for you ate jhe
so i keep messing up your email addie. i am such a bubblehead sometimes. anyway, i wanted to pass this onto u b/c i thought u might find it interesting- my uncle from PI sent it to me. dont know hwo true it is, but i definitely agree with the feelings on the msg...
Misplaced Priorities can Mislead a Nation
>
>"He who can take no interest in what is small will take
false interest
>in what is great." John Ruskin
>
>
>
>Jasmine Trias visited the Philippinesvery recently. Everyone was
agog
>waiting to welcome her. The excitement was remarkable as the
media and
many
>of our "kababayans" flocked to the airport to see her.
This scenario is
>typical of Filipinos. Sadly, it reflects our country's misplaced
>priorities.
>
>Contest of the Mind. Another young girl came back to the country
just a
>couple of weeks ago. Her name is Faye (not her real name for very
sensitive
>reasons). Unknown to her countrymen, this eleven year old girl
brought
>honor to the Philippines. She represented the country in the
>Intercontinental Science Quiz Net in Australia. Out of 57
countries
>represented, Faye garnered First Place for the Philippines.
Germany
>came
in
>second while the United Statescame in third.
>
>In stark contrast to the hooplah extended to Jasmine Trias, Faye's
>arrival did not make any noise. Not a peep.
>
>In an earlier competition, "Mathematics for the Young
Asians" in
Indonesia,
>Faye also came out in the Top Five. But just like the Australian
event,
>this feat did not receive any recognition in our country at all.
>
>Our interests seem to be set on other "priorities." We
are more
>interested in promoting celebrity guests instead of educational
and
>intellectual pursuits. Indirectly and quite obviously we are
teaching
>our children that development of the external image takes
priority over
>educational achievement.
>
>Faye's story is inspiring. She comes from a broken family. Her
father
>falsely claimed that he was unmarried when he married her mom.
When her
mom
>found out, she decided to raise up her daughter alone.
>
>Despite the difficulty, Faye in no way used it as an excuse for
complacency
>in her studies. In grade school, she was a consistent honor
student.
>She took every academic requirement as a challenge. And she
delivered.
>At one time, she submitted a project thesis in Australiathat won
"The
>Best
Physics
>and Science Award". The award qualified the Philippinesto be
one of the
top
>10 countries that would compete in Australia, among the 57
countries
>that joined.
>
>Considering her family's financial constraints, she and her mom
asked
>help from our government for their trip to Australiato claim the
"Best
Physics"
>award and to join the Science competition. They saw this
challenge as a
>rare opportunity offered to Faye and her country, considering
that only
two
>Asian countries qualified - Japanand the Philippines.
Unfortunately,
>our government had other priorities.
>
>Mother and daughter then tried to ask help from individual
senators and
>congressmen. All turned them down except for one who was willing
to
>help, on condition that Faye should give public credit to the
senator
>for supporting her even int the earlier competitions she joined.
Out of
>integrity, the mother could not accede to this arrangement. Thus
no
outside
>help was found.
>
>Faced with this situation, Faye and her mom took out all their
savings
>and went out of their way to secure by themselves the additional
>finances needed. The only driving force behind them was their
desire to
>give honor to God and to the Philippines.
>
>With the little resources they had, they went to Australiaon
September
>17, 2004for the competition. They claimed the trophy and cash
award for
>the "Best Physics" thesis Faye submitted in Sidneyand
then flew to
>Brisbane
for
>the quiz competition.
>
>No kababayan welcomed them in Australiaexcept for a kind Filipina
they
>met in the plane who assisted them. As they were checking in at a
>hotel, the "kind" Filipina who volunteered to help them
disappeared
>taking with her Faye's and her mother's bags, passports, and plane
>tickets. At that point, they literally had nothing left except
for the
>few pieces of clothes and their faith in God. They had to sell the
>extra clothes left to be able to buy food.
>
>In need once again, they sought help from some of the Filipino
>officials
in
>Australiabut to no avail. Oddly, the Filipino officials there
were too
busy
>with other priorities, not minding to help a young girl and a
mother
>who had no other desire but to bring honor to our country.
>
>Given a budget for only a one night stay at the hotel, mother and
>daughter had to check out the following day. Leaving their
luggage on
>deposit and without money for transportation fare, they decided
to walk
>two kilometers to the competition venue on their native Filipino
costumes.
>
>If walking a two kilometer distance was bad enough, how much more
would
>be walking the distance on their native costume along the
highways of
>Australia!
>
>Upon arrival at the competition site, Faye and her mom were very
>surprised when they discovered that the delegates from each of the
>other countries were well supported by a band, a cheering squad,
and a
>flag, while Faye only had her mother and the anxiety of lost
passports and
plane tickets.
>Worse, representatives of each country were required to decorate
their
>booths.
>
>With only the three-piece costume they had on, Faye and her mom
were
>even more surprised when the organizing committee awarded their
booth
>as "The Most Creative" booth.
>
>In the early part of the competition, Japan, Braziland Spain were
>eliminated. As the only Asian country left to compete against six
>Western nations, the Philippines was cheered on by Japan. Faye was
>encouraged by
her
>Japanese cheering squad, but in her heart, how she wished that
she had
>her own countrymen to cheer her on.
>
>When Faye finally won first place and Philippinesnational anthem
was
>being played, she prayed silently thanking God for making her a
Filipina.
Despite
>all the painful experiences she had with her country, her
priorities
>did not waver. A Japanese diplomat was the one who helped Faye
and her
>mom to secure temporary pass so they could return to the
Philippines.
>The money they won was just enough for their fare back home and
their
>temporary passport. When Faye was relating this story before a
crowd,
>she said, "Let us love our nation, for nobody else
will."
>
>Faye did not allow her painful experiences to tear down her
loyalty to
>her country. She is not a celebrity but a servant out to serve her
>fellow Filipino.
>
>
>
>A Small Way to Greatness.Our concept of leadership in this
country is
>pitifully skewed. We mistakenly think that leadership is about
"lording"
it
>over other people. Christ corrected this distorted thinking when
he
>said, You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the
Gentiles
>lord it
over
>them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not
so
>with you, instead, whoever wants to become great among you must
be your
servant,
>and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all - Mark 10:42-44
>
>Sadly, we are far from the precept of this truth. It is no
surprise
>then that we have a dearth of real leaders in this
country-leaders who
>would
set
>the nation's interests above their own. In the same way, our
concept of
>citizenship is damaged. Those seeking for social good for
themselves
>are never willing to grant the same good to others. Hence it is
common
>for us hear stories of Filipinos who take advantage of their
fellow
>citizens. We want to be served, but we are unwilling to serve.
>
>We dream of becoming like Jasmine Trias. We want our children to
be
>like her. We would rather spend on things that would make us look
good
>instead of things that would make us grow in character. We prefer
>stardom glitter over service-oriented endeavors.
>
>Quite the contrary, Faye spend sleepless nights studying to win
the
>competition because she knows her priorities. Unlike Jasmine
Trias,
>Faye did not receive a hero's welcome when she cam back, but,
young as
>she is, she keeps calling on Filipinos to love the Philippines
because
>every Filipino is a valuable gift of God.
>
>Life, really is not a matter of intelligence but a matter of
setting
>our priorities right. The question is, what's our focues on
"grand"
>things
that
>make us superficial or on simple things that lead us to greatness?
>
>Faye's story reminds us all to look within ourselves. This eleven
year
>old girl could have complained to the media, but she did not. She
went
>out of her own small way to bring greatness to this land.
>
>Right priorities grant us wisdom. When properly set, priorities
point >us
ot the right people we need to invest in, the right use of our
>energy, the righ resources to draw from, and the right endeavors
support.
>
> From the words of Faye's mother, " We all wanted to win,
but success
> is
not
>measured through by merely winning. It is measured through our
hearts,
>if it is truly attuned with God all the time. It is all that
really
>matters for we have only an Audience of One. Whatever we have
achieved,
>big or small, remember one thing: it is for God and God alone.
The
>King of the Kingdom of a higher world.
Misplaced Priorities can Mislead a Nation
>
>"He who can take no interest in what is small will take
false interest
>in what is great." John Ruskin
>
>
>
>Jasmine Trias visited the Philippinesvery recently. Everyone was
agog
>waiting to welcome her. The excitement was remarkable as the
media and
many
>of our "kababayans" flocked to the airport to see her.
This scenario is
>typical of Filipinos. Sadly, it reflects our country's misplaced
>priorities.
>
>Contest of the Mind. Another young girl came back to the country
just a
>couple of weeks ago. Her name is Faye (not her real name for very
sensitive
>reasons). Unknown to her countrymen, this eleven year old girl
brought
>honor to the Philippines. She represented the country in the
>Intercontinental Science Quiz Net in Australia. Out of 57
countries
>represented, Faye garnered First Place for the Philippines.
Germany
>came
in
>second while the United Statescame in third.
>
>In stark contrast to the hooplah extended to Jasmine Trias, Faye's
>arrival did not make any noise. Not a peep.
>
>In an earlier competition, "Mathematics for the Young
Asians" in
Indonesia,
>Faye also came out in the Top Five. But just like the Australian
event,
>this feat did not receive any recognition in our country at all.
>
>Our interests seem to be set on other "priorities." We
are more
>interested in promoting celebrity guests instead of educational
and
>intellectual pursuits. Indirectly and quite obviously we are
teaching
>our children that development of the external image takes
priority over
>educational achievement.
>
>Faye's story is inspiring. She comes from a broken family. Her
father
>falsely claimed that he was unmarried when he married her mom.
When her
mom
>found out, she decided to raise up her daughter alone.
>
>Despite the difficulty, Faye in no way used it as an excuse for
complacency
>in her studies. In grade school, she was a consistent honor
student.
>She took every academic requirement as a challenge. And she
delivered.
>At one time, she submitted a project thesis in Australiathat won
"The
>Best
Physics
>and Science Award". The award qualified the Philippinesto be
one of the
top
>10 countries that would compete in Australia, among the 57
countries
>that joined.
>
>Considering her family's financial constraints, she and her mom
asked
>help from our government for their trip to Australiato claim the
"Best
Physics"
>award and to join the Science competition. They saw this
challenge as a
>rare opportunity offered to Faye and her country, considering
that only
two
>Asian countries qualified - Japanand the Philippines.
Unfortunately,
>our government had other priorities.
>
>Mother and daughter then tried to ask help from individual
senators and
>congressmen. All turned them down except for one who was willing
to
>help, on condition that Faye should give public credit to the
senator
>for supporting her even int the earlier competitions she joined.
Out of
>integrity, the mother could not accede to this arrangement. Thus
no
outside
>help was found.
>
>Faced with this situation, Faye and her mom took out all their
savings
>and went out of their way to secure by themselves the additional
>finances needed. The only driving force behind them was their
desire to
>give honor to God and to the Philippines.
>
>With the little resources they had, they went to Australiaon
September
>17, 2004for the competition. They claimed the trophy and cash
award for
>the "Best Physics" thesis Faye submitted in Sidneyand
then flew to
>Brisbane
for
>the quiz competition.
>
>No kababayan welcomed them in Australiaexcept for a kind Filipina
they
>met in the plane who assisted them. As they were checking in at a
>hotel, the "kind" Filipina who volunteered to help them
disappeared
>taking with her Faye's and her mother's bags, passports, and plane
>tickets. At that point, they literally had nothing left except
for the
>few pieces of clothes and their faith in God. They had to sell the
>extra clothes left to be able to buy food.
>
>In need once again, they sought help from some of the Filipino
>officials
in
>Australiabut to no avail. Oddly, the Filipino officials there
were too
busy
>with other priorities, not minding to help a young girl and a
mother
>who had no other desire but to bring honor to our country.
>
>Given a budget for only a one night stay at the hotel, mother and
>daughter had to check out the following day. Leaving their
luggage on
>deposit and without money for transportation fare, they decided
to walk
>two kilometers to the competition venue on their native Filipino
costumes.
>
>If walking a two kilometer distance was bad enough, how much more
would
>be walking the distance on their native costume along the
highways of
>Australia!
>
>Upon arrival at the competition site, Faye and her mom were very
>surprised when they discovered that the delegates from each of the
>other countries were well supported by a band, a cheering squad,
and a
>flag, while Faye only had her mother and the anxiety of lost
passports and
plane tickets.
>Worse, representatives of each country were required to decorate
their
>booths.
>
>With only the three-piece costume they had on, Faye and her mom
were
>even more surprised when the organizing committee awarded their
booth
>as "The Most Creative" booth.
>
>In the early part of the competition, Japan, Braziland Spain were
>eliminated. As the only Asian country left to compete against six
>Western nations, the Philippines was cheered on by Japan. Faye was
>encouraged by
her
>Japanese cheering squad, but in her heart, how she wished that
she had
>her own countrymen to cheer her on.
>
>When Faye finally won first place and Philippinesnational anthem
was
>being played, she prayed silently thanking God for making her a
Filipina.
Despite
>all the painful experiences she had with her country, her
priorities
>did not waver. A Japanese diplomat was the one who helped Faye
and her
>mom to secure temporary pass so they could return to the
Philippines.
>The money they won was just enough for their fare back home and
their
>temporary passport. When Faye was relating this story before a
crowd,
>she said, "Let us love our nation, for nobody else
will."
>
>Faye did not allow her painful experiences to tear down her
loyalty to
>her country. She is not a celebrity but a servant out to serve her
>fellow Filipino.
>
>
>
>A Small Way to Greatness.Our concept of leadership in this
country is
>pitifully skewed. We mistakenly think that leadership is about
"lording"
it
>over other people. Christ corrected this distorted thinking when
he
>said, You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the
Gentiles
>lord it
over
>them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not
so
>with you, instead, whoever wants to become great among you must
be your
servant,
>and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all - Mark 10:42-44
>
>Sadly, we are far from the precept of this truth. It is no
surprise
>then that we have a dearth of real leaders in this
country-leaders who
>would
set
>the nation's interests above their own. In the same way, our
concept of
>citizenship is damaged. Those seeking for social good for
themselves
>are never willing to grant the same good to others. Hence it is
common
>for us hear stories of Filipinos who take advantage of their
fellow
>citizens. We want to be served, but we are unwilling to serve.
>
>We dream of becoming like Jasmine Trias. We want our children to
be
>like her. We would rather spend on things that would make us look
good
>instead of things that would make us grow in character. We prefer
>stardom glitter over service-oriented endeavors.
>
>Quite the contrary, Faye spend sleepless nights studying to win
the
>competition because she knows her priorities. Unlike Jasmine
Trias,
>Faye did not receive a hero's welcome when she cam back, but,
young as
>she is, she keeps calling on Filipinos to love the Philippines
because
>every Filipino is a valuable gift of God.
>
>Life, really is not a matter of intelligence but a matter of
setting
>our priorities right. The question is, what's our focues on
"grand"
>things
that
>make us superficial or on simple things that lead us to greatness?
>
>Faye's story reminds us all to look within ourselves. This eleven
year
>old girl could have complained to the media, but she did not. She
went
>out of her own small way to bring greatness to this land.
>
>Right priorities grant us wisdom. When properly set, priorities
point >us
ot the right people we need to invest in, the right use of our
>energy, the righ resources to draw from, and the right endeavors
support.
>
> From the words of Faye's mother, " We all wanted to win,
but success
> is
not
>measured through by merely winning. It is measured through our
hearts,
>if it is truly attuned with God all the time. It is all that
really
>matters for we have only an Audience of One. Whatever we have
achieved,
>big or small, remember one thing: it is for God and God alone.
The
>King of the Kingdom of a higher world.