Last November 30, 2007, Promet Philippines went to a Boracay Trip. Everybody was excited because aside from our Project Manager, none of us was able to visit the enchanting place. There were 18 of us including our two clients. We rented two vans and traveled for 7 hours to reach the island (normally it would take 4 to 5 hours but we made several stop overs and I was sick during the trip so I was one of the factor to slow them down).
We had some activities while we were there. We had fun doing the banana ride, island hopping and snorkeling. We enjoyed our 3 days stay there and as proof, here are some of our pictures. 
The full set of our Boracay pictures can be viewed here.
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This blog is more than 4 months old already but I guess I haven’t really introduced myself to my readers. I wrote the article below in my old blog, which I deleted. Here is my short story.
Some years ago, in a far away land, was born a brilliant child who is destined to change lives of many people (I am not entirely sure of this but for now I think that’s my purpose). She grew up to be a quiet, smart, loving girl and she is favored by her father above her other siblings (I am not sure of this, too, but my father used to say that I am his favorite daughter).
I attended a public school in elementary where I was accelerated to Grade 1. I never studied nursery or pre-school, and if that happened in today’s generation you can call me a gifted child then. My teacher never noticed me, until I started sleeping in her classes. She would wake me up and gave me several kinds of punishment like answer the problems she wrote in the blackboard or flash cards at me with mathematic equations that I have to answer as fast as I can. I just made her amazed because even though I slept most of the time I usually answered her questions correctly. But then, teachers still hate sleeping pupils so I never got to the honor list. I just found out that I was her favorite pupil when I was already in high school.
I was an honor student from grade 2 to grade 6 plus my parents were so proud since I was awarded Best in Science because I used to compete with other schools in science quizzes. I was so innocent that time that I didn’t know how brilliant I am (hahaha!).
Anyway, I took an admission test in order to be admitted in the school where I will be spending my secondary education and I was so confident that I will pass the exam but I never expected to be on the top list. I was popular during my high school days. But my teachers hated me because they thought I am a nerd.
My college days were brighter than my high school because I got to know the value of life and friendship. I was friendlier and I actually had several groups of friends. I am not the silent type anymore. I can talk from sunset to sunrise if there is someone kind enough to chat with me and listen to anything I say. Friends were more important for me than my family then, but too much of anything is not good, so God started to teach me (us actually, my friends and I) some lesson. Until now those friends are still my bestfriends because we passed the tests that came our way (hehehe).
I graduated college without flying colors but I was happy because I went to the most prestigious school in the country and being admitted alone is an honor (;)). Currently, I am working in an outsourcing company.
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I know everybody believes that life is unfair and some people experience more tragedy than others. But I will not focus about how unfair is life here. The question is when people experience more tragedy than others, is it their choice or is it just their fate?
In my own opinion, it can be both. Maybe some people are born poor, some people are more broken than others, and some people are so unlucky to have lost so badly. But hey, it also has something to do with choice. You can either be bitter and let misery consume you because of what has happened in your life OR you can be optimistic and strive more to obtain happiness.
As what my friend has always said, “it depends on how you take it.” This is her example. She has a sister. They both grew up without parents. They were left alone and they live far away from each other. The’re both suffering the same thing: lack of touch, care, guidance and love of their parents. So, surviving must be up to them. They had always been so different. This friend of mine is always taking things in a positive way. There’s always a ray of sunlight whereever she goes because she carries it with her. And she makes good use of her intelligence. That’s why she always ends up happy. On the other hand, her sister holds some sort of grudge over how things are turning out. She’s always jealous of her sister because her sister handles every situation so easily but she can’t. She was consumed by fear, anguish and insecurity. And that’s the main reason why she is the one who is more miserable.
Furthermore, choice places more weight on what’s happening on our life because it can either bring forth success or cause a major tragedy. I know someone, who also held grudges in her heart. Instead of forgiving the person who caused her some pain, she planned to get even. She wanted revenge, and she thought she will be happier with it. So she chose the opposite direction of what could have been the right way to happiness, which is to forgive and move on.
She chose to play with fire and she got burned. After that, more tragedies are still coming to her. If only she chose to be better instead of worse, these burden that she’s suffering now might not happen to her. And it will also depend on her choice whether she wants to correct her life or continue to ruin it.
Think about it. Life may not be unfair after all. It just depends on how you face it.
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Finally.. I’m slowly getting over somebody who used to occupy my mind for several months now. Few weeks ago, I find it hard to convince my self that I should not bother myself about this person anymore. I thought I will never overcome the feelings that overwhelmed me since the beginning of the year. Once again, I was wrong. It’s finally wearing off.
Well… For everyone including myself, this is good news. I will not worry about it anymore. God only knows what will happen next. I’m just thankful that He has kept me whole and He always makes me happy. There will always be hope for everything but the best thing I can do is to lay everything before Him.
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Ξ July 12th, 2007 | → 4 Comments | ∇ Life |
Last night, my boardmate gave birth to a healthy baby girl. That was unexpected since her due date is supposed to be on August 7. Thankfully, all signs showed that the baby is very healthy although it is quite small; she’s less than 6 pounds.
The mother didn’t cry while in labor. She just cried when me and my sister arrived at the hospital to visit her. She said she is very happy because everything is all right and there is no problem with the baby (she tried to abort it when it was just 4 months in her womb). We tried to talk her out of the abortion thingy and gladly she discarded the idea. Now she’s very thankful that she already has a baby and grateful to God that He has given her a very precious gift. She believes that God really has a purpose for her daughter.
The first thing she asked us when we arrive was if we have a bible since she wanted to read some verses and my sister being a girl scout didn’t forget to bring one. I also let her borrow my iPod which is full of Christian music so she will be comforted. She listened to it while my sister is reading to her from the Book of Proverbs.
They will be going home this Friday and I’m excited to hold her baby. I’ll see if i can post some pics later. Thank God for a new delight. 
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While I was checking my mails this morning, I came accross this email from a friend and was so touch by it that I decided to post it here. Read on.
The brand new pastor and his wife, newly assigned to their first ministry, to reopen a church in suburban Brooklyn , arrived in early October excited about their opportunities. When they saw their church, it was very run down and needed much work. They set a goal to have everything done in time to have their first service on Christmas Eve.
They worked hard, repairing pews, plastering walls, painting, etc, and on December 18 were ahead of schedule and just about finished.
On December 19 a terrible tempest - a driving rainstorm hit the area and lasted for two days.
On the 21st, the pastor went over to the church. His heart sank when he saw that the roof had leaked, causing a large area of plaster about 20 feet by 8 feet to fall off the front wall of the sanctuary just behind the pulpit, beginning about head high.
The pastor cleaned up the mess on the floor, and not knowing what else to do but postpone the Christmas Eve service, headed home. On the way he noticed that a local business was having a flea market type sale for charity so he stopped in. One of the items was a beautiful, handmade, ivory colored, crocheted tablecloth with exquisite work, fine colors and a Cross embroidered right in the center. It was just the right size to cover up the hole in the front wall. He bought it and headed back to the church.
By this time it had started to snow. An older woman running from the opposite direction was trying to catch the bus.. She missed it. The pastor invited her to wait in the warm church for the next bus 45 minutes later.
She sat in a pew and paid no attention to the pastor while he got a ladder, hangers, etc., to put up the tablecloth as a wall tapestry. The pastor could hardly believe how beautiful it looked and it covered up the entire problem area.
Then he noticed the woman walking down the center aisle. Her face was like a sheet..
“Pastor,” she asked, “where did you get that tablecloth?” The pastor explained. The woman asked him to check the lower right corner to see if the initials, EBG were crocheted into it there. They were. These were the initials of the woman, and she had made this tablecloth 35 years before, in Austria.
The woman could hardly believe it as the pastor told how he had just gotten the Tablecloth. The woman explained that before the war she and her husband were well-to-do people in Austria. When the Nazis came, she was forced to leave. Her husband was going to follow her the next week. He was captured, sent to prison and she never saw her husband or her home again.
The pastor wanted to give her the tablecloth; but she made the pastor keep it for the church. The pastor insisted on driving her home, that was the least he could do.. She lived on the other side of Staten Island and was only in Brooklyn for the day for a housecleaning job.
What a wonderful service they had on Christmas Eve. The church was almost full. The music and the spirit were great. At the end of the service, the pastor and his wife greeted everyone at the door and many said that they would return. One older man, whom the pastor recognized from the neighborhood continued to sit in one of the pews and stare, and the pastor wondered why he wasn’t leaving.
The man asked him where he got the tablecloth on the front wall because it was identical to one that his wife had made years ago when they lived in Austria before the war and how could there be two tablecloths so much alike.
He told the pastor how the Nazis came, how he forced his wife to flee for her safety and he was supposed to follow her, but he was arrested and put in a prison.. He never saw his wife or his home again all the 35 years in between.
The pastor asked him if he would allow him to take him for a little ride. They drove to Staten Island and to the same house where the pastor had taken the woman three days earlier.
He helped the man climb the three flights of stairs to the woman’s apartment, knocked on the door and he saw the greatest Christmas reunion he could ever imagine.
True Story - submitted by Pastor Rob Reid
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(Note: This is one of the good side of me. If it doesn’t apply to you or not of your interest, just don’t mind me. 
)
How would you feel if you knew that you have that effect on someone or let’s say, you helped change her/him into a better person? Maybe you’ll be overwhelmed or proud. As for me, I’m just happy.
For the past 5 years, I’ve been thinking about my purpose and how I can be God’s instrument. And now I see that truly things work together for good. There were times that I feel like I’m a failure as a Christian but God didn’t let me feel that way. This year, we were destined to live with a group of teenagers who lost their way to the world. They were really enjoying themselves in worldly matters and taking their lives for granted. At first, we tried to let them go their way and continue to live the good life. And then, something happened. We became friends. Scary isn’t it? We might have been influenced by their ways, but no, we weren’t.
Lately, they realized that they have to change for their future and slowly I was seeing that change in them. They’re now serious with their studies, they take advices from us, they listen if I warn them to not do that because it might cause some problems in their life. And what struck me is when one of them told me these words:
“You know what, we see that you’re really good children and you’re successful. Not like us, we waste time and money and we’re a failure to our parents. We wanted to change that, we wanted to be like you. You and your sisters are our eye openers.”
Whew! I hadn’t expected that. I pondered upon her words and I realized that God put us in the right place. Somehow, we have guided some lost souls. And I’m so happy that I found my purpose. I’m not really worthless after all. I’m special.
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Yes, I do. Who wouldn’t? I have a very nice and galante (?) client, I’m in front of the computer for 10 hours or more 5 days a week, I get to browse the net all the time, I can visit my favorite sites if I want to, I enjoy doing QA, and what else? Of course because of the bonus. Hahahaha! Just kidding.
Seriously, we will love or jobs as long as we enjoy doing it. I mean, even if it doesn’t suit you or is not related with the course you graduated from but if you like doing it, you really won’t think about quitting. My previous job was telemarketing and I so loved it even if the company I’m in really sucks. I love talking to people. I love doing the things that I do. And that’s what really matters.
Furthermore, working in IT related companies really makes wonders. Who knows if I get to become a programmer someday? That really rocks!! (Expression borrowed from my boss, excuse me for lack of originality.)
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