Lifesparks

Friday, January 23, 2015

Diary of a GSD, Entry No. 3, Rain, rain go away

Diary of a GSD (German Shepherd Dog)
Entry #3,

   My thoughts bring me back to a time in January 2014.

     Christmas holidays had just been over and my humans are looking forward to a more exciting, productive and better year. Everyone in the neighborhood, pets included, is back to his usual routine - humans a-working, children a-playing, birds a-chirping, roosters a-crowing, frogs a-chorusing, everyone's just busy making a life.

   December, January & February are wet months in the place where I live. There's nothing unusual about it, though. Truth is, I love these cold months because I get to see and sniff my humans more. They always opt to stay home during rainy days and check on my home..."make sure lira's roof isn't dripping dear"...i overhear my female human remind my male human.

   But something's just not right in the first week of January 2014. It's like my danger alarm is always set off. Tried to dismiss it, but it just keeps on snoozing and shrieking at my ears. Rain, more rain, and more freakin rain. Rain, rain did not go away for almost two weeks.

It's two days before January 14, 2014. My humans are not in their usual smiling, contented selves anymore. They pray more. Apprehensive looking faces, more. My humans' sister who lives a few meters from their home, I call her Miss Lea, is quite worried and constantly checks on their parents' home located nearby. I even heard that a sister-in-law and her 3 kids, whose home is quite swamped already, evacuated to their parents home   People are talking about the Agusan river rising and washing away the neighbors' homes and beautiful gardens...about evacuation and relocation of...humans, not of german shepherds. When flooding comes and survival is the name of the game...what is in store for a german shepherd-with-an-attitude like me?

    Calamities are confidence bombers, you know. My brain waves are going crazy, jumping to a lot of i-knew-it thoughts: I'm heavy bulk, my male human can't carry me physically...my body smells funny...my hair involuntarily sheds off fast..i bark at the wrong people...neighborhood dogs don't like me...children shun me...gosh, my confidence begins to crumble. When flooding comes and survival is the name of the game...my thoughts nervously race...will they leave me? Abandon me?

Saturday, December 6, 2014

Fun at TJFM Children Christmas Party

There's no better fun than fun!

"No better fun than fun" would best describe the TJFM (The Jesus Family Ministries, Butuan City) Children Christmas Party 2014 held at its Streams Auditorium from 2-4 pm., Dec. 6, 2014. Being a yearly wholesome treat for the TJFM English and Cebuano service sunday schoolers, the event was attended by 60 children and 40 adults (parents/guardians & volunteers included).

The party's program consisted of singing of Christmas carols, group games and prizes, exchanging of gifts and of course, yummy snacks prepared and cooked by the ever skillful and cheerful Abigail Sy.

The event was highlighted by a dance showdown of Transformers robot mascots courtesy of Aika's Balloons. Adults and children alike enjoyed the photoshoot traffic with these Transformers robots.

"Ka bibo sa party! (The party was fun!)", said one child who regularly attends TJFM's Sunday School Intermediate class while showing off her treats, prizes and gift.

TJFM SundayWorship Service Schedules are as follows: Cebuano - 8:00 - 9:30 am
English - 10:00 - 11:30 am.
located at Rosales Avenue, Butuan City (near City Hall).

If you are in the areas of Libertad and Taligaman, TJFM also has two (2) outreaches - TJFM Libertad & TJFM Taligaman.

For inquiries about its ministries, visit and/or call its number (085) 341-1599.

More pictures:

Preparation...