Patrick Tan

Woke up this morning and a hostage drama is on TV. Some guy, who would soon be known as Jun Ducat, made hostage of 32 pre-school children with their teachers. The news was even on cable news channels. I left home with not knowing if the hostage drama was resolved. But as it turns out, the hostage taker surrendered, after negotiations from political celebrities and the children were safe. This guy ought to be in jail. I think he’s mad. Putting helpless children in danger for motives however of good intent is unjust. He was like a child who threw tantrums because he didn’t get what he wanted – a government free of corruption. I mean we all want that. But this isn’t the way to do it, fighting evil with evil. I was even more irked watching an interview of a grandmother of a released child sympathizing with the hostage taker and justifying his actions. That makes me think, what kind of a society do we have? Could that be the general mindset of the masang Filipino (masses)? I feel that people are frustrated and losing hope and there's no other resolve but to give in, diluting our judgments. I hope not. I think we ought to stop blaming other people for our conditions because we in some ways have dipped in to make it so. Do your duty and let others follow. And even if nobody else follows, God upholds the righteous and never lets his work go down the drain.

I’ve been reading Paulo Coelho’s “Like the Flowing River” and it keeps on speaking to me. A writer does have a way with words that are sometimes hard to express and concretize. His views are Christian-like and it makes me think that he could be a believer or a really good enlightened Catholic. He’s been speaking to me about solitude; that sometimes I need to just stop and smell the roses. Reflect on the day that has past. What good have I done? What have contributed today in the fulfillment of my “personal legend”? It is true when he wrote that often we equate our importance and value by our busyness. And we view solitude as uselessness to the world. But it is when we are in solitude that we see who we really are and listen to that still small voice that affirms that we are loved and cared for. I think I am going to be influenced by Coelho’s philosophy of life.

I hope that I could be like him in the aspect of traveling, less than halfway through the book he has accounted for staying and traveling to various places on the planet. And the better thing is that while he does it he sees the meaning of life.

Technology has become one of soul’s worst enemies. Television and the Internet has placed us in a receiving mode robbing us of time to contemplate and give out.

In lieu of recent events I think being a negotiator is a really cool job. I like the thought of dismantling tragedy by untangling a distorted person’s emotion and mind. It is now one of my dream jobs or jobs-in-a-parallel-universe along with being a scientist/researcher in field such as archeologists or biologists and being a flight attendant (just ask me why when we meet). Nonetheless, being a youth pastor, designer and student is a really cool job.



Today I did multimedia for our school’s graduation. It’s always great when people’s goals become a reality. It’s sad though because most of my classmates during my first semester in ASCM of which became some of my friends in school has graduated and will be going back to their country and ministry. Two finished their doctorates. I still haven’t got the motivation to pursue doctorate studies. I must look back on my calling God has given me. I still have a long way to go. I have already completed 45 of the 96 required units to complete. I am afraid to ask why am I doing this for fear that I may get a confused answer. Am I still doing it for God or for men? Coelho writes about the danger of missing the value of what we are doing because we when we focus too much on the rules, we start not to enjoy the task that we are doing. Indeed my existence in bible school has equipped and molded me to become the person I am today. I hope that when I reach the end of this race my goal will still be the same and more refined since the day I entered it.



Tonight Netty and I celebrated our 3rd monthsary. It’s as if it’s been a long time. Tonight she really looked lovely, though I forgot to tell her that. Sometimes she catches me just studying her profile. We had a delightful pasta dinner and dessert at DQ which has become a habit of ours every time we go to G4 or Gateway. She gave me a gift – an electric toothbrush – which recently I told her that I wanted one but not because I was hinting for a monthsary gift. I gave her a Patrick Star stuffed toy so that she will be reminded of me minus the dumbness of Patrick Star. Third month, the initial romance level is being normalized. She tease me as unromantic and un-gentleman which I am not – totally. But with our feet returning to the ground I have realized that our commitment for each other is revealed. And with that I am really, really happy and content. Pray that our commitment for each other will be as hard as diamond.

Pray for me:

• I’m traveling on April 2-3 to Pila, Laguna for a ministry meeting. I might be driving. Please pray for safety on the road.
• I’ll be speaking in two camps on April 24-25 in Olongapo and May 3 in Taytay. Please pray that God will use me as His mouthpiece and touch the heart and soul of the ears that will hear me speak. Lord empty me so that You’ll flow thru me.
• Pray for my financial provisions. Indeed God is always faithful and I continue to learn to trust Him in this aspect.