I saw your great wonders. How big and great is your love for us. I am here at the edge of darkness; ready to be taken away. Yet, you came to my rescue.

I saw your great land, filled with everlasting love and peace. A glimpse of a gift in which physical death can only be the key. For whilst my stay here is limited. Let me live by faith with you and not let not my selfish eyes discern this selfish body.

For I am found in your presence. I am called to lead. I am called to heal. Use me for your own purpose and let not my will be done. For whatever is yours is higher than mine. Your grace is sufficient enough. Though my body may became weak yet you are my strength; and for that I am overwhelmed.

Captured in Bangui, Ilocos Norte, Philippines

INCIDENT REPORT
Hello my fellow readers and bloggers. Long time no read :) It's almost 2 months since I stopped posting in this blog. I stopped temporarily because of a life changing event that took place 2 months ago.

PHOTO BLOGGER
You knew me as a photo blogger. And it simply means that being a photo blogger, it is basic that we must be equipped with necessary items to present things such as a camera and a laptop. I've been photoblogging since 2010 with continuous changing concepts which shaped the flavor of my blog to what it is today.

THE GIFT
I also strongly believe that every person in this world has its own uniqueness and talent as what God has chosen us to be. Every person has a gift that we must use not for ourselves but to advance the kingdom of God for His own glory and praise. I've been photo blogging for 3 years and I don't have any intention of making this blog famous or well-known. All I want is to touch, inspire and move people's lives through stories and photographs posted in this photo blog.

THE CHALLENGE
I was robbed 2 months ago. We had a video shoot during that time and I left my bulky equipment inside my car just to have a quick 15-minute breakfast. After having a sumptuous meal I saw my car opened and all of my equipment (2 cameras, video accessories like tripods, laptop and even my back-up hard drive) were gone. My hard work, my photographs, everything were gone in just a single snap. In that moment, I felt my heart sunk to nothingness. Until I fall into my knees again.

THE COMPLETION OF A CYCLE
Struggles and challenges. We knew that already. It is a part of life. For without it, I believe life is futile. 2 months after the incident, I'm still in the stage of recovery. I still don't have a new camera and a new laptop.

I believe that God has a great purpose on why that event had took placed 2 months ago. A purpose for me to learn something new or a purpose which served to prepare me for the future's greater endeavors. Material things are nothing to me. Good thing only my camera and laptop were taken. I can buy a new camera or laptop after a couple of months. But if my life was taken away, even the greatest material thing on earth will never replace a life. God strikes us but He also heals. His purpose is good, pleasing and perfect and I must obey His own will for me. All I can do now is to trust and surrender everything to Him. In God's perfect time, I will recover soon with something better. For this hope won't let me go.

I believe, it is God's way of telling me "My child, be patient, for I prepared something better and new for you... and it will come very soon."

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

James 1:2-4

I've been residing in Taytay, Rizal for almost two decades and I never thought of exploring hidden treasures around the province of Rizal. I always dream of traveling around the country and discover its beauty. Amazingly, our country has a total of 7,107 islands and exploring it must take one step at a time. I believe each place has its own story to tell. No wonder why traveling is a simultaneous act of both learning and enjoying the gifts that God had given us!

As a start, I begin my journey in exploring some hidden treasures located around our place. A couple of years ago I started searching for tourist attractions in Taytay, Rizal. The first on my list is the Tres Escalon Falls. I was surprised that this ecology park is only one-jeepney ride from home. For almost 20 years, I never thought that there's a place like this near from our home.

 I wasn't really lucky after all since the first time I went in Tres Escalon Ecology Park way back 2 years ago. The park is composed of a basketball court, a botanical garden and some area designated for gatherings such as birthdays and weddings. The park is located inside Melendres Village. The waterfalls is located below the said amenities and you must go down on a very steep muddy path just to be near with the landmark. When I came there, the area going to the waterfalls is closed and the path is quite slippery, so I didn't attempt to go down alone. There are no any officials present around the area to guide you in the park. Maybe because they were having an improvement plan during that time about saving the Tres Escalon Falls.

Good thing, I was able to take some photographs of the river, not the waterfalls. To be honest, I really like the place, it is quiet and peaceful. What I didn't like is the presence of trash and garbage polluting the ecology park.

These photographs were taken two years ago. I'm planning to visit this place again and I'm expecting that there will be improvements in the park. You can't easily notice the presence of garbage on some photographs in just one look because of the black and white color.

Beautiful places like this are all created by God and we are His stewards and caretakers of it. Thus, it is our responsibility to take care of these things. A simple act of throwing your garbage on the right place is a great start in saving the environment.

Many people on our unit were talking about this visually fantastic movie known as 'Life of Pi'. Out of curiosity of my fellow co-workers, many of them had watched it and their feedback are all filled with positive reviews.

Life of Pi is a novel written by Yann Martel. It is a story of a boy named 'Piscine Molitor Patel' who experienced a tragic shipwreck in the vast ocean of the Pacific. He survived and lived on a lifeboat for almost a year fighting for his life together with a Bengal tiger.

I read the book a couple of months ago and it is not really an easy read for everyone. The novel was written in a creative and intellectual manner. There are some exhausting parts especially in the chapters covering the survival part on a lifeboat. But the long read is worth it until you will be surprised on its finale.

The way I interpreted the book is the same on how director Ang Lee filmed it. Life of Pi has an imaginative story and watching this movie adaptation in 3D is visually rewarding. Suraj Sharma (Piscine Patel) did a great job in portraying the protagonist role. Even it is his first time to be part of a big movie, he was still able to connect his emotions to the audience in terms of showing despair and weakness.

The production design was amazing plus the visual effects are surreal. 20% of the movie is all about the Life of Piscine Patel before the shipwreck while the other 80% belongs to his survival after the shipwreck of Tsimtsum(name of the ship).

If you're going to think superficially, the situation of the story is quite similar to Danny Boyle's movie 127 Hours. It is a story of a man whose arm was stuck in a boulder in the middle of his trail at the grand canyon for 127 hours. The reaction of most viewers thought it was a boring movie. His arm was stuck, then he needs to survive. He freed himself and the end!

Likewise in the Life of Pi, a shipwreck happened, he survived in a lifeboat with a group of wild animals, and he lived!

But if you're going to think viscerally, Life of Pi is not about satisfying your visual fangs. It's about a story of endurance and surrender. In our present life, if we face a number of problems, we tend to do everything we got just to solved each problems. But at the end of the day we became exhausted and stressed. We can't even think of ourselves as weak because of our ego and we tend to do more. But still we fail.

That's the time we acknowledge ourselves as weak and it's time for us to surrender everything to God. For He will lift our burdens up and He will make a way for us. Like on what Pi said to God in the book, I'm surrendering everything to you... God is able to do all things and nothing is impossible if we believe in Him.

Similar to a gospel in the bible, where the twelve disciples are in a boat and Jesus Christ was sleeping. A furious storm suddenly came making the boat sink. Out of fear the disciples woke Jesus up, but Jesus said to them... "You of little faith! Why are you so afraid?" Then Jesus got up, rebuked the wind and the waves, and it was completely calm.

In our present life, if we face the same situation on our workplace, inside our home, or with our friends... Do you solve your problems on your own way? or You remained still and calm for you know God is in control of everything?

In the way of life of the modern days, we are bound in the chains of overwork.

We live fluidly fast in the demands of modern life. So fast that we tend to forget the beauty of life.

Living in a busy and stressful lifestyle is man-made. But we are all living in a place which is God-made.

There is a perfect time for everything... But overwork and stress consumes it.

Stop. Pause. Breathe and close your eyes.

Feel the wind and the sound of trees... Up there is a God who will lift up our burdens, for His yoke is easy and His burden is light.

2012 has been a very fruitful year for me; but not in terms of travelling around the country or having more time taking photographs in the streets. It's fruitful because of the new people I met, the valuable lessons that I've learned from them and the new experiences that I gained both as an oncology nurse, a believer, a colorblind and a photographer.

These things inspire me a lot in conceptualizing my photographs for the year 2012. I can say most of my photographs for this year are emotive, heartfelt and has a hidden message that you even need to open your heart just to decipher the message instilled in every photograph.

Viewing photographs is not just seeing it superficially in your own principle, but you must take time in imagining the story encrypted in every photograph.

Photography is not just about making money... It's about sending a message.

 

This 2012, we all experienced both ups and downs; and we must be thankful for it because these events happened not to pull us down but to mold us into a better person. It's like a preparation for the upcoming year of 2013.

I thank God for my family. They are so supportive in everything that I do. From my work as a nurse to my sideline as a photo hobbyist, they are always there to support me. Thank you so much!

I thank God for meeting new friends this year. They are all a blessing to me that I couldn't exchange to anything else.

I thank God for providing me the things I need in times of lack and emptiness. For He is our only unlimited source of everything. He is our provider and His grace is unending.

I know that every moment that had happened this year has a purpose and are all part of God's perfect plan. I can say that the goals that I set for this year are all met! Thank you Lord for everything!

For the year 2013... I declare prosperity, wealth and great health to all Filipino bloggers, Photobloggers, Photo hobbyists, Nurses and readers of this photography blog. If you don't know yet where to go this 2013. Just surrender everything to Him for He is the way, the truth and the life.

God bless you all this 2013!