mercygrass

close to million miles...

2008-01-31T04:49:00.000+03:00

... TO HEAVEN

i can't describe the feeling of being close to God. somehow the beauty that He allows me to see captures the very essence of His love not only for me but for all the people in this world. To tell you the truth, i have been unaware that God is presently moving in my life. Sometimes i wonder on why He placed me in where I am now... contrary to all my desires, to all my wants.. my OWN wants. knowing that God could envelop me in His arms.

just last weekend, i experienced His love in Baguio during the cfc weekend. it's all about LOVE and LOVING. it's all about giving your passion and just let God to move in you. to have a BIG heart. TO LOVE UNTIL IT HURTS.

and it's crazy... really crazy!

this was His message all along. LOVE. and it's a big word. an easy word to say but hard to do. I have learned to be patient, to sacrifice, and to obey. got to let go of all my pride, my own strength and my own abilities just to let God and His Love overflow me. again i have experienced and have been reminded that THIS IS NOT ABOUT ME. That this is all about LOVING HIM in the way He wants me to love. Knowing that I can get hurt, knowing that I can feel pain, knowing that I could not have whatever I wanted. Letting God take over and to give me what He wanted to give me.

The height of this experience was the amazing Baguio. I felt like i'm in Africa again. just seeing the mountains, feeling the cold weather... me heart did really miss kenya. that is why i felt so blessed during that weekend. God affirmed me of my mission, of where He wants me to be now. I started to ground and put myself to where God is placing me. wow! and it's just a wonderful feeling to find Him in everything...

i can now say that God wants me to find Him in areas that I have never found Him before. That He could also speak to me even inside a small room without seeing anything literally inspiring. That He could show His face anywhere... Seeing God in a different way now is also growing with Him in a different way. I could not help but shed tears as i imagine how He moved. Each step, each growth, each strength that He gives us all is indescribable.

And even though I know Heaven is still a million, billion.... miles a way... i felt closer to that.

Make me more in love with you, Jesus.... make me love more of your people.

On Mission

2008-01-23T06:44:00.000+03:00

i thank God for the privilege of being sent out on mission. i have experienced the best 2years of my life... and i believe it was the same with my co-workers and servants who have willingly gave up their lives for God... i honor each and everyone of you.

here's a video we presented during the International Missions Night.. honoring everyone: our parents who have continuously supported and loved us.. our fellow missionaries, our friends.. and most of all giving the GLORY all back to GOD.

[you can also watch the video from youtube. click here.]

child's heart

2008-01-17T09:50:00.001+03:00

i was browsing the internet when i came to our smcs batch 99 site..

and i saw this one...

i look like a young little girl who doesn't know anything about life.. hahaha it's something to laugh about but other than that, i just realized when i look at this 1st grade photo, God has been truly good... where i am now is just a manifestation of His great plan for me.

i may look like a geek, nerd, weird back then... hahaha but i believe God continues to make me a woman He wants me to be.. today and forever....

The Power of your LOVE

2008-01-14T05:35:00.000+03:00

an amazing site. an awesome manifestation of God's power.. His Love.

i thank Him for allowing me to see Him in every way. yes, im back in manila and allowing God to fulfill His will into my life. Last saturday's cfc conference in araneta brought into my heart how wonderful God can show His image in us. I was strucked.. i was in awe. i cried deep down and just saw how He can move people.. how He can use people.. How he can use communities just to TELL the world of His LOVE.

The power of God's love is very evident during that day. people filled the stadium at the same time hearts did! souls did! really seeing the beauty of God inside and out.

i'm still stunned up to now just realizing the very essence of His love and of His presence. That God just wants us to see Him everywhere we go. God wants us to feel Him around. in every thing that surrounds us. in every person we meet.. no matter where no matter what...

in our very lives, we may felt that God abandoned us or we just lost our patience in everything.. but one thing i have realized.. IT's UP to US... if we allow God to enter our very being.. then He will be there to SHOW the POWER of HIS LOVE...

i love you, JESUS!!!

In Every Way

2008-01-03T10:55:00.000+03:00

What a beautiful and wonderful God we have!!!

All this time I can't believe on how God has blessed me with LIFE! This new year, all I can think of is on how our creator created me and has chosen me to lead this kind of life. a life of being a missionary. all the things that you have to endure but eventually finding yourself trusting your whole being to Him.

These past two years of my life, I have spent it in AFRICA. The continent that I have grown to love. The continent that I called my HOME.. The continent where I have found how BIG and AWESOME and WONDERFUL and SUPER our God is! Africa has shown me another side of God. It has allowed me to know God in deeper, personal and intimate ways. This is how He works... Miracles upon miracles.. blessings upon blessings... love upon love.

Oh if I could just tell all of you what happened to me in AFRICA, it would take more than two years of stories. More than 2 years of love. More than 2 years of being IN LOVE with our LORD.

Let us continue to glorify our God with everything that He has allowed to happen to us. Now, I'm back in the Philippines, welcoming again another year of His power and love to reign over my whole life and being...

Lord, I continue to live. Because you have continued to LOVE
..... IN EVERY WAY....

I love You... AMEN..

friends forever

2007-12-30T16:05:00.001+03:00

YFC ILOILO Reunion!

Time to LOVE

2007-12-24T07:48:00.000+03:00

when really is the time to love? time to give? time to share everything that you have and just experience God's amazing grace and design that He wanted to give to you. trusting in Him fully that in the end, loving will be another habit of all people.

it's nice to finally celebrate Christmas in the Philippines.. lights all over the streets.. Christmas carols in the radio stations.. feeling the rain.. feeling the cold but kinda warm weather (haha) and just spending it knowing that God is coming to earth.. knowing that everyday is a time to love and a time to give.

but loving also entails a lot of sacrifice.. a lot of obedience. and a lot of pain.. loving also entails a lot of giving.. a lot of sorrows.. and most of all loving someone, we must not expect a return... we all know these things but sometimes we need to be reminded...

we need to learn that the best way to express your love is by not wanting something back.. it hurts to love as well knowing that person may not love you back the way you wanted to be loved. but who cares? love is something we give. love is something we can offer to the Lord. loving is the way of returning His love back.. even loving the unlovables is something that we could offer to our God...

this Christmas season, let us celebrate Jesus' birth with loving people.. tell i love you to the person seated next to you.. or even give a smile to someone you don't know.... that smile may inspire someone... share the love.. share your food.. share every little thing that you have... for Christ did the same for us..

He loved.. He shared.. He cared...

I love you all..

Merry Christmas!

Philippines!

2007-12-21T08:20:00.000+03:00

photos of my first week back in the philippines..

BUT.. before that.. check first the very emotional (for me!) and personal farewell household pictures in kenya... gosh, i miss those guys so much...

(thanks to Paul for uploading the pics)

http://picasaweb.google.com/kathambana/AuRevoir

----

now, here are the pics...
Arrival to Manila... spending time with the Jadie's and the Ortigas' in Manila... plus, my Starbucks episode... haha. it did really made my day!

arrival to my home province Iloilo... seeing my parents, aunts, and uncles, and my brother once again... whew!... Surprising my Father (he doesn't know i already am back!)....

from the airport, straight to the almost filled Sports Complex for the CFC Family Day.. meeting once again the same ol people who touched and inspired my heart to serve God.. bringing to them as well the light of Africa and the world...

then.. eating at my fave restos.. hahahah... meeting my friends..

celebrating the 60th bday of my Father... Thank You, Jesus, for giving me the best dad in the world... because of my father, i came to love my Heavenly Father more and more...

and my Mother is soooo pretttttty!!!! hahaha and yes... my brother can drive!

(click for the full album!)

God has shown a lot of His mercies to me these days.. and I can't wait to receive more of His love and more of His blessings....

Thank You so much, Oh God....

AMEN!

(i also got my driver's license the other day.. finally!!!)

at the heart of iloilo (my hometown)

2007-12-19T10:58:00.000+03:00

im officially back to my old room...

once again driving our car.. though the door keeps getting jammed..
once again roaming (plus window shopping) the malls...

eating at my fave restos....

tried to wake up to attend the traditional "simbang gabi" (early morning xmas mass)

ice cream.. and feeling the heat of the philippine weather...

of course, missing the mornings in kenya.

enjoying time with family and friends...

loving God more and more.... thank you, Jesus..

pics?.... later....

Big Thanks.

2007-12-05T01:00:00.000+03:00

yup. to Tita Dina O'Brien for throwing and hosting a going away "despidida" party for us.. the food was really amazing.. filled my stomach!. To the Filipino Religious and Lay Missionaries who in more ways became a big part of my life here in Africa. To fr. benny quinto for celebrating the mass (although everyone was so hungry already.. hahaha!)

click for photos

For all your prayers and support. for showing me that life and mission here in africa is not only a prized memory but a response to God's immense love for me. His mercies and graces are awesome.. Unbelievable and the best!

Whaah. we're not leaving yet... day by day.. savoring everything...

few more days...

Awesome God!

2007-11-30T01:03:00.000+03:00

Yup. i have moved. and i'm here.
take out skyie and more of Him..

More of this Awesome God that I have. that we have.

As He continues to move in my life.. surprising me everyday. showing to me how great He is. through the friends that i am with.. through my family back in the Philippines and here in Kenya and in the whole of Africa... through the people i am with everyday.. through the CFC Community.. through the priests and religious.... through everything... God is showing to me His awesome power and glorious glory!

i am amazed everyday on how He makes everything and how He plans everything.. according to His own perfect plan for all of us. and eventhough i lack in a lot of things.. i lack in pleasing Him and serving Him.. i lack in loving Him.. God is loving me more. blessing me more.. changing me more. making me His woman. The woman that i'm suppose to be. And through everything that i am experiencing, He is there.. guiding me.. allowing me to choose and make mistakes only to make me a better person...

Now, it's just more of Him... Showing more of His mercy.. Showing more of His Big Plans... Showing more of His will in my life..

and in yours.....