, I’d like to share these verses which I stumbled upon Godpreneur’s IG profile (a reminder):

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.

– James 4:13-17

Are you a business owner? You might want to ask God if our town will be part of your business ventures in the future, too. :-)

The Top 3 Distractions That Can Defeat Your Purpose

Posted on October 8, 2018 by Christine Lailani

Hi, my dear WordPress readers! 🙂

I’m reblogging this article while I catch up on a lot of other pending articles. The reason for my short absence will be discussed in detail in the succeeding articles.

Meanwhile, I hope you’ll get an insight or two from this article and please feel free to express your sentiments, too. ❤

“The Top 3 Distractions That Can Defeat Your Purpose”

Finally back to WordPress writer mode,

Agribusiness: The Future Of Today’s Economy

Posted on September 14, 2018 by Christine Lailani

With all the skyscrapers being built all around us, we can also expect a higher demand in commodities within the metro. When there is a high demand but limited supply, we can then expect an increase in the prices of goods.

What we can ask ourselves at this point is why is it that there is a limited supply? When I go to the provinces, I see a lot of idle lands that are not being utilized. If we are going to utilize them for crop production, this will then increase the number of supply and there’s a possibility the prices of the commodities and goods will also decrease once they reach the city where the demand is high.

This is easier said than done though because there are a lot of factors that are preventing farmers from utilizing agricultural lands on a wider scale. These factors are what my siblings and I are currently addressing in our endeavor now.

Photo courtesy: Unsplash

Agribusiness Venture

My family’s engaged in palay and copra production for how many decades already, and yet there are a lot of things that we still don’t know about agriculture and farming.

So I searched through the web what I can learn about agribusiness and farming. I was able to dig out a lot of online resources, and I’m actually enrolled in these online courses now. One of them is DA’s e-learning portal and this is how it looks like:

This is what currently preoccupies me most of the time and probably the reason why God was firm in telling me I can’t have a full-time job at the moment. For a more comprehensive free online course, you can check this one out:

My family and I are currently in this season of gathering all the necessary information we need to make sure the project will push through. Our long-term goal is for the project to be sustainable enough and can be passed on from generation to generation.

It is the project’s mission to promote sustainable agriculture and support the local food movement. The following are the definitions lifted from Wikipedia:

Sustainable Agriculture

“Sustainable agriculture is farming in sustainable ways based on an understanding of ecosystem services, the study of relationships between organisms and their environment.

It has been defined as “an integrated system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will last over the long term”, for example to satisfy human food and fiber needs, to enhance environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which the agricultural economy depends, to make the most efficient use of non-renewable and on-farm resources and integrate natural biological cycles and controls, to sustain the economic viability of farm operations, and to enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole.^[4]

Key Principles

There are several key principles associated with sustainability in agriculture^[5]:

The incorporation of biological and ecological processes into agricultural and food production practices. For example, these processes could include nutrient cycling, soil regeneration, and nitrogen fixation.

Using decreased amounts of non-renewable and unsustainable inputs, particularly the ones that are environmentally harmful.

Using the expertise of farmers to both productively work the land as well as to promote the self-reliance and self-sufficiency of farmers.

Solving agricultural and natural resource problems through the cooperation and collaboration of people with different skills. The problems tackled include pest management and irrigation.”

Local Food Movement

“Local food (local food movement or locavore) is a movement of people who prefer to eat foods which are grown or farmed relatively close to the places of sale and preparation.

Local food movements aim to connect food producers and food consumers in the same geographic region, in order to develop more self-reliant and resilient food networks; improve local economies; or to affect the health, environment, community, or society of a particular place.^[1] The term has also been extended to include not only the geographic location of supplier and consumer but can also be “defined in terms of social and supply chain characteristics.”^[2] For example, local food initiatives often promote sustainable and organic farming practices, although these are not explicitly related to the geographic proximity of producer and consumer.

Local food represents an alternative to the global food model, a model which often sees food traveling long distances before it reaches the consumer. A local food network involves relationships between food producers, distributors, retailers, and consumers in a particular place, where they work together to increase food security and ensure economic, ecological and social sustainability of a community.^[3]”

Aside from conducting our own research, the season demands we also look for mentors. As they say, if you are looking for mentors, seek for thought leaders who have been in the industry for a long time. And thank God for giving us the right ones at exactly the right time.

My brother, sister-in-law, and I are attending a “Farm For Profit” seminar by Semilya sa Kinabuhi founder, Sir Dodong Cacanando, tomorrow. Then next Saturday, I am attending an online seminar entitled “Money Machines: How To Create Passive And Active Income At The Same Time” by Bro. Bo Sanchez.

Ah yes, all I can say is that God has been so faithful to us during this season. He has prepared everything we needed at this point and I know He’ll be with us all the way. 🙂

“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” – 2 Corinthians 9:8

I believe, too, that this is not just a plan that He reserved for me and my family alone. This might be the start of collective efforts among the body of Christ (every one of us) in addressing some of the social issues that we’re currently facing such as the recent price increase in commodities.

In this regard, I would like to encourage everyone reading this to consider venturing into the agribusiness sector. And I hope that you will also be able to get a lot of ideas and insights from the opportunities and what I have learned, which I will be sharing in my future blog posts (including our future failures, if there will be any). 🙂

Always Learning

What is constant in every season is that God always provides us with new opportunities to learn all about this new endeavor. When I graduated from college back in 2008, I was able to get a job as a communications assistant for the deaf and mute. Through this job, I learned all about the struggles that persons with disabilities (PWDs) face every day.

It was such an eye opener for me. So when I resigned in 2010, I had a new goal – learn more about how I can help alleviate the challenges of PWDs and hopefully put up my own foundation in the future for special children who can’t afford expensive therapies.

I took a master’s degree in Special Education that focuses on catering to the needs of children with disabilities. This season introduced me to the field of teaching but unfortunately, I wasn’t able to finish my master’s degree because God brought me to a new season yet again in 2015 – married life.

Before I quit my graduate studies, I used the teaching units I got from the classes I took to get my professional license. I do love teaching but after contemplating whether it is the career for me or not, I felt it in my heart to pursue my first love instead, which is writing.

I found an opportunity in the digital marketing industry. It was in 2017 when my writing career started. Everything was new to me, but I was eager to learn because I love what I am doing.

After a year, I have decided to let it go because God brought me to yet another season – focus on the family project which is the agribusiness.

God’s Plans

We really can’t see what God’s plans are and only God can tell. I have assumptions, but I can’t claim that these are God’s plans as well. What are my assumptions?

God gifted me with a talent in writing. From grade school until college, it was all a preparation. So, why take SpEd? It will satisfy some of the objectives of the family project which will include putting up a social enterprise that will teach young entrepreneurs and a foundation to help those in need (special children, orphans, etc.). The main objective of our project is for other people to benefit more.

As a licensed teacher, I can teach young students and it might not be in the area of my expertise which is English. But, it can be in the field of agriculture, farming, and entrepreneurship applying everything I will learn on our farm.

Why digital marketing? That is the trajectory of the future of businesses. Marketing using the traditional way can benefit a lot alongside digital marketing. The latter can boost the growth and development of a company not just in finance but in terms of creating partnerships and remaining competitive in the global market.

Writing plays a huge role when establishing the company’s online presence in the digital world. Businesses have to be at par with the rapidly evolving digital technology and storytelling is just one of the ways.

My brother’s comment before when it comes to my writing is this – you have such a flair for the dramatic. I told him that well, I was created to be a poet. 😉

My writing appeals to the emotions. This appeal is the reason why I love persuasive writing. I persuade my readers to know the Truth. But if they can’t find out what the Truth is after reading my posts, then I believe I haven’t persuaded them enough. 😀

Going back to God’s will and plans over my family’s endeavor, hubby and I were having thoughts to transfer homes back in 2017. We already have plans to start investing in our own home even if it is a small one. I shared it with my brother who then suggested we stay at my sister’s condo instead. He said that we can save more this way and get a house later on that is located in a place that we love.

We agreed that we will pay the association dues since my sister waived the rental fee (thank you so muchos, Ate Ayn!). At the same time, we will look out after the place for her since she and her husband live in Norway.

God’s Favors

I am extremely grateful for all of these because they were all favors from the Lord. Yes, my brother is right that this new season of us living in yet another new home will help us save a little. But we can do it even if I don’t have a full-time job. This means I can concentrate on learning all that I need to learn for our farm projects.

My other siblings don’t have the time to learn them all so it is my task to fill them in with all the info I can gather from my research. My other sister in the province will be my partner in applying what we have learned from the e-courses when I go back home. And yet our other siblings’ careers are important, too, in helping fund the project’s expenses.

My other sister and I have the time to learn so much but we don’t have well-paying careers and our other siblings have high-paying careers but they don’t have enough time. Combined together is now a perfect team to make the project work. I bet God is really the best project manager ever He knows the best persons to delegate certain tasks with. 😀

But then again, 5 heads are better than 1 or 2. So yes, I need all of my siblings’ wisdom in this endeavor. And I am glad I have their full support and cooperation. (Love you, my dear sibs!)

Put God First

With all the info overload I gathered from my research, I am estimating that it’ll take about more than a year to study all the business concepts when it comes to agriculture and farming. I am always seeking for God’s wisdom though on what to do with all the collated info.

As we all know, learning how to do something is actually very different from doing exactly what you learned a.k.a. theories vs. application. I realized we have a lot to learn in this endeavor and if we want our projects to be sustainable, we need to be equipped with the right business and farming concepts and be able to apply them well.

If you are to ask me why should we pursue this endeavor, it is because of this: how we build the world today is how we set the course of the future. That is, I don’t want the future generations to eat very pricey vegetables due to the high demand and low supply. Even if I don’t have kids, I still have high hopes that what we do now will impact the world later on for the better. That is, with God’s guidance as our “chiefest” CEO. 😉

To end this article, here’s a very inspiring message (the best commencement speech for me) from none other than one of the Academy Award-winning and most acclaimed actors, Denzel Washington:

P.S.

Please don’t blame me if ever you ventured into agribusiness and failed. 😀 Endeavors like this require consulting with God first and foremost because we all have our own God-given purposes.

Writing this postscript actually made me realize that pursuing the things that we don’t have can become only that – an endless pursuit. But if we pursue an endeavor by making good use of what God has already given us, we might actually find our purpose in and through them. 🙂

*Update as of 9/15/2018: “Farm for Profit” seminar was cancelled due to typhoon Ompong.

Don’t Pretend To Be The Person That You’re Not | GOD’s Purpose

Posted on September 10, 2018 by Christine Lailani

I have felt it in my heart to post this article even if it is not yet Friday because I have sensed the urgency as well as the accountability on my part.

Since my #everyFridayblogpost advocacy started here on WordPress recently, I have been posting a lot of articles all for the purpose of sharing my day to day journey. This, I would like to reiterate, is not for the reason of boasting what I have and what I can do.

I’d like to begin my article with this premise – I share articles with the hope of encouraging my audience or my readers to gain insights that will help them achieve a BETTER SENSE OF SELF, thus, a BETTER CHARACTER.

I am aware that posting on social media requires so much responsibility and yes, accountability. What I post, I have to make sure that my reader will benefit from it and not the other way around.

I guess I can presume the role of a social media influencer in this case. However, it pains me to see that people interpret what I do as achieving perfection and pride in my achievements.

No, my dear. It is not perfection that I hope to achieve because perfection can only be achieved by no other than our perfect creator who is God, Himself.

It pains me to see people copying what I do, BUT with the wrong motives in the heart. You see, if I exhaust all my talents, skills, and resources that I have, that is not for the purpose of satisfying my own selfish desires because I don’t do it out of fame, popularity, and recognition.

I don’t share my skills and talents to the world just so they see me as the ever-so-talented, gifted, favored by God, jack-of-all-trades woman. No, I share it out of God’s guidance which is this – using my skills to SERVE GOD and OTHERS and not myself.

I write in this blog and other writing communities I volunteer because God HAS INSTRUCTED me to do so. The instruction wasn’t given to me overnight. It was a long, grueling season of waiting and asking God and knowing what are HIS PURPOSES for me.

I use my gift in art and sketching and sketch people because I give these sketches to them as GIFTS. I know the fun and happiness they will derive from them once they receive them. The same goes for all my other hobbies which are photography, playing the guitar, cooking, etc.

I pursue and explore what other talents and skills God has given me not in the context of how I will benefit from them. But it is more on HOW GOD AND OTHERS WILL BENEFIT FROM THEM. This should be the ONLY MOTIVATION and reason why we do things that we do now may it be in our careers, family life, or other endeavors.

My friend, you might be getting it all wrong. Don’t be deceived. Don’t let envy creep into your heart making yourself believe that I am more blessed than you are and wishing you have the life that I have. WE ARE BOTH BLESSED.

Don’t pretend to live the life I have because the life that I have is the life that God has purposefully given to me and to me alone. I sought God’s guidance to lead me to my purpose and this is how He showed it to me. For you, it might be different.

Don’t let envy, bitterness, resentment, greed, selfish ambition, and the lies of the enemy blind you from pursuing God’s will, plans, and purpose for your life. You will not see your God-given purpose (which is way better because God has planned it specifically for you) if you are busy living the life of someone else.

But what hurts me the most is when the lies, greed, and envy (works of the enemy) succeeded in tempting you to sin even more. An example of this is stealing the works of others and presenting them to the world as your own work.

Back in college, UP Diliman’s motto is HONOR and EXCELLENCE. Why HONOR? Because the university takes pride in teaching students and eventually raising individuals who will have a GOOD CHARACTER, first and foremost. Next is EXCELLENCE. You will only achieve true excellence if and only if you were able to do the impossible while keeping your HONOR intact.

That is why plagiarism is punishable by expulsion from the university. Just a single phrase that you’re not able to cite properly well from the original author, it will suffice as grounds for plagiarism. Our society has its own rules when it comes to that. These are the COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT laws.

What do they cover? Any written output, piece of artwork, may it be a photograph, a sketch, or a painting, you always have to give credit to the author or the creator if you intend on using them. That is why here on my website, I have included a copyright claim at the bottom.

I also use a couple of plagiarism software and tools such as Copyscape to determine if my articles have been plagiarized or used without my consent. For my photos and published artwork, I use Google Image Revert Search.

If you intend to share other people’s work because you were inspired by what they do, give them the credit the right way. But if it is your intention to make other people’s work as your own and take credit for it, that is STEALING. And STEALING IS A CRIME.

I am begging you, as a dear friend and a sister in Christ, to take heed. Don’t lie to yourself, to the world, and most especially to God who sees all. DO NOT USE THE NAME OF GOD IN VAIN.

God will not be pleased at all. I am pleading on your behalf so God will give you the mercy and spare you from His wrath. He might be using me to speak through you not to condemn you but as a rebuke and a chance to ask God for forgiveness before it’s too late.

He loves you and I love you, too. In fact, I love you so much I can’t bear it to see you fail in your faith and suffer. I took all the effort and courage I could muster and sought God for His leading for how many weeks now on how I will be able to let the message across inflicting as little pain and hurt as possible.

GOD HAS A BEAUTIFUL PURPOSE FOR YOU AND YOU ALONE. He has wonderfully created you as someone UNIQUE and SPECIAL. Talk to God, speak to Him, and ask Him what kind of life, what kind of person, and what kind of purpose He wants you to live out.

“Seek His will in ALL you do and He will show you which path to take.” – Proverbs 3:6

I am writing this article because I felt I also need to take the blame partly. I know I am also an instrument for the deception of the enemy. But I will also do the best that I can to snatch you from the enemy’s stronghold and bring you back to God.

Because again, He loves you and I love you, too…And lastly, be strong for God and fight the good fight of faith. You are not alone…

A grieving but hoping sister in Christ,

To The Only Mother I’ll Ever Have

Posted on September 7, 2018 by Christine Lailani

That’s no other than my Mom. 🙂

I wrote this article to honor our Mom on her 72nd birthday today, September 7, 2018. I know the text, call or Skype greeting won’t be enough to show her how much we love her especially since we are miles away from her. Thus, here’s a little something for the social media.

Her Name is Teacher Eden

BNCS-A Teachers: Mom is second from the left.

She’s a retired grade school teacher. She’s also one of my former teachers and though she’s my Mom, she never treated me any different from my classmates. I could remember one moment when I was still the talkative girl seated at the front because of near-sightedness. My Mom, who’s my Science teacher back then, called me out by my name and said, “Christine, pay attention!” 😀 Haha

Mom in her younger days.

Yes, no biases for Mom as a teacher inside the classroom. And that is why when asked during a job interview who’s the first person to me who exemplified professionalism, I wrote none other than my Mom. Here’s my answer:

“I have worked in several industries from the BPO, the advertising agency, to the academe but I only found one professional whom I look up to when it comes to the right work ethics and dedication – my Mom. I may be biased but she is the first professional I know who exemplifies what it is to not just be good but to excel in your craft as far as professionalism is concerned.

She is now a retired grade school teacher and has been teaching for 45 years. She was assigned to handle Section 4 in a public elementary school which was stereotyped back then as a class composed of students who were rowdy, often absent, and cognitively challenged. But despite that, my Mom invested in her students through discipline and provided encouragement to always be in class.

Some of them were absent in school because they accompany their parents in earning a living. Some attend school without having breakfast. Some couldn’t cope with the lesson discussed. And yet my Mom made sure they are getting the best quality of education she could offer.

It is through this that I have learned that professionalism isn’t about being employed and receiving a salary but more about what you can contribute to the betterment of the organization you are with may it be in the academe or the corporate world.”

As A Mother

My Mom, and in all goodness of the word, is a “tiger mom” in a way that she instilled discipline above everything else. She has a lot of rules at home but she’s the one who taught us what it meant about taking responsibilities and being accountable for them at an early age.

I can remember how I made a “deal” with Mom about having my first cat when I was around 7 or 8 years old. I asked her if I can keep the kittens. This was what she said, “Yes, you can keep them but you are responsible for feeding them and making sure they are well taken care of.” And yes, we have to take out our cats’ poop when we’re already a bit older. My siblings and I usually try to “evade” this task and you can tell why. lol

Every Saturday, we also had this family thing called “doing household chores together.” 😀 When I was younger (and anyone can relate), this is the part where I don’t enjoy much. But now that I am older, I appreciated my Mom training us to do these chores as part of our weekly tasks.

And no, don’t ever think about cleaning everything in one fast sweep. You have to make sure the place where you’re assigned to clean is 100% spot-free. Why? She will ask you to clean it again if she still sees dirt in them. 😉

The young Ginetes circa 1980s.

During summertime, kids may have this idea of 100% vacation in their heads. But with us, it is 90% play time but 10% summer lessons. She would ask us to do advance lessons of books that will be used for next year.

No problem for me if it’s English because it’s my favorite (even if I have faulty grammar.lol). But no, it has to be your most hated subject – mine’s Math. 😀 Mom knew the subjects where we’re performing poorly and to avoid the chances of us flanking, she will ask us to do review lessons.

There are actually a lot more that I can share here about how Mom brought us up and made us who we are now. But looking back, I can only be grateful she brought us up that way.

I appreciated every single effort that she and my Dad made to teach us everything from right values, good manners, to the skills that we needed to survive in the real world. It molded the character that now defines each and every one of us, 5 siblings.

Year 2010: Back when my eldest sister’s the only one among 5 of us, siblings, who is married. 😀

There are times that out of my frustration I would text my Mom about certain people and how different they are from us. And yet what she will always tell me is to stand down. To show to people how to do things right but do it by being flexible enough to understand where they came from. By being able to listen, to never demand, but to adjust if and when necessary.

If God wills it I become a mom, I am going to raise my children like how Mom did with a little combination from what I learned from others and in the academe. My Mom epitomizes a woman of great character, strength, and wisdom. And I can only thank God I was given a Mom like her. With this, I can say that my siblings and I are truly blessed. ❤

Circa 1960s: My mom (in blue dress) along with my uncles and aunt, grandparents (center), and great-grandmother (center, seated).

To end this article, I’d like to offer a prayer for my Mom and I’d like to invite you to join me pray for her:

“Dear Father,

Thank You for the life of my Mom. May You always shower her with your protection, Your love, Your comfort, and Your grace. Strengthen her always in the times that she is weak and deliver her from any kind of struggle.

May You bind us together as one family through her in the midst of trials and challenges. Thank You because You have been faithful to her all throughout these years. May You shine upon her and give her the wisdom always that will lead not just us, her children, but others as well.

In Jesus’ Mighty Name I pray, Amen.”

“Honor your Father and your Mother” — which is the first commandment with a promise…” – Ephesians 6:2

Always proud to be my Mom’s daughter,

P.S.

If you want to know more about my Mom, you may read this article: “How My Passion For Art and Fashion Came To Be.” ❤

On Bo Sanchez’s “Happy Poverty”

Posted on September 1, 2018 by Christine Lailani

This book was lying around in our old apartment for how many decades already since I was in college until now. It was only when we recently transferred homes did it capture my attention. I didn’t know who Bro. Bo Sanchez was back then. But last year I followed him on Instagram because of a quote I loved.

I finished reading this book for 20 minutes. That is how I am when I am immersed in what I am reading – time just passes. 😀 This is a short book which is a compilation of different stories but the stories were all wonderfully and beautifully written.

I totally adored this book from the beginning until the end. I felt like the book was speaking to me or rather, my life’s events are speaking in themselves through the book. In other words, I can 100% relate to everything that Bro. Bo was sharing – ideals, circumstances, take on a lot of things, etc.

The most interesting segment in the book that got me captivated and I found myself smiling and then laughing because I can totally relate to him is the idea of “happy poverty.”

My Version of “Happy Poverty”

If you are to read these articles, it’ll give you a glimpse of what my husband and I went through in the first 2 years of our married life: “Minimalist: What It Taught Me In Life” and “Dressing The Part.” It was not easy but we were able to live by because we have made decisions that we know will forge something deeper in our marriage – trust in God.

A Commitment As A Married Couple

One of our agreements when we finally decided to look for our own place to stay meant that we will be living in conditions that both of us weren’t used to. We both grew up in comfortable homes where we need not worry about everything we need. And this new season that God brought us in was the opposite – a new and unfamiliar territory. We knew we are up to something very challenging and this meant turbulent and rough seas for us.

To make it short, we decided to enter this “happy poverty” season. For the first part, it was very uncomfortable but we were glad and grateful we went through that season because it was a time of so many changes and growth in all areas of our lives. Because we both agreed to enter it, we were contented with our decision and never had any regrets.

You can imagine the major adjustments in everything throughout this season and we were well aware that we needed to keep our emotions in check because our predicament demanded all sort of negative reactions.

That is, if we allowed them to. Though we failed in some instances, I can still say my husband and I were successful in overcoming all the negativity for the most part. This is most likely because we clung on to a steady Rock who’s never washed ashore no matter how mighty the waves are. And also, because we have the following reminders to lead us. Some of these we were able to learn during the Marriage Preparation seminar we attended in church.

Trust-worthy reminders to live by:

Hold on to the commitment made as a husband and a wife and the act of cleaving.
Consider ourselves totally cut-off from anyone who could help us.
We can’t expect our parents to bail us out or go back home to our parents’ arms whimpering.
It’s not about pride but about trusting God and God alone.
How far will you trust God even if it comes to the point of dying for Him?

Deepened Trust

Looking back now, I can say that that particular season was beautiful. Although during those times there were moments of tears and sadness; disappointments and failures; helplessness and hopelessness – but only for the time being.

We allowed God to work on our lives and rescue us from anything that will be our pitfall. We did experience everything that the word “poverty” can encompass. And yet, if I will be asked to relive the experience, I’d still say “yes.”

Why? Because Bro. Bo Sanchez is right:

“That seasons of famine are permitted by God to give us deepened trust.”

And this verse will support that statement:

“Give your burdens to the LORD, and He will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.” – Psalm 55:2

But are there times that I still doubted the Lord? Yes, I honestly admit there are times that I still question God’s will and His ability to make things work according to His plans. This, I must say, I am ashamed in admitting but it also gave God more opportunity to reveal more of Himself to me including His never-ending faithfulness.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” – Romans 8:28

God is Never an Impatient God

Just like this article, developments in the family endeavor, the career opportunities I receive – they were all delayed. Because God revealed September is, once again, a season of waiting.

“Don’t be impatient. Eat when it is time to eat. And walk when it is time to walk.” – The Alchemist

Why must I or we wait? Because when God asks us to wait, it means He has a big plan that He is currently working on that requires a much-needed preparation and is due to happen in His timetable if we want it to be perfect.

God is a god of perfection and as His sons and daughters, He wants nothing else but for us to have the best. That is, if we have the patience to wait for them to unfold either in this lifetime or the life beyond. 🙂

“Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.” – James 1:17

“…in order that in the coming ages He might display the surpassing riches of His grace, demonstrated by His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God,…” – Ephesians 2:8

Rich in God’s love always,

More About Oyango Ridge: A Story Of Family History And Agenda | Part 1

Posted on August 24, 2018 by Christine Lailani

Disclaimer: This is about the history and it’s a long read but still worth reading. 😉

Oyango is read as /oh-YAh-ngo/. It is where my grandparents spent most of their lives. You only need to travel for 10 minutes from our place to get to the farm. This is the community where my grandparents have built a legacy with their children, with us, and with the neighbors.

The Legacy Behind Oyango Ridge

My grandpa was popularly known as a selfless giver. He shared most of what he could harvest from wild fruit-bearing trees with his friends and neighbors and sold some of the high-value crops. My parents do the same now with whatever we can harvest in our garden. I also intend to do the same.

How Did It Start?

This piece of land was owned by my great-grandfather, Julian Bertumen. He was my Mom’s granddad. It was passed on to my grandparents, then to our parents. We’ve known this place as a special farm back when we were kids.

I can still remember how our grandpa would recount stories during the Japanese occupation and why there were Japanese tunnels inside. I was around 6 years old at that time and I can only recall snippets of the entire experience.

Who is Beato Gerolao?

*CIRCA 1980s in Oyango: (Front L-R): Mom, Grandma, our late Grandpa, Mom’s sister | (Back L-R): Mom’s youngest brother, our late Grandpa’s brother, Mom’s 3rd brother, and his late wife*

My grandpa was a good storyteller. This is probably because he loved reading history books. I believe this is why as kids, we developed this attachment towards the place. It’s always a happy moment for us every time my Mom will say, “Okay, tomorrow we are going to the farm.”

To us, it speaks of so many great stories that we can only retell to the younger generations. And yet, I know, no one can share those stories like how our grandpa did. But one thing is for sure: that’s the legacy he passed on to us.

Our love for the farm was rekindled when our 94-year-old grandma reminded us about it during our Christmas vacation last December 2017. She told us that the property that our late grandpa acquired and utilized through his own efforts is all for us, the younger generations.

World War II

I admire my grandparents in so many ways. My grandma is a housewife, and my grandpa was a true-blue farmer. But they were able to send all 4 of their kids to school with the help of some relatives, and yet were also able to acquire other land possessions in other parts of the town during their time. They are now the properties that my parents, my aunts, uncles, and cousins are utilizing.

It was during the generation of my grandparents when World War II broke out. My grandparents didn’t have any formal education back then and they were a part of history where struggles were everywhere. I can imagine how harsh life must have been back then – all the post-war trauma and the economic, social, and political instability. But I believe those events forged something deeper in the early generations – resiliency.

Oyango Ridge History

The land is surrounded by mountain ridges. That’s why the Japanese chose it as their perfect hideout, thus, the tunnels. Some of these tunnels are short, and some were carved deep into the mountains, having entry and exit points at each side of the mountain. There were some that our grandpa said were used to hide an aircraft. There’s also one part of the farm where there’s a crater for another aircraft hideout. He assured us that there’s no need to worry if there might still be bombs dug deep in any part of the land. But honestly, we really can’t be too sure if it is free from land mines.

After World War II ended, scavengers scourged the land for scraps of metal to sell. Some were gold diggers (literally) who were looking for hidden treasures a la “Yamashita Treasure.” The Japanese were in a hurry to leave the country when they lost the war, so some were hoping they might have left anything valuable during the commotion.

Some asked permission to search our property. Since it’s already private property, my grandpa declined and warned them that they would be trespassing if they pushed through. Besides, my grandpa said it’s impossible they’ll find a treasure there because the land was basically used as a military artillery and as an air raid shelter.

It’s a wide but secluded place where they can perfectly and secretly hide any bulky military equipment, such as an aircraft, in case of an air surveillance or an air raid. Even before my great-grandpa bought the farm, and some gold diggers were successful enough to scour the place, they found no treasure.

The barracks of the Japanese are actually located miles away from the farm situated inside the grounds of my grade school alma mater. That is why our place is popularly called “Barracks”, if you plan to go there, and not by the street name itself.

There is one historic landmark inside the school grounds, which is also another air raid shelter or Japanese shelter made from stone and concrete. But nobody knows where it leads to since eroded soil blocked some parts of the tunnel already. Treasure hunters also tried their luck on this tunnel, but to no avail.

Also, to be able to dig on a piece of property, one must secure a treasure hunting permit from the National Museum of the Philippines. Otherwise, it will be considered an illegal activity. What bothered us really is the idea that there could still be land mines on the property since our grandpa said it’s used as a military artillery range.

You must be wondering why the Japanese chose our town during their brief occupation. If you’re going to look at the map, it is a strategic location for military operations. We are a coastal area so there are several options when it comes to escape routes – by land, by sea, and by air. Near the Oyango Ridge, there is now an auxiliary airport but I believe this was built after the war already. However, it never became operational.

Objectives: Mission and Vision

Why utilize the property? My siblings and I have already discussed the project’s mission and vision:

MISSION: “Greenery Towards Greater Sustainability”

VISION:

We are a privately-held company and a not-for-profit organization. Our goals include the promotion of sustainable agriculture through organic farming and supporting the local food movement. With this advocacy, we hope to provide more livelihood opportunities locally and increase agricultural appreciation.

As a social enterprise, we are targeting the inclusion of a training camp for the students and the young generation who will venture into the agribusiness industry. We are also looking into expanding our agribusiness projects to agritourism. This will enable us to promote local tourism by building a recreation and leisure community through the farm resort, vacation home, campsite, hospice, and retreat center for holistic wellness.

It is a not-for-profit organization because a majority of the profits will be used to fund the project’s operations. We are targeting the project to be self-sustaining. Self-sustaining means the initial invested capital will remain intact, and the ROI generated will be entirely used to fund the operations of the project. The higher the ROI, the more opportunities to expand the project’s objectives – the campsite, the retreat area, training facilities for young entrepreneurs/interns, etc.

So if we are to picture it in a graph, it can’t be a succession of extreme highs and lows similar to stock investments, which are volatile by nature. It cannot be a flat line, because a flat line means your business is dead. 😀

Instead, there has to be a steady increase in the ROI or, at the very least, consistently earn. The challenge now lies in how we can make this happen – insert marketing strategies. This is the point where I find it daunting and a bit overwhelming. But I have observed lately that when business start-ups are too focused on generating money asap and how much they will profit, it sometimes derails the company’s mission, objectives, and its values along the way. I believe it is best to leave the “money” part to God. Besides, He is the sole provider. I know He will supply according to our needs.

Creating a business model is far more complicated and way more intricate than we imagined, even after studying all the theories. How to keep the business running is where some businesses get stuck, and I am praying God will give us the grace and wisdom so it won’t happen to us. Because this is not for us, but helping others have better lives. And also, I would like God to be the center of it, a.k.a. our “chiefest” CEO. 😉

Sources of Livelihood

There are limited livelihood options in our town because it is a “sleepy” town. I call it that way because it has a small population, and the town’s revenues only come from small-scale businesses. There is only an influx in the population(revenues, too) during the holidays, i.e., Christmas vacation, Holy Week, town fiesta, etc., where relatives from abroad or from the city visit the town. During this season, businesses are flourishing. But when vacationers leave, the businesses go back to catering to the town’s small clientele.

This is the sad part: there is a lack of business opportunities, which also means a scarcity when it comes to livelihood options or jobs. Fishing and farming are the town’s primary sources of livelihood. However, due to climate change, there are now fewer and fewer catches every year, making it even harder for a regular fisherman to earn a living and feed his family. When it comes to palay production, it is also seasonal. Climate change also had drastic effects on the farming calendar.

In one of my freelance jobs, I encountered this documentary by Kara David entitled “Paraisong Salat.” Some families in our town experience the same struggles. My Mom had so many of these stories of former students back when she was a grade school teacher. They were the ones who were consistently absent in class because, at the tender age of 10 years old, they were already helping their dads fish at night. Some fell asleep during class hours because they hadn’t slept all night. Some weren’t responding well during class interactions because they hadn’t had breakfast yet – their dads came home without a catch.

More Opportunities, A Better Community

Imagine the expanse of the opportunities we can provide to these families. When we utilize the farm on a wider scale, we will need lots of farm workers and more people to help us manage the farm. We also plan to help small-time farmers by selling seedlings to them and educating them on how to grow selected crops properly and maximize their yield.

The farm will be running on a regular basis, which means they will have regular jobs, and they need not worry about getting a consistent income to feed and raise their families. Children won’t have to help their parents earn a living, but instead, focus on school. They will go to school well-fed, well-slept, and well-clothed. And that foundation I’ve been dreaming of putting up someday, I can see it happening here.

There is one bit of a challenge that I am looking into, though. When we utilize the property on a wider scale, we will need bigger farming equipment. This will trim down our production expenses. But it can also mean fewer farm workers because the farming equipment will do most of their tasks. And yet, looking at it again, it isn’t much of a big problem. We can always delegate other farm tasks to them since there’s a need to up the manpower to make the property fully operational.

To be honest, I have never regarded this piece of property as our own because I believe it belongs to God and will always belong to God. He only entrusted this land to us because it is attached to His plans that involve us. I believe, too, that this land will fulfill a greater purpose later on, where many will benefit.

It’s just like the Garden of Eden. It was never Adam and Eve’s in the first place. They were only placed there by God to cultivate it. The same goes for each and every one of us here. We are all tenants, even if the title of a property bears our name. For this organization, I have felt that this verse will speak its purpose:

“Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.” – Genesis 2:15

I can only pray that I’ll live long enough to witness that promise being fulfilled in this land. 😀

More About Oyango Ridge: A Story Of Family History And Agenda | Part 2

Posted on August 24, 2018 by Christine Lailani

Before I share this, I’d like to say that oftentimes God makes me cry in awe. Seriously. 🙂 You may find out why below. (This will be a long post, but a very interesting one.)

More Updates from Oyango Ridge

If you have been following my blog posts as of late, you’ll notice they are all about the current season that God brought my family in – developing a piece of property. You may read these articles to know the full story:

“Business Plans: Still Tilling And Waiting On God’s Ways”

“An Ode To My Grandpa”

In my recent article about the property, I did mention that what I needed as of the moment is a mentor who will guide us not just when it comes to the business aspect of the project, but someone whose values and goals are aligned with us – God-centered. I did mention I found one in the likes of Bro. Bo Sanchez. I only found one, but God said you need more.

Isn’t it amazing how God leads us to the right people when we clearly ask Him with all our hearts what we need because we want to fulfill His will more than anything?

It takes such great faith to ask God, though. Why? Because it involves waiting on God and trusting Him completely, where He will lead you. And yes, you’re in this blind spot where you just can’t see what is about to unfold. But even with the blindfold, you still trust your guide completely.

Just Like Abraham

I’ll be honest here, though. I haven’t been much of a very faithful follower. And last Sunday’s preaching by Pastor Will Murrell about Abraham and his somewhat wavering faith just made me realize how similar Abraham and I are when God called him out to go to the promised land.

I admit I also came to the point wherein, like Abraham, seeing there’s a famine in the promised land, resorted to doing things his way, or like what he did to Sarah. I also came to that point wherein I got tired and became too impatient with waiting for God’s instructions that my faith slowly waned, and I’m back to doing things my way.

The by-product? I just became frustrated to the point that I would ask my husband why can’t God give me what I want and what I need when I’ve done my best and everything that I could. It is only now that I realized I wasn’t doing things God’s way. And God would consistently pull me back towards the right path because He knows I am being led astray. He knows that my heart is not in its right place.

When God Leads

I understand why I had to pass up career opportunities that I would’ve loved to pursue on full throttle now. But I also saw how God gave me career opportunities that will allow me to fulfill the tasks I need to do. And now I know why the Spirit would give me this desire and when to act on it, like selecting dates that I have no idea why I selected that particular month or day.

I did mention in my previous article that I felt this need to be in our hometown and help our parents start with the family project. The Spirit led me to the month of September because it is my Mom and maternal grandmother’s birth month. So I previously selected their birth week – September 7-14.

But then an opportunity came where I needed to move the dates much later. I already had an inclination to change it even before the opportunity came, but I just have no valid reason why. So this opportunity sealed my decision to go home on September 16 instead.

When God Intervenes

Here’s what really happened. My brother knows we’re going home, but doesn’t exactly know when. When he called last Tuesday, he asked me what our targeted date was to go to our hometown. After telling him, he just said that it is perfect because there is a seminar on farming that we can attend about making it profitable, but guided by biblical principles.

When I heard this, you just can’t imagine the hearts in my eyes. Literally, I felt my heart go out to my eyes. lol But what is even more fascinating? It was scheduled the day before we leave for our 1-week visit to our hometown. I know now why God delayed all the site developments in our proposed timeline. Because God is not yet done preparing my siblings for this season. The opportunities to acquire knowledge and resources are all here, which my parents currently don’t have access to.

I also found other free e-learning courses offered by accredited organizations that award a certificate upon completion. Yes, this is what we will be doing at this stage – equipping, as my brother told me.

I only prayed for one mentor, and yet He gave us more than what we needed. Why? When I looked at the link that my brother shared with me, our goals are similar, even with our chosen Bible verse. But do take note that I already chose our running verse for the business even before I saw their site. 😀

“Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.” – Genesis 2:15

Mission, Vision, and Values

I know it is not a coincidence because I don’t believe in luck or coincidences. There are no such things in the Bible except for God’s plans and His will. When I was developing the website on 8/8/2018, I already laid out specifics on the content that we plan to incorporate on our website. I told my siblings that the website can serve as our concrete guide for the project’s goals.

When I was piecing the website together, I told myself (or God?) that these are very ambitious plans. From the training camp to the retreat center to the foundation, and even the wildlife sanctuary. I changed it to a wildlife sanctuary from a wildlife park because I’d like to make it a safe haven for all the animals who seek shelter there ever since. I have been an animal lover since birth. I even cry when I see chickens or pigs being slaughtered because we have to eat them. 😀

For the social enterprise part, Semilya Sa Kinabuhi and Oyango Ridge share the same goals – helping the new generation appreciate agricultural awareness. I believe with all the man-made structures being built everywhere, God is already calling out to us to preserve what is God-made.

Faith and Fate Intertwined

I am hopeful there will be a fruitful partnership between Semilya sa Kinabuhi and Oyango Ridge – they cater to Mindanao and us, the Southern Luzon. And I know this will expand to greater lengths. Why? There is now an ongoing construction of the international airport in Legazpi, a 3-hour ride from our place. Also, we heard that a new subdivision will be developed near Oyango Ridge.

We can envision how the entire community will benefit from agribusiness and farming. We plan to sell seedlings to small-time farmers so they can also contribute to the local food movement and lower the market price of the goods. The more the supply, the lower the prices, but the product quality is better.

And also, when there is an abundance of supply, we can share it with neighboring communities. We will never know, time will come, it won’t be impossible to ship these products abroad through the international airport in Legazpi City. My target? Send them to drought and war-afflicted countries where food is scarce. Some of the countries that came to my mind are Africa and Iraq.

You’ll probably say, “Tin, your products are perishable goods, they won’t last long, and might not even reach their destination.” That’s not a problem. In my previous work, I was able to research homesteading, and this includes canning. Canning is a way of preserving vegetables to extend their shelf life.

You can even do it by using a pressure cooker if you plan to can foods for personal consumption. But you will most likely say, “How easy will it be to transport these goods without being held by militants or any groups who are causing the uprising in those countries?”

The solution is to send these goodies along with neutral entities who are conducting humanitarian services. Who are they? Red Cross, UN, WHO, and I know there are a lot more of them. Or better yet, through our very own missionaries. Partner with them and you’ll be assured your products will be used according to your intended purpose – feed and help people.

Counterattack Lies with Hope and Prayers (Lots of Them)

Oftentimes, this is where the enemy usually comes in. You have this great plan for you and a lot of people, and the enemy will counterattack it with lies. Lies that say you can’t do it because of this and that and so on and so forth. And the only way to silence him is this – “with God, nothing is impossible, so go back to wherever you came from.” 😀

This is what I sometimes encounter. Those little voices in your head that say you’re incapable of such things. You lack a lot of things. You cannot achieve that. And a whole lot more of restraining lies. Well, I must admit that at some point it even came close to convincing me to totally forget about everything and turn my back on my destiny, if ever it is my destiny or purpose.

But then, God is forever faithful. He knows I am weak and prone to these enemies’ lies, and He gave me enough reasons to pursue what He tasked me to do. I am also stubborn by nature, and sometimes I tell God directly that I don’t want to do things His way because I don’t want to, and I just can’t make what He asks from me happen.

But here’s what God will answer me back with, “Is there anything too big and too difficult for me? You are not alone because I am with you. Emmanuel.” This is the very reason why He sent Jesus into this world in the first place – to be with us. And assure us that God is with us, He is even willing to sacrifice His Son to suffer on our behalf, just to prove that His presence is watching over us. Obedience is what He requires, and trust.

Trust With No Limits

Amazing is our God, isn’t it? I don’t see the bigger picture, but God allowed me to take a sneak peek at it because most probably He knows I oftentimes doubt myself and Him. And I am too fearful, much too fearful. I needed lots of convincing and assurances just to break through my stubbornness and unwillingness to accept and do my part.

I know you have a part, too, that is why you got to read this. It may not be a farm, and it could be something else, but I know for sure He has plans for you, too. A big one, and yes, say “yes” too. His even bigger plans won’t happen if the body of Christ lacks the leg or the arm or the head. We may be the arm, but we need the head or the leg, so together we can do what He wants us to do as the body of Christ. Yes, we would like to partner with you in this endeavor once it becomes operational in whatever form it may be – prayers, volunteering, or paid work, business affiliates, etc.

I am just extremely glad and grateful when, just at the time I was about to feel unmotivated, lower my expectations, and start losing hope, here He is with so many surprises that will prove the Lord is faithful with all His promises. And He’s never early nor late but always right on time. 🙂

P.S.

We know now why this is a family calling – all of us in the family loves gardening as a hobby. This is my second sister and bro-in-law’s harvest from their garden in Norway. 😀

Because urban living deprives me of a spacious lawn, I have grown mine in pots. I propagated these ivys which my brother gave me. 🙂

He and my sis-in-law have their own set of potted plants, too. My eldest sister also has hers in their place. And my 3rd sister was able to successfully grow some vegetables in our hometown, too. I also believe it isn’t a coincidence that my Mom’s name is Eden. Yes, the Garden of Eden, indeed. 😉

If you’re curious what’s in my Mom’s garden when it comes to flowering plants, you may check out these links:

“MAY The Flowers Be With You”

“Flora And Fauna – Explored”

Love In The Eyes Of An Empath| 3rd Year Wedding Anniversary Special

Posted on August 17, 2018 by Christine Lailani

As the title goes, this post is in line with our celebration for our 3rd year wedding anniversary. I can only praise God for taking good care of our marriage and for our happy union now – we owe it all to Him. 🙂 ❤

For a change though, I’ve decided to make this a creative write-up. Here it goes. ❤ 😉

Dear love,

It was a beautiful friendship. Now, it is a thriving marriage.

At first, nothing could go wrong, you thought. Because “love” is all in the air. And yet, you saw visions of them – hatred, bitterness, hurt, and anger. Then, it became a reality. Ah, they brought you pain. So much pain. So you asked, “God, where do I go?” His answer was simple, “Me. Come to me.”

Then, everything vanished. You were carried in His arms. You knew you will walk out that dreary stretch with all your might. Could it be that you have fallen along the way? Yes, but He picked you up. Amazing, isn’t it? The footprints always remain a single pair. It must be true. It is, in fact, true.

Now, you saw that familiar face, again. You can see his gaze, perturbing. That look, yes, that look. You saw the pain. It emanates from the windows of his soul, the eyes. You felt the pain. So this is how it is to love. To love with all your soul – all bare, all naked, all vulnerable.

Can things change? You hoped it in your heart. No, you prayed it with all your heart. There might still be a chance. But that’s the thing with love. It always gives chances. Even if you thought the opposite is true.

I’m glad he’s back. And so we’re back. Here we are fighting together and not against each other. But something really has changed. No, it’s not something. A lot of things have changed. You counted the days that turned into weeks and then months. And now? 2 years of changed lives and changed hearts.

You are more than glad you called out to Him for help. You knew you cannot do it on your own. That familiar gaze would’ve come from a stranger. A stranger who knew so much about you. A stranger made by circumstances.

He finally arrives home, you look at him. There he is with his tired look. He smiled faintly, greeted you with a kiss. But his usual banter is nowhere to be seen. You decide to tell him then later. Give him a tight hug, a sweet kiss, then prepare dinner.

He is trying the best that he could to be the best man. Don’t forget the little and big things which he knows you’ll love even if it’s too much of a hassle for him. When all is at rest, he’s back to his usual self. Ah yes, the perfect time to lie beside him, tease him, tell him what you wanted to tell him, stare at his face, and wonder if the circles under his eyes are getting bigger.

So you smiled at him which was returned right away and then more teasing. A few words are enough. That is not so hard to do. To focus more on someone is to focus less on the self. You read the emotions, you read the actions. It’s not hard to tell. You know what to do, you know what to say, and when to do all of them.

Funny how a pause is so important in everything. You look at him, you pause. He says something, you pause. He does something, you pause. Those pauses are so much more than just mere pauses. They speak volume to you who feels everything.

If there is but one thing that marriage teaches you about life, it is this – take a pause. When you pause, you loosen up. You detach from your emotions. Then, everything comes to a standstill.

It’s just like a time machine. It allows you to reorganize everything and make sure you’ll do everything right this time. Except in our world, you don’t need a time machine. Why? Because your choices will allow you to control time.

Time. You must love time and for what it does whether it’s to heal, to be free, to fight, or to reunite. See time as your best friend, not your enemy. It is only when you pause that you stop the time. You pause because you want to cherish the moments you want and can keep.

Love and time. They make a relationship grow. Yes, so much have changed. But only because we chose to allow time in letting things grow. And only because we have love to keep things growing.

About love, it’s not so hard to find actually. All you need to do is just look up and say, “God, I am ready for You.”

Make sure though that you really are ready. Because it is only love that will keep you together when everything seems falling apart. And when you do finally have love, whatever comes in your relationship, be assured that it will always have a happy ending. 🙂

A loving empath always,

If you love poetry reading, you can try watching my version of this lyric poem below. Enjoy! ☺❤

P.S.

I am currently finishing drafts one by one and once done, I plan to set the date when each article will go live. A thought came in though. What if one of these days I’ll find out my days here in this world are numbered? Will it be okay if my social media accounts still be “active” because of my scheduled posts on WordPress even if I’ve long been gone? I have drafted a whole year worth of articles. I hope you guys won’t find it creepy. 😀

Anyway, speaking of those numbered days, I randomly shot a question to hubby dear last week. I asked him what he will do if there’s an emergency here at home i.e. I slipped on the bathroom floor and was knocked unconscious, there was a fire, etc. and he needs to rush me to the hospital. He just answered that he’ll decide when it’s already happening. So I told him that sometimes a little preparation will help align your emotions to what can possibly happen (the dreaded events) and prevent a lot of hassle.

I continued by telling him that if he finds me unconscious on the floor, he must check my pulse, then get 3 important things: keys, wallet, and cellphone. He must also lock the door after carrying me out. Then once downstairs, ask for help from the guard then book a Grab car or taxi if the ambulance from a nearby hospital will take too long to fetch me.

My husband finds this absurd. Haha Yup, I know you will find this absurd, too. 😀 And I realized I am beginning to sound a lot like my Mom these days. (Love you, Mom!) But I know these “absurd” thoughts never popped up for no reason. They will also serve their purpose in God’s time. Well, it’s just an afterthought, anyway. A long one. 😉

Business Plans: Still Tilling And Waiting On God’s Ways

Posted on August 10, 2018 by Christine Lailani

Thank God yet again for the grace to finish all the tasks set for today. 🙂 First off, I am only running a free domain for this blog so when I finally worked on our family project’s official website, I didn’t expect there’s A LOT to learn. 😀

I am all passionate when it comes to learning though. So I can say I’ve enjoyed every minute I spent putting it together from logo-making to choosing the layout to content organizing. We’re only using the premium plan because I told my siblings I just needed to make my way around building a professional website. When the family project’s fully operational, I plan to upgrade it to the business plan if God wills it.

The entire web designing/developing took me three days to set up. The website’s already live but it still is under construction. You may take a peek though if you’re curious. 😉

I’ll be sharing the developments here on my personal blog first then migrate them there later on. If you’re wondering what this family project is all about, you can check out this article but it’s written in the vernacular. Don’t worry, you can still read it by clicking “Google Translate” which you can find at the sidebar of this site (desktop view) and at the lower portion of the site (mobile view). I just hope Google will do a fine work of translating it exactly as what the gist of the story is all about. 😉

Business Aspects

Now let’s get down to business, technically. 😀 For the technical aspects of the land, it is a 13.5-hectare property divided into two. One half belongs to my Aunt (Mom’s sister) and the other half to my Mom. The opportunity already came to tell my Aunt who’s living in the U.S. about the project. She shared to me a video about a discovery of one consumer on a lettuce that’s made of plastic. I told my Aunt all the more we should pursue organic farming on our property for healthier products.

Organic Farming

Speaking of organic farming, I asked Dad what are the other crops aside from coconut and rice suitable to plant at the farm. I already conducted my research on the consistent top-selling agricultural products for the last 3-4 consecutive years. These products are high-selling due to a high demand. Currently, it’s the same demand (and a dilemma) in our town – the lack of options when it comes to vegetables.

Dad said the majority of the vegetables sold in our local public market came from Manila. This means these vegetables are sold at a relatively high price because it will include the careful packaging, handling, and delivery fees. It takes 17 hours to travel by land from Manila to our town. So by the time it reaches our town, you can expect the vegetables are all in poor condition and of low quality but sold at an expensive price.

I shared with Dad this will be the goal of the project, to supply the demands in our town and sell our products for a fraction of the usual market price but still meet the targeted ROI. How can we achieve that? It’s definitely going to be a trial and error. Release a couple of products in the market and then monitor the generated income on a monthly basis and see if there’s a consistency in the demand and a need to up the supply. If there are higher purchases, it means the market price we have set is fair enough for the consumers. But, easier said than done always. 😉

Down to Early Stages

My siblings and I already have this urge that time is of the essence. The earlier we start, the sooner we can make these plans materialize. But when I asked my Dad how long it’ll take for all the paperwork to be processed for the titling of all his land possessions (current status) including the Oyango Ridge, he said, “Just relax.” lol 😀 This is needed for transferring ownership of land possessions to heirs.

Okay, I get it now. I believe this is why the Bible stated receiving the inheritance at an older age. Why? With older age comes greater wisdom brought by experiences. Even if we think we know it all how to run and manage the company smoothly and successfully, nothing still beats experience as the best teacher.

This is where our parents come in. They don’t make decisions based on impulse and act hastily but make them through guided wisdom. That’s what I am learning now, too. I believe the spiritual gift of the family is more on the gift of prophecy. Mom calls it as foresight. She saw it from our late grandpa who would always act on something when the timing is right. That action will then fulfill an even greater purpose and will only have relevance several years after just like now.

I could still remember my Mom a few years back when she sat me and my sister down to have this “serious” talk about the last will and testament and how the properties will be divided among me and my siblings. My sister and I laughed it off telling her it is still too early to do it, they’re still young and they won’t die yet. Mom was furious and said, “Why are you taking all of these as a joke? This is not a laughing matter because we will never know when the inevitable (dying) will happen. So you all listen because this is a serious topic.” 😀

I believe during that time my Mom already received the prophecy, the foresight. Mom already felt it in her heart that 4 years after, here we are, siblings, actively pursuing our interest to utilize the property. We never got to hear from her that time though how exactly the land will be divided among her 5 children because she reiterated about why the land is important to them and to the family instead. But I believe Mom and Dad prepared what needs to be prepared already.

This is what I am praying for in this endeavor. I pray that may we all be guided by Godly wisdom in pursuing this purpose that God has set in our hearts. May our families have undivided interests and will continue to seek the greater good of everyone. This is actually what I am grateful for now – the active participation of all my siblings to make this project come true. Now, it’s all about waiting for God’s perfect time to execute them one by one and His grace to resolve all challenges we meet along the way.

Challenges and Setbacks

We’ve already had some setbacks and cited several challenges during the business planning. I broke them down into several categories depending on a particular area of the land. We plan to utilize only half of the farm (Mom’s share) and we will still consult with my Aunt’s family what their plans are on their portion of the land. For now, a little portion of the property is being utilized for copra production. We don’t have an estimate yet about the total number of coconut trees (hubby and I were tasked to count and mark them all down one by one on our next visit next month) but we can gather a truckload of produce every 45 days. We already have a team of farmers (I call them our “coco” heroes. 😉 ) helping us with the entire production.

At this point, Mom would like to buy a truck and we can’t see the advantage yet of acquiring one as early as now but I do have hints. Dad is also managing other land assets which are now being utilized as rice fields. They are located in different parts of the town and I think my Mom believes we can cut down on transport fees if we own the truck instead of hiring one to transport all of our produce.

Yes, I know Mom can see the picture pretty clearly already. For us, it’s all a scattered plan. But for her, it’s already one solid project. When Mom decides on something, it usually turns out for the greater good because she’s a very good planner. This is probably the result of having foresight as I mentioned earlier. I am praying I’ll have the same spiritual gift. Mom’s wisdom, come on to me now. 😀

Seriously though, I am praying for God’s wisdom, grace, provision, and timing over all the challenges in this early stage of the project’s development such as what I’ll discuss below.

Technical aspects:

Secure a permanent perimeter fence on the entire property.
Establish water and electric supply.
Facilitate road improvements.
Hire a farm help to live at the farm 24/7 just to make sure there are no security breaches or trespassers.

Organic Farming (as per Dad’s advice):

Needs to conduct soil analysis to determine the soil type.
The soil is made of clay, not perfect for planting any kind of crops.
There is an option to plant crops, but the soil analysis will determine the proportion of fertilizers needed for the crops to produce a higher yield.
Due to the climate change, the farming calendar has also shifted.
The soil analysis will be conducted at the regional office of the Department of Agriculture (3 hrs travel time).

Marketing:

Identify the clientele.
Select the suitable marketing channels.
In-depth study of the ratio of supply and demand.
Packaging, handling, and transport measures.
Analyze if the ROI in all selected crops including palay and copra is feasible enough to sustain the project’s operations.

That is just stage 1 and we haven’t even started yet because it’s rainy season already. We need dry land for dredging to set up a water source and determine how deep it should go. The same goes for establishing electricity and making road improvements.

Also, Mom suggested there must be a farm help first to make sure no one will tamper with any of the equipment or construction materials brought inside the farm. But, we are still screening the best applicant who is willing, who is reliable, and whom we can trust.

The farm help will be receiving a regular income though with all the mandated government benefits and a monthly allowance of 1 sack of rice. Methinks that is already a suitable offer I am even willing to grab it, myself. But well, I am tied to other obligations for now. 😀

The reason why I am sharing these developments is to provide information about pursuing a business in the agricultural sector on a wider scale. I also wish to hear insights from you, my beloved readers, if you know anything about agribusiness. This season requires I have a mentor who shares the same passion and business goals that we have. I already found one and I am praying for God’s perfect time to conduct a business meeting/fellowship with him. 🙂

He’s none other than Bro. Bo Sanchez. It was only last month when I got to read one of his books and the book was like sitting on my siblings’ bookshelves for decades already. But God’s timing made it possible that I get to read it now at just the right season I’m in. I can relate to all of the experiences and insights he shared even the one which he calls as the “happy poverty.” I’ll touch more on that in the article scheduled two Fridays from now. But what captivated me most was Anawim. More of this, too, in said article.

Next Friday, I’ll be sharing a detailed history of the property and why the desire in our hearts to pursue this family project. But to set things straight, this is not for us because we’re all pursuing our chosen careers. To end this article, I’d like to write down this prayer because I know this endeavor isn’t something that can be done overnight. It’ll require so much from us in all aspects (spiritual, emotional, mental, physical, & financial) and at this point, we would like to ask for your prayers, too. ❤

“Lord, may Your will be done for You, alone, direct our steps. We are seeking for your guiding light in every step of the way and may you give us protection from anything that the enemy will strike against us. I am praying that in this season, on this particular journey, may Your name be glorified through all the testimonies in our lives.”

Verse of the day (as of 8/11/2018):

“For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.” – Isaiah 43:19

Placing everything in faith and in prayer,

Read more: The Christian From Bicol

P.S.

I am trying to post this asap before the clock strikes 12 midnight because this is supposedly an #everyFridayblogpost. 😀 But I had so little time to rest in between tasks because I also cooked “lechon paksiw” for our dinner. My rest time is my only writing time so I got to write this only now. Do leave a comment if you’d like to know the recipe for this popular Filipino dish. 😉

	Christine Lailani on Why I Am Keeping This Blog AI-…
	Akhtar Munir on Why I Am Keeping This Blog AI-…
	Free KetoDietRecipes… on Home Cooking Made Even Better
	legendsfeedback1233 on Home Cooking Made Even Better
	Christine Lailani on Brief Encounters, Souls Intert…
	MERCY on Brief Encounters, Souls Intert…
	gold ira reviews on 1208611_4979879545525_10205000…
	company website on 8 Signs You’re A Literat…

Engr. Daddy Farmer

Bicol’s Farming Industry

Businesses Then and Now

What Is the News all About

A Vision of the Future

God Closes Doors Because He Knows the Right One for You

Share this:

Share this:

Agribusiness Venture

Sustainable Agriculture

Local Food Movement

Always Learning

God’s Plans

God’s Favors

Put God First

Share this:

Share this:

Her Name is Teacher Eden

As A Mother

Share this:

My Version of “Happy Poverty”

A Commitment As A Married Couple

Trust-worthy reminders to live by:

Deepened Trust

God is Never an Impatient God

Share this:

The Legacy Behind Oyango Ridge

How Did It Start?

Who is Beato Gerolao?

World War II

Oyango Ridge History

Objectives: Mission and Vision

Sources of Livelihood

More Opportunities, A Better Community

Share this:

More Updates from Oyango Ridge

Just Like Abraham

When God Leads

When God Intervenes

Mission, Vision, and Values

Faith and Fate Intertwined

Counterattack Lies with Hope and Prayers (Lots of Them)

Trust With No Limits

Share this:

Share this:

Business Aspects

Organic Farming

Down to Early Stages

Challenges and Setbacks

Share this: