 
 APMM Staff, from left to right: Evelyn Damian, Kimberly Snider, Haidee Chu, Jo jo Santos, Johnson Li 
Past Issues
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MOMS Volume 3 / Issue 11 / 2006 • Published quarterly by APMedia 
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The coolness of the room and the freshly brewed coffee set the mood for a relaxing chat on a weekend get-together with my friends. We talked about everything — the good old days, movies, books, tabloids and yes, even angels! One of the guys said, “I pray for my angel everyday, that God will strengthen him so that he can protect me better.” It seems easy to believe that we can communicate with angels and that they can actually protect us but, is this actually true?
What are angels?
Angels are spirit beings. There are many incidents in the Bible when God sent angels to help certain people. One of the most popular is the story of Daniel. He was thrown into the lions’ den to die, but God sent angels to shut the mouths of the lions so that they could not hurt Daniel. Another writer in the New Testament tells us that angels are spirits sent by God to help those who will receive salvation.1
Can we command them?
Although angels interact with people, they are not at our command. They do not take orders from us. They take their orders from God. The Lord promises that if we abide in Him, He will command his angels to protect us.2
Is there an angel assigned to every person?
Many mothers believe that babies have their own angels. Stories about babies who have fallen out of their beds and are not hurt have been told. I experienced it myself with my eldest daughter. However, the Bible does not clearly say whether there is an angel assigned to every child or person. We are warned not to look down on the little ones because their angels always see the face of God in heaven. Still, we do not really know whether little ones actually refer to children, or to the weak, or to new Christians.3
Are we going to become angels when we die?
It seems a practical thought that we can become angels after we die. But, Jesus said in the life after death, we will be like angels. We will not become angels.4
Should we worship angels?
We have seen movies depicting different views of what and who angels are. These movies cause misconceptions among viewers. People become inclined to call on angels instead of on God. An angel told the apostle John not to do that. “See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant...Worship God.” 5 We should neither pray to angels nor worship them.
What angels are not.
Angels are heavenly creatures but they are not God nor do they possess the attributes of God. They are not our Savior. They did not die on the cross and rise again on the third day so that we may have eternal life. Christ did. An angel cannot be our Intercessor, Interpreter, Counselor, Comforter or Mediator. It is the Holy Spirit who is all of these things. He is the one, not the angels, who tells us the truth, who teaches us about God and convicts the world of sin.6
It is a fascinating thought that we have angels around us but they should not replace the role of God in our life. The wonderful truth is God loves us and cares for us so much that He sends angels on special assignment to serve us.
1Hebrews 1:14 2Psalm 91:9-11 3Matthew 18:10 4Matthew 22:30
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For most kids, Halloween is about scary creatures, costumes parties, ‘Trick or Treat,’ and all the candy they can get. But Halloween has a different meaning for me.
When I was 5 years old, my kindergarten class had a Halloween party. Our teachers transformed our nice classroom into a dark and scary cave. There were imitations of spider webs and bats all over the walls, and representations of witches, monsters, evil spirits, and skeletons. Suddenly, a live ‘vampire’ with fangs and blood appeared in our room. It chased us and tried to ‘suck’ blood from us. I was very scared. I thought it was real. I didn’t know the ‘vampire’ was my teacher. That was my first Halloween party.
When we got home, my mother saw that I was still gripped with fear. She assured me, “Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.” But I wasn’t comforted. Weeks passed and my fear intensified. By then, my parents had stopped sending me to that school.
Before that experience, I never knew fear. My parents were careful not to introduce me to anything scary. I wasn’t afraid of anything, not even the dark, until I began to have pictures of frightening creatures in my mind. Each night, I had difficulty sleeping. I was tormented by images of demons and monsters. One late night, my mother mentioned to me that Jesus was the King of kings and the Lord of lords. So, I asked her, “Mommy, is Jesus the Master of all masters?” My mother answered with a resounding “Yes!” She could see that I finally understood who Jesus was. I finally grasped what my mother had been telling me, “Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.” Whatever was causing me to be afraid was less powerful than Jesus. I understood that Jesus was greater than any spirit or monster. He could order the evil spirits to go away. My mother asked me if I wanted to accept Jesus into my heart. I looked at her and said “Yes.” That was October 31, ten in the evening, the eve of All Saints Day.
Mommy prayed for me and bound the spirit that caused me to be frightened. Together with my mom, I asked Jesus to forgive me and cleanse me from my sins with His blood. I asked Jesus to come into my heart and be my Master.
After that prayer, I felt different. My fear went away. My mother said my face glowed with the peace and love of Christ. I was a new person. My mother called my father. They explained that I had become a child of God and together we belonged to His family – the family of those who follow Jesus Christ, His Son.
I’m now 14 years old. I have walked with Jesus for 9 years. And every Halloween, I remember the night when I gave my heart to Jesus, the Master of all masters.
As told by Kimberly Snider
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I settled back in the air conditioned café. It was difficult to believe the attractive and successful woman sitting across from me had really suffered sexual abuse as a child.
“I appreciate your willingness to talk,” I said. “I realize it must be painful for you to revisit these memories.”
My companion smiled somewhat sadly. “I had no hope for life this side of heaven because of what happened. I had no expectation of joy. I never felt safe. In my experience, the people I should have been able to trust were the ones I couldn’t trust at all.”
“Statistics verify that most abuse occurs in the home or with people connected with family and friends, people who are well known by the children they abuse.”
“Yes, that is what happened to me, and so I learned that I could not trust my family. When you are sexually abused as a child, you grow up with shame and isolation. Something inside of you says this is wrong, that the things the adult is doing to you are wrong. But, the adult says it is ok, so then you learn not to trust yourself either. You get confused about your sense of what is right and wrong.
“In my case, my father found out that my uncle was sexually molesting me and so he stopped him. But my father never talked to me about what happened. I never even knew my father realized what was going on. No one helped me process my shame, or told me what my uncle did was wrong. No one told me what had happened wasn’t my fault. No one helped me to forgive.”
“So, there was no communication in the family about this?”
“No, there wasn’t. There was shame. My father didn’t want anyone to know. He didn’t even tell my mother. So, in my case the abuse was stopped, but the pain continued in my heart because no one talked to me about it. This is not unusual in families where children are sexually abused. As an adult, I had no memories of my uncle doing these things to me.”
“What made you remember?”
“I was 42 years old and someone at work made sexual advances to me. He touched me in ways that were inappropriate. I became paralyzed physically— just froze. So, he finally stopped. I immediately felt ashamed and I asked myself what I had done to cause him to think that I had wanted this. Of course I had done nothing to make him think that. But, I didn’t have enough confidence in myself to understand that yet.
“I found out that this man at work was going to be made responsible for a facility where there were many young singles, I decided I had to report him to his boss. Even though I did not remember what had happened to me as a child at that point, I didn’t want anyone else to experience the same sexual advances this man at work had made to me. I also knew this man needed help.”
“After you reported your co-worker, did you continue to work at the same place?”
“No. I resigned my job and decided to visit my parents. One of my friends, knowing I was so upset, decided to accompany me home. You need to realize that I was not in the Philippines at that time. I flew into the airport and made the rest of the trip by car.
“On the long journey home, I realized that I had tried to build a world where I didn’t need anyone. I realized I couldn’t live in that world anymore. I admitted to myself that I needed help.
“The closer to home I got, the more turmoil I felt. I started having nightmares every night. They were always about my uncle. In the dreams I was 3 years old, and my uncle was abusing me.”
“At that time did you recognize that the dreams were memories of something that had really happened?”
“No. I did not. The truth was coming back to me and it was so painful that I didn’t want to face it. My dreams were scaring my friend who was traveling with me. She would wake up hearing me talk in my sleep saying ‘I don’t want to go back’ over and over. My friend called a Christian counselor. Instead of going home, I went back to their place. The counselor gave me a psychological test and my scores were off the charts for depression and anxiety. For three months I had two counseling sessions a day, three days a week. During this time I told my counselor about the dreams.”
“What did your counselor say?”
“She said the dreams were signs that I had been sexually abused. She told me that the dreams were actually memory recall. She said usually these memories return when a person is in their forties.”
“What did you think?”
“I didn’t believe it. So the counselor told me to ask my family. I called my sister. She admitted over the phone that she had had the same kind of problem with our uncle. I called my father and he admitted that my sister and I had both been sexually abused by the same uncle.”
“Your father admitted this?”
“Yes. He told me that when he found out what was happening, he was angry and he intervened to make it stop. But, and this is incredible, he never talked to me or anyone in my family about it!
“When did nightmares stop?”
“The nightmares stopped when my family confirmed that the abuse had occurred. I continued with counseling. I started reading a lot of books on sexual abuse. I began to discover that I didn’t need to be ashamed because I didn’t do anything wrong. It was my uncle who had the problem.
“One of the greatest revelations to me was when the counselor told me, ‘you didn’t do anything wrong.’”
“Did what happen to you influence how you felt about sex as an adult?”
“I grew up thinking all sexuality was wrong. This feeling affected my concept of healthy relations when I thought of marriage.
“How else did this affect you?”
“Growing up I was alive on the outside, but I felt dead on the inside. Before counseling, if someone said something I disagreed with, I always thought they were right and I was wrong.”
“Are there things people who have been sexually abused have in common in terms of how they look at life?”
“Yes. They have no hope, and no real joy. They have difficulty trusting anyone, even themselves. They learn not to expect anything from others, thinking that this will keep them from being disappointed.
“Their outlook on sex is unhealthy—they don’t understand what is pure and normal because their experience tells them it is shameful and hurtful. Sometimes their own sexual behavior is affected. They may not want to participate in sex, or else they can become very promiscuous. They can become emotionally needy and think that sex can fill the need for true love.
“I could never commit to a relationship with a man. When I got too close to someone, I would always become afraid and back out. I had five marriage proposals, but whenever a relationship started getting too close I would break up with my boyfriend. I would never tell the guy why, I just never would go out with the guy again. Today however, I believe that would be different because the shame is gone.
“I am alive inside and out and I have hope in my heart again. I found God’s love in the midst of a very sad and unfortunate life experience.”
“How can people who have been wounded by sexual abuse get over it?”
“First, get help. You can’t get over this alone. Find someone who can keep a secret and talk to them. Secondly, make relationships with healthy people. Talking to healthy people about their lives helps you to see a healthy path. Thirdly, realize that the feeling of shame is a major issue to overcome. Know that you did not do anything wrong. The adult who perpetrated this behavior was wrong, not you! Finally, understand that you are responsible for yourself now. Don’t stay a child. Grow up and take responsibility for your own actions. Choose to live and not to die emotionally!”
“Maybe some of us have friends or even people in our own families that are undergoing sexual abuse. Is there any way for us to help them.”
“Sure there is. Become a safe confidant. Never blame them. Encourage them to face the truth. Believe the things they tell you. Teach them through what you say, and what you do that God loves them. They are not bad people. They are just hurt and they can be healed. And, of course, do all you can to get them to a place of safety so that the abuse stops.”
“You know, there is always hope. I am here, alive, healthy, happy, and helping others to discover that they can be happy, too, and enjoy life again.”
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Calcium is a mineral which builds bones and teeth. Bone density, or strength, is largely determined by how much calcium is available in the body. As women get older, an inadequate supply of calcium can cause broken bones and a stooped back—potential results of osteoporosis. Eventually 50% of all women develop osteoporosis. All women begin to lose calcium naturally about the age of 35. Later, when menopause starts, a decrease in estrogen causes a woman’s body to absorb less calcium from nutritional sources. In order to prevent osteoporosis, a woman’s calcium intake needs to be monitored and most likely increased. Your doctor can advise you as to how many milligrams of calcium you need daily. Your doctor, like mine, may advise you to take calcium supplements. Following is a list of common foods which have high calcium content. |
Food ¼ cup nonfat dry milk 1 cup low fat yogurt 1 cup ice cream 1 cup soft serve 3 oz sardines including bones 3 oz tuna 3.5 oz batter dipped and fried shrimp 1 cup fresh cooked broccoli 1 carrot Baked potato with skin ¼ cup peanuts 1 apple 1 orange 1 banana ¼ cantaloupe 1 leg fried chicken 1 hard boiled egg 3 oz pork chop 1 slice white bread 1 slice whole wheat bread 1 cup rice ½ cup oatmeal 4 saltine crackers 2 4-inch pancakes 1 cup spaghetti 1 breast Kentucky fried chicken ½ 10 inch pizza |
Calcium Content 377 milligrams 415 milligrams 176 milligrams 236 milligrams 372 milligrams 10 milligrams 72 milligrams 136 milligrams 19 milligrams 10 milligrams 21 milligrams 10 milligrams 52 milligrams 7 milligrams 14 milligrams 12 milligrams 28 milligrams 13 milligrams 32 milligrams 20 milligrams 11 milligrams 10 milligrams 3 milligrams 72 milligrams 16 milligrams 50 milligrams 290 milligrams |
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Pot Roast with Vegetables 2 tbsps. canola oil 1.5 to 2 kilos beef pot roast (must be whole, boneless shoulder or arm or blade part) 2 tsps. salt 1/4 tsp. ground pepper 1 medium yellow onion, minced 1/2 cup water 6 medium carrots, peeled and cut in chunks 6 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in chunks 6 small onions peeled (I use marble potatoes, scrubbed and washed well and baby carrots) Heat canola oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add pot roast and brown on all sides. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add onion and water. Cover and simmer 2-1/2 to 3 hours or until meat is very tender when pierced with a fork. Add water as needed. Turn once during cooking time. About 20 min. before pot roast is cooked, add carrots, potatoes and onions. Continue to simmer until vegetables are done. Remove pot roast to a hot serving platter and slice. Arrange vegetables around the pot roast. Pour strained juices from the Dutch oven. Serve immediately with either rice or rolls, butter and mashed potato. You may use left over beef for Beef Stroganoff. |
Simple Corn Soup 1 tbsp. corn oil or canola oil 1 clove garlic, minced 1 medium onion, minced 2 cans cream style corn 2-3 chicken bouillon cubes 1 cup evaporated milk Cheddar cheese, grated Salt to taste Green onion, minced Heat corn oil in a deep pan over medium heat. Saute garlic. Add onion and caramelize. Add cream style corn and bouillon cubes. Braise. Fill cans with water and add to the corn. Add another can of water or more if you want a lighter taste. Bring to a boil. Add milk and cheese. Continue cooking until almost boiling. Season with salt and serve in individual bowls. Garnish with green onion. For variety, add bits of crispy bacon. |
Easy Fruit Salad 1 gallon fruit cocktail, drained 1 bottle 24oz.Nata de Coco, drained 1 bottle 24oz. Sugar Palm (kaong), drained 1/2 kilo seedless grapes, red and green 5 big lacatan bananas, sliced into 1/4" thick rounds 1 orange, peeled, sectioned, cut into half crosswise 5 young coconut (buco), shredded (optional) 1 big can of Nestle cream 1 big can condensed milk Mix all ingredients in a big mixing bowl and chill. Garnish with maraschino cherries or thyme leaves. |
by Jonson Li “Are you really getting married? Who is she?”
That was the response I received when I asked my friends to be part of my entourage, and when I delivered my initial verbal invitations. I expected those questions because I always kept my love life a big secret! Now, it is time for another surprise announcement! After two years of marriage, and proper planning and praying, my wife and I have decided to add an addition to our family… that is, a baby! I am a regular employee in a non profit organization. As commanded in the Holy Bible, my wife and I live alone, independently in a small 50 m2 condo unit. We visit my parents every Sunday. My other half’s family is in Cebu and we are only able to visit her family during Christmas. I don’t earn much, but with proper financial management, we live decently. We manage to do things together as partners, sweat it out in charity work, help out in churches, and sometimes attend seminars for additional learning. Watching movies, and window shopping while cherishing our time together in a simple, special way, is also part of our agenda. Husbands usually do not admit it, but I am proud to say that I do household chores, laundry and even surprise my wife with my cooking skills. I have learned to be contented and happy with what I have, and also with what I don’t have. Having a baby in our family will mean we must be wise in spending. My friend told me that milk alone will be around two thousand a month. In addition, diapers, baby food, clothing, furniture, stroller, vaccines and medicines will cost thousands more! The expectant mother needs monthly check-ups, maternity dresses, and uniforms for her work. Her changing appetite for “special” food will be new to both of us. That means, I will get stuck eating whatever food we buy that she suddenly decides she doesn’t like! Looking forward to the future with a baby is fun and challenging. We will learn to sacrifice some of the things we usually do, change our lifestyle, accept more responsibilities, work out schedules and, most of all, be careful in spending money. Being a father means sacrificing myself. I will need to be the protector and to give more time to my family. I will need to provide for their needs: plan for quality education, proper upbringing, discipline, and instruction about loving and knowing God. Gadgets like digital cameras, digital audio and videos, home theater systems, MP3 players, iPods, PDA phones, advance notebook computers, Xbox and PlayStation will be much less of a priority. I have to say goodbye to my dream cars and SUVs. Goodbye Trooper. Goodbye Prado. Goodbye Patrol, Goodbye Pajero, Goodbye Navigator. Welcome to the family, my baby! Your mom, grandmas, uncles, aunties, and cousins are very eager to see you very soon! |
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by Rosalind Ngo-Li “Here comes the bride, all dressed in white…” All ladies look forward to their wedding day. I used to dream about the day that I would slowly glide down the long aisle of the church, wearing a beautiful white wedding gown and feeling like a princess. But after that, what’s next? Should we have a baby right away?
It’s been two years since I’ve been married. When exactly is the best time to have a baby? Is it right after marriage? Two months after? Six Months? One year? People have different opinions on this matter. Some advised us to wait till both of us were settled in our new state of life. Others said to spend quality time as a couple. But of course, I am not getting any younger. And I have the biological clock to consider. I finally decided we’d waited long enough and so I started to pray. I really hope to enjoy my kids. I want to see them graduate from college before I become old and gray. I want to run around with them before the OA (“Old Age”) Syndrome hits me. That’s why I want to have children as soon as possible. But having a baby entails a lot of sacrifices. Life will be totally different with a baby around. But I’m willing to face them. I can’t wait to have a baby because I know it will turn out to be very “cute”. How would I react if I found out I was pregnant? I might shout for joy and cry in happiness. I would probably announce it to the whole world! I can’t wait to experience carrying my baby in my womb for nine months. People say that the first trimester of pregnancy is the most crucial stage. This is supposed to be the stage where miscarriage is most likely to happen, not to mention morning sickness. The pregnant woman must be treated like a queen and the most delicate creature that ever existed. Wow! That’ll be the day! I can imagine myself doing my favorite activity. Shopping! Of course, I would need a new wardrobe. It would be so exciting to enter those specialty stores that I have never set foot in. Although I have observed for months that these stores never have sales and few designs from which to choose from. With my head held high, I would proudly go in as one of the select few having the right to scan their displays. New flat shoes would be next on my shopping list. Pregnant women are not allowed to wear high-heeled shoes. However, I can also imagine some of the things I would have to give up. I’m sure the pregnancy itself can really be a drain. I heard some need complete bed rest. Not just for three or four months but even the whole duration of the pregnancy. I hope mine would not be that bad. I have to go to work. But still, I know that I would need all the rest I can get. That means no more late nights for me. I would have to give up some of my favorite primetime shows and soap operas that I have religiously followed. I would also have to give up the after-work meetings. I would have to understand that I am responsible for another life that’s growing inside me. Most mothers never gain back the physical state they used to be in before pregnancy. I have always been conscious of my weight and size and would go through strict diets and rigid exercises just to keep fit. But for now, I guess, it is goodbye waist 25. Goodbye spandex shirts and body hugging blouses. Goodbye formal evening gowns. Goodbye high-heeled shoes and leggings pants. But no matter what happens, I am willing to face it all. If I have to give up some things and take on the responsibilities of being a mom, whatever they are, I am ready. I can’t wait to welcome you to the family, my baby! We are all looking forward to seeing you soon! |
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by Peter Banzon
 Pastor Peter Banzon |
A:Halloween is a major holiday that attracts a lot of attention. Malls, restaurants and establishments are filled with Halloween decorations, costumes, and of course… candy. Media gives full coverage to October 31. Where did Halloween come from? This is what the World Book Encyclopedia has to say on the subject:
Halloween’s beginnings preceded Christ’s birth when the druids, a pagan group of devil-worshipers in what is now Britain and France, observed the end of summerby making human sacrifices to the gods. It was the beginning of the Celtic year. They believed that Samher, the lord of death, sent evil spirits abroad to attack humans, who could escape only by assuming disguises and looking like spirits themselves. The waning of the sun and the approach of dark winter made the evil spirits rejoice and play nasty tricks. Most of our Halloween practices can be traced back to the old pagan rites and superstitions.
Modern day satanists and witches still consider Halloween to be their holiest day. For them it is the ideal time of year to cast spells, see into the future and communicate with the spirits of dead relatives.
The Bible says “... Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” (Ephesians 5:11) Halloween’s tradition and history goes against the Bible and the Christian faith. Halloween emphasizes violence, death, fear, horror and involvement in the occult.
Halloween practices can condition adults and children to be open to occult teachings and practices. How many of us as children and even adults have lined up to buy tickets for Haunted Houses? Inside we were exposed to sadistic, demonic, bloody, violent themes with ghosts, witches, and other evil images. We can only imagine the harmful effects that such exposure can have on children.
What should we parents do about Halloween? Explain to your children why you are not celebrating Halloween any more. But then provide an alternative that will glorify God. The Bible says, “do not be overcome with evil but overcome evil with good.” (Rom 12:21) Why not make it a family night?
- Watch a video that demonstrates God’s power and authority over the powers of darkness. They should know that their God is almighty, that He loves and protects them and that they are part of something much greater than what Halloween represents.
- Invite children in your neighborhood for a Bible story telling time. Show how Jesus overcame death and drives away fear, and the devil.
- If children in your community come treat or tricking, have candies that have gospel pamphlets attached to those candies.
- If you have teenagers, conduct a Bible study concerning God’s view of the occult and its practices. Let’s celebrate Jesus, the Lord of light, life and love!
| Start a Relationship with Christ |
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Admit you have sinned. For all have sinned & fall short of the glory of God. Believe in Jesus. For God so
loved the world that He gave His one & only Son, that whoever believes
in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. Confess and leave your sin behind.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful, and just, and will forgive us
our sins and purify us from all un-righteousness. Continue Growing
in Your Relationship with Christ |
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