ammaguad’s blog

  It’s almost a year ago since I left my home to work in a place I’ve never been before. As soon as the airplane took off from the runway my mind flies back to my home. I can’t describe how I felt on that very moment. I drank so much coffee that I can drink, just to ease my anxiety. I almost didn’t hear the noise inside the plane cause my mind was preoccupied with so many things. I can still picture in my mind my wife and my children as we part ways, as well as the happy moments we’ve had. Memories from my childhood up to the present were like sea of clouds floating inside my mind. The pilot’s announcement as we touched down woke me up from my regression. So I prepared myself to face what is now. Its time to move on!

  I’m in a strange land, as I looked around reminds me of the place where I come from. The faces of my people were on their faces too, really strange! I don’t speak and understand their tongue but God helped me make it through. There’s a language which tongue can’t speak, ears don’t decipher, but can be heard and understood. Kindness is present here; the goodness of God make this happen. Each morning day after day I looked at the horizon where the sun rises and thank Him for a brand new day. An amazing site to see, the Lord’s Glory painted in the skies reminding us each day of our fragile life. Memories engraved in the walls of my heart keep me company day and night. I don’t know what lies ahead but I do know He will be there to see me through. As we travel to a path of righteousness conflicts and struggles will never be absent. But a good soldier doesn’t give up or give in when crisis arises. Experiences in battle will always save his life. With heart and mind focused mainly in carrying out his mission at all cost. We have our free will but the choice we made makes us who we are.

  In the wilderness there’s a rock where we can run to, a shelter in times of trouble. A home we may call to rest our weary souls and find peace. God and His Word is my home far away from home.

Albert M. Maguad/20 February 2008/Rojana Industrial Park, Ayutthaya, Thailand

I grew up and lived in a place where very few knew that it exist, that was some forty years ago. Or I may say not even on the map. It was a restricted area, a military reservation. My father was in the military, he was able to procure a piece of property around the military camp allocated for the soldiers. Before my parents were married they were able to build a house for them. I had one older brother and one younger sister. I’m in the middle. I was born in this place together with my brother and my sister we also grew up here and have our own families. The place then was very different as it is today.

We lived just a few blocks away from the main gate of “The Fort.” Very few outsiders went to this place without official business because of tight security. But for military personnel this was the place for them and their families. It was designed and developed by the Americans for military purposes. There was an old Army Station Hospital built around 1911. Many American style houses lined up just around the hospital area. Near the main gate, catholic and protestant church were built facing each other, on each side of the main street. Pine trees and big acacia trees were found everywhere. There was a sunflower orchard near the protestant church, a place where I used to play when I was still very young. This place was also called Little Baguio, because of its features very similar to *Baguio. There was a creek that runs across and stretched out to Pasig River, most of the time we went there to catch small fish and place them in an aquarium at home. Sometimes we look for shells for food. But vegetable plantation occupied a very large area near the creek. As you looked around you can see what nature looks like. Tall grasses growing everywhere, many fruit bearing trees and plants. Population then was very small, so few that everybody knew each other. People from other place can easily be recognized. The place was relatively peaceful. You can leave your house without locking the door and nothing will be lost. I can say that during that time life was free and easy, no pollution, no fast food chain yet, no junk foods, no video games or internet, but radio was the only appliance we’ve had. The quotation “early to bed, early to rise” was very popular then. People then I may say were polite, they do apply the good moral and character traits. Word of honor was enough in any negotiations.

The place has power lines but no water and telephone lines. We had to travel far to neighboring community to fetch water and to wash our laundry. Sometimes we had to go to the nearby military camp just to have water. It was difficult but I may say we were happy. Life was very simple. Children in my time played different games as it is today. Our games then were more physical, most of the time outdoor after each game we’ve had a different smell because of the perspiration that dries on our shirts. The road has no asphalt or concrete cover. On summer time it’s dusty and on rainy days it’s muddy. Everyday we had to walk on this kind of road to school; we don’t have shoes then, only slippers, before getting inside the classroom we had to wash our feet because the wooden floor was so clean and shinny. When school was over we immediately run as fast as we can to play in the open until sun set and went home for dinner. At night time we gazed at the stars especially during full moon. I usually count the stars because other children said that if I could count them i would be rich, so I tried my best to count them but they were too many. Under the stars we tell different stories sometimes funny, sometimes scary while lying on the grass with other children. As we grew older, we try to locate star formation such as the big dipper, the small dipper, and others; sometimes we draw imaginary lines to the stars and create other shapes and figures we can think of. Almost every night we were gazing the moon and the stars doing the same things over and over again. During rainy season we all stayed inside the house waiting for beetle to fly inside and if we caught one, we’ll put string around his head and let it fly inside the house. Children were very happy when it’s raining, because we took a bath and play in the rain at the same time. Although the rain was very cold, we don’t mind. After the rain many children look for tadpoles and bring them home, placed it in a bottle and as days passed they become frog and jump out of the bottle. As we play on the open field large dragonflies were all around as if they were also playing, there were also big grasshoppers and preying mantis, different colors of butterflies were also found. There were times we wait until evening to see the fireflies, they were like little stars glowing in the dark around the trees. It was so nice to look at.

When school was over, its summer time, trees bear its fruit, like santol, kamachili, sampaloc or tamarined, duhat, avocado, guava to name a few we have them, and in our neighbors. Many trees grew in this place, so the people also enjoy from their bounty. We can climb every tree that we want for free. That’s how we spent our summer; so many activities from sunrise to sunset.

But the hands of time turned so fast until one day when I looked around its totally different. The old hospital was gone, the sunflowers and pine trees were replaced by concrete houses, and the streets were all covered with concrete, with all the basic utilities. The place become crowded, fresh air can hardly circulate around the area due to houses closely built with each other. Many people come and go; most of them I do not know anymore, old friends and neighbors were gone. The sweet sound of nature was never heard anymore. The winds of change blew so swiftly. As I moved on, I become so busy with many things, I don’t have time to gaze at the stars anymore. I almost forgot all the beautiful memories of the past. As I looked in the mirror, to the face that once was so young is now in his middle age with wrinkles and grey hairs. He was the same person but he looked so different now. Where are they?  Where is the place I grew up? They’re gone, I will never see them again, but it still exists in my heart and in the people who loved the place they once called “Fort McKinley.”(At present it is called Fort Bonifacio, Makati, Philippines)

Albert M. Maguad/05 December 2007/ Rojana Industrial Park/ Thailand

*Baguio is the summer capital of Philippines.

Have you ever found your queen?  A question asks to a king. My name is Albert and my wife’s name is Victoria does it ring a bell? Have you ever been to London to visit the queen?

This is to all men who are looking for the right woman. History told us that there was once a queen named Victoria and a king named Albert of England. I just used their names to make my story more intriguing and dramatic. But my wife is not my cousin.

God who is the creator of all things made each individual distinct to one another. We have our individual differences. Others like this but some don’t, some prefer that while others don’t. He has given us the freedom to choose, the freedom to decide for ourselves. We are His masterpiece, a very special creation with life that comes from Him. He created Adam first and entrusted him all the creatures he made. Until such time when he saw the need for a helper arises, He made Eve to be his helper or companion.

As humans we are a social being, we usually live with other people in a family, community, town, and city and so on. In Genesis 2:18 states, And the LORD God said, it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him.

Let me begin my story when I was ten years old. We had a new classmate, a transferee from other city. She had fair skin, long wavy hair, small eyes and everything that a cute little girl you can imagine. The moment I saw her, there was something in me that I couldn’t understand, a feeling so strange I felt for the first time. I’m not sure if it is love at first sight as others say. Or maybe I just like her that’s all. But because I was still very young then I did not know what to do or say in regards to boy-girl relationship. But not for long, humans are adaptable to any kind of environment or climate. As I grew old I was able to adjust to different kind of people. In my high school days many girls liked me.  When it comes to body built I didn’t have it, I’m just an average guy. Many girls knew me but I didn’t have serious relationship with them. My mind was not yet ready to those kinds of matters. But there were inevitable circumstances when it comes to relationship. You will be happy and be frustrated, take your pick. But it is normal to have both, just like winning and loosing. Through all of these ups and downs we mature and become a better person. Time will come when you will be ready for a serious relationship. I always remember what my parents told me about getting married. Finish your studies, find a good job and then you are free to go. They don’t have anything that I can inherit, but a good education. Parents always want the best for their children. They’ve given all they’ve got. We have a saying in Tagalog: (“nagtatrabaho hanggang gawing araw ang gabi”) “working until evening making it like daytime” just for you.  In return we must honor them; the commandment with blessing. The bible clearly states “delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart,” Matthew 6:33 states “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” I believe these words, because blessings are not always visible but greater blessings are those which senses can’t perceived.

First question: where can you find the right person for you? Second question: what are the things you like? These are the most common questions we ask ourselves. What can you say? It’s up to you to decide. The best gifts are those which you do not expect. As I mentioned earlier it is better to clear our thoughts of all these questions because they complicate our lives.

When Adam fell into a deep sleep after doing his duties, he was surprised to see his partner when he wakes up. As we serve the Lord with all our heart and mind. He is faithful to all his promises; he will give the very things we need. Proverbs 18:22, one of my favorite passages, whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.

Albert M. Maguad/30 November 2007/Rojana Industrial Park, Ayutthaya, Thailand