Mr. Toastmaster, Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen--
A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.
He saw the first light of day at San Francisco, Cebu. As a boy, he was small compared to boys of his age. His burnt skin is a story of his daily habit of welcoming the day in the seashore of Camotes Island, of daily hopping in the expanse of fields of relatives where crops like peanuts and corns abound, of playing all day under the heat of the pacific sun. His hair was long and straight, so unlike today which is short and which becomes curly when it gets long.
Life for Dodong is simple. He experiences a complicated life ONLY when he was listening to radio dramas Simatar and Gabi ng Lagim. Later, he would discover that life is not simply swimming in the ocean and hopping in the fields. Four old men changed his life forever.
One morning, he was awakened by a kiss in the forehead. His Lolo Pedro was about to go fishing. He usually leaves before the rooster crows. The old man, and his wife, talked for a while in the front door. The years did not diminish their sweetness and love for each other. When the old man, Pedro, reached his banca , Dodong was already there. He went out using the back door. The old man did not ask Dodong to go home. He knew what his favorite apo wanted.
On that day, Dodong saw how the sun light produces a rainbow of colors when it touches the face of the ocean, of the small fishes that follow their banca curious of his presence, of the serenity that the ocean brings to a young soul. Preoccupied with the beauty of nature, he did not notice that hours passed, and they were yet to catch a single fish. Until he felt the rumblings in his stomach.
The old man told him that he must be patient. Sooner they will catch some fish which will delight him. If not, God will give the fish to them. An hour passed and they have not yet gotten even a small fish. But he was told to be patient. So he did. Then, they saw a group of fishermen rowing towards their direction. They were Lolo’s friends. So they gave them four big fish. His Lolo encouraged him to say thanks to the fishermen. So he did. Afterwards, his grandfather rowed the banca towards the nearest shore which was a big rock with plenty of vegetation. His Lolo cooked the most delicious fish in his life. He did not remember if they caught fish on that day, but he will never come to forget his Lolo’s words, "Be patient. Sooner we will catch some fish which will delight you. If not, God will give them to us. PEDRO affects eternity.
Some years after, Dodong's parents brought him to Quezon City. There he learned that bad characters in the radio have human forms. A life full of problems is real. But it is here where he met his second teacher, FRANCISCO. He did not know his real name, but later on he called him Francisco in his stories for he likened the man to St. Francis of Assissi.
It was one night when Dodong was frightened by the threat of his auntie's husband that he would place him inside a sack and be beaten until he learns his lesson. When his Auntie’s husband told him LUMAYAS KA, he went of the house and thought of not going back.
It was almost midnight; the cold air enveloped his small frame. He was sitting in one of the waiting shades in the University Avenue in UP Diliman. He had not regret of leaving his Auntie's house, but the cold air and cold bench puzzled him even more why some men would harm small boys like him. It was at this time when an old man approached him and asked what he was doing in there in the middle of the night. Dodong just told him the story. Francisco, a laborer in a nearby construction site, invited Dodong to his barracks. The old man offered the kid his food, his guitar, and his pillow and rugged blankets. Dodong did not even get the name of the man who advised him to go home when the morning came. But lesson inculcated in his mind that night is that... a stranger is a brother, a sister, a father, a mother, or a love one in disguise. Francisco affects eternity.
Dodong grew in wisdom and stature. He took his elementary years in Krus na Ligas Elementary School, then later on at Juan Sumulong Elementary School. He graduated in Antipolo Municipal High School with a best in Science Award and an Outstanding Student in Theater. Afterwards, he entered the Seminary of Alagad ni Maria.
In the first year of his seminary life, he got the impression that seminarians in their congregation must get at least a cum laude distinction when they graduate in their Philo and Theo studies. So, he did try to excel.
In his second year, they were made to live in Infanta, Quezon. There he got a regular talk with his third teacher, JULIO. Bishop Julio Labayen lives in his Kubo, small and simple when compared to the big villas of his counterparts here in Metro Manila. He has a Pajero which was donated by friends. Julio, however, likes to walk, or sometimes, to ride in a tricycle when he is in Quezon. He crosses rivers and climbs mountains to reach people. Dodong’s stay in Quezon brought him back to his roots. There he met farmers and fisher folks who shared to him their lives and the stories they weaved together as a community. Looking back to his childhood in Camotes, Dodong realized that his grandfather also faced the same difficulties, the same atrocities in life.
When he went out of the seminary, Dodong brought with him the lesson he got from Julio Labayen. The real servant of God serves the poorest of the poor. He should not be complacent in a world where poverty of the many benefits the few, where injustice is a tradition, and vices are held as virtues. Julio affects eternity.
Dodong took Political Science to pursue his another dream. He had always wanted to become a human righst lawyer. He got involved with many organizations including the Kabataang Makabayan, This time, he wanted a revolution. He would change the world.
During this time also, he met his fourth teacher, ROBERTO, now 76 and still kicking. It was the old man who told him that he would become a great teacher and many people would learn from him because of what he has to offer, that he will become like Christ, who is also a good teacher. Dodong liked the idea of being Christ-like, but by that time he was thinking of Christ as a revolutionary and not simply as a teacher.
In Roberto, Dodong saw a man of dedication and hard work-- a man who cares for his students. I tell you, if you were his students, after ten years he would still remember even your middle names.
In his first day in the class of ROBERTO, he remembered the man telling the class these words ,” Itong itinuturo ko sa inyo, huwag ninyong kakalimutan hanggang kayo ay mamatay".
Dodong, now a teacher, intends to advance in his studies. If God permits and makes him win a Fulbright scholarship, he will take Masters in TESOL at the United States. He will always live the teachings of his teachers-- PEDRO, FRANCISO, JULIO, AND ROBERTO.
A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.
Jef Menguin facilitates people skills seminars and teambuilding and leadership workshops in Metro Manila, Philippines. Visit his website at http://jefmenguin.com to learn more about his seminars.
A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.
He saw the first light of day at San Francisco, Cebu. As a boy, he was small compared to boys of his age. His burnt skin is a story of his daily habit of welcoming the day in the seashore of Camotes Island, of daily hopping in the expanse of fields of relatives where crops like peanuts and corns abound, of playing all day under the heat of the pacific sun. His hair was long and straight, so unlike today which is short and which becomes curly when it gets long.
Life for Dodong is simple. He experiences a complicated life ONLY when he was listening to radio dramas Simatar and Gabi ng Lagim. Later, he would discover that life is not simply swimming in the ocean and hopping in the fields. Four old men changed his life forever.
One morning, he was awakened by a kiss in the forehead. His Lolo Pedro was about to go fishing. He usually leaves before the rooster crows. The old man, and his wife, talked for a while in the front door. The years did not diminish their sweetness and love for each other. When the old man, Pedro, reached his banca , Dodong was already there. He went out using the back door. The old man did not ask Dodong to go home. He knew what his favorite apo wanted.
On that day, Dodong saw how the sun light produces a rainbow of colors when it touches the face of the ocean, of the small fishes that follow their banca curious of his presence, of the serenity that the ocean brings to a young soul. Preoccupied with the beauty of nature, he did not notice that hours passed, and they were yet to catch a single fish. Until he felt the rumblings in his stomach.
The old man told him that he must be patient. Sooner they will catch some fish which will delight him. If not, God will give the fish to them. An hour passed and they have not yet gotten even a small fish. But he was told to be patient. So he did. Then, they saw a group of fishermen rowing towards their direction. They were Lolo’s friends. So they gave them four big fish. His Lolo encouraged him to say thanks to the fishermen. So he did. Afterwards, his grandfather rowed the banca towards the nearest shore which was a big rock with plenty of vegetation. His Lolo cooked the most delicious fish in his life. He did not remember if they caught fish on that day, but he will never come to forget his Lolo’s words, "Be patient. Sooner we will catch some fish which will delight you. If not, God will give them to us. PEDRO affects eternity.
Some years after, Dodong's parents brought him to Quezon City. There he learned that bad characters in the radio have human forms. A life full of problems is real. But it is here where he met his second teacher, FRANCISCO. He did not know his real name, but later on he called him Francisco in his stories for he likened the man to St. Francis of Assissi.
It was one night when Dodong was frightened by the threat of his auntie's husband that he would place him inside a sack and be beaten until he learns his lesson. When his Auntie’s husband told him LUMAYAS KA, he went of the house and thought of not going back.
It was almost midnight; the cold air enveloped his small frame. He was sitting in one of the waiting shades in the University Avenue in UP Diliman. He had not regret of leaving his Auntie's house, but the cold air and cold bench puzzled him even more why some men would harm small boys like him. It was at this time when an old man approached him and asked what he was doing in there in the middle of the night. Dodong just told him the story. Francisco, a laborer in a nearby construction site, invited Dodong to his barracks. The old man offered the kid his food, his guitar, and his pillow and rugged blankets. Dodong did not even get the name of the man who advised him to go home when the morning came. But lesson inculcated in his mind that night is that... a stranger is a brother, a sister, a father, a mother, or a love one in disguise. Francisco affects eternity.
Dodong grew in wisdom and stature. He took his elementary years in Krus na Ligas Elementary School, then later on at Juan Sumulong Elementary School. He graduated in Antipolo Municipal High School with a best in Science Award and an Outstanding Student in Theater. Afterwards, he entered the Seminary of Alagad ni Maria.
In the first year of his seminary life, he got the impression that seminarians in their congregation must get at least a cum laude distinction when they graduate in their Philo and Theo studies. So, he did try to excel.
In his second year, they were made to live in Infanta, Quezon. There he got a regular talk with his third teacher, JULIO. Bishop Julio Labayen lives in his Kubo, small and simple when compared to the big villas of his counterparts here in Metro Manila. He has a Pajero which was donated by friends. Julio, however, likes to walk, or sometimes, to ride in a tricycle when he is in Quezon. He crosses rivers and climbs mountains to reach people. Dodong’s stay in Quezon brought him back to his roots. There he met farmers and fisher folks who shared to him their lives and the stories they weaved together as a community. Looking back to his childhood in Camotes, Dodong realized that his grandfather also faced the same difficulties, the same atrocities in life.
When he went out of the seminary, Dodong brought with him the lesson he got from Julio Labayen. The real servant of God serves the poorest of the poor. He should not be complacent in a world where poverty of the many benefits the few, where injustice is a tradition, and vices are held as virtues. Julio affects eternity.
Dodong took Political Science to pursue his another dream. He had always wanted to become a human righst lawyer. He got involved with many organizations including the Kabataang Makabayan, This time, he wanted a revolution. He would change the world.
During this time also, he met his fourth teacher, ROBERTO, now 76 and still kicking. It was the old man who told him that he would become a great teacher and many people would learn from him because of what he has to offer, that he will become like Christ, who is also a good teacher. Dodong liked the idea of being Christ-like, but by that time he was thinking of Christ as a revolutionary and not simply as a teacher.
In Roberto, Dodong saw a man of dedication and hard work-- a man who cares for his students. I tell you, if you were his students, after ten years he would still remember even your middle names.
In his first day in the class of ROBERTO, he remembered the man telling the class these words ,” Itong itinuturo ko sa inyo, huwag ninyong kakalimutan hanggang kayo ay mamatay".
Dodong, now a teacher, intends to advance in his studies. If God permits and makes him win a Fulbright scholarship, he will take Masters in TESOL at the United States. He will always live the teachings of his teachers-- PEDRO, FRANCISO, JULIO, AND ROBERTO.
A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.
Jef Menguin facilitates people skills seminars and teambuilding and leadership workshops in Metro Manila, Philippines. Visit his website at http://jefmenguin.com to learn more about his seminars.
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