The morning was wet from the overnight rain. In fact, it was still drizzling when we conducted our prayer meeting on July 21, 2011 for the scheduled copra-making. Only fourteen (14) were present but the six (6) groups of coconut climbers, pickers and fresh coco meat extractors were well-represented. The considerably low attendance was due to the unfavorable weather condition, the low coconut fruiting (a natural law of gestation) and the absence of Judy as the farm owner. The previous prayer meeting (March 24, 2011) was well-attended with Judy presiding. Points covered were plans for farm sustainability, regrouping of coconut climbers by row or lot owner and the announcement/invitation for the April 3, 2011 birthday party in the farm for Nykko, our grandson.
Anyway, I spent the waiting period to allow the rain to fully stop and the coconut trunks to dry by sharing with them important lessons of life and living. I acted like their “college professor” as if in a classroom but in a ”school without walls”. Inspired, motivated and still energized with the recent edition of my life story delivered July 16, 2011 titled, Unleashing the power within, I exhorted our prayer meeting with the same tone or theme. Extracting from them their respective dreams and aspirations, I learned how simple and satisfied they are with their economic status. They are resigned to their poverty or “hand to mouth existence”. They simply accept their fate. I urged them to dream “big” and encouraged those with little children to send them to school to be educated to be able to gainfully earn a living. “An educated man has developed the faculties of his mind that he may acquire anything he wants or its equivalent, without violating the rights of others” (N. Hill. Think and Grow Rich. p. 57). I inculcated in them the need for cooperation with our common goal. I reminded them that they are part of our “living system” (The first step to a big leap posted in my website, Feb 28, 2011). I pleaded them to refrain from their irresponsible grazing of their livestock that destroy our replanted coconut seedlings.
I shared with them my personal experiences of struggle on how I shaped my destiny to be the person that I am today. I expressed my frustrations with my parents and siblings in my desire to break their bondage from poverty. They were “laughing out loud” (lol) when I related how my parents engaged themselves with masiao, a local betting because they themselves are into this kind of gambling. Now, I understand why the rich gets richer and the poor becomes poorer. “For the one who has will be given more and he will have abundance. But the one who does not have will be deprived of even what he has” (Mt 13:12).
Well-noted from the ”God Memorandum” (Og Mandino. The Greatest Miracle in the World. pp. 129-130) are the laws of happiness and success: “Count your blessings, proclaim your rarity, go another mile, use wisely your power of choice and do all things with love…love for yourself, love for all others and love for Me”. Because this memorandum is from God, notice that He is last in the list to be loved.
With open hearts and minds, we ended our session with a brief prayer for peace, harmony and success. nmg
