Balanga & Bilaonan

Yesterday and the day before I was on the field again for Chi Alpha. Last Friday Ptr. Alvin and I visited Bataan Peninsula State University. The local XA has invited us to do a How to Succeed in College seminar for the freshmen students of Mechanical Engineering. 85 students showed up and heard the gospel. They are now going to follow up on them. XA-BPSU has been experiencing growth in the past few months. Before they are meeting as one group and it's one big group, but now they multiplied themselves into 5 small groups, one per school day. The XA president even remarks that she recognizes new faces added to each group that she doesn't know some of them anymore. It's a lesson. Learn to take smart risks. If the risk is worth trying then do it.

By 2PM I was already in the bus station in Balanga, en route to Pangasinan. NLDC XA is holding its first district XA congress in Lubic Bible College. The trip took longer than I expected. I was traveling alone, and felt lonely, conversing with God. And I was reminded that Jesus had moments of aloneness, not loneliness. I arrived at sabatan (intersection in Ilocano) a few more steps to the bible school. I was greeted by voices of young people singing worship songs. Brian, one of the XA leaders was already waiting for me at the gate. We went up to the room where they gathered and the classroom was filled with XA leaders from different campuses worshipping God. I was amazed. No time to meet and greet, I joined the chorus and started worshipping God. How awesome is His presence. I can't keep myself from crying because of what God has showed me. Earlier in Bataan and now in Pangasinan/La-Union. God is moving among the young people, despite of the storms raging elsewhere. After that wonderful worship, I led the session about Envisioning a Culture where Movement of Multiplying Disciples Thrive. I led two more sessions the next day. It was a great time of fellowship with Ptr. Crame and Ptr. Ley and the local XA leaders in the campuses.

It was raining non-stop when I finally boarded the bus back to Manila. Another time to reflect and think where is God in this, where He is leading me. As I read today's devotion, I am reminded to keep my priorities straight, and keep the one thing at the forefront:

"... I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me ... One thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Ph 3:12-14