Words & Pictures by Jennifer Yap Caspe

South East Asia, YES we can!

jennifer_caspe@yahoo.com (Jennifer Yap Caspe) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:57:00 +0000

We just came back from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where we spent two of the most exhilarating and inspiring days of our lives. Michael and I were chosen to be two of the 61 youth delegates to represent the Philippines in the Youth Engagement Summit (YES 2009) sponsored by SEAchange in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

SEAchange is South East Asia's Largest Youth Movement for Personal change. It aims to inspire the youth of South East Asia to make positive changes in their personal lives, their communities and the world. More than that, SEACHANGE serves as a bridge, connecting Southeast Asian Youths to projects, organizations, businesses, and leaders who can help them with the change they want to see.

Putrajaya International Convention Center

As an initial catalyst, SEAchange organized the Youth Engagement Summit 2009 (YES 2009) from Nov. 16-17 to bring together some of the most inspiring global change icons together in Kuala Lumpur. The goal is to motivate the youth to raise above the issues facing our world in the 21st century.SEAchange brought in the best and the brightest young people in South East Asia to engage in a dialogue with world change icons like chess master Gary Kasparov, CNN & CNBC reporter Lorraine Hahn, Andes crash Survivor Nando Parrado, Twitter co-founder Biz Stone, Business mogul Donald Trump, pop legend Sir Bob Geldof of Live Aid and Live8, and Facebook marketing director Randi Zuckerberg, to name a few.

The organizers have sponsored over USD $ 1 Million worth of free flights, accommodation, and summit passes for 500 Southeast Asian youths to be flown to Kuala Lumpur. When I checked further, I saw that although my age is no longer on the calendar, I apparently still belong to the youth sector.

As a youth fresh out of college, I had dreamed of becoming a world changer. Friends used to ask me what I wanted to achieve in my lifetime and I would answer: "World Domination!" And it is true. I believe each person has been given different gifts, with which we can bless the world in our own unique way. Mother Theresa said it this way, "We can do no great things, only small things with great love." This has been my inspiration as a media practitioner and it has kept me going many a long night to finish an article, script, video report or audio-visual presentation.

The imposing Petronas Towers

It's good to be reminded through this summit that that dream that I nurtured in me as a young woman is also shared by thousands, even millions of youth, around Asia. More importantly, it is a dream that can be realized, as exemplified by the distinguished speakers who generously shared their story and divulged secrets as to how they made it happen.

As Michael and I mingled in the lobby of the impressive Putrajaya International Convention Centre, which had hosted heads of states and high-profile personalities such as Bill Gates, we met fellow Filipino Amiel who is an English teacher in Vietnam, who recognized us from our video for the Ultimate Thailand Explorers. He said he voted for us during the semifinals. We were delighted. As the three of us were talking, an American lady who introduced herself as Christine, handed us flyers about a video contest on Democracy which is being sponsored by the US government. Michael who at that time was having a dilemma about our visa application spoke to her about it and she graciously told us she'll help us with it since she's with the US State Department.

When the summit commenced, we learned from YES 2009 organizing chairman Harmandar Singh, advertising veteran and CEO of Sledgehammer Communications, that this same Christine is part of US President Obama's staff! She has been sent to convey a message from the US president.

According to advertising veteran Singh, it was President Obama's "Yes, We Can" attitude that inspired the conception of YES 2009. And he was actually invited to speak in the event. It's a dream that Singh,CEO of Sledgehammer Communications, had nurtured for months. He divulged that that's the reason they timed the event during the US president's trip to Asia. "This is the secret I want to share," Singh said during the opening ceremony, "We chose this venue for its good security. Outside of this convention center is a helipad, where the President can land should he wished to visit us. I have not given up hope that he'll drop by."

Even though President Obama didn't make it to the summit, we weren't disappointed by the impressive roster of speakers who flew in from around the world to share their stories of hope with us.

Some memorable things they shared--

Biz Stone, co-founder of Twitter: "Opportunity can be manufactured." Early in his life, Biz learned that he was not the most popular kid around. He was not good any major sport, but he realized that he was good in La Crosse, which wasn't a popular game in his school. And so he created his own team! He has learned early on that he could create his own niche.

Biz co-founded Twitter with his engineer friend when a major project he was working on hit a snag. "What if we can know what our friends our doing without us asking them?" --This simple question inspired the creation of Twitter. "It may seen like an overnight success but it took 10 years. You have to love what you are doing, if you are doing a start-up (company)," he says. Today, Twitter is being used not just to connect people, but to advance causes and start revolutions around the world.

Dr. Mamphela Raphele, former managing director of the World Bank: "As young people you have ethical choices to make right now, not only when you are old." The only South African to hold such a position in World Bank cites the little things we do that affect climate change. "Think about the cellphones and computers you throw away that becomes somebody's trash. These are personal decisions you do that impact your world. How about the lights? Not closing the lights when you leave the room for 5 minutes, that's burning coal. You have the information and technology to make the world more sustainable through ethical choices."

Dr. Raphele grew up fighting a lot of gender stereotypes in South Africa. "In my country, you are known as a daughter or a wife. I grew up with parents who are teachers so naturally people expected me to be a teacher. But I chose to break ranks to become a medical doctor." This doctor, academician, businesswoman and anti-apartheid activist admonishes women to believe in themselves and know who their true value. "The women of South Africa, for example, we had to define ourselves and be proud of who we are and celebrate it."

Narain Karthikeyan, first Indian F1 Race car driver: "The youth of today should DREAM BIG. If you have the talent, bring it out and do the best you can. If you have the talent and will to succeed, it will happen." Thirty-two year old Narain knew at an early age that he wanted to be a race car driver. It seemed then like an impossible dream as he was from India where he said "no decent race track" existed and the only sport recognized was cricket. In fact, he practiced his driving skills by commandeering the tractor in their farm.

Fortunately, he did well enough in school to have his father agree to get him trained in race car driving in France. At age 20, he sought help from an Indian company and got their support. In 2005, he became the first Indian F1 race car driver when he became the main driver for the Jordan formula one team. "I am an example of someone who had one dream and stuck to it and followed through," Narain shared. He now supports underprivileged children and tries to spread this message across India.

Sir Bob Geldof, Live Aid and Live8 Founder: "To die of want in a world of surplus is not only intellectually absurd, but morally repulsive." Pop icon Bob Geldof of Boomtown Rats is better known as the co-writer of the song "Do They Know its Christmas?," one of the best selling singles of all time. Sir Bob knew poverty at a young age. He grew up in a poor Irish home, his only luxury being a small transistor radio. Rock music was his only solace, and it became to him a language of change and possibilities. At 13, his eyes were opened to apartheid in South Africa.

When he rose to stardom in 70s and 80s Sir Bob used his earning as a rock star to support charities that gave to African children. In 1984, he organized the super concert Live Aid with Midge Ure to raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia. Not content with just "doing charity," he decided in 2005 to give justice to the poor of Africa by dialoguing with leaders of rich nations. The generation of leaders who had watched Live Aid on television had now grown up and he was able to convince them to changing political structures and laws to help the poorer nations. Sir Bob, who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II, advocates using both charity and political lobby to effect change. "Live Aid was able to raise $150,000 through individual funding,but Live8, which dialogued with the G8 leaders, was able to raise $50 billion," he stresses.

Addressing the youth of Asia, Sir Bob gave this challenge: "Commit yourselves to change so that you can make the change. The rest of the the world is depending on you to protect our environment because we've destroyed ours and we will pay you to protect yours. Tell your government. But if they don't then be the leaders yourselves!"

Chess Master Gary Kasparov: "Success can paralyze if you allow it." Kasparov--a writer, political activist and the greatest chess player of all time-- became the world chess champion at 22. After the match the widow of a renowned chess player approached him and said, "I pity you. The happiest moment of your life has just past." He never forgot that and strove to prove her wrong.

"True consistency is change. Change or be fossilized," he stressed. Kasparo was kept on his toes by his greatest opponent Karpov. After Karpov faded away, Kasparov admitted that he began to relax and as a result lost to a much younger player. Yet, he was humble enough to learn from this experience. He used it to fuel his drive. "You can't stay at the bottom because the competition there is too fierce. If you stop taking risks you will stop progressing. We need a new generation of innovators, not imitators. The world may have been mapped out for us, but what we need right now is to innovate and explore."

Donald Trump, CEO of Trump Corporation: "Don't quit!" American business mogul, socialite and TV personality Donald Trump admonishes the youth to have that all-important character he calls "stick-to-it-tiveness." Beamed via satellite in his office in New York, Trump recalls having a conversation with his agent Jim: "Jim told me that business shows just don't work in prime time. Jim didn't believe it could make it. When 'The Apprentice' became number one on prime time, he was asking for a commission!" Trump gave him a straight-forward answer, "Jim, You're fired!"

Nando Parrado, air crash survivor: "Live your dream but don't forget to tell your family that you love them because when I was at the Andes (after that plane crash), all I thought of the whole day was my family." At 19, Nando Parrado had to live through the horror of seeing his sister and mother die in an aircrash. In 1972, Parrado was to fly to Chile to play in a international rugby match. Informed that the plane still had vacant seats, he invited his mother and 17-year-old sister to join him in the trip. Since seats weren't assigned on that plane, he randomly sat on the 9th row, not knowing that those seated from 10 rows and above would all perish in that crash.

The plane crashed at 18,000 ft in the Andes mountain range during winter in -40 degrees below zero. With superhuman effort, Nando spent 11 days finding his way out of the Andes to seek for help. He and 18 of his friends were rescued. His ordeal in the Andes mountain was made into the movie "Alive" where he was played by Ethan Hawke. "I am extremely happy just to be able to put my daughters to bed every night. This realization has not taken away from my work or 'success' in life. I am CEO of 6 companies, but there is no business meeting or commercial activity that I would not exchange for the moments of happiness I have had with Veronique and my children," he shares.

The summit was said to have reached a total of 1 million youth via satellite as it was beamed to several universities around Asia.

A Dream Wedding Venue

jennifer_caspe@yahoo.com (Jennifer Yap Caspe) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:05:00 +0000

Discovering Splendido was one of the highlights of our 2008. After getting engaged on 168 (January 6, 2008),we excitedly took a trip to Tagaytay to scout for a wedding venue. Since we both love the outdoors, we planned on having a garden wedding. I particularly wanted to get married in a lush garden fronting a sprawling golf course. We looked at possible venues the whole day, but were not quite satisfied with what we found.
As we were driving back to Manila at dusk, a thought popped into my mind. Out of the blue, I blurted out to my fiance, “Sa Splendido na lang tayo (Let's get married in Splendido).” At that time, I didn't have an inkling what Splendido looked liked or if it was even open for weddings. The last time I saw the place was in 2004 when it was under still construction. At that time, some friends and I just happened to pass by Splendido on our way to Batangas and we parked near the sales office to stretch our legs. That was my only encounter with the place.

It must have been It must God whispering a wonderful secret to us for the very next day, I surfed the net and was all too delighted to find that Splendido is actually a golf club and, more than that, it is fast becoming a popular wedding destination! I called their trunkline right away and reserved a date even though we haven't seen the place.

And when I asked if we could have a wedding on the golf course, assistant marketing supervisor Noel immediately informed us that they actually have a nursery just right behind the golf course where we could have the wedding.

The Splendido nursery is an elevated diamond-shaped garden beside a man-made lake. To go there,you have to walk or drive a golf cart through a path that would give you a stunning view of the greens. Then, you go up a flight of thoughtfully placed cobbled stones steps. The view is simply breath-taking. It was the perfect place for us--large enough to accommodate our 250 guests yet small enough to get that intimate feel that we wanted for the ceremony. Really a dream come true!

Another revelation was the food! Not only was it reasonable, it was a heavenly fare. Later on, I found out that the kitchen is headed by Chef Ed Quimson and Chef Tristan Bayani two of the most promising chefs we have in the country. When we requested for a customized menu to fit our budget, they gladly gave in. To be practical, we decided to get mini-cakes instead of the usual wedding cake with only one edible layer. Splendido's pastry bar baked such deliciously decadent and eye-catching cakes for us that made us wished we took a second serving during the cake-cutting.

During the course of the preparations, we called on Noel, Jonna, newly appointed marketing supervisor Cherry and restaurant supervisor Bomel time and again for changes and what-have-yous, and they were very accommodating. Noel was always on hand to answer questions. I appreciate how he listened and answered questions when my mom checked out the place two weeks before the ceremony. When I asked Cherry for help with the VIP place cards, she volunteered to do it for us, even though it wasn't part of the package. Bomel with his bubbly personality is just so conscientious and passionate about his job. He took very good care of us during all our meetings and went out of his way to grant our every request.He made us feel confident that everything would work out well on our day. I'm so glad he personally drove my wedding cart to the ceremony.

Our wedding day was such an answered prayer and a dream come true. A few minutes before the ceremony, it actually drizzled. Guests had to be transported back from the greens to the club house. Dark clouds loomed directly ahead and some of our guests and sponsors panicked. Despite the gloomy scenario, the whole staff believed and prayed with us that the weather would clear. A few minutes later, our prayers were answered. Not only did we have our wedding at the Splendido Nursery with nary a hitch, God even gifted us with a glorious sunset as the ceremony concluded Moreover, there wasn't a drop of rain the whole night as we partied away during the reception.

It's been a year since our October 2008 wedding. We still reminisce about the whole experience almost every day and we can't stop thanking God for Splendido. It's a place we know we will always come back to.

We received this note from Splendido's CEO last Oct. 8, 2009:

Thank you so much for your kind words of encouragement....it really means a lot to me as I personally and painstakingly designed Splendido...that you appreciate it as much as I do bolsters my spirit!!!!
Katrina C. Ponce-Enrile

The Will to Win!

jennifer_caspe@yahoo.com (Jennifer Yap Caspe) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 11:16:00 +0000

While Michael and I were enjoying our 1st anniversary get-away last weekend, he received an email informing him that he had won Php 5,000 worth of DK travel books and a premium item from the History Channel.

This morning I opened my email to find that Cebu Pacific had just picked me as the 7th and final winner of round-trip domestic tickets for their Twitter Raffle promo! Last Friday--supposedly the last day of the promo--Cebu Pacific discovered that one of those who won in the raffle was an employee and so they decided to make another draw early this morning . :)

God is just amazing! Not only did He let us enjoy our 365th day of togetherness as husband and wife by giving us perfect weather on a supposedly stormy weekend, He also put in these little extras to delight us. We are in constant awe of His love and goodness.

I don't see myself as a competitive person, but I do enjoy joining contests. It started when my teacher entered me in a drawing competition in kindergarten. It was followed by a slew of other school-sponsored contests: a track meet, a choral declamation, a singing contest, a crossword puzzle contest, to name a few.

I knew I had found my match when I met Michael. Early in our courtship, we discovered that we were both fans of Cebu Pacific's in-flight fun games and both cherish our collection of prizes from the said airline.

with Kooky of Mediacomm

Early this year, an ad in Multiply prompted us to join Whisper's online photo-story contest. Shortly after winning the grand prize, we discovered Boy Kuripot, a Filipino website that lists all local and foreign online competitions that Pinoys can to join. Boy Kuripot is run by Jeffrey Siy who himself has won a lot of prizes from online promos. (Visit his website at http://boy-kuripot.blogspot.com.) We have him to thank for the thrill his website gives us during our free time.

I remember declaring these words from the Psalms this morning before logging on and discovering the Cebu Pacific surprise: "You are my shield, and You give me victory and great honor. I pray to you and you answer from your sacred hill." Psalm 3:3-4 This is our heritage as sons and daughters of the Most High God.

Here is a list of the prizes we have won since we got married:

1. Nokia Cellphone from Globe Telecom-- Michael joined a spin-off of "Deal or No Deal" during a Christmas bazaar in Zamboanga. He chose bag number 3, because it is the date of our wedding. (Dec 2008)

2. Asus EEEPC and Sumdex bag from the "Why Men Love Whisper" Promo-- This is an online contest by Whisper Napkin. We won Best Photostory for the month of March. Thanks to Mr. Nelwin Uy and Sir Lito Genilo for the photos. We were buying house plants when Michael got a call. We floated with joy the whole afternoon. (March 2009)

3. Macbook White and a bag from the "Why Men Love Whisper" Grand Finals--We both screamed our lungs out when we discovered that we won the grand prize. Thank you for all who voted in Multiply! We were overwhelmed by your support. (May 2009)

4. Corel DVD software and Winner's Certificate from the Corel Digital Arts Competition--Our video won 4th place in the video editing category. Again, many thanks for those who voted. Some of you even voted everyday! :)

5. Garnet stone--the first jewelry I ever won. I got this during a trip to a Hongkong jewelry store last June. I was the first to answer that the store's diamonds came from South Africa. (June 2009)

6. Shopping Gift-checks from Singapore--Michael won 500 Singapore dollars-worth of gift checks from a specialty store in Singapore in July. Unfortunately, they couldn't send us the GCs as it was only available to Singaporeans, but we appreciate winning,nonetheless. (June 2009)

7.Cebu Pacific Goody Bag--I was the first in the flight to name the movie where the phrase "Momma said that 'Life is like a box of chocolates.'. . " came from. The goody bag contained Centrum vitamins and Chapsticks. (July 2009)

8. Sunsilk Package for the Style-in-a-Snap promo--My Lookbook entry received the "Kawaii Award" (Kawaii means "cute" in Japanese). Thanks, Nelwin and Michael, for the photos. Thanks also to those who voted and those who tried to vote. (It was hard to get through the contest's online registration). I received the call from Sunsilk a day before my birthday and since it was sort of a mini-online pageant for hair, I was flattered to receive the award. (July 2009)

9. Cebu Pacific Pad and Pen-- Michael and I both won a practical and stylish pad and pen set from Cebu Pacific during the "Bring Me" Game. I was laughing because the stewardess asked the passengers to "bring her" ten fingers and I was the first one to do so. I have my competitive and brilliant high school classmates to thank for that. Being in a class with them trained me to have fast reflexes so I could earn points during recitation time. Haha! (Sept. 2009)

10. DK Travel Books and History Channel Gift Item

11. Cebu Pacific Round-trip Domestic Tickets

Hope this encourages you to inject some fun into your life. You can help us increase the items in this list by viewing our application video for the Ultimate Thailand Explorers here: http://bit.ly/qt0s

Enjoy! :)

35 things I learned at 35

jennifer_caspe@yahoo.com (Jennifer Yap Caspe) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:01:00 +0000

Yes, I celebrated my 35th birthday last July. I can't believe it myself. My dear husband whisked me on an island get-away. For fun, we went parasailing that day. It was near sunset and the whole island was gleaming below us. Afterwards we took a dip in azure waters near the parasailing dock. It must have been more than 40 feet deep. It is always liberating to be in nature.

Turning 35 made me reflective. And here I share with you some lessons learned in the past 12,410 days that I have spent on earth.

I have learned that. . .

1 My happiness, contentment and satisfaction is found in God alone. I cannot imagine a life lived apart from God. And without Him, every dream, every ambition and every attempt at success is meaningless.

2 My identity is not based on what others think about me but what God says about me. People only see what's on the outside, but God sees the heart. They can only judge me based on my past, but God sees what I can be in the future. Only He knows my full potential. I have learned never to typecast myself according to other people's opinions and expectations.

3 God wants to bless me beyond my wildest dreams. However, we may have different ideas of what is best for me. At all times and in all situations, God's plan is always better than mine. I am stubborn and headstrong. I have set opinions and preferences. But in my 26 years as a Christian, God has shown me that I can be wrong about many of my choices. His way is always best. Be it about our schooling, career and choice of a mate.Even in the most mundane things, it pays to ask His opinion and obey His leading. I have 101 examples to illustrate this point, which I hope to turn into a book one day.

4 It's better to say "No" than to lie. Indecisiveness is a female malady. And it's usually based on our desire to please others, so people will like us. I think it is more unfair to tell a lie and keep other people hanging.

5 Sunscreen delays aging. Long before whitening creams and lotions were invented, I have been wearing sunblock. It's not that I'm afraid to get dark. I actually think a healthy tan looks good. At 16, my mom told me that the sun can cause skin damage which can lead to age spot and wrinkles. This motivated me to use sunscreen even when I'm indoors. Harmful UVA and UVB rays can penetrate windows and are emitted by lighting fixtures at home. I have seen women in their 20s who already have wrinkles around their eyes, forehead and mouth. A friend, who used to be have smooth skin, developed age spots and wrinkles a few months after taking tennis lessons early in the morning. How I wish they would discover sunscreen.

6 Never lend money to friends. Lending entraps both the borrower and the lender. It is a snare that destroys relationships. If a friend is really in need, I have learned that it is better to give with no strings attached.

7 I do not really know a person well enough to vouch for his character until I have either worked or transacted business with him or her. Work and money bring out the real character of people. Maybe that's why Jesus spoke a lot about work and money matters in the

four gospels.

8 God is far from being a tyrannical dictator and His commandments are always for my own good. Whoever thinks that he is a killjoy may be mistaking Him for religion. Being a Christian is the one great adventure with God. He has taken me to places I could only dream to do things I never dared think I could do.

9 Nobody gets pregnant by accident. Now that I am married, I realized that premarital or extramarital indiscretions are almost always pre-meditated and they take a lot of planning.

10 God is extravagantly generous. I knew this in principle, but I only realized it fully when I married a man who loves gardening. In our small backyard (read: 40-sq. ft. laundry area), we have the following plants in small pots: lychee, durian, peanut, tomatoes and lettuce. All of these started from tiny seeds that my husband collected from our travels. God doesn't only give us fruits to eat. In that fruit are seeds that can produce hundreds and even thousands of same fruit. And mind you, it only takes a few days or weeks for a seed to sprout.

11 To be healthy, I need to prepare and cook food simply. Fruits are best when eaten in their natural state. Vegetables only need a few minutes of cooking to preserve the vitamins and minerals in them. Instead of using a juicer or blender, we have learned to eat our fruits whole. We bake our meat and fish dishes, instead of frying them.

12 It's best to wait until after marriage to have sex. You enter marriage with zero guilt, no shame and your trust for each other completely intact. Sex then becomes a spiritual union, not just the fulfillment of baser instincts.

13 To beat jetlag during intercontinental travel, I have to remember to set my watch and schedule according to the time of the country of my destination before I enjoy the inflight entertainment.

14 I am never too old nor too wise to learn from a child or a person with lower stature. May I not too proud to listen to them.

15 God believes in me more than I sometimes believe in myself. God has placed in each of us unique skills, talents and gifts that He wants us to use His glory. For our talents to blossom and be put to good use, we have to have an unflinching belief in abilities. We must not allow people and circumstances to hinder us from shining.

16 People who dissuade you from pursuing your dreams are afraid of your capacity to succeed. There are many dreamkillers out there and they can be very mean. They can mock, tease and laugh. Most of them are insecure and your presence heighten their insecurity. They have either failed or have given up on their dreams and they don't want you to achieve yours. Keep away from these people.

17 Victory is not gained by the intelligent or the swift, but by those who never give up. According to the book Working with Emotional Intelligence, confidence, not high IQ or a good education, is the greatest predictor of success. And it's because the confident never gives up easily.

18 I can change my emotional state by controlling the way I think. Everyday I am bombarded by a thousand thoughts and ideas. It is my responsibility to filter them so that I don't get corrupted by thoughts that can harm my spirit. If I focus on the bad, my mood will inevitable suffer. These toxic thoughts contribute to the production of stress hormones that can damage my body. I have to keep focusing on what is pure, what is good, what is noteworthy.

19 It's foolish to compare myself with other people. God has a unique call for each person.

20 I cannot set a deadline about when I'm supposed to marry, have kids or get promoted to my dream job. The world may have its own ideas about the right age to do all these things, but I need not put myself into that mold. I need to trust that God has a unique plan for me and His timing is always best.

21 Successful people are passionate about their work. There is joy and delight even in labor. If you are not happy with your job, maybe it's time to rethink your career path. Please resign early, lest your lack of enthusiam at work poison the whole department.

22 It is good to have Yakult and a piece of banana during breakfast. The health drink Yakult contains probiotics or good bacteria that aids in digestion. The banana, on the other hand, is a prebiotic which the probiotics feed on to increase themselves.

23 Extra virgin olive oil is the safest and healthiest cooking oil. All other kinds oil including canola, coconut, sunflower, soya, peanut and even plain olive oil are harmful because they go through a complicated refining process. According to Dr. Don Colbert, oils that go through refining process where they are degummed, refined, bleached and deodorize, lose their nutrients. Aside from that, refined oils contain toxic lipid peroxides that can lead to cardiovascular diseases and cancer.

24 Brown rice is a healthy and delicious alternative to white rice. Because it is whole grain, brown rice is very filling,thus making you eat less. It also aids in digestion. To cook brown rice, add 25% more water than usual, or soak it 30 minutes before cooking. Or else you will end up with pebble-hard brown rice.

25 No matter how I claim to love God, if I hate someone, the love of God is not in me. In fact, the Bible calls such a person a liar and a murderer. Ouch!

“If anyone says, “I love God, yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.” 1 John 4:20

“Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.” --1 John 3:15

26 Done in the right attitude, housework can be relaxing and therapeutic. A clutter-free house brings comfort and peace of mind. Somehow getting organized makes us breathe easier.

27 When talking about other people, if I can't say the very same thing when the person is present, then I should not say it at all. Doing so would be slander.

28 When driving, it's much better to bless than to curse someone who cuts me in traffic. Somehow releasing forgiveness and blessing frees me from the anger and rage that can ruin my day.

29 The most talented people I've been fortunate to worked with are usually the humblest. In contrast, those who toot their horns the loudest are the ones who need more practice-- to say the least. God indeed gives more grace to the humble.

30 It is important to spend time to visualize the kind of life I want. As athletes use visualization to master their sport, so can I master the challenges I face by visualizing my desired outcome. Oftentimes we do just the opposite-- letting fear, worry and anxiety get to us by ruminating on the worst. “Picture in your mind the able, earnest, useful person you desire to be,” advises Elbert Hubbard, “and the thought you hold is hourly transforming you into that particular individual you so admire.” The Bible puts it this way: “As a man thinks, so he is.”

31 I don't need a lot of things to live comfortably. Because of our tiny apartment, I am learning to stop my compulsion to buy things that I want but don't need.

32 I have learned never to shop for groceries on an empty stomach, because I end up spending more and worse, I tend to buy junk food. In connection with this, I'm learning that when I keep junk food out of my line of sight, I don't crave for it at all.

33 Contrary to popular claims, soy milk is not healthy. While doing research for a project, I discovered that soya beans contain certain substaces that prevent protein digestion, block the body's absorption of importaint minerals (calcium, magnesium, etc.) and make red blood cells clump together. That is why it is not advisable to eat unfermented soy products. To solve this problem, soy growers in the US use created a genetically modified variety of the soya. This variety goes through a refining process using chemical that have the potential to harm the body. Also, the isoflavones in soya acts like the hormone estrogen. One author claims that giving soy milk to a child has the same effect as feeding her with birth control pills. The report may be a little exaggerated, but I have since gone back to drinking cow's milk.

34 Never undertimate the power of words. They can be used for good or evil. Words can kill or heal. I have talked to people in the autumn of their lives who still wince as they recall harsh words spoken to them when they were a child, as if it were said yesterday. I've resolved to always speak encouraging words to people, if I can help it.

35 I am never too old to be all that I can be and to do all that I've set my heart to do. At 70-years-old, my friend's mom learned to swim for the first time. She enrolled herself in her grandchildren's swimming class. Grandma and the toddlers learned to paddle side by side. She was even asked to be featured in that swimming school's brochure. The famous Pacmom, Dionisio Pacquiao, had her TV debut as a dancer and commercial model at age 60.

If that doesn't inspire you, maybe this poem by Longfellow will:

“'It is too late! Ah, nothing is too late

Till the tired heart shall cease to palpitate.

Cato learned Greek at eighty; Sophocles

Wrote his grand Epidus, and Simonides

Bore off the prize of verse from his compeers

When each had numbered more than four score years.

(That's 80 years old in modern day language!--jen)

“'And Theophrastus at four score and ten

Had but begun his “Characters of Men.”

Chaucer, at Woodstock, with the nightingales,

At sixty wrote the “Canterbury Tales.”
Goethe, at Weimar, toiling to the last,

Completed “Faust” when eighty years were past.

“'What then? Shall we sit idly down and say

The night hath come; it is no longer day?

The night hath not yet come; we are not quite

Cut off from labor by the falling light;

Something remains for us to do or dare,

Even the oldest trees some fruit may bear,

For age is opportunity no less

Than youth itself, though in another dress;

And as the evening twilight fades away,

The sky is filled with stars, invisible by day.'”

Thoughts: No Longer Two, But One

jennifer_caspe@yahoo.com (Jennifer Yap Caspe) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 06:29:00 +0000

Groggily, I managed to creep to the bathroom this morning to find a flower and note on the toilet seat. Only then did it dawn on me that today marks the 6th month of my marriage. My husband has outdone himself again. He is great at pulling off little surprises like this. And he never seems to forget to greet me every 3rd of the month. And to my shame, he has so far hands down beaten me to it. My forgetfulness in this area has many times made him wonder out loud who the real girl is in the relationship.

My husband may be an expert with little surprises, but he's bad at keeping the big ones to himself. A couple of weeks ago, he woke me up early in the morning just to announce, "We're going to travel to __ on our anniversary!" only to regret it later for telling me way in advance. It should have been a surprise, but he was so happy he had to inform me about it. My adorable husband then tried to make up for it by looking for other destinations to append to that anniversary trip, but I always managed to blow his cover.

Never in my life did I expect marriage to be this much fun. Honestly, I feel like a girl playing house with my best friend. It pays that at this age we still enjoy playing games! It amazes me how many hiding places we've managed to find in our cute 24-square meter apartment. (Oprah, you have to give us a bigger house!) Or how many times I've scared the wits out of him by shouting "Boo!" when he least expects it. It's been a happy, giddy 180 days of togetherness for us.

Growing up, I've heard so many tales of woe about marriage. Many have warned me about the headaches and heartaches of matrimonial life and all the harsh responsibilities it brings, so I didn't go into marriage blindly believing that it will be a bed of roses. Yet, another side of me was very optimistic. I knew I waited for the right man, and I knew my God created marriage, therefore it's supposed to be a good thing. And so, with eyes wide open, I took the plunge 6th months ago and said my vows in front of a sea of smiling and sobbing family and friends.
Making a marriage work, as they say, is hard work and I believe in that. Anything worth keeping entails diligent toil. But, hey, I'm going to have great fun, while I'm working at it. I'm going to be the most joyful homemaker as I scrub the toilet and sort the dirty laundry. I'm going to hum as I cook. I'm going to be vocal about my appreciation for my husband's efforts to make life better for us. And most of all, I'm going to remember to thank God for the big and small blessings of being married.

I am no relationship expert, but I do want to share some things I have learned while crossing over from single-blessedness to marital bliss.

. . . Do not be in a hurry to get married. Discover first who you really are and what you want to accomplish in life. Then, throw your life at it with a passion. Only when you are fulfilled and happy with yourself can you best share life with another person. Don't just wait for the right person, be the right person.

. . . Choose well. God is very interested in helping you in this area and He knows who is best for you, so consult Him. Choose someone who share the same moral and spiritual background, if you want a peaceful home and a stable marriage. If possible, choose to marry your best friend--someone who love hanging out with and someone who makes you laugh. Remember, there's no escaping this person when you are married.

. . .Keep your virtue. Premarital sex may be in vogue these days, but you don't have to go in that direction to get a man. Wait for someone who will appreciate you for your convictions. Do not risk your future for a few hours of pleasure. You'll be so glad you waited till your wedding night.

. . . Choose to serve and not be served. Enter your relationship with this mindset. Don't expect the other person to make you happy. You are responsible for your own happiness. But do everything you can to make the other person happy. It'll pay big dividends for your relationship.

. . . Spend time with your significant other's family. It's a surefire way of getting to know that person. How does this guy treat his mother or sibling? Is he respectful or rude and uncaring? Watch out, because that's also the way he's going to threat you when you're already his wife.

. . . If you are not sure, don't! The wedding preparation is a good time to get to know how good you both are in dealing with stress and conflict. If along the way, you figure that you are better off alone than engaged, better voice out now or forever hold your peace. Even if the wedding invites have already been sent, please don't hesitate to back out if you are having doubts. It's better to back out now, than to have your marriage annulled later. It will save you time, money and lot of heartaches.

. . . Make peace with your past. Any unsettled issue from your past will ultimately crop up in your marriage. Deal with them while you are single. Ask the God of mercy to heal your heart and set you free from any mental or emotional bondage that's holding you back.

. . . Plan for the marriage, not just for the wedding. Read books, attend seminars and go for pre-marital counseling. Don't be so caught up with the wedding planning that you forget to iron out things in your relationship. Learn from the counsel of happily and the not-so-happily married couples. You don't have to go through marriage dazed and confused.

. . .Pray and discover your destiny in God. He has a unique plan and calling for each one of us. Don't try to fit yourself into a mold. A friend recently admitted that she doesn't want to get married. Well and good. "Maybe that is your calling and, that, too, is a good thing," I told her.

Happy 6th month, Michaell! :) I'm so proud to be your wife.

"At the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.' 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."
--Mark 10:6-9

God Speaks

jennifer_caspe@yahoo.com (Jennifer Yap Caspe) — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 08:30:00 +0000

"If you talk to God, you must be religious. If God talks to you, you are plain crazy," declares a brash politician as a reaction to another politician's bold claim that she was "appointed" by God to her position some years ago.

That politician's wry comment is indicative of modern man's cynicism towards all things spiritual. Truth of the matter is God is ever communicating with His creation. "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," God says in the Bible (Jeremiah 29:13-14). He promises to give a piece of his mind to every earnest seeker. Why talk to God at all, if you don't believe He'll answer? It's that simple.

God always communicates. He does through His word in the Bible (so long as you read it!), His creation and often through other people. He's not as interested in ritualistic, repetitive prayers, as He is in heart-felt, gut-level communication. Neither does He seem to care much about the vocabulary nor eloquence of the petitioner. "When you pray," Jesus said, "Do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him."

The infinite Mind who knows each word you will utter even before a conscious thought forms in your mind is more concerned about having a living, intimate relationship with you, than He is about rituals and protocols.

Photo taken March 22, 2008

Over the years, my relationship with Him has brought me places I never thought I'd dare thread.

Out of his bidding, I've ridden military trucks, lived alone in a foreign land, shared meals with the poorest of the poor, even seen miracles unfold before my very eyes--the deaf hearing and the vision-impaired gaining back their sight! His voice has challenged me more to conquer my fears and live out a life I'd never thought possible. His promises have given me the tenacity to hang on when the going gets tough.

Having had an on-going dialogue with God for 25 years now, I still got a buzz when I receive a message from Him. My most recent talk with God involves my current home address. My new husband and I have just settled in one of the most dangerous cities down south. Bombings, kidnappings, head-choppings are common in the headlines here.

One day news of another random kidnapping hit the airwaves-- this time 3 public school teachers had been haplessly kidnapped. As I lay down to sleep that night, I wrestled in my thoughts with God. I've always known that after I got married, home would be in this infamous city. I knew it to be God's will, but then our safety was now foremost in my mind. "I don't want to be fodder for these brutal kidnappers," I argued. I couldn't sleep that night, so a few minutes after that prayer, I got up and sat on my desk. Just then, a text message punctuated the silence of our room. It was a message from my pastor friend whom I hadn't talk to in a while.

His message read: "Just been prompted to pray for you and your family this moment. I don't know why. Sorry to bother you. 'Will you have it your way or God's way?' First, trust God to have your best interest at heart, then trust Him to lead you to the right choice." A timely word from one of God's messengers at 1:30 in the morning.

He included in his SMS the scripture Psalm 32:8-9. I quickly opened my Bible and read: "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. Do not be like the horse or the mule which have no understanding but must be controlled by the bit and bridle or they will not come to you."

I had no doubt it was God speaking.

After that nighttime SMS, the situation seemed to get worse. We heard of more people getting kidnapped. Something also transpired in our neighborhood that made us cautious to go out, especially at night. We prayed for God to move on our behalf.

Nonetheless, we decided to heed God than the voice of our fears. A month later, two kidnapping syndicates have been arrested. And without much funfare, we discovered that our neighborhood problem had solved itself. To our astonishment, we found out that our prayers have been answered to the letter.

To see is to believe--that is the motto of this cynical world. But God challenges us to believe Him first. Then we shall see His miracles with our very eyes. This is not an easy task and only few have dared to take Him up on His irrational challenge. But to those who dared, nothing in the world could be more logical.

"And without faith, it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him."

--Hebrews 11:6

Thoughts: Engaged!

jennifer_caspe@yahoo.com (Jennifer Yap Caspe) — Thu, 22 May 2008 06:49:00 +0000

I have formed a new habit: checking out the glittering ring on my left ring finger—a half-carat solitaire set on white and yellow gold that is encrusted with 27 tiny diamonds. Growing up, I’d never taken to wearing rings. But now, short of four months of being engaged, it feels like second skin. I seldom take it off, even when I’m sleeping or in the shower.

I’m endlessly fascinated by this ring that I find myself subconsciously checking it out wherever I am—at the breakfast table, in church, while walking at the mall. Sometimes I get embarrassed when I realize people are staring. Yes, the ring is too extravagant for everyday use, but I wear it nonetheless because it reminds me of extravagant love.

At twelve, I was already praying for my future mate. I am a hopeless romantic and didn't want to waste my time on pointless relationships. In college, as I held a high position in the NBSB (No Boyfriend Since Birth) club, I told God that I only want to date the person that He has for me, so I told Him to shield me from the wrong guys. And He did. It sure wasn’t fun not having a steady date throughout my teens and my early adult years, but the career and the wonderful sets of friends made up for the void.

And then it happened. . . It was a beautiful spring day when I met him. I was at a church retreat when I first laid my eyes on him. It must be true what they say that love comes when you’re not looking. At that point in my life, I was so happy reveling in my singleness that I wasn’t even thinking about meeting anyone. I was content that I was living a purposeful life with God at the center of it. But there I got the shock of my life, after seeing this person for the first time, I blurted to God in prayer that this is the guy I wanted to marry. I didn’t even believe at love at first sight . . . until that point.

And God did set us up. Arriving late at the last session of the retreat, my friend and I sat at the last row of the function room. Before the session commenced, the speaker asked those at the back to transfer to a couple of vacant seats in front. My friend and I hurried to the front. The guy and I landed on the same table, at the same time. Our friend introduced us. Seated next to him and hearing his convictions about God and relationships, I got all the more convinced that he was the one.

Months after that first encounter, I still couldn’t take him off my mind. But then, he was from a far-flung place and we were both still strangers to each other. God did assure me though that He will make a way and so I had peace.

Three years later, I saw him again. Two weeks before my birthday, I woke up and told God that I wish He’d let me meet my future mate before I turn a year older.That night that same friend who I was with at the retreat dragged me to a birthday party of someone I didn’t even know. That was where I saw him again. He didn’t even remember me, but I sure recognized him. Before I left, he caught up with me and said, “It was nice meeting you.” That started a solid friendship that lasted for three years.

Last October, as we were wading in the ocean at sunset, Michael asked if we could take the friendship to another level. It wasn’t much of a surprise, as I already had an inkling on our first meeting that this day would come. It was worth the wait.

This New Year he called me a little worried that he couldn’t get a seat on the plane. We had talked about meeting in Manila 3 days after his birthday. I didn’t know he was worried because he was set to propose and had in fact had the ring engraved before Christmas. He wanted to propose on January 6, 2008—an auspicious date in Chinese calendar. Actually, we don’t believe in that stuff, but he wanted a date that was easy to memorize. But then he couldn’t get a ticket for January 5!

After much prayer, I told him that I know God will somehow send him to me by January 5. We even prayed for a seat in first class. Two days before his flight, he still didn’t have a ticket. He was worried sick, while I, on the other hand, because I didn’t know he was proposing, was just calm and happy. But then, that night a cousin invited him to a party and there he met a lady who wanted to have her ticket re-booked. He stashed the ticket in his bag and left.

The next morning, his staff saw the ticket and reminded him to have it rebooked right away because the ticket was for January 5! “Wait, hold that ticket,” he exclaimed.

Somehow, he got himself in the plane by using this lady’s ticket and showing the ring to the airline officers who got convinced that he wasn’t interested in bombing the plane, he just needed to get to Manila on time to propose on January 6.

And so, he did arrive on Manila on January 5, seated comfortably in the front row of the plane! (We prayed for a seat in first class after all!).The next day he took me to Island Cove and in the room where we first sat beside each other serenaded me with a guitar, got down on one knee and asked me to marry him.

The ring came in a box containing his insignia. I must admit that when I saw the ring for the first time, it scared me. I’d wanted a simple and understated engagement ring. (I didn't care if it's one of those plastic ring that came with candy, as long as it came from him!)But as it dawned on me how much love was behind the ring, I grew to love it and now I cannot spend an hour without admiring it, especially when I remember how much my fiancé sacrificed to buy it and get it on my finger on 1-6-8.

To me the ring is a reminder of the extravagance of God’s love. Like a doting parent, He wants us to have the best, even though we sometimes feel we don't deserve it. When you see me nowadays walking down the street, looking contentedly at my ring as I amble along, do smile and thank God with me. –written April 4, 2008

Something to Think About

jennifer_caspe@yahoo.com (Jennifer Yap Caspe) — Wed, 21 May 2008 09:43:00 +0000

A friend gave me this pin years ago. It's on my desk.
I took a good look at it again this afternoon.
It's a good reminder in these trying times.
What am I truly living for?

Grateful

jennifer_caspe@yahoo.com (Jennifer Yap Caspe) — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 03:09:00 +0000

10/7/07 at Cawa-cawa

For surprises and sunsets

carousel rides

and islands that appear out of nowhere at dawn. . .

jennifer_caspe@yahoo.com (Jennifer Yap Caspe) — Mon, 08 May 2006 09:04:00 +0000

Photo: Panglao Island Nature Resort (4-17-06)

Article: From the Office to the Farm

jennifer_caspe@yahoo.com (Jennifer Yap Caspe) — Mon, 08 May 2006 07:38:00 +0000

At 36, Jose Feron “Dodong” Cacanando was on his way to corporate success as assistant country manager of Hewlett-Packard Philippines. “I enjoyed my job because I was excelling at it. My goal then was to become general manager of Hewlett-Packard. They told me that I was number 3 in the succession plan,” said the affable electronic engineer. In 1997, however, he felt a growing sense of uneasiness, making him wonder if he should be doing something else. It escalated during a 3-month stint that had him traveling in and out of the country. “I couldn’t breathe because of the tension. So I asked myself, ‘Pag magkasakit ba ako, ano ang gagawin nung company? Of course, they would send me to the hospital. Pag hindi ako maka-recover, ano ang gagawin ng kompanya? They are going to replace me.’ And then, I developed a burden to spend time with my family. I told God I was willing to give up my career,” he shares.

A spiritual person, Cacanando asked providence for signs that it was time to leave his job. “I wanted miraculous signs. If God wanted me to resign, let Him give me a very good performance that fiscal year, so that they won’t think I’m abandoning the company. Second, don’t promote me even if I’m up for promotion, because I would be tempted to stay. Finally, give me four months’ worth of salary so that I would have money to look for a business,” he recalls. The odds of those things happening would be next to impossible, he surmised. The Asian economic crisis had badly affected the company’s performance, making it lag behind in its quota. “We only had $58,000 in sales near the end of that fiscal year. That’s so far from our $1 million quota,” he stresses. Four days before the fiscal year ended, however, the office fax machine started churning up purchase orders. That year, they didn’t only beat the $1 million sales quota, they exceeded it by another million. In spite of that, Cacanando didn’t get his promotion, but landed a bonus that was equivalent to four month’s worth of salary. He knew it was time to move.

Photo: Dodong Cacanando at his country home in Bukidnon
(2-28-06)

Cacanando dreamt of living a simple life in a farm. “It meant I can spend time with my family. It meant I can have time with God. Yun lang yon,” he shares. Having minimal assets, he thought of relocating his family to Mindanao where the cost of living is relatively lower. One weekend, Cacando brought his wife Peachy and their two children to Cagayan de Oro. They took a side trip to two farms in Bukidnon, an hour’s drive from Cagayan de Oro city. His wife and two children fell in love with the place. Cacandando’s wife grew up in Manila and had worked as an interior designer in New York, for her to want to relocate to a remote province was a miracle in itself. Cacanando took that as another sign.

When the family got home, Cacanando submitted his resignation letter. Two months later, he called up Monterey to ask about the possibility of being a hog contract grower. “While the concept is nice to go contract growing, it was very expensive. The farm would cost P12M. The income was smaller, pero sigurado yan, kasi total may mag-mamarket sa yo. Magpapalaki lang naman ako ng baboy eh,” he explains. Monterery told him that it usually took eight months to look for land and four months to get a business permit. Since he had no relatives or contacts in Bukidnon and only had four months’ worth of salary, Cacanando felt he didn’t stand a chance of finding a site for the piggery. He went home discouraged and spent two weeks praying about his next step.

After two weeks, Monterey called him up to say that a prospective contract grower had pulled out and was selling his 14-hectare land for P1million. The property was located at the foot of Mt. Kintanglad and although there was no infrastructure yet, the owner had already drawn up a plan for roads and electricity. “Mahal kung lupa lang, kasi wala pa namang infrastructure eh. Plano lang, kaya lang it meant business for us, When I asked him, ‘When did you start to look for the land?’ You know, it was the time when God told me to leave my job. Parang pinahanap sa kanya ng Diyos yung lupa, tapos binigay sa amin,” he shares. Cacanando borrowed P8 million from relatives. He got the rest of the capital from the proceeds of the sale of his house in Parañaque.

When he relocated his family to Bukidnon on Oct 1998, Cacanando had to start from scratch. Since all his money went to the construction of the farm, the family had to live in a 20-footer container van, which they had used to haul their belongings. When Moriah Farms started operations in February 1999, he only had P1,000 in the bank. “Our container van home is special to us, because it taught us to simplify our life. In everything that we do now, we’ve learned to bring down the cost,” Cacanando says.

Photo: Dodong, his wife Peachy and the author taken by Jun Pinzon (2-28-06)

During the first month, the 3,000 pigs in the farm earned him P100,000, which he quickly put back into the business. Income was small but steady and Cacanando was content. He admits, though, that it took a big shift in mindset for him. “My biggest struggle was cash management. Because in Hewlett-Packard, I had salary, I could spend as I pleased. You cannot do that in business. It took me four years to unlearn that,” he rues.

Since he felt that this new venture was providential, Cacanando wanted to run it God’s way. He began using the Bible as a tool for improving his business. “I read the Bible not to be spiritual but to learn how I should do things. The Bible tells us that God has given us everything and that we are just stewards. If God has given me everything I need, then I should not waste anything. Dapat wala akong sayangin, maski yung manure ng baboy,”Cacando, now 43, explains. He implemented a “no waste” policy in the farm and started a project with pig manure. “Ang baboy ang problema niyan, waste niya eh. Karamihan ng babuyan dito may kaso with DENR. Kasi nagsispill-over sa water system,” he says. Since the piggery took up only six of the 14-hectare property, he began dumping hog’s waste on the remaining land, using it as fertilizer. This not only took care of hygiene in the farm, it also gave birth to a business more profitable than the piggery—vegetable farming.

Photo: Dodong and the author at the lettuce farm (3-1-06)

The first crops he planted were carrots. He found that farming is not as easy as it looks. His first harvest yielded thumb-sized carrots. Having limited income, Cacanando scoured old bookshops for second-hand books. “Farming pala is complicated. You don’t just plant and then it grows. You have to work the soil. You have to put a lot of fiber in the soil. Hindi lang siya compost. Kailangan may fiber siya. Dapat may tinatawag na calcium siya,” he says. After a few hits and misses, Cacanando eventually came up with high-quality yields, prompting the Department of Agriculture to ask him to teach them how to plant carrots.

In the year 2000, a neighbor suggested that Cacanando harvest lettuce. Not knowing anything about growing lettuce, Cacanando hesitated at first, but gave it a try to appease the neighbor. To his big surprise, his farm yielded lettuces weighing 1-kilo each. “Pag dinadala namin sa traders, tinatanong nila, ‘Ano yan cabbage?’ It was the first time they saw lettuce this big. I learned later that lettuce is one of the hardest crops to grow. The reason we stuck with it is it is easy for us. Feeling ko bigay ng Diyos,” he humbly says. Unbeknownst to him at that time, the location of his farm was perfect for growing the said vegetable. “What’s special about our place is we’re positioned below a mountain. Meron akong kaibigang farmer, pareho ang elevation ng farm namin, pero malayo siya sa bundok. He cannot grow lettuce whole year round. Kami we can, because of our location,” he explains. Cacanando started marketing the vegetables to traders in nearby Cagayan de Oro City at a volume of 250 kilos per week. The lettuce, consisting of four varieties (iceberg, green coral, red coral and romaine), would sell from P65 to P105 per kilo.

Wanting to come up a better yield at a lower cost, he continued to improve the nutrition of his vegetables. He put his background in engineering to good use and optimized systems in the farm. “We’re very competitive in pricing. I want to be the best and I want to be the cheapest in my category. I want persistent profit throughout the year, so maski konti lang ang kita, basta parati. What the customers do, they give us bigger volume. Totoo may mas mura kesa sa amin, but we’re the most consistent in quality,” Cacanando explains.

Through the prompting of a friend, Cacanando sent 10 kilos of his prized lettuce to one of the processors of Mcdonald’s in 2001. He quickly became one of the ten suppliers of Mcdonald’s, shipping 500 kilos to Manila weekly. When Mcdonald’s quality control manager Carol Banad visited the farm in 2002, she offered to send Cacanando on a lettuce convention in Australia. After that trip, he was informed that Moriah Farms had been chosen as Mcdonald’s preferred supplier. From 500 kilos of lettuce, the company wanted him to supply 3.5 tons weekly. “Normally, you look for the market, then you work for quality. Sa amin, we worked on our quality first. The market will just come when they hear about it,” he explains. In 2002, Kentucky Fried Chicken also became a client.

Photo: World-class lettuce from the Philippines (3-1-06)

Today Moriah Farms is one of the biggest suppliers of lettuce in the country, with an output of 7 tons per week. Its produce has been chosen as one of the best in Asia in terms of taste, texture and color. “The lettuce would be sent to HK for grading. There have been occasions when our lettuce was graded 3, the perfect score,” he proudly says.

From thirty farm hands in 1999, Cacanando’s staff has grown to seventy. Part of their training is a weekly Bible study that Cacanando says has been instrumental in decreasing incidences of conflict and theft. “To me in business, one of the biggest pain is people management—away, nagyayabangan, intriga, tsismis. Because of the Bible study, we would share the same values. It helped us improve on our system. In fact, it helped us save on money. Ang security guard ko sa farm na 70 ang tao, isa lang. I don’t need to hire more managers. My people watch each other,” he says. As they tackled topics like stewardship and dignity of labor, Cacanando also noticed that these sessions boosted the morale of his people, thereby increasing productivity in the farm. He is most proud of his farm managers, most of whom had very little education, but runs the farm like a seasoned managers and agriculturists. Other businessmen and corporations have taken notice and are asking him to train their staff. This prompted Cacanando to put up Semilya sa Kinabuhi (Seed of Life), a non-profit training facility that marries business and biblical principles.

It’s been seven years since Cacanando left the corporate world, and he has no regrets. His farm, which has expanded to 19 hectares, is earning Cacanando a substantial amount in millions, allowing his family to live comfortably. His investment in the hog farm has not yet been recouped, but the earnings from the lettuce farm has more than made up for it. This year he and his managers are targeting to increase their output to 10 tons per week.

Looking back, Cacanando is grateful he developed the habit of living frugally and keeping out of debt. “I believe in growing a business. Start small. Makakatipid ka sa detalye. When you’re forced to grow from small, yung internal learning, malakas masyado. Kaya yung aking farm manager, grade 5 lang ang natapos, ang galing-gaing, because we went through all the pain of trying to understand with very little money. When you have a lot of money, you don’t think of that, you buy the solution,” he shares. Case in point: Some years back, he needed a manure dryer that would set him back P800,000, but since he didn’t have the money and his wife didn’t want him to borrow, he and his managers were able to design a manual dryer using bamboo slats, costing him only P80,000.

It is this philosophy that has made his business thrive through the hard times. The market, in recent years, has been bad. Most of his competitors have shut down operations. “They even have Australian and Israeli consultants, but they closed down because they have big debts. The reason why we are still here is number one, God is sustaining us. Number two, wala kaming utang,” the happy farmer ends.

-Written by Jennifer Yap Caspe
for Entrepreneur Magazine, May 2006 issue

jennifer_caspe@yahoo.com (Jennifer Yap Caspe) — Fri, 14 Apr 2006 04:19:00 +0000

Photo: Puerto del Sol by Tin Caspe (4-04-06)

"Faith is being sure of what we hope for,and certain of what we do not see."
-Hebrews 11:1

jennifer_caspe@yahoo.com (Jennifer Yap Caspe) — Thu, 19 Jan 2006 09:52:00 +0000

Photo: Baby for sale at a supermarket in Guangzhou, China!
(1-7-06)

Strange sightings during my recent trip to HK and China. . .

. . . A caucasian mommy who put her baby on the conveyor belt of the baggage x-ray counter at the PAL Centennial Airport. Whether out of ignorance, confusion or exasperation, I don't really know. Good thing the vigilant airport attendant caught her before the baby had a full-body x-ray even before turning a year old . . .

. . . A Filipina domestic helper at the HK airport holding a tightly-sealed purple paper bag. Upon inspection by this inquisitive Filipino baggage checker (who kept humming a South Border song), we found out it was nothing illegal. It's just pritong dalag, folks! Fried fish that went through customs and immigration. . . Only a Filipino could think of bringing that!

. . . This baby sleeping soundly inside a shopping cart. Doesn't the photo make you want to ask the supermarket clerk what section or aisle you can get a baby as cute as this one?

Happy New Year!

jennifer_caspe@yahoo.com (Jennifer Yap Caspe) — Sun, 06 Nov 2005 16:08:00 +0000

Photo: The Children of Camarines Sur (4-26-05)

Thoughts: Tell Him Where It Hurts

jennifer_caspe@yahoo.com (Jennifer Yap Caspe) — Sun, 06 Nov 2005 15:34:00 +0000

Whoever said church was boring must have never gone to Victory Christian Fellowship. This morning I was given the opportunity to sing ala-Juris of M.Y.M.P. when the worship team sang our version of "Tell Me Where It Hurts."

Having only practised the song once (at 9:30 PM last night!) I proceeded to mangle the lyrics. I kept on reverting to the original version, which I have been singing since it first came out in the 90s. I asked worship leader Me-anne, if I could be excused from the performance, but she gave me a stern look and told me, "Kaya mo yan!"

I am glad I didn't back out. I don't know, though, if the congregation felt the same way! Not only did I feel like a pop artist for 4 good minutes, I felt Jesus speak to me as I was singing the song, which Me-anne re-wrote to fit the Sunday crowd.

Here's what I remember from the song. Come sing it with me:

I

Why is that sad look in your eyes, why are you crying

Tell Me now, tell Me now, tell Me why you're feeling this way

I hate to see you so down, please tell Me

Is it your life, you think you're getting nowhere

Being so far from what is meant for you

There's so many things that I can do

Chorus:

Why don't you tell Me where it hurts now tell Me

And I'll give the best, not just any other

Yes, I'll do My best to make the tears all go away

Just tell Me where it hurts now tell Me

'Cause I love you with a love so tender

And If you let me stay, I'll love all of the hurt away

II

Lest you compare your life with another

Don't be sad, don't feel bad

'Cause I have greater plans for you

You may think that I am too cold or silent

Open your eyes as I put back all the pieces

Of your broken heart

Making all things new

There's so many things that I can do

(Repeat Chorus)

"God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them."-Hebrews 6:10

jennifer_caspe@yahoo.com (Jennifer Yap Caspe) — Sun, 06 Nov 2005 15:05:00 +0000

Photo: Counting Circles at The Top, Cebu by Tin Caspe (10-30-05)

Thoughts: A Date to Remember

jennifer_caspe@yahoo.com (Jennifer Yap Caspe) — Sun, 06 Nov 2005 12:43:00 +0000
"I have a date with a cute boy tomorrow. I'm so excited," I texted a friend last Thursday. My friend was intrigued and started grilling me if this "guy" was "the one"! Er, I don't think so!

I spent Friday afternoon in the company of 4-year-old Luis and it was one memorable day for me. I never thought baby-sitting could be fun and fulfilling, until I met the Paderes kids--what are smart and sweet bunch they are!

When I arrived at their house, Luis was hiding inside a tiny space in their cabinet! After giving me a warm welcome, he proceeded to show me his jumping skills--ranging from super-duper high, to super high, to medium high and low. He could also do a mean back roll! (His father wanted to name him after Bruce Lee, but changed his mind, you see.)

Luis Rafael with his book and toy robot (11-04-05)

Luis regaled me with his sharp memory by taking me through his Dinosaur activity book. Wow, he remembered all the instructions his mom gave for every single page and proceeded to correct me when I mis-read one! This little guy remembers everything. More than that, I could sense his deep love for his mom as he recited to me her every word.
During the course of our time together, Luis was coughing and developed a fever, but he never once complained. He was just happy to go to Jollibee and eat Chicken Joy with me. Before the meal, he took my hand and started thanking God for the food. He also prayed that everybody will be well. Before leaving Jollibee, I bought him a toy donkey to remind him of our "date."
When his mom called, Luis didn't mention his fever or his cough, or how tired he was, all he said was "Mom, I have a new toy donkey!" When I coaxed him to drink his medicine, he did so without grumbling. After torturing him with three kinds of icky medicine, all he wanted from me was a bedtime story--no, make that 5 bedtime stories! So I read him Bendon the Bear, David and Goliath, Noah and the Ark, Daniel and the Lion's Den and Jesus' resurrection, until my voice was almost hoarse. It gave me a new appreciation for the Bible and motherhood!

Luis's sisters: Fumi and Sofia!
What a privilege it is to be entrusted to care for this little boy even for just a few hours. And what a great privilege it is to have God entrust us with the care of His precious children. Luis is a great kid beause his parents have invested so much in him, even while he was still in the womb. Whenever I visit them, I see how Ate Pia showers him with love and attention, and balances it with discipline every time he's being naughty. But I tell you, one sweet "soreee" from Luis can melt the heart of the sternest disciplinarian.
And so I went home so full of hope about the future. I used to have this fear about raising a family and all the hardships it supposedly entails. I realize now more than ever that having kids can be a wonderful experience. It will certainly be a challenging one, but I am sure it will bring with it great rewards. Thank you, Ptr. Michael & Ate Pia! Thanks, Luis!
"Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from Him." -Ps. 127:3

jennifer_caspe@yahoo.com (Jennifer Yap Caspe) — Mon, 17 Oct 2005 08:53:00 +0000

Photo: A Samar Sunset Taken Atop a 6X6 Military Truck (10-05-05)

Thoughts: Papa's Flowers

jennifer_caspe@yahoo.com (Jennifer Yap Caspe) — Mon, 22 Aug 2005 14:05:00 +0000

As I was enjoying a good book early this evening, I heard a soft knock on my door. It was my father with his regular delivery of flowers--just for me. Every night, as long as the sampaguitas are in bloom, my father picks flowers from our garden. Then, he heads directly for my room, located at the farthest end of the corridor. As I open the door, he draws them carefully out of his back pocket and gently hands them to me. It is a ritual I quietly and deeply appreciate.

Growing up, I don't remember ever receiving a single birthday gift from my father. In our family, gift-giving is a duty relegated to my mom. That's why this gesture, which started two years ago, is especially meaningful to me. You always hear this cliche that father knows best. In this case, I find it to be true. As much as I appreciate material things, nothing makes me happier than receiving a bunch of flowers. And no gift in the world, not even a diamond ring or a Canon EOS, can mean more to me than my father's daily picking of sampaguitas.

jennifer_caspe@yahoo.com (Jennifer Yap Caspe) — Sat, 13 Aug 2005 14:08:00 +0000

Photo: What Dreams May Come by Agay Llanera (7-8-05)

Thoughts: Heart of the Matter

jennifer_caspe@yahoo.com (Jennifer Yap Caspe) — Tue, 26 Jul 2005 09:06:00 +0000

C.S. Lewis presents a very compelling reason to thaw a heart in deep freeze:

"To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken.
If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness.
But in that casket--safe, dark, motionless, airless--it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. . .
The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers of love is Hell."
--The Four Loves

How's your heart been lately?

jennifer_caspe@yahoo.com (Jennifer Yap Caspe) — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 14:11:00 +0000

Photo: Wish you were there . . .
Coco Beach Island Resort, Puerto Galera

jennifer_caspe@yahoo.com (Jennifer Yap Caspe) — Mon, 04 Jul 2005 10:34:00 +0000

Photo: Guess where you'll find me on my birthday. . .

Thoughts: 31 Flavors & Then Some. . .

jennifer_caspe@yahoo.com (Jennifer Yap Caspe) — Mon, 04 Jul 2005 08:48:00 +0000

Birthdays and blogs have the same effect on people. They entitle you to a little introspection and self-indulgence without the guilt. On the occasion of my 31st year on earth, I’ve come up with 31 facts to make you know/like/love/hate me even more. This entry is meant to be read from the bottom going up. Before you read the first factoid at the bottom, though, I hope you’ll take time to write down your birthday wish for me at the comments section above or below. Indulge me!

31- The nicest comment I heard about turning 31: “You are now a Proverbs 31 woman!” I will make that my goal this year, Riz, Mylene, Perps & Cherry!
She is strong and graceful, as well as cheerful about the future. Her words are sensible, and her advice is thoughtful. Charm can be deceiving and beauty fades away,but a woman who honors the Lord deserves to be praised. --Proverbs 31: 25 & 30 (CIV)

Photo: Feeling super at 30!
30- The sweetest compliment I got at 30: “Brad Pitt doesn’t deserve you.” The most comforting statement I received: “When I met you last year, I thought you were 24.” The most endearing: “When I am sad, I think of Jenny. And then I can smile.” Thank you, Michael, Chris & Paul! And I believed them!

29- I have been to 33 countries around the world by the time I was 29, because of work and family travels. I noticed since my early twenties that every year the number of countries I have been to always exceeds my age. I can opt not to travel for the next 2-3 years, because I have been to 34 countries to date. At 29, I did my first on-camera work for Inquirer TV and was offered a job as a reporter for the Asian region by another company. Negotiations didn’t pan out the way I wanted to, though, so my career as a TV reporter will have to wait.

Photo: So showbiz with Boy A. and Alfred Vargas!

28-I gave up eating pork at 28 after reading a book written by Dr. Don Colbert entitled “What Would Jesus Eat?” It’s not against my beliefs to eat pork but I feel so much healthier and lighter after removing it from my diet. I have to admit, though, that I still occasionally indulge in sisig, hotdog, and chicharon. I am not adventurous when it comes to food but I have tasted ostrich, crocodile, deer, antelope, and lately by accident, carabao meat.

Photo: Me with Myles & Teri of 1Cubed!

27- I didn’t believe in love at first sight until it happened to me at 27. One magical April day, I thought I’d met the man I was going to marry. Sadly, the person pursued someone else. But that did little to change the hopelessly hopeful romantic in me. It was also at 27 that I first wrote, directed and edited an entire TV show--the MTV show One Cubed. How’s that to make up for a broken heart? Thank you, Erwin!
26-I didn’t discover my blood type until I went to cover a medical mission in Negros. I was doing the rounds with then vice-mayor Rio Diaz-Cojuangco, when she took my hand, and had a nurse prick my index finger when I wasn’t looking. It hurt a lot! But since Rio was holding my hand, I couldn’t complain. That’s when I learned that my blood type is B+.
It was also in that medical mission that I witnessed my first miracle—that of an old woman regaining clear vision after receiving Jesus Christ into her life. I took her back to the optometrist who had pronounced earlier that the woman needed surgery to remove her cataracts. The eye doctor was as amazed as I was.
25- Jenny and a gun are a lethal combination. That’s what my boss John and cameraman Roland found out when they took me to a shooting range when I was 25. I always hit target dummies on the heart. Because of my romance with the camera, I have developed a steady hand, said the coach of the Ateneo Rifle & Pistol Team back in college. I can be a sharp shooter if I want to, but I’d rather take sharp pictures. At 25, I was offered to write a book, which I graciously turned down, because I didn’t believe in the topic.

Photo: Me with CBN Asia staff & crew!

24- I directed my first dramatized testimony of a former satanist at 24, under the supervision of executive producer Maricel Endriga (Thanks, Ma‘am! You're the best mentor one can have!). Since then, I noticed that most of the stories I get assigned to do for television almost always involve action scenes. Some of the most memorable ones are that of a kidnap victim, an albularyo who raised the dead, and a soldier who miraculously escaped an ambush when a bundle of paper in his backpack caught 2 bullets that were supposed to pierce his heart. I am so honored to have worked with the best production people in the industry (Hello, Alts, Cris, Erwin, Mang Boy, Aisan, Kate, Volta, Manny, Nena, Alice and Derrick!) especially cameramen Rey Ilagan and Roland Arana, who helped make my visions come true. We once overturned a car, made a 6-footer jump over a Honda Civic, had a Sto. Nino figurine dance and choreographed with live pyrotechnics a battle scene involving a battalion of soldiers in the mountains of Bataan.
I was floored when director Jeric Soriano, one of my idols in the industry, specifically called for me after watching the TV segment I did on him. “It was wonderful! Thank you very much, Ma’am” he said. He then took my hand and bowed for me.
23-I received my first marriage proposal a few months before turning 23, when an Egyptian offered 5,000 camels in exchange for my hand in marriage.

Photo: Traveling the globe!
22- At 22, I held my first 16 MM camera during director Yam Laranas’s Cinematography class. It was one of the biggest highs of my life. I didn’t get to sleep the whole night. I got an A in that class. I owe you one, Direk Yam!
21-I spent my 21st birthday locked inside my room. My personality profile indicates that I am sanguine-melancholic. Sanguines are people persons, the outgoing type, while melancholics are brooding loners, very artistic and intuitive. In other words, I am a walking contradiction. I guess I was leaning towards my melancholic side when I turned 21, but I am more of a sanguine nowadays.
20-I once got drunk after sipping a friend’s chocolate drink. Yeah, it was laced with kalua, but it was still just a sip! I also remember getting tipsy after tasting champagne at the Rustan’s Supermarket (at noon!), and at a wine cellar in Hungary while dining with my mom, sister and cousin. When I am drunk I tend to giggle and talk a lot, which is how I also am when sober. The only difference is that my face turns so red, like it was rubbed raw. It’s scary. I don’t like alcohol, by the way. I also shun iced tea and coffee most of the time, because taking them after lunch makes me stay up till 4 in the morning.

Photo: Queen of China!
19- My first published work was not in English or Filipino, but in Chinese. My high school Chinese teacher submitted my poem to a local newspaper. My uncle was so proud to find my name in the Chinese Daily. What he doesn’t know until now is that the poem is a direct translation of a Filipino love song—Randy Santiago’s “Hindi Magbabago.” Translation isn’t synonymous to plagiarism, is it? I’ve since repented of it.
18- I celebrated my debut, not on July 8 but on Aug. 23, because that was the only date available at the Manila Hotel. I was disappointed when my long-time crush called to tell me that he couldn’t come to the party, but I had fun nevertheless. It was the first time I had danced with all the male members of my big, extended clan (and for my paternal grandpa, also the last). My birthday cake almost burnt up when the candles ignited the paper décor. Four members of my cotillion, by the way, ended up marrying each other.
17- Prior to entering Ateneo, I had always thought I was going to study in La Salle. In fact, during the Ateneo Entrance Test (Nov. 17, 1990), I asked my friend to snap a picture of me in front of the Ateneo High School, saying that I won’t be setting foot on that campus again. I am glad that personal prophecy didn’t come true, because I fell in love with Ateneo’s vision of producing “men and women for others.” Even while filling up the application form, I had wanted to go to Ateneo but I never thought I would be able to meet the academic standard. I remember jumping up and down when I received the acceptance letter on Feb 23, 1991. By the grace of God, I even ended up several times on the dean’s list.
16-I received my first camera at 8--a Hello Kitty camera that my mother bought at Gift Gate. I brought a camera to school every day since 6th grade. I taught myself how to operate an SLR camera by reading books. I took my first photography workshop under Vic Valenciano, the humble dad of Gary V., when I was 16. That was also the year I participated in my first photo exhibit.

Photo: Ready, camera, action!
15-Although I’d rather work behind the cameras now, I was once hailed “The Actress” during my high school years. When asked to do oral reports, I would do monologues and short skits to keep my classmates’ attention. I even posed as Star War’s C3PO for a science report. My 4th year homeroom teacher Mrs. Quiambao actually believed I have what it takes to make it to the cast of Miss Saigon. Mrs. Quiambao has a big heart and, I suppose, a very active imagination. Haha!
14-Even though I don’t particularly like Math (I have nightmares involving math exams till now!), I perfected my quizzes and exams in freshman algebra and got a 100% score on my report card twice. I also got 100% on another subject that year, promoting me to the honors section.
13-I had my directorial debut in freshman year when my homeroom teacher asked me to head a speech chorale. My class won third place.The “baddest” thing I ever did in freshman year was to hit an annoying classmate with a blackboard eraser! I was writing on the board when he dusted the eraser in front of my face, making cough. He didn’t stop when I asked him to, so I did the basest thing a 13-year-old girl could do. I threw the eraser at him. He got hit in the head—hard! And when I looked, his face and head were covered with chalk dust! Bull’s eye! It was like a scene from the Three Stooges. He got a ribbing from all the boys in my class and I got his respect from that day on.

Photo: Me as cover girl!
12-When I am extremely sad or happy, I run. A coach recruited me to the track team when I was 12, after seeing me run during P.E. Sadly, I injured myself during my first track meet at the Rizal Stadium, because they didn’t give me spiked shoes. I didn’t run on a track again until my college days.
11-I was very studious as a child and loved cramming my summers with activities. One of my favorite activities during summer was taking reading classes at Reading Dynamics. That and improving my penmanship. I also studied advance Math, English and Computers on my own. One summer I enrolled in art, swimming, math, and speech classes, to the consternation of my mom who complained that her eldest daughter’s itinerary was fuller than that of the Philippine president’s.
10- My second childhood dream was to sing professionally! I bravely auditioned for a slot in the school chorale when I was 9 years old. That was my first time to sing on stage. They let me sing the national anthem. Although I couldn’t make out some of the words, I passed the audition, but my parents didn’t let me join. I made up for it by joining a church choir at 11, the Ateneo Glee Club at 20 and the Victory Christian Fellowship music team at 27.
9-I received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior at 9. An aunt told me the story of Jesus during one of my visits to her house that summer. It was the most logically thing in the world to invite God into my life, because as a child I instinctively knew He existed. God has been answering every prayer I make ever since. The first Bible study I attended was about the end times. I remember having theological debates with my grade 3 tutor, who was trying to convince me that Buddha also resurrected from the dead.
8-Natuto akong magbasa dahil sa komiks. Paborito ko ang Funny Komiks, Wakasan, Aliwan at Lovelife. My first A paper in Ateneo was about the history and influence of the Pinoy comic book.
7-My first childhood dream is to play the piano. My mother gave me a small wooden piano when I was 3. She bought me a real one when I was 5, because I wouldn’t stop pestering her. I took my first lesson at 11 and that lasted for 8 years. Yet, up to this day, it remains one of my biggest frustrations. I told God that one of the greatest ways He can show His miracle-working power in my life is by giving me this ability. A few weeks after, I actually received a prophecy that I am going to be an excellent pianist, so I am keeping my fingers on the keyboard.

Photo: Mini-me!

6-Contrary to what psychologists say, not all children have childhood amnesia. I can still recount conversations and events dating back to when I was two or three years old. This makes me very careful when dealing with children, painfully aware of the stresses a child goes through when mercilessly teased, tickled and bullied by the adults in her life.
5- As a child, I enjoyed playing with remote controlled cars, walkie-talkies and guns more than Barbie dolls, because I grew up with male cousins, who taught me how to swim, play basketball (I even had a Crispa jersey!), ride bicycles, climb trees, and catch beetles & dragonflies. I also received a lot of high-tech toys—a speaking typewriter, a pinball machine and plenty of Game&Watch gadgets. No wonder I am attracted to high-tech gizmos even now.
4-I was given a Chinese name by my parents upon entering nursery. My Chinese name is a derivative of Jenny (sounds like it, too). It means “real lady.” As much as I love the meanings of my name, I am even prouder of my initials JC, the initials of my Messiah. My middle initial Y, stands for “Yeshua,” the Hebrew name of Jesus Christ. I feel branded, marked and sealed by God through and through.
3- I am 100% Chinese, but being born and raised in the Philippines, my first language was Filipino. As a child, I thought I was Filipino, even though my parents talked to me in Chinese. Blame it on my yaya and the television.
2- My name Jennifer means “fair spirit,” which may partly explain the complexion I have. My nickname Jenny, I learned a few years ago from the World Book Encyclopedia, means “gracious gift of God.” This is what I strive to be.
1-My birthday is on July 8, 1974. I was born on the Monday Ms. Universe ‘74 Amparo Munoz held a motorcade in Manila. My mother said they had a hard time going to the hospital because of the traffic Amparo created. I praise God my parents didn’t name me Amparo Yap Caspe! No offense to all the Amparos out there.