Tuesday, April 24, 2007

BLASPHEME

I was standing on the porch when I saw a small plastic crucifix on the wall. Something was wrong! Some idiot had broken the hands off of Jesus. I felt a ball of fiery anger growing in my chest. How could anyone do such a horrible thing? I looked around the porch for the missing hands. I thought maybe I could repair the damage.
Then I noticed a poem beside the damaged crucifix. It went something like this.

“As I knelt beneath this crucifix and prayed
Shocked, my Lord had no hands that swayed
I searched around; I searched from roof to ground
My Lords broken hands could not be found
Desperately I cried to my Lord on his glorious seat
What should I do; your crucifix seems so incomplete
Deep in my heart I heard His soft reply
My son, wipe that tear from your eye

If you will but
……heal the wounds of those afflicted
……care for the poor and infirmed
……give hope to the hopeless
……reach out to the weary
……clothe the naked
……protect the innocent
Doing these things my son, you will restore my hands.”

I could not find the hands of Jesus on the porch, but as I look around Dumaguete City I have found His hands in many places.

There is Jack and Penny Washington who rescue orphan children from the streets of Dumaguete City. They opened their hearts and home to these waifs, providing them a chance to change their destiny. Who knows maybe one day one of them will be a doctor who saves lives or a President who saves a nation.

Michael and Joeann Feeney constantly seek ways to share God’s blessings with those less fortunate. They give money to various schools and orphanages. Last week they took twenty-two children off the city streets and gave them a special day at Twin Lakes. The children swam, played games and had all the food they could eat. To assure the children, who sell peanuts and other items, would not lose any earnings they made sure they all took home a days wages.

There is Santiago Villarin and his “Rotary Club of Dumaguete North” brothers and sisters, who have so many programs to improve the quality of life here in Negros it is hard to keep track. This mixed group of Filipinos, Americans and Australians, with their wives, provide free medical care and dental care to remote villages. They provide wheelchairs to the disabled and cattle to struggling farmers. Jesus’s hands have never been so busy.

And then there are the Alvet brothers, Chuck and Joe. They, along with their lovely wives, Zurraida and Celie frequently open their homes to the entire village. During one of their frequent “fiestas” they served nine big lechons. They often feed between 200 and- 350 guests. But their largess does not stop with throwing huge parties; they donated over 2,000 books to the local school library. They sponsored a school essay contest “How Can I Improve My Country”, awarding the winners cash prizes and school supplies. Both brothers sponsor children, not just in the Philippines, but from around the world. They provide these children an education and a chance to break the chains of poverty.

Bob Preston and his lovely wife frequently take huge boxes of food to local orphanages and they buy the children shoes. They too opened their home to the entire village in celebration of God’s bounty. One night as Bob and his wife walked along the beach in the moonlight, an old man came up to them with tears in his eyes; he said in all his life he had never attended a more wonderful party. The blessings in life come as small gifts.

There is Diane Pool and her husband, Bill, who opened their own school. They educate local children who can little afford food or shoes much less advanced schooling. They introduce the children to photography, computers, field trips and a variety of new educational experiences. When you talk to Diane you can hear pride in her voice. She is so proud of these children she almost glows. She fully realized her little school is just a raindrop in an ocean of need that is why she named it “One Candle School”. The Pool’s bring a little light into the darkness.

And there is Susan Analou and her selfless dedicated crew at GPRehab; they work tirelessly to strengthen the mind and bodies of children whom fate has challenged. They do not see the crippled bodies; they only see the brilliant minds and loving hearts. These warriors of the wheelchair build ramps and open doors for the children; giving them productive lives and the chance to excel.

As I look around Oriental Negros I see the hands of Jesus working hard in many places. If you know of a pair of hands I have missed, please tell me. (kojak3238@yahoo.com ) We always hear about idle hands and the devil but we hardly ever hear about the hard working hands of Jesus. I want to correct that oversight. I want to inspire others to join the Army of Jesus and fight the war against injustice and neglect. Remember, there is always room for one more pair of good hands. Stop complaining and start doing something; be an Everyday Hero.

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