The Seven Things I Love About M.U.K.H.A. A.D.

article written by Kat Buenaflor

It was a cloudy Sunday morning. I have finished hearing Mass at Santo Domingo Church, then went for my customary personal talk with Mama La Naval behind her shrine. As I walked along the corridors to go home, my peripheral vision detected a man clothed in Dominican habit, who I presumed based on his looks, was a student-brother.

Having frequented Santo Domingo Church in Sundays and random weekdays for almost eight months, I still never got to accustom myself at the sight of young men walking around in habits. They never fail to make my heart skip a beat or two whenever I see them. Not because they’re good looking ha, it’s because…well…I was scared of them.

I was getting nearer and nearer, and then boom. He was now in front of me, smiling and then, to my disbelief, spoke to me. Perhaps it was because of the alleviating feeling that I get when I’m finished hearing mass, but thank goodness I still retained my composure and dignity during that oh-so-sudden encounter with this brother. At the end of it all, he got me to sign up for a group whose objectives and interests I have failed to comprehend at that time. This happened five months ago, and the rest is history.

After graduating Level 1, now I shall impart to you 7 truths about this group. For my fellow MUKHA ADers who might read this, here is my seven simple reasons why I just love being with you - against all odds.

1.     We’re different, but we click. 

I had lots of hesitations about joining this group, especially after the 1^st session. Majority of my batchmates were college classmates, and there were very few whose age were the same as mine (Hello, Alex and Carol).  I wondered if I could somehow get along with the members who already have their circle of friends, or those who may not understand stuff about my course, or even with the brothers! I’m not really good at starting conversations with strangers, or with people that I’m scared of.

But look, after 5 months of sessions and activities, we got along pretty well. Despite our differences, we had one common aim: to get to know our faith and our God better. It is with this that we started getting along, and now you’re my buddies!  Definitely not just on Sunday afternoons.

2.     You didn’t really ask for much from us.

I remember back when I was about to attend our very first session after all that hoopla during the grand opening. I was already in front of the doors of the seminary and unlike the previous Sunday, it was closed. It seemed like there was nothing going on behind the doors. I tried to open it several times and moved every movable part (it has no doorknob…wala sa bundok yun) and thought it was locked. Panic rising, I rushed to the guard roaming nearby and asked, “Kuya, san po yung MUKHA AD ngayon?” He led me to the very same door and simply pushed the door.

Just the same, you didn’t really ask me to do much. You never asked for a registration fee, or a filled-up registration form, not even a 1x1 ID picture. All you wanted was for me to come as I am, push the door, take in what you wish to share, hoping that it will shed some light as I head out again to the real world.

3.     You’re simple yet sincere.

I love simple things, and six days of complicated academic work could make a laid-back person go mad. Sobrang sabaw, ‘ika nga.

Going to MUKHA AD office at the Dominican Studentate is my secret sanctuary within my favorite sanctuary. The simplicity of the people, the sharing that comes after every session, and those small talks over merienda is what makes me go back every Sundays. Don’t expect to eat KFC food in here every Sunday (although that could happen…hahaha!) or get grand prizes when you join the games before the session starts – what you get is simple, but priceless joys of meaningful talks and budding friendships. And I wish to be nowhere else.

4.     You never fail to make me smile.

Yes, another main reason why I attend the sessions whether I come from Malate, Manila or from Sta. Rosa, Laguna; whether I have a forthcoming avalanche of exams or not. The funny thing is you don’t really make people laugh on purpose. It just happens spontaneously. You never run out of stuff to share and laugh about. Even when attending a session with a recently-badly-broken-heart, I manage to leave you guys with a light heart, and a smile on my face. That’s how much fun it is to be with you.

5.      You make me do things I never had the chance to do.

It is with you that I have found an avenue to put my faith into action. Things like Taize, worshipping thru singing rock-ish songs are stuff that’s very novel, and definitely something I’ve never tried before. It is also with you where I experienced my very first Team-Building Activity, and volunteered for my first ever charity event, the annual Aliw Bata. Because of you, I felt that I could live this life worthwhile, by giving the very same gifts of belonging and smiles to kids in need.

6.    I just loooove our post-session prayer.

After every session with MUKHA AD, we had to sing the 13^th Century Dominican Blessing, and I just loved singing this with all of you. I love the prayer on its own, but I love the melody as well (I even have an mp3 of its piano instrumental on my phone).  It reflects the simplicity and sincerity of this group to show the face of God to the youth in the context of modern times. Here’s how it goes:

May God the Father, bless us

May God the Son, heal us

May God the Holy Spirit enlighten us

Give us eyes to see with

And ears to hear with

Hands to do God’s work with

Feet to walk with, a mouth to preach

The Word of Salvation with

And may the Angel of Peace watch over us

May he lead us at last by the Lord’s gift to the Kingdom

Amen.

7.      There’s no such thing as hierarchy – only friendships.

One thing that sets MUKHA AD apart from other groups or orgs is that it’s very personal.  Which is perhaps why they did not have those personal information sheets – they wish to get to know you by chatting with you – whether on ICs (individual consultations), faith sharing, even online via Facebook chat. I promise they don’t pry.

And you’re not just friends with your batch mates. You can be friends with everyone here, and this does not just go within the walls of the MUKHA AD office. I go to mass with my batch mates during the La Naval festivities (partida, wala pa akong mga cellphone numbers nila nun), go out for coffee with members from the previous batches, and occasionally bump into the rest of them at school or at the church. And there’s another thing: I’m not that scared of the brothers anymore. They’re actually very fun to be with – and very much like the rest of us.

It’s really nice to have bonded with everyone in such short span of a time. And we have just finished Level 1. More memories will be added, and I’m sure that the bond we had created will be stronger in the weeks to come. Whether or not I’m present during the coming sessions, I hope that when I return, you shall accept me with open arms. But I know you would, and that’s another thing I love about you. Days and weeks will pass, but the fondness shall remain the same. I’m proud that I can be called one of you. Until now, I could not believe that I am actually part of MUKHA AD Batch 22. And I’m so proud. And I will miss you.

And may the Angel of Peace watch over us these holidays. Merry Christmas, MUKHA ADers! ♥

San Agustin Church: Beauty Ever Ancient and New

article written by Kat Buenaflor 

Last Sunday, November 27, 2011, I escaped the reins of my parents and rode a bus going to Manila (kids, do NOT do this at home :p ). It’s MUKHA AD’s 2nd session for the second semester, and for that afternoon, we were going to tour around San Agustin Church in Intramuros. At this point I will be honest enough to admit that initially, I wasn’t keen on going there to go sight-seeing. I have visited the church a couple of Christmases ago and I thought I’ve already seen what has to be seen on that place.  The real reason to my long overdue escapade was the fact that I have not seen my much-loved Sunday barkada for almost two months, I miss the sessions so badly, and it’s already clinically proven that these people could magically turn my sadness into happiness.

I went ahead to San Agustin Church and waited for them to arrive. I stood beside a white Jaguar car - at the time, there was a wedding ceremony going on inside. A tourist driver standing beside me asked me if I was one of the guests. I said no, telling him that I was waiting for my friends. He then told me that he pities the children who, despite the hot and humid weather, wore tuxedoes for the event instead of the more traditional and more climate-forgiving Barong Tagalog. I nodded in agreement, but then I can’t blame the wedding planner for having them wear such – the church has this “Royal” and very imposing aura, especially inside – owing to the fact that it’s a Baroque church. It’s elaborately yet elegantly decorated; its beauty ancient yet new – especially to us living in the modern times.

Minutes later I saw the MAD people arrive. I was so glad to finally meet everyone once again – I even hugged my batchmate Carol in the joy of seeing her once again. I wanted to say hi to everyone, but doing so would interrupt the tour that has already started. I also realized that I have forgotten the names of some of them that I’ve already talked to before. Nonetheless, I felt a sense of belonging, as if I haven’t gone that long. And it’s nice that some of them still remember my name. Hehehe. :p

So the guided tour began, courtesy of an archivist working in UST (I forgot his name…sorry.). We first entered the museum beside the church. Oh boy, why did I ever underestimate the Augustinian property?! At a glance, the adjacent building is small, but as we went in, I found out that it was a huge building housing an unimaginable number of antique art collected during the 440 years of the order’s presence in the country. It was a haven for art lovers, history geeks, and suckers for all things classical – like me.

There was a visual information overload – there were too much to see! Paintings and sculptures of various friars and images of Saint Augustine were all around the building. One particular painting that caught my attention was the painting of Saint Augustine with Jesus to his right, and Mama Mary to his left. When I saw the image of Nuestra Señora de Leche y Buen Parto a few years back, I thought it was unusual, because an image wherein she breastfed Jesus is, in my opinion, quite intimate for one to make a statue of. But on this particular painting of Saint Augustine, the artist portrayed Mary at its most unusual. I suppose it's a rare rendition.

There was this room full of religious images that I really, really enjoyed looking at. The hall, which was previously used as a place for the conventual chapter of the Augustinian friars, virtually reeked of gold because of the different images of Our Lady (smaller versions of the images of La Naval de Manila and Remedios were there), and other saints.

The church’s choirloft was another place that I liked. Perhaps a modern church’s choirloft is nothing but chairs with an electric keyboard or guitar on the side – but this one’s Baroque, and in the Baroque period, it’s all about excess! It’s the ancient times’ 1980s! The wooden chairs had very intricate wood carvings on them; the ceiling had these paintings that looked like they were bas relief sculptures. In the middle of the choirloft was a giant song book – perhaps the equivalent of the modern times’ overhead projector. Lastly, the modern times’ keyboard and guitar is no match to this church’s colossal pipe organ! How I wish I could hear how a pipe organ actually sounds. I also wish Sto Domingo’s pipe organ would be restored soon. Whether on its own or along with the voice of the Tiples…the music it will make must be grand.

There were so much to see (I think I said this already...didn't I? :p), and really, one afternoon is just not enough if you really want to fully appreciate what this place has in store. Here, you’d appreciate the church’s role besides being the mediator between man and God. In this case, it’s a preserver of art and history, an institution that has definitely withstood the test of time. 

I hope that after one sees the beauty within its walls, he or she shall remember San Agustin Church not as a tourist spot, or a sanctuary made for couples to have their grand weddings in the coming years. It's an institution that showcases the depths of human creativity and unsurpassed intellect, and ultimately, the greatness of its Creator. It's an institution attesting the Augustinians’ love for God.

Ain’t love grand? ♥

The Two Towers

A long time ago, in an Italian city, they built a beautiful tower which was admired by everyone passing through. A little further down the road, in a neighbouring city, they had built a tower of similar beauty. The two towers were equally well known.

The people of the second city, envious and filled with pride, planned to destroy the neighbouring tower so it wouldn't take attention away from their own. One dark night, they came to the tower, with picks and shovels, and began to quietly undermine its foundations.

The next morning, the tower was leaning slightly, but nobody seemed to notice. The same happened for the following few days, until a little girl who was passing by pointed up at the tower and said: "I think that the tower is going to fall down." And everyone around looked closely, and could see that she was right.

Nervousness spread through the city. They tried no end of solutions to try to straighten the tower, but the days passed, and nothing seemed to work. That was, until one day when the same little girl was walking by again, and she leant her arm on the side of the tower, to rest. She felt the tower trembling slightly, amid the sound of creaking and groaning. When she took her hand off it, the movement and the noises stopped. And when she put it back on again, the same happened.

The girl spent a while doing this, until she was completely certain of what she had discovered: "The tower is ticklish!!"

She ran to get some flowers and plants, and she planted them right next to the tower. Now if the tower leant over any further it would be tickled by the petals and leaves of those plants. Being a ticklish tower, it would then have to return back to where it had been. In this way, the girl managed to make sure that the tower didn't collapse, but still kept it leaning a little.

The fact that it was leaning made it even more famous, and this taught a fine lesson to the envious people of the neighbouring city. Being jealous types, they tried to copy the lean of the first tower, but they couldn't do it, and the tower ended up collapsing, leaving the city not only without a tower, but also without a city hall.

source

An Invitation

An INVITATION:

MUKHA AD ( Masiglang Ugnayan ng mga Kabataang Hinuhubog sa Anyo ng Anak ng Diyos) is a YOUTH group comprising of lay youth, yuppies and Brothers.

If you are 16 years old and above, would like to meet new friends and experience 'MUKHA AD' , join us as we open the 22nd formation year! MAKE YOUR MARK!

It's a date!
July 17, 2011, Sunday
Sto. Domingo Studentate
Registration starts at 1.30pm

Let us continue to act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with the Lord!

The Fence

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily, gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence. 

Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. 

The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said "you have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one." You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there. Make sure you control your temper the next time you are tempted to say something you will regret later. 

story from here

photo from here

I Love You, Honey

They have been married for a long time. As usual they have their ups and downs. One day they had a big fight over his long working hours and things are falling apart. He was disappointed and she was angry.

After one week of silence treatment from her wife, he approached her with papers and pencils. He suggested that both of them sit down on the dining table and write down on paper what they are not happy about each other. They will then exchange the papers and discuss.

So the wife started to write without looking up because she has a lot to write about her frustration. The husband took a long look at the wife and he too started to write. After fifteen minutes of writing, they look at each other and exchange the papers.

The husband looked at the paper full of complaints. She was angry. When the wife looked at his paper, she was embarrassed and quickly tears away her own paper. On his paper, he wrote for two full pages:

"I love you, honey"

source

Faith in Action: My MUKHA AD Journey

article written by: Joyce Gonzales

Faith is about doing. You are how you act, not just how you believe. 

For the longest time, I have thought that the mere act of going to church on Sundays and praying occasionally would suffice, for me to be called a true-blue Catholic. But as I continue to traverse this journey called life, I have come to realize that it is not enough to simply say I believe in God, and still inflict pain in others; to pray the rosary and still cling to my biases and prejudices; to say that I am a Christian and still find it so hard to forgive and show love without waiting for anything in return.

2010 had been a great turning point for me and my faith. It was then that I had started to devote so much time in praying and knowing myself and God at a deeper level. I joined a Catholic renewal community and even became a member of a “caring group” with people I spent Saturdays with, praying to and singing for God, as well as sharing my life’s highs and lows. Then came an invitation to spend my Sundays with MUKHA-AD, another church organization for the youth. It was an invitation I couldn’t resist and saw it as a chance to gain new friends and to learn something new (and later on, realize the need to remember what I’ve learned long ago). But there were times when my enthusiasm would fade and I’d ask myself “What happened to Sunday as a time of rest?” I would wonder at what I’d gain from Mukha-Ad, because at times, I would think that what I know is enough. These questions and false notion were obstacles and justifications for me not to attend. Nevertheless, I find myself thankful at the end of every session, every talk, every activity - silently uttering a prayer of gratitude, “Thank God I am here today”.

I am not the kind of person who easily blends in with the crowd, nor the type who initiates conversations unless I really have to. I stick with people I’m comfortable with. I had so much fun when I attended the opening program because I was surrounded with friends – one I invited to join and thought she’d stick around and two others I just asked to visit. But after the opening, my friend showed signs of not attending again so I was left alone – completing level one with just a couple of missed sessions and finally moving on to level two.

I am grateful to Mukha-Ad for taking me to the very core of my faith and devotion. For making me understand my value and worth as an individual. For making me realize the huge and significant role I play in my family, community, the church and in the world, for all of which would be lacking and incomplete without me or without you.

The Graduation and retreat was particularly remarkable for me because it was in those couple of days that I was able to prove that my efforts did not go in vain.  And that all the Sundays I spent in Sto. Domingo, refusing all other invitations to hang out somewhere else, were Sundays well spent. It was a time when I bravely shared my stories of pain and struggles, something I only share with people truly close to me.  It was also a time when I freely allowed my tears to flow and my fears and guilt to manifest, not minding whether others would see me weak. It was a moment when I have heard my fellow Mukha-Ad members talk about their own hardships, realizing that what we see from the outside can be totally different from what they keep hidden inside. That sometimes, a genuine concern to ask about how they are, is all it takes for us to get to know the real person behind the usual smile, the loud laughter and the casual “Ok lang” response. I have realized that there are people who are going through the same difficult situation I encountered years ago. And now, at this point in my life, I can honestly tell them that they can overcome their giants, because I did and I continue to fight them with courage. I can truly say words of encouragement because I believe that there is always hope and we have a big God behind us. It was a time I sincerely sent out prayers to God not only for myself but for the people I have come to love as my own brothers and sisters. 

Graduating from Mukha-Ad is a success after all the many temptations and “reasons” to quit. It is winning half of the battle. The greater challenge comes after it. Being a part of Mukha-Ad is an opportunity to bless and love others. It’s being in the position to reach out and bring more people closer to God. It is a responsibility as much as it is a privilege.

Being a part of the Mukha-Ad family has made me more grateful of the things I have and the people I love and who love me. I have seen abandoned children in Cottolengo who struggle to have normal lives despite their hurts, both physical and emotional. They may be physically imperfect but they are loved by God as much. With such an experience, I have become more grateful of my own life’s circumstance, though flawed in itself. I felt luckier. And I became more eager to try to see the face of Christ even in people who are unlovable or those who can’t love me back.

There are so much more to say. But I think it is better to let our actions speak. To let our deeds speak our faith. In Mukha-Ad we let go of apathy and indifference. We act justly. We love tenderly. We walk humbly with the Lord. 

Flying

Once upon a time there was a little boy who was raised in a orphanage.

The little boy had always wished that he could fly like a bird. It was very difficult for him to understand why he could not fly. There were birds at the zoo that were much bigger than he, and they could fly.

"Why can't I?" he thought. "Is there something wrong with me?" he wondered.

There was another little boy who was crippled. He had always wished that he could walk and run like other little boys and girls.

"Why can't I be like them?" he thought.

One day the little orphan boy who had wanted to fly like a bird ran away from the orphanage. He came upon a park where he saw the little boy who could not walk or run playing in the sandbox.

He ran over to the little boy and asked him if he had ever wanted to fly like a bird.

"No," said the little boy who could not walk or run. "But I have wondered what it would be like to walk and run like other boys and girls."

"That is very sad." said the little boy who wanted to fly. "Do you think we could be friends?" he said to the little boy in the sandbox.

"Sure." said the little boy.

The two little boys played for hours. They made sand castles and made really funny sounds with their mouths. Sounds which made them laugh real hard. Then the little boy's father came with a wheelchair to pick up his son. The little boy who had always wanted to fly ran over to the boy's father and whispered something into his ear.

"That would be OK," said the man.

The little boy who had always wanted to fly like a bird ran over to his new friend and said, "You are my only friend and I wish that there was something that I could do to make you walk and run like other little boys and girls. But I can't. But there is something that I can do for you."

The little orphan boy turned around and told his new friend to slide up onto his back. He then began to run across the grass. Faster and faster he ran, carrying the little crippled boy on his back. Faster and harder he ran across the park. Harder and harder he made his legs travel. Soon the wind just whistled across the two little boys' faces.

The little boy's father began to cry as he watched his beautiful little crippled son flapping his arms up and down in the wind, all the while yelling at the top of his voice,

"I'M FLYING, DADDY. I'M FLYING!"

source

Ice Cream

Last week I took my children to a restaurant.  My six-year-old son asked if he could say grace. 

As we bowed our heads he said,  "God is good. God is great.  Thank you for the food,  and I would even thank you more if  Mom gets us ice cream for dessert.  And Liberty and justice for all.Amen!"

Along with the laughter from the other customers nearby I heard a woman remark,  "That's what's wrong with this country.  Kids today don't even know how to pray. Asking God for ice-cream! Why, I never!"

Hearing this, my son burst into tears and asked me, "Did I do it wrong? Is God mad at me?"

As I held him and assured him that he had done a terrific job and  God was certainly not mad at him, an elderly gentleman approached the table.  

He winked at my son and said, "I happen to know that God thought that was a great prayer."

"Really?" my son asked.

"Cross my heart," the man replied.

Then in a theatrical whisper he added (indicating the woman whose remark had started this whole thing), "Too bad she never asks God for ice cream.  A little ice cream is good for the soul sometimes."

 

Naturally, I bought my kids ice cream at the end of the meal.  My son stared at his for a moment

and then did something I will remember the rest of my life. He picked up his sundae and without a word, walked over and placed it in front of the woman.

With a big smile he told her, "Here, this is for you. Ice cream is good for the soul sometimes; and my soul is good already."

source

Coming Full Circle

article written by APA Feliciano 

            The sky was overcast and the rain pattered relentlessly against the coaster windshield as we traversed the road to Tagaytay for the Mukha Ad graduation rites and retreat. And as we did, I am reminded of the first day we met each other, that all twenty-plus of us have seen each other for the first time. It was raining too, dampening our spirits and whatever left of our energies, enough that a lot of us hesitated to attend the General Assembly.

They called it that, the first day, and I remember only going to the Sto. Domingo Church at the invitation of some high school friends. In all honesty, I was never the type of person to join church organizations because I myself wasn’t actually very sure of my faith. But even if my faith wavers at times, my trust in my friends never do so with another high school friend in tow, we decided to go and see what was in store for us.

Yesterday

            It turned out that there was more for me than there was for my other high school friend who backed out in the middle of the year because her books and parents called her. At first I was hesitant to take part in the activities because it felt like there was still some barrier between my fellow batchmates and I, as well as between me and the Mukha Ad staff. We might have shared some laughter and jokes together but these were never really forms of assurance of friendship because quite a few of them disappears and later resurfaces when the bond that has been formed have already dissolved.

            I never really tracked the development of our relationships with each other but after endless jokes over food and charade games, we were looping our arms around each other in an obvious show of friendship and camaraderie. I didn’t really know when it was, but as time passed, acquaintances evolved into friendships and pregnant silences became boisterous laughter and endless conversations.

            Now as I looked at the fog kissing the coaster glasses, I am overwhelmed by the memories of the things we’ve experienced all together as a group and of how far we’ve come. I never really thought I’d stick with Mukha Ad since I always fail when it comes to the matter of commitments, but it was nonetheless a pleasant discovery both on the aspects of external commitments and willingness.

The Bare Necessities

            Mukha Ad has the same experience as any other youth-oriented organizations there ever is, all these will always be the same. There will always be the feeling of vibrancy, of pulsating feelings and sentiments that threatened to overflow.

In my case it was a feeling of novelty, of testing my willingness to commit on greater heights and every time I dragged my body to the train tracks to hitch a ride up north I was always bugged by the question, “Why?” Why am I furiously exercising my legs going up and down the MRT stations just to get to the sessions on time? Why am I, a person who has vowed to not let the sun rays touch my burnt epidermis, leave in the middle of the day just to attend sessions? Why am I, a person who hates traveling around Metro Manila, go on road for an hour and more to get to the picturesque Santo Domingo Church?

It was not so much because I wanted to get my hands on my graduation certificate nor was it because I wanted to get away from home. Granted, I never really took Mukha Ad as something I could invest in both emotionally and spiritually but over time it changed, and it somehow felt like I was bound by the red thread to this organization and to these people. No longer was it about fulfilling some civic responsibility but being able to spend time with a set of newfound friends who saw through me. In their eyes, and in the eyes of God, I was unclothed, stripped off of my vanities as well as of my other identity as a working individual. To them, I was never the girl who rushed to meet deadlines in heels and corporate suits but rather I was a person to laugh and joke with.

Graduating and moving on

            Friendships came late and I am not sure as to whether I could really move on at this state. In the month of hearts alone, I fell sick twice—largely owing to bodily stress and overwork and while I have been warned to stay at home after the Mukha Ad graduation, I still don’t think I can sit still and let them have all the fun. The desire to spend more time with the people I’ve grown close with over time grew and it is growing still and the graduation rites and the retreat solidified this feeling even more. I wasn’t sure whether I could commit myself until I grow past the “Youth” stage but right now, it feels like I would like to stay for a few years more.

            It has been a long time since I went to a retreat, as customary of the students in Catholic schools. Like everyone else, I cried, prayed for my friends, forgave my enemies and went on and did the same things again. Mukha Ad did it lightly—there was no pressure to cry (as there was with every retreat I attended), but there was a gentle tug at my heartstrings. Be kind to your family, I was told, because you never know what will happen next. I was reminded of the basic things I needed to get through this life, such as my faith and the basics of my faith. I wasn’t sure whether it was a necessity for every retreat to have some scary stories spread around, but we still found courage to walk in the darkness and laugh till our stomachs burst. Of course we snapped endless pictures together, and still some more until the unbearable heat of the sun made us retreat in silence.

            Being with Mukha Ad was like finding a long-lost family—it wasn’t just about finding a family in the first place, but finally belonging in a group that seemed to have lost their black sheep, that no matter how black my wool turns out to be, I could still trust them to bleach me whiter than I used to be. They became my friends and it was but natural for us to become a family, and I take comfort in the fact that the prodigal son in me could still find a shelter within their midst.

Ang Saya sa MUKHA AD!(Isang Bidyo)

Ganito kasaya sa Mukha Ad!

** Mula sa Graduation at Retreat ng Batch 19 sa Caleruega.

Bidyo at larawan ni -aleckx-

Tula Para Sa Batch 21

poem written by Aizel Lambino, Batch 21  

Masiglang Ugnayan ang hatid,

sa mga kabataan ipinababatid,

MUKHA AD, grupong magkakapatid,

BATCH 21 na hindi mapatid-patid.

Sisimulan ko ang pagpapakilala,

sa aming grupong masaya,

halika na't makisama,

maghanda sa kakaibang ligaya.

RICO kanyang pangalan,

pag nandiyan kami'y naghahalakan,

iba talaga ang kanyang banatan,

Joke niya ay laging tinatawanan.

hyper itong si TOTO,

isa rin sa mga maloko,

sobrang kulit na tao,

siya rin ay romantiko.

si THOM na laging masaya,

nakangiti tuwing aking makikita,

taong marunong makisama,

kung minsan nakakaaliw talaga.

kung sa kulitan talaga,

si DON isa sa nangunguna,

kala mo tahimik siya,

kung tumawa ibang-iba.

isang magandang dalaga,

JOYCE aking pinapakilala,

sa kanya maraming nagtitiwala,

tunay siyang kahanga-hanga.

APA kung siya'y aming tawagin,

isa ring taong masayahin,

dalagang minsan mahinhin,

siya't talagang mamahalin.

ibang klase din itong si MAUEE,

kasiyahan minsan di mawari,

ganda niya'y kapuri-puri,

magandang boses na nakakabingi.

sa trip na di maubos-ubos,

si COR kung tumawa ang lubos,

aakalaing hininga'y kinakapos,

boses pa minsan ay paos.

itong si RUSS ay mabait,

may itsurang kaakit-akit,

isa rin sa mga makulit,

mukhang hindi nga ata marunong magalit.

CHITO na matulungin,

sa kanya maraming pumapansin,

kung minsa'y sumpungin,

lahat ng bagay kayang dalhin.

Genius na maituturing,

ang haba ng share tuwing meeting,

madali lang ding pasiyahin,

yan si JUDE na masunurin.

itong si SHAIRA na kalog,

para siyang walang tulog,

aakalaing laging sabog,

ngunit kakaiba ang alindog.

kilalanin ang pinakabata,

sa meeting never nagsalita,

siya raw ay nahihiya,

yan si MONIQUE na nakakatuwa.

siyempre ako ang panghuli,

ipinakikilala ko ang aking sarilli,

di ko alam kung anong pwedeng masabi,

ay! ako si AIZEL, sa sayawan matindi.

masayang ugnayan sa mga kabataan,

diyos din aking pinasasalamatan,

MUKHA AD, aking hinahangaan,

tunay kong pinagkakatiwalaan.

ito ang BATCH namin,

sana'y di kayo nabitin,

ito ang aking likhain,

kung ika'y bitin ULIT-ULITIN.