Cute Little Munchkins

8:06 PM Unknown 0 Comments



If you met me 15 years ago and asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, my answer would probably be – a teacher!

As far as I can remember I don’t have any particular reason why I liked that profession but just by seeing my teachers in primary and elementary school - who are so passionate in teaching us and sharing stories with us, I think I acquired that spark in their eyes and in that instant I knew I want to be a teacher.

Fast forward 15 years after, a child approached me and said “Teacher, I wanna pee.” And that’s one of the cutest thing that I heard in my entire life! Can you imagine a cute little baby boy approaching you saying those four words? Isn’t that the cutest? *aaaaahhhhh* He was the cutest but I just had my most embarrassing moment with the cute boy! HAHAHAHAHAHA He doesn’t know how to unbutton his pants so he screamed “Teacher I don’t know hooooooow!” The absent minded Camille went inside (HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAH whyyyyyyyy) and unbuttons his pants unfortunately a guy entered the washroom (good thing he’s also from kid’s church so he understands, but it’s embarrassing though!!!!) So I immediately went outside thinking “Camille why did you enter a men’s washroom?!”  HAHAHA

So yes, you heard it right! Today marks my first day in Kid’s church with my sister! Actually I don’t have any idea with the program flow in Kid’s church, I am literally new here unlike my sister who has experience attending when she was younger.

We were with kids of ages 5-6 and I love everyone in there that I want to meet all of them personally! I was actually overwhelmed with the huge number of kids inside the room which made me so happy!

On crafts time, I remember what Pastor Paolo said in one service “As an usher, when you go and place envelopes on each chair, pray for the person who will be sitting in there.” And as I was giving craft materials to the kids, I made sure that I prayed for each kids I was handing the materials to. I love it! I love it so much! 

After that the kids had their praise and worship. Again, IT WAS MY FIRST TIME TO SEE CUTIEPIES WORSHIPPING JESUS TOGETHER! Such a good view to look at every Sunday! I love how excited the kids are to go at the center of the room, eager to sing, energized to dance, happy to praise! I love how their voices sing together to give praise to one God. I love how each jump and each clap is their cutest way of saying “Thank you Jesus!” But of course not all kids respond the same, there are kids at the corner of the room, reluctant to join the group. And with them, I see myself when I was still starting with my walk with God. In them I see my hesitation to participate with the crowd. In them I see Camille almost four years ago, but in them I see a great God. A great God who transformed me. A great God who made a better Camille. A passionate Father who loves his children so much. An awesome Father who has great plans for his children – plans which are perfected before the birth of time.  I can’t help but smile and say “I can’t wait to see Father transform you and use you for the advancement of His Kingdom!”

The last part is my favorite part of all! Snack time! Ooops HAHAHAH kidding. Each teacher was assigned to each group of kids to huddle and pray for them. I was placed with a group of three boys and three girls. If you know me, I have a weird way of saying “okay” or “Good job!” it’s with two thumbs up moving (HAHAHAHA stop Camille, they won’t get it. Anyways I’ll let you see when we meet!) So there, I was asking the kids how the service went and are they okay (with the weird thumbs up movement) but they laughed! HAHAHAHAH then they did the same! Awwwwwwieee cutiepies!!!!!

In my group, there were two kids who are new to kids church but doesn’t look like new kids though – they are so hyper! I asked them and they said they’ll come back next week because they really had fun!

If there are couple of things that makes me smile, one of them would probably be seeing children pray. Praying is very important, it is our way of communicating with God. And when I asked these kids what they want me to pray for them, for me, it shows their heart <3 awwww

Well as I asked them and their answers are the following, (And I hope you pray for them too!)
Daniel and Hailey (siblings): our tita (why?) because she’s sick.
Kaye: mama (why?) because she’s also sick
Nehza: my family (why?) because I want them safe every time.
Kurt: my papa to have a lot of money (why?) because he’s hardworking (where is papa?) he’s in Singapore.
Marco: Jesus (why?) because I care for him.

See how cute these kids are? Aaaaahhhh!!! I can spend my whole life talking to them if I can! Can you see their hearts? They are selfless kids! As far as I can remember when I was in their age, I’d probably say “Lord I want to have a new toy.” HAHAHAHAH but these kids, they are the most thoughtful persons!

I went on a clockwise direction as I was praying with the kids. I stretched my hands to Daniel because he was on the other corner of the table, my eyes were closed, hands stretched and I was praying when all of a sudden he held my hand (ahhhhhhhh!!!!! Lord! Ang cute!!!!!) I opened one of my eyes to see all the kids with heads bowed and eyes closed but Daniel was smiling hahaha cutie! I did the same to everyone.  

Now when you ask me, “Why did you chose Kid’s church?” My answer is – It’s a way of serving and honoring God for what He has done to me with a privilege of experiencing my childhood dream.

What I love when I see kids is their cuteness of course, but over the physical I love to see hope of the future in them. I love to see the greatness of God in them. I love to see how things will turn out years after and how God will nurture the seeds we are planting in them.

Right now, I am the happiest person. Thank you Father for this great privilege to touch your children. It is of great joy to serve you and had fun at the same time! I love you Father!

3 John 1:4

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

0 comments:

To My Valentine,

2:00 AM Unknown 0 Comments

Signature Fonts
Happy Valentine’s Day, my love. It’s the 3rd year we’ll be celebrating this day together. I love you and I will always be thankful for everything you’ve done for me!

I remember that day, from a distance I noticed that you were looking directly into my eyes. I looked the other way just to ignore your gaze but when I looked back, you were still looking deep into the windows of my soul. You conveyed yourself to me even just with your eyes and I didn’t know what to feel. 

The following day, I tried to get you out of my sight. I kept myself unavailable to anyone and read my books instead, as to not catch another glimpse of you.

The next day, I plugged in my earphones and focused on my phone, ignoring the world. But then the music toned down the moment you passed by me and from my peripheral vision, I saw you sitting on the chair at my right, looking at me intently. So I finally looked at you… and you smiled. You stretched out your arms and offered me a hand but I didn’t know if I was obliged to reach for it so I only kept staring at it thinking of what I was going to do, and you let it hang in there for seconds. I chose to focus at my phone again. 


And then you said “Hi Camille.” Shocked that you knew my name, I looked back at you and you smiled once more at me and said, “You’ve finally heard me.”

 And that was start of OUR extraordinary story.


That moment you approached me was the very moment I stopped feeling alone. I asked you why you kept looking at me and you said “You were never out of my sight” - that statement made my heart melt.

I was the happiest person every single time we walked around the mall, the campus… everywhere. You proudly held my hand in front of everyone and you never, even for a second, let me go.

The flowers you’ve sent me every spring is one of those unique ways that you’ve reminded me that I was indeed special. 

I love how after every tiring day of school, you were there… patiently waiting for me outside the classroom, with a snack in your hand and smile on your face. And after I’ve gotten home and am up late at night finishing tons of homework, you made sure that I had the energy to finish everything. 

I love how you’ve never gotten tired of listening to me. The way you ask me “How was your day?” is enough to let our conversation go on until I fall asleep on your shoulder. And early every morning, you would open the lights and sit outside the bathroom keeping me company because I was afraid of taking a bath alone in the room. You’ve even helped me decide whatever I’ll be wearing for that day!

There were also days when my head ached and in the next minute you were knocking at my door with meds and glass of water.

Do you remember the day I cried because I got a zero on an exam? You hugged me so tight that I could hear your heart beating. Then you held my face, looked at me, wiped my tears and said “That zero will never decrease my love for you.”


I remember asking you how you knew my name and you told me that you knew everything about me.


You told me that you knew how many strands of hair I had and that you surely knew every bone in my body. You knew every single bit of me even the deepest, darkest, and dirtiest part of my heart. What’s interesting is that you never leave me even if you knew all of that and you never got disgusted about how dirty I got but instead, continued to love me.


One day as we were talking over a bowl of chips, you asked me about the characteristics I look for in someone I’ll be spending my future with, and I answered “Someone future-oriented and willing to sacrifice everything for me.” I stopped for a moment and looked at you… and you were smiling. 

The smile you wore on your face the day you called my name and I was shocked is the same smile you're wearing the moment I looked at you. That smile ... Your smile - it's something I can look up to every single day, that smile assures me that that you love me when I fall asleep and still love me the moment I wake up. 

As I was looking at you, figuring out what that smile meant, you hold my hand. 

Little did I know that you were the one I was describing. You’re the best future-oriented person that I could think of because you have planned everything way before I was even introduced into this world, way before I have developed my senses, and way before I even knew you.

You know every mistake that I will be committing in the future, but you let me because that’s how much you love me. You value my freedom to choose whatever I want and whatever my heart desires. Even though you know that I would fail to achieve those desires, you let me because that’s how much you love me. But that doesn’t end there! You love so much that you will never let me be in that situation, so every time I make the wrong decision, it is you who redirects me to where I should be – to where you wanted me in the first place.


I wanted someone who will sacrifice everything for me, but you – YOU WERE THE SACRIFICE. I was in debt because of my sin, but you paid the price. By your blood I was cleaned; by your blood I was bought. Every drop  of blood running down your face connects every piece of my broken body. 

How can I not be in love with someone like that?


With someone like You?... 


Jesus.


It’s been 3 years of being aware of this great love. And with every year, it only gets better.


Thank you my Love.


Signature Fonts

Signature Fonts

0 comments:

I am scared of what's gonna happen

4:35 AM Unknown 0 Comments

About 23 weeks ago, I posted this photo on my Instagram account scared of what’s going to happen in the coming semester. Why was I scared? It’s because I got a 19-unit load of PURE major classes for my first semester. So? Okay dear… that was not the only reason.




Quick background: I was originally from UPLB and when I decided To transfer to UPD to still pursue comsci, the college Department told me that the majors that we took for two semesters in UPLB will not be credited in UPD and we need to retake everything. It was one of the biggest and challenging decisions that I made in my entire life as I felt like I had to start again from scratch.

My first semester at UP Diliman was crazy; I took two Computer Science major courses immediately together with the other comsci transferees from UPLB in order to catch up. Since subjects are in “ladder form,” we need to take them in a step by step fashion; one major after the other. I was culture shocked and after that semester, I was rushed at the hospital for acid reflux. “Too much caffeine,” the doctor said. Those were only two majors, mind you.

The second semester came after the holidays and I got the rest that I needed so I guessed that I was good to start my classes. For that semester, I only took one major class where the next subjects will depend on whether I pass this one or not. Fortunately, I wasn’t rushed again to the hospital when the semester ended but I got some coughs and cold. Hahaha lack of sleep, I guess.

My friends and I took the Mid-Year class with 1 more major class in order to catch up with our batch mates (who were in UP Diliman since they began college). That major class was fun and I didn’t get any kind of sickness at the end of the semester. The problem came in right after the end of Mid Year, when enrollment for the coming 1st semester immediately started. NO REST! I didn’t get the chance to breathe and let the situation sink in. From only one or two major classes per semester, we jumped to 6 majors in one semester! I repeat, SIX MAJORS!

I can vividly remember my expression when my friends told me that we were going to take all six major classes in one semester! I almost slapped my face hahahaha! Seriously though, the first thing that crept into my mind and my heart was fear - fear of failing those subjects, fear of not being able to catch up with my batch mates and delaying graduation, fear of the professors, fear of being left out by my UPLB friends, fear of being “alone” in classes, fear of disappointing Mama and Ate when if I fail my subjects, and fear of having wasted my tuition fee if I fail. FEAR is what swallowed me those very moments.

I remember crying to my Sister, Mama, my friends, my VG-mates and to God. I even fell asleep crying and thinking about how am I going to be able to finish this semester.

Before the semester started, as I was about to leave our house, my Sister messaged me and asked if we can talk for a few minutes, and I said yes. Even at that moment when I answered her call, I felt nothing but fear. I told her, “Ate, natatakot ako.” Then my Sister prayed for me until I found myself crying again… not out of fear this time, but out of thankfulness and gratitude knowing that someone is fighting with me in this battle.

Looking back, I could see that it was God’s Grace that carried me through those stressful and tiring 23 weeks. God never left my side while I was studying for exams, finishing codes from dusk ‘til dawn, or even as I fell asleep on MRT and jeepney rides. He filled me up when I had no time to eat anymore and accompanied me home from campus; He gave me the strength to endure the challenges.

In fact, God didn’t just fulfill His promise of getting me through this 19-units-of-major-classes semester, He also gave me a VERY flexible schedule. At first I hated how my schedule turned out that sem. Aside from the 6 major subjects, I have Monday and Saturday classes which only gives me one day of rest from school. But little did I know it was Gods way of giving me time to spend time with my cousin who came home from Canada after five years. But wait! God even gave me the opportunity to bring to life my long lost dream of joining a pageant! (YEEEEEEY!!!)

“Fear focuses on how big the problem is, but FAITH focuses on how big God is!” – Ptr. Paolo Punzalan


Apart from the 19 units of knowledge that I gained that past semester, the most important lesson that I have learned is TO HAVE THAT MOUNTAIN-MOVING FAITH! That semester had raised a TIGER CAMILLE from a scaredy-cat Camille.

Today, another semester starts. 20 UNITS! I GOT 20 UNITS! Hello, 19 units pa nga lang di ko na alam gagawin ko eh. But you know what? This time, although I am a li’l bit scared, I know that the God who get me through that 19-unit semester is the same God who will also get me through this 20-unit semester! All glory goes back to Him! Back to you, Lord! I love you!

Here’s a Bible verse I read recently from this year’s Prayer and Fasting that I want to share with you.

 “Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.” - 2 Chronicles 20:3



There will be situations that will come and give you reasons to be afraid, and you will be like Jehoshaphat. What we should do when fear crept in is to SEEK the Lord. In times like those, all we need is God’s deliverance. When things like this happen, do not let yourself be covered with panic and noise but seek God’s voice in the midst of the noise; He is telling you something. He is always there.

0 comments:

I GUESS I’LL NEVER GET USED TO IT.

10:16 AM Unknown 0 Comments




December 22, my sister came home from Canada without anyone knowing it! And yes, she succeeded in surprising everyone in the compound! Even our neighbors and relatives from different places were shocked! Hahahahaha who wouldn’t be shocked? She just moved out a year ago and she’s back now! Ate naman, I know I am missable! HAHAHAHAHAH Guess who’s the happiest by the way? (Raises both my hand, so I’m typing using my foot right now! Hahaha)

If there’s such thing as an “ate’s girl” that would probably describe my whole being! Hahahaha Seriously, as far as I can remember my sister’s been my forever partner, even though we’re 6 years apart. She used to be my mama every bahay-bahayan, the only store keeper I know every tinda-tindahan, the doctor I run to every doctor-doctoran, my teacher in all subjects every teacher-teacheran and the only person I know who can be a mother, store keeper, doctor and teacher in a span of 5 mins! HAHAHAHAHAH Growing up is so easy with her beside me. But last year, she moved to Canada to be with Kuya TJ, her husband. Yes, that was one of the hardest things that happened to my life last year. It’s like I’m removing my arms, or my legs; it’s like removing a part of me that’s been there for a long time. (uy kuya wag ka magtampo hahahahaha) I know, it’s inevitable! Hey, all of us must grow up. All of us must face that someday. We need to move out to be with someone God gave us as our real life partners!

 Last year, I know it took me weeks before my eyes run out of tears to cry. It was really painful and scary because I am not used to being the eldest. I’ve been ate’s assistant but I am never the one who decides on things. All the other things that ate’s responsible of started to crept into my mind which made me scared of what’s gonna happen that year. Also the thought of ate being far from me is just too vast for me to accept. I can’t. I JUST CAN’T, until I am forced to, since she’s already in Canada.

When she arrived last December, I cried hugging her. TEARS OF JOY! 2015’s ending that time and I’ve been stretched and pulled in all directions that year and her hug fixed every single part of my ripped body. My sem just ended the night before they arrived that’s why I was also on hangover with acads that time. It’s just that every time she’s there I know I am safe. The assurance that someone is there, someone will catch you no matter what. Kuya and ate’s 3 week stay here means a lot to me! Away from acads, breathing fresh air outside and just talking personally not through skype or messenger!

And last Saturday, they both headed back to Canada since it’s just a short trip for Christmas and New Year. Days before their flight, I cried myself to sleep and on the day of their flight I said to myself “No crying, camille.” I am also hesitant to give my gift to ate because I know that will make us both cry! “No crying, Camille” became my mantra that day! I manage not to cry a lot on the airport unlike ate’s first trip, but little did I know I will burst when we arrive home! I don’t know. Tears kept on falling.

I thought it will be easier to let go of her this time. I thought it’s only hard during firsts, but it’s not. Maybe sending you off back to Canada is not like wearing new shoes where you’ll have blisters which will hurt so bad the first time you wear that shoes but you’ll get used to it as you wear it again. Maybe sending you off to Canada is something I’ll never get used to. But know that no matter what I only wish and pray for you and kuya’s happiness! Love you both!    



Hi ate, I didn’t mean to make you cry and I didn’t mean to make you miss us more but ang duga mo kase e, you made me cry tonight. Yes I just wrote it tonight after you sent me that long message! Thousand words run through my mind and I feel like I’m going to burst any time, so I wrote it down crying again. Hahahaha I love you always and I miss you so much! 

0 comments:

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)