the fund raising project is fast approaching. more like a week left before this all happens. i admit i am pretty excited to see how all our efforts would work out, to see how the crowd will react that is.

tickets are sold but we're expecting more people participating. it'll be on open ground so even those outside the gates would see and hear. it's never an issue if this happens because we're doing a fund raising project after all. we have already reached our quota (ticket sales) and we really do want everyone to be there.

funny how things end up for me. i am just a common "brother" to the kids i teach songs with and for some reason when we presented ours for the concert, i was chosen to be the stage director without a blink. whoa! that sounds like too much of a responsibility for me. i reacted, of course, knowing how limited i am especially with the fact that i work in the city and it'll only be on weekends that i can manage to see everything. i would not complain if asked to arrange everyone's places during their performances but overall? timing, lighting, sounds, entrance/exit formations, these are my focus areas.

but that didn't come with candies and fruits. last sunday, i was discussing the line formation to everyone when someone made fun of me. he says that my voice is so bad that i shouldn't have said a word nor used the microphone and associated me with some guy on tv that looks funny. i should have shot the words "is he an idiot not to make use of the sound system for everyone to hear especially when talking to a hundred plus crowd?" but didn't, instead went on with the explanation. later have i found that this guy is a new member who seemed to feel full of himself. he must have thought i am just some guy suggesting something. i really don't like confrontations so i just talked to his group's leader and advised that if they don't have nothing good to speak of, just keep the mockery to themselves. maturity is expected especially from a group full of adults. i guess he was shocked upon learning that i was the same guy who'll be watching their group practice to see if theirs need more improvement. the very same guy who lead a group of kids which they want to "copy" because their original performance doesn't look well. btw, i also took pictures per the lead's request just because they don't even have a decent camera. in short, they really owe me big time and i am not even paid to do this.   

later that afternoon, i received word from that group's lead apologizing for what have had happened. shared her "giving up" moments from their group but advised me to be strong because everything's a challenge. i said, i am ok with everything. i just don't feel comfortable for a pest in the crowd but nonetheless, i'll still do the task i'm assigned to do.

lately, i don't have time for everything. lost chance to see my godkids when they dropped by out house last month. tried calling me several times but my phone was on silent mode while inside the church and only bedtime was i able to read them messages; didn't catch an old highschool classmate on her despedida de soltera which we organized because i came to the party 3 hours late (around 9pm); less sleep time on weekends, maximum of 5-6 hours only because apart for the general practices we're dealing with all of the concert's participants, i still have to see our group's performance and practices new songs for the advent/christmas season. and lastly, still unable to fix my room. have cleaned it and all but the mess that the flood left us still wasn't fixed. i wish i have a clone or something. 

anyway, this experience made me more proud of the kids i've been singing songs with. they really do great. there are lots of areas for improvement but they really shined on this activity. probably because they all behaved the way i expected them to be or the fact that the words i'm hearing regarding their performance on practices makes me wanna hug them all. 

last sunday was i only able to complete these videos which they'll be using as their video background for their concert. 4 videos in all because it's a not-more-than-20-minutes-per-group thing. i tried using real videos but the program i'm using (windows movie maker) isn't doing well so i just used pictures instead. hope you like them :)

some of the pics used on the 2nd video can be found here:

• http://renatojr3.multiply.com/photos/album/37/Good_Shepherd_09

i remember to be in the 37th floor around 3am when everything shaked. i really thought i was gonna die that moment. all you could do is close your eyes and just, wait. people started crying while i looked out for teammates who just had lost hope in their hearts. i was waiting for something to collapse, the building itself definitely but thank goodness that didn't happen.

it's probably one of the most shocking moments of my life. never got out of my fear of tremors. one would notice how uncomfortable i can be whenever i'm in the mall and sitting next to the escalator. or just the force people's footsteps make that makes floors vibrate.

and that's something you can't control. nothing you can do but either focus on something that'll make you forget your fears or just... well, wait.

how about finding yourself on a rooftop on one stormy night seeing how fast the water rise and not knowing if you'll be able survive such ordeal or to simply put it, that is already your day?

it was thursday night, when my sister sent me a text message. she said the water is already knee level. i was clueless what she's trying to say at first but my senses came knocking on me and just realized that our place is already flooded. i am aware of the  fact that the storm went back and brought more water which filled our dams but never have i imagined that we're about to have a really one hell of a house splash.

as you can see, everyone was enjoying each other's company that night. no warnings and just being comfortable inside while rain falls down. electricity went out just in time as the water starts filling the spaces.

higher... more water...

my mom was already on a safe place when sirens were heard. normally, this type of thing meant danger is coming and everyone must prepare themselves. again, there was water already. she went back together with my sister to level up some stuff at home. my 2 brothers were still there taking care of their stuff. so i guess they'll just go back together a little later.

but that little later was no longer an option. in less than a hour, water reached higher levels. i believe it's already chest level which prevented them to get to a safer, higher ground. btw, our place is slightly higher than the rest. ours may be a bungalow type but it's level would be just like the 2nd floor already. on 3pm, no more choice but to move to the rooftop and 12 hours later, they dared moving to a safer place as the tides went lower.

and lower...

thank goodness, they're all safe. all in all, 8 families stayed together for 3 days. my mom, sister and 2 brothers joined them on the 2nd day. thank goodness that an uncle celebrated his birthday thursday which explains their abundant supply of food and water. come sunday morning, i brought home 2 bags and 2 boxes of food, medicine, toiletries, etc. i really don't know how i was able to carry them all but my mind was set to deliver these to them. no trips available on saturday and stayed worried till i finally saw their faces. thankful as well that friends generously provided additional supplies for me to carry on my way home hoping these are enough to feed the hungry and comfort whoever i can.

i really felt bad of myself because i can't do more that what i did. i wished i was there when they needed me most. i kept telling myself nothing's worth more than my family. i wished i could erase the pain they just experienced or have them all given to me instead. i wished i had more time and budget to support all their needs. i wished... i wished... this didn't happen.

monday morning, went around the neighborhood checking how the others are. friends, relatives, everyone that i know (and as well as talking to some i didn't know). i nearly bursted into tears upon realizing everyone's there. lots of losses but mostly material stuff which can be replaced.

what do these people have that they can still smile after this event? i am expecting a lot of sadness, a cry for help, anything that comes with bitterness but not one, not one did i hear someone complain, instead telling me how hopeful everyone is.

really was inspired when my cousin said: "babangon din tayo, kuya jon" (we'll rise again)

the house revisited...

brought back a lot of memories while cleaning. this desk was given to me by my grandmother way back when i was still in kindergarten. see how tough the wood is?

wanna see my room? it took me 2 days before i mustered strength to check things out. was devastated because i know that i have lost a lot of stuff but then, i have to move on.

my comicbooks. up to now, i still am in a state of shock.

note that the elephant statue was found a street away. surprised to see this piece of art not broken, just lost.

spot the pigs. they say that my brother was trying to catch them as he saw them floating during the flood. the owner was informed and claimed the pigs 2 days after (if not, them pics would end up food big time).

went back to the city wednesday night and reported for work thursday morning. i wish i have more time to cover what needs to be done. i'll come back tomorrow morning and hoping no one gets sick or anything.

o yeah, my mom spent her birthday on the roof and i'm planning to make it up to her by bringing her a cake. hope she likes it.