For the Coffee Table Book - Issue #12

Let's go back to Inghoy, Alegria, Cebu.

Look closely at the boy in yellow basketball trunks. Look closely also on transparent figure imposed on him.

When this picture was taken the boy was traying to spray some water on the girl swimming near the rock where he stood.

I was waiting for that big spray from his feet. Sadly my shutter came in too late and the image was slightly blurred.

The boy did not jump into the water.

No manipulations done. My word of honor.

A Can of Soft Drink a Day

Education is a human right with immense power to transform. On its foundation rest the cornerstones of freedom, democracy and sustainable human development. - Kofi Annan

Having lived for a long time below the Philippines' poverty line, I now believe that education is a daily gift. Education is a daily gift given by those who want to make a difference in the lives of others and by those who hope to transform lives.

If not for the kindness of these people, you may not be reading my ideas now and you may not have seen the photographs I passionately try to take.

My college education seemed to be a far-flung dream for me and my parents. Heavens decided to close its doors to my childhood dream of becoming a doctor. However, it opened a window - an academic scholarship for an engineering course.

The generosity of the donors in the Handumanan Science Foundation of the University of St. La Salle in Bacolod City made a difference in my life. I was truly grateful for there was no contract involved, no payment to be made after graduation and after I find work. There was however that unspoken honor, privilege and resolve to  pay it forward.

I am currently sponsoring a child to school through World Vision. I have been sponsoring him since 2006. He likes to play with his toy car. His family lives near a stream and a mountain and their house is surrounded by trees.

It is always a joy when I receive small notes from him such as these...

For the past three Christmases, I have received one hand-made card and 2 World Vision cards. They have made my Christmases more meaningful...

Sponsoring a child's education through World Vision is like giving a daily gift. It is the gift of sparing a can of soft drink a day for your sponsored child.

There were times when it becomes really hard to spare those cans of soft drinks, especially if they have been accumulated for three months. But I made a commitment and every time I go out of the bank after making my quarterly deposits, I feel relived, joyful and satisfied knowing that for the coming three months I am again making a difference in a child's life, a day at a time.

World Vision is a Christian organization dedicated to working with the world’s most vulnerable people - children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. World Vision looks beyond religion, race, ethnicity or gender. Just as Jesus Christ extended love and compassion to all people, especially to children, World Vision aspires to partake and manifest these values to all, especially to those living in poverty or suffering from oppression and injustice.

World Vision Philippines currently has 120, 000 sponsored kids with 23,000 children supported by fellow Filipinos here in the country. There are 8 local communities (Zambales, Isabela, Cebu, Aklan, Misamis Occidental, Cavite, and two at Palawan) in the country that are being supported by World Vision.

For 2009, World Vision aims to send 9,000 more children to school.

If you are willing to make a difference by saving for a can of soft drink a day for one of these children to go to school for them to have a chance for a better future, you can visit their website here. If you have further inquiries, you can also email them at: wv_phil[at]wvi[dot]org

Imagine the possibilities that you might be giving a child now for his future.

Imagine the chain and the linkages of people who will someday pay it forward.

Imagine the bright future of our country when every child truly has the right to education.

If you can imagine it, let's work together to make it happen. Make education a daily gift.

A can of soft drink a day goes a long, long way...

Crocolandia is a conservation park in Biasong, Talisay City here in Cebu. The place hosts many crocodiles, birds, deers, wild pigs, snakes and tortoises.

I went there last Sunday and had a blast with photography. I am sharing some pics that I took. The animals here are but a small fraction of the animals they host at Crocolandia. I took their pictures because I don't have any of them in my stock. Not featured are the prominent deers, wild boars, snakes and other arboreal animals such as civet and the Palawan Bear.

Since the place is for crocodiles, let's do the crocs first. Here's the very first crocodile that I saw (imaged cropped to isolate croc).

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This crocodile has just surfaced from the water.

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The main attraction of Crocolandia is Lapu-lapu, the largest crocodile in the Visayas, spanning more than 6 feet. Here, he is submerged in his own pond. I was not to able to see him in his feeding time - 4PM on Sundays. I went there at around 1PM.

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Ready for the bite! This is an old crocodile in the park...

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That's it for the crocs... Next, we'll have the other sauropsids.

This is the Philippine sailfin lizard (Hydrosaurus pustulatus). This lizard is an excellent swimmer and has flattened toes that enable it to run across water. It is omnivorous, feeding mostly on insects and small animals and occasionally on fruits and leaves. It lives near rivers and tropical rainforests. Locally it is known as "ibid".

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A close-up shot of the sailfin lizard.

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There only two species for the Iguana genus: Green Iguana and Lesser Antillean Iguana. Crocolandia has two green iguanas. It was difficult to take a full body shot of the iguana, so I opted for a portrait shot. Though this is a green iguana, it turned out to have a bluish tinge (they seldom respond to a blue stimulus).

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The African Spurred Tortoise (Geochelone sulcata) is probably the most shameless chelonian I have ever meet. It the third largest of all tortoises and the largest among mainland tortoises. It was difficult to take a decent picture of this tortoise.

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There are also many snakes in the park but it was difficult to take decent shots in their cages.

Let's go to the avians.

When I saw this Indian peafowl (Pavo cristatus), I was very excited to take a picture. And it proved to be challenged since this bird seemed be affected by attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. I used an entire roll, and this is the most decent cropped shot I was able to take.

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This is the Rufous Night Heron (Nycticorax caledonicus). This is a medium sized heron commonly found in rice farms, rivers and streams. Contrary to its name, this heron is not strictly nocturnal.

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It took me awhile to determine this heron's name, since no details about this bird is posted on its cage. After scouring for different kinds of herons, I have come to conclude that this is a Striated Heron (Butorides striata).

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This heron is common in mangrove swamps and is also called as mangrove heron. I like the blue feathers on its back that form like a cape.

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My most favorite among the birds in Crocolandia is the Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis). Locally known as "talabong" (tulabong in Hiligaynon), its all-white plumage changes during breeding season. The cattle egret here is in its breeding plumage.

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When I was about to go home, I decided to go back to the egret's cage. Some streaks of light has penetrated the cage, and a ray hit the egret putting it in sidelight. As an effect, its breeding plumage of orange tint become more saturated on sight.

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And this shot made my day. Sidelighting is really wonderful...

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Crocolandia also has an ostrich. It was also difficult to take a shot of it since it approaches anyone who comes near its cage.

If you are in Cebu and you want to visit Crocolandia, the entrance fee for adults is PhP80.00 and PhP40.00 for children. They give a discount for groups of 25 persons. A guided tour by the volunteer biologists of the park can also be arranged. You can call 2731842.

How to go there: take the 42D PUJ from Citilink and ask to be dropped in Eskina Dumlog in Talisay. Take the pedicab or trike from Eskina Dumlog to Crocolandia.

The First Great Step: The Story of White Jade

"Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God." 

The time was 1947. The place, China. The communists under Mao Tse Tung had begun "The War of Liberation", and Chiang Kai-Shek's government armies were being pushed hack.

Nonetheless a young American evangelist by the name of Bob Pierce had preached with good success in Shanghai, Hangchow, Nanking wherever Christian missionaries could arrange meetings. His last stop was at the University of Amoy on Amoy (now Xiamen) Island in the Formosa Strait. Hundreds of college students made decisions for Christ. Upon hearing him, a tall Dutch reformed missionary named Tena asked Bob to stay over and speak to the 400 children who attended the mission school she ran nearby. He agreed. He spent four days telling, as simply as he knew how, the good news of Jesus to the Chinese schoolchildren. When he felt the time was ripe, he appealed to them to accept Christ as their Lord and Savior, then go home and share with their parents their new faith. Many young hearts were gathered into the Kingdom.

The next morning, as Bob prepared to leave Amoy, he stopped by the school to say goodbye to Tena and thank her for the opportunity to minister to the children. Instead of the gracious early morning reception he had expected, a distraught woman met him at the Front door. In her arms was a child. The little girl was still sobbing. Her back was a lurid pattern of red lines and purple splotches. She obviously had been whipped and beaten. Her thin dress was soaked with blood. Her eyes were puffy from crying and she hold on to Tena's neck as if her life depended on it.

"What happened?' Bob asked. "White Jade did just what you asked, Tena replied. "She went straight home and told her parents she had become a Christian and would worship only the one true God. Look what it cost her! Her Father screamed that she had dishonored her ancestors, beat her and threw her out of the house. Tena thrust the traumatized little girl into Bob's arms and asked, "Now, what are you going to do about it? I have six other children already sharing my rice bowl!

Bob held the child awkwardly. White Jade wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder. Every few moments, she shuddered with the residing sobs. Tears streamed down Tena's red face. Her lip quivered, but her jaw was clenched. The pain in her eyes demanded an answer. Pierce was shaken to the core of his being. The enormous social implications of Christ's gospel began to unfold in his mind. The incredibly vulnerable child in his arms was a child of the King. And she needed to be cared for.

Tena stood, unmoving, waitinq for an answer. "All I have is five dollars.." he said meekly. The bold, confident evangelist-before-thousands was humbled and quieted by the needs of the precious child he held, "That's fine", she answered. "I'II take it. Five dollars will buy enough cloth for a new dress, some rice and a new slate for school. When you get home, send me five dollars every month. I'll let White Jade sleep in the kitchen. I promise you I'll take care of her."

World Vision was born with that five dollars; a ministry dedicated to caring for the white jades of this world, propelled by the prayer Pierce wrote in the fly leaf of his Bible- "Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God."

(Excerpt from One Life at a Time by Robert A. Seiple, compiled by Burce Brander, WV Information and Communications Group)

For the Coffee Table Book - Issue #11

The ship has docked...
The captain has surveyed the port.
I tried very hard to follow
But the road offered attractions...
I got distracted.
Many times I lost sight of His back.
Sometimes He would patiently wait
Until I catched up.
Sometimes I would just stop
And He'd find me.
In following Him, I started to know Him more
And I got to know myself.

This is the path of discovery...

- Messiah Chrome, On Journeys Again, 2003

A tug boat with the Toledo City port in the background.