enjoying canadian winter

it's winter here in richmond, british columbia. today is the first week of december 2005. it's good to appreciate the snow cuz i won't be seeing this white stuff for a long, long time. by the middle of january 2006, joji and i will be moving to davao city. we're excited for our new life!

planning to start a new life in mindanao with joji

it's good to travel with joji... not only in the journeys across the mountains and oceans, but in the journey of life. i am sooo blessed to have her as my life-partner!

back to the canadian wilderness

i'm back again here in canada. the first thing i did during my first week is to trek one of the most beautiful canadian wilderness in the mountains of british columbia. i travelled with some of my friends who are like elder brothers and sisters to me.

regina, one of our friends, was trying to help joji climb on top of the cabin we were staying in the middle of a british columbia wilderness.

my friends, fred and gerd, and i were waiting for lunch. i also gave them an update about my peacebuilding work in mindanao.

being nice with a military escort

i told you i don't like armed escorts, right? well, this time i'm not allowed to move around without one of them. my host would not allow me to go to places i wanna go without this guy. so, here we are, trying to be nice with each other. does my head gear look familiar? it's funny how people react as they see this soldier and i hop together from one island to another. hehehe!

some moments when i'm really afraid

the most scary moment in my work as a peacebuilder in mindanao is to hitch a ride from the military. this is the most dangerous situation that i have to be in at times--being seen by the common people riding in a philippine marines' truck. but there are times when i need to move fast from point a to point b--so, i take a ride with the military. though i'm afraid to be seen with the marines, i still have to smile... courtesy, you know.

a yakan leader expresses his heart and mind

listening to this yakan community leader in basilan is a mind-opening event. his memories of military atrocities in his home village prompted me to do more research about the joint u.s.-philippine military activities here in basilan and jolo in the past 25 years.

touched and befriended by a maranao immam

i learned a lot from this immam from kauswagan, lanao del norte. while he was sharing his memories of the abuses he experienced from christians, i felt responsible to ask for forgiveness as a person coming from a christian family. his translator, sitting behind him, was so good and patient.

i am a happier person after an immam accepted me as a friend. i am indeed humbled.