 stairways_06November 30th Male Philippines If you understand or if you don't, if you believe or if you doubt, there's a universal justice and the eyes of truth is always watching you
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Fr. Al's Children Foundation, Inc.
For PayPal/Credit Card Donation, Click here.
Fr. Al's Children Foundation, Inc. (FACFI) is a non-stock, non-profit organization duly registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the laws of the Republic of the Philippines. It was established on November 26, 1992 after the demise of Msgr. Aloysius Schwartz, founder of the Sisters of Mary congregation, to assist the charity programs of the Sisters of Mary Boystowns and Girlstowns in the Philippines.
The foundation is a recognized donee institution and certified by the Philippine Council for NGO Certification (PCNC): Certificate No. : 044-2007
Note: PCNC Certificate entitles the donation received by the Foundation for full/limited deduction from the donor's taxable income. VISION
The Foundation envisions itself as the funding arm of the Sisters of Mary in their service to the poorest of the poor Filipino children and a channel wherein concerned people contribute to the upliftment of the lives of the needy and the suffering Filipino people.
MISSION
The Foundation's mission is to establish and maintain a relief organization by means of accepting donations, contributions, bequests and gifts of any kind from local donors for children from the poorest of the poor families in the Philippines by providing them with food, clothing, shelter and education through the Sisters of Mary Boystown and Girlstown Schools.
1. To tap many people who could become potential donors to the foundation through solicitation letters and other ways;
2. To support the majority, if not all, of the basic needs of the poor children through the Sisters of Mary charity programs: food, clothing, academic & technical education.
3. To intercede for the rich to help the poor, for the powerful to assist the helpless, and for the poor to help those who are poorer than themselves.
FACFI is authorized to receive, and accept donations or contributions and gifts of any kind from donors for the benefit of children from the poorest of the poor families in the Philippines through the Sisters of Mary's Boystowns and Girlstowns.
The poor, also, deserves the best education. Help us in fulfilling this goal, deposit your contributions to:
Account Name: Fr. Al's Children Foundation, Inc.
Account Number: UCPB CA 167-000716-1
PNB SILANG CA 665-830129-0
PNB MAND. CA 210-20400002-1
For PayPal/Credit Card Donation, Click here.
Call Us or Visit our office at:
FR. AL'S CHILDREN FOUNDATION, INC.
The funding arm of the Sisters of Mary in the Philippines
The Sisters of Mary Girlstown Complex
Room 102, Fr. Al's Museum & Retreat House
Bo. Biga, Silang, Cavite 4118 Philippines
Tel. Nos. 046-865-3097 / 02-529-8321
Email: faco_al@yahoo.com.ph
Website: www.facfi.org.ph 
The Sisters of Mary Girlstown
Bo. Biga, Silang Cavite
Tel No: (02)529-8321, (046) 865-3097
Fax No: (046) 414-2575
Maximum Capacity: 3,500 high school girls
The Sisters of Mary Boystown
Bo. Adlas, Silang Cavite
Tel No. (02) 529-8318; (046) 865-2546;
Fax No: (046) 865-2830
Maximum Capacity: 2,200 high school boys
The Sisters of Mary Girlstown
J.P. Rizal St., Talisay Cebu City
Tel No. (032) 272-3828
Fax. No. (032) 272-6865
Maximum Capacity: 3,300 high school girls
The Sisters of Mary Boystown
Minglanilla, Cebu
Tel No. (032) 272-8638
Fax No. (032) 272-3686
Maximum Capacity: 2,200 high school boys
   In 1964, Fr. Aloysius Schwartz founded the Sisters of Mary in Busan, Korea to serve the poorest of the poor in the spirit of the Gospel. Adopting the Virgin of the Poor as the group's patroness, the Sisters of Mary fulfill in their own little way the Virgin of the Poor's message of relieving the suffering of the poor by establishing child welfare programs like Boystown and Girlstown Schools, setting up medical service to the sick, and providing shelter for the homeless and handicapped. All charity programs in Korea had been established even before the death of Fr. Al. In Korea the Sisters of Mary take care of the poor from the womb to the tomb. 
THE SISTERS OF MARY BOYSTOWN & GIRLSTOWN
BUSAN, SOUTH KOREA
Date Started: August 15, 1964 |
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| 1. Boystown 1 | 7. Swiss House (for Kindergarten) | | 2. Boystown 2 | 8. Girls Middle School | | 3. Boys Middle School | 9. Girlstown Main Building | | 4. Boys Technical Schoo | 10. Infants' House (old) | | 5. Mercy Hospital | 11. Babies' Home (new) | | 6. Unwed Mother's House |
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THE SISTERS OF MARY BOYSTOWN & GIRLSTOWN
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
Date Started: August 15, 1975 |
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| 1. Elementary School | 5. Doty Memorial Hospital | | 2. Girlstown | 6. Boystown | | 3. Children's Vi | |
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 n 1990, Fr. Al was already afflicted with ALS, yet his deep faith and love of the Lord in the poor gave enormous strength to his ailing body. So, he accepted the invitation of His Excellency, Msgr. Jose Maria Hernandez Gonzalez, bishop of the diocese of Nezahualcoyotl, Mexico in establishing Boystown and Girlstown. In 1998, six years after the death of Fr. Al, Sr. Michaela, the successor of Fr. Al, received an invitation from His Eminence Juan Cardinal Sandoval Iniguez, archbishop of Guadalajara and governor Alberto Cardenas Jimenez to start a Boystown in Guadalajara, Jalisco. Through their generosity, the sisters started their Boystown program on November 15, 1998 in such place. Girlstown accommodates more than 4,000 secondary school and high school students and offers training in the follwing: Culinary Arts, Dressmaking and Embroidery, Computer Prgramming. At this time Boystown can accommodate 2,000 young boys for their secondary school program with specialized training in the following: Carpentry, Restaurant Management, Refrigeration, Automechanics, Electronics, Industrial Electricity, Agro Reforestation, Jewelry, Computer Design and Programming, Accounting. 
VILLA DE LAS NIÑAS (GIRLSTOWN CHALCO, MEXICO) Date Started: October 1991 Capacity: 4,000 girls  There are about 3,800 girls living in Chalco (near Mexico City), and in Guadalajara 2,000 boys.   In 1996 His Excellency Most Reverend Prospero Penados, Archbishop of Guatemala City, and Guatemalan President, Alvaro Arzu, invited the Sisters of Mary to establish similar charity program that they have heard was already existing in Mexico. In 1997 the sisters opened medical and dental clinics equipped with x-ray machines and laboratory apparatus in order to serve the indigent patients. Consultation, laboratory tests, medications and other needs of the patients are given totally free of charge. In 1998 the sisters accepted the first group of students for the newly opened Boystown and Girlstown Complex. Two years after, the boys transferred to a new Boystown Complex in Zona 6. To date(2007) both Boystown and Girlstown can accommodate 1,000 young girls and 1,000 young boys. Girlstown's secondary school offers gratuitously special training for: Dressmaking, Computer Education Culinary Arts, Handicrafts, and Typing. Another year for High School is being offered for Advanced Dressmaking and Fashion Design, and Culinary Arts. Boystown's Secondary School offers gratuitously training in the following skills: Electricity, Welding, Carpentry, Tailoring, Automechanics, Typing, and Computer Education. Another year in High School is being offered for the specialization of the mentioned vocational skills. 
VILLA DE LAS NIÑAS
(GIRLSTOWN GUATEMALA, CA)
Date Started: March 1998
Capacity: 1,000 girls    In the year 2000 His Eminence Jose Cardinal Falcao invited the Sisters of Mary to establish a house in his archdiocese in Brasilia, Brazil. In 2001 the Sisters of Mary accepted the land offered for them in the city of Sta. Maria, Distrito Federal, and the groundbreaking ceremony where the future Clinic will rise follwed. In March 2002 the construction of the 2-storey building was completed, thus the ground floor of the building served as clinic and the second floor was temporarily used as dormitories and classrooms of the newly accepted young girls. The clinic can serve 50-75 patients daily. On October 7, 2003 the newly built 7-storey Girlstown building was blessed. To date, Girlstown provides primary education from grade 5 to 8 to young girls aged 12-18 years old coming from the poor families. It can accept 1000 young girls for its educational program which offers special training in Culinary Arts, Dressmaking, and Computer Education. Recently, on July 1, 2004, the sisters opened a Day Care Center where children agend 3-5 years old are being taken care of the sisters while their mothers are at work. The children arrive at the Complex at 8:00 am and are being fetched by their mothers at 5:00 pm. All benefits given at the Sisters of Mary Boystowns, Girlstowns, Medical Clinics and Hospitals are totally free of charge. 
VILLA DAS CRIANCAS
(GIRLSTOWN BRASILIA, BRAZIL)
Date Started: April 2002
Capacity: 1,000 girls
The Sisters maintain Vila das Crianςas in Santa Maria, Brasilia. This is a home for some 800 girls. The sisters, also, have acquired a place in Sāo Paolo where they will soon establish a charity program to help the poor uplift their lives. IRMÃS DE MARIA – VILLA DAS CRINÇAS  Seven storey Girlstown building with 508 girls today (2007), grade 5 to 7.  The Sisters of Mary starts its operation in the Philippines in 1985 through its founder, the late Msgr. Aloysius Schwartz. The sisters work primarily by establishing Boystowns and Girlstowns that serve as a school and home for deserving students coming from poor families. The sisters take proper care of the indigent youth entrusted to them by giving them free food, clothing, shelter, medical and dental services, and quality high school education.
With complete facilities and highly qualified teachers, each Boystown and Girlstown School aims to achieve excellence in both academic and vocational training. Because these students are living inside the school, additional hours are spent in studying and training. Aside from the required academic subjects in the secondary education, the students are also given additional skills with more than 160 hours of training in each vocational course. With discipline, good working attitude, and love for virtues instilled in the minds of the students, the Sisters of Mary Schools aim to provide graduates fully equipped with knowledge that will lead them to a better life of an ideal Christian. Students at the Girlstown Schools are being trained in the following: dressmaking, industrial sewing machine operation, steno-typing and bookkeeping, electronics, advanced dress making and basic computer systems, call center training and culinary arts. Students at the Boystown Schools are being trained in the following skills: Electricity and Electronics, Machine Shop and Welding, Computer Technology (CADD), Automechanics and Driving, Mechanical Process, Agriculture Technology and Culinary Arts To qualify for the live-in high school offered by the Sisters of Mary, applicant must: a. have completed his/her elementary education;
b. belong to the poorest of the poor family;
c. pass the interview and screening conducted by the Sisters The Sisters of Mary Schools join hands with the industry sectors for the upliftment of our country's economy by providing honest, dynamic and disciplined workers who would be responsible enough to answer the needed workforce in the different industries. 
"Let us serve the Lord with joy…" This passage from the Psalms is the motto of the Sisters of Mary. The Religious Congregation of the Sisters of Mary was founded in Busan, South Korea in 1964 by the Servant of God, Msgr. Aloysius Schwartz. Their apostolate is to serve the poorest of the poor in the name of Christ, inspired by their patroness, the Virgin of the Poor, who appeared in Banneux, Belgium, saying, "… I come to relieve suffering." Strengthened by their love and devotion to Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, they serve and relieve the suffering of Jesus in the poor by establishing Boystowns and Girlstowns to care for and educate the orphans, abandoned and very poor children; charity clinics and hospitals for the sick people; and homes for the homeless elderly and disabled men, women and unwed mothers. The Sisters of Mary can be described as "contemplatives in action." That is, they strive to unite the vocations of Martha and Mary. Their active life of service for the poor is balanced by three hours of daily prayer and contemplation. After approximately four years of formation, the sisters profess the religious vows of poverty, chastity, obedience, and service to the poor. These vows are being renewed each year at the end of the annual retreat. Through the invitation of ecclesial and government authorities, the sisters have expanded from Korea to the Philippines, Mexico, Guatemala and Brazil and currently care for tens of thousands of needy people in these countries. "The harvest indeed is great but the laborers are few….." A lot more poor especially the children and the youth are in need of help… physically and spiritually. Many do not know the way to save their souls, many feel hopeless because nobody leads them the way… and few are those who truly love and serve in the name of Christ. Candidates should be between the ages of 18 and 30; have at least a high school education; be in good health and above all have a sincere desire to serve the poor with the heart, mind and spirit of Christ. (No dowry or entrance fee is required.)
Foundation of the Brothers of Christ
Its founder, Msgr. Aloysius Schwartz planted the seed. This seed sprouted because of his tremendous love for the poor. Thus, the seed germinated and began to grow.
There are two developments with the Brothers of Christ. First the development of the external organization and second the development of internal spirituality of the Order. The external development is the services rendered to the poorest of the poor and the suffering patients in the name of Christ. It is the development through which service can be done systematically, voluntarily, and with responsibility. The development of the internal spirituality is the one through which the spirituality of the Brothers of Christ is established. It is based on the prayer of Jesus. They are to offer an average of three hours of prayer everyday in imitation of Jesus on the cross.
The Beginning of the Brothers of Christ
On May 10, 1981, Msgr. Schwartz planned to start a practical service to the mentally and physically handicapped homeless men at the Kaengsaengwon which was formerly ran by the Seoul City government and was turnover to the Sisters of Mary in January, 1981. Since all the inmates were male, Msgr. Schwartz thought that men were also needed to give them full-time service, that is: 24 hours a day – bathing, feeding, working with them and teaching them skills and spiritual values. The brothers are more appropriate to give these services rather than the religious sisters. Thus, he decided to look for dedicated young men willing to serve these underprivileged, mentally and physically handicapped homeless men.
On June 1, 1982, instead of being merely volunteer workers, these young men began their religious lives. From then on they serve the homeless men without receiving compensation. Members of the community started to live the life of service and prayers according to the rules established by Msgr. Schwartz. They were engaged in the service to the poor like a Good Samaritan and prayed like St. Paul the Apostle.
The Formation of the Brothers with Msgr. Aloysius Schwartz
Msgr. Schwartz gave classes, sermons, monthly recollection and annual retreats to the Brothers and directed them with the assistance of the Sister of Mary. Sister Cecilia Shim was in charge of the Brothers' daily activities and Sr. Scholastica assisted Msgr. Schwartz in the formation of the novices.
It is also required for the Brothers to spend at least 30 minutes in contemplation and visit the Blessed Sacrament; they have to observe an average of three hours of prayer daily which is the source of grace for them to serve more effectively.
As the number of the Brothers was increasing, Brother Joseph Kim was sent to study in the seminary. On November 1, 1991 he was ordained to the priesthood. Meanwhile the Sisters of Mary assisted the Brothers of Christ in their charity works.
Transition Period with Fr. Joseph Kim
In 1992, the Brothers of Christ had prepared themselves to stand by their own. From then on, they became responsible for the management and operation of the institution, as well as their spiritual formation. Three sisters, however, remained to assist them in the kitchen, medical clinic, and office.
Father Joseph Kim had been actively involved in the Sister of Mary's welfare institutions in Seoul and Busan. He celebrated masses, heard the confessions of the sisters, children and adult inmates, and gave monthly recollection to the sisters. On Saturdays, he offered two masses: one at the Kaengsaengwon and the other at Boystown and Girlstown in Seoul. On Saturday evenings, he went down to Busan and offered two Sunday masses in the morning: one for Busan Boystown and Girlstown and at the Kuhoso Sanatorium. Then he returned to Seoul on Sunday afternoon. He was doing this for 16 years. After the Father Founder's death, Fr. Joseph has to preach the sermons for the sisters' annual retreat and renewal of vows in Korea, the Philippines, Mexico, Guatemala, and Brazil.
As of June 1, 1995, Father Joseph Kim became the superior of the Brothers of Christ. He was also appointed director of the institution of the homeless by the board meeting of the Sisters of Mary Corporation.
In 1994, Brother Ignatius Ku was sent to the Sisters of Mary in Chalco, State of Mexico to learn the Spanish language and after a year, he studied in the Late Vocation Seminary at the Diocese of the Texcoco, Mexico City. On August 10, 2003, he was ordained to priesthood by His Excellency Jose Maria Hernandez Gonzales of Nezahualcoyotl, Mexico. He is serving as a chaplain at Boystown and Girlstown in Mexico.
On March 2, 1995, Brother Francisco Chang was sent to study at the Archdiocesan seminary in Seoul City. And on June 20, 2002, he was ordained to priesthood by Bishop Lee Han Taek (Joseph) of the Diocese of Seoul. He served as chaplain for the children of the Pusan Boystown and Girlstown. He hears the confessions of the children, officiates Masses, and gives sermons.
To broaden their knowledge in the welfare services, the Brothers visit other welfare institutions for the homeless people located in the major cities in Korea and some Brothers attended social welfare classes to obtain a social worker license.
The Development of the Brothers of Christ
After three years training of the Brothers directed by Father Haedong Yeo of the Olivetan Benedictine Fathers, the approval of the foundation and constitutions of the Brothers of Christ was granted by Bishop Paul Kim, who was the vicar general and in charge of the religious congregations of the Archdiocese of Seoul, on September 15, 1999, the feast day of our Lady of Sorrows. A thanksgiving Mass was officiated by Bishop Kim himself, in the present of the jubilant Brothers, Sisters and the inmates.
This has encouraged the Brothers of Christ to live their life of prayer and service with more fervor and responsibility. To give a better and more active service to the poor, the Brothers of Christ established a social welfare corporation on November 22, 2000 and the rehabilitation center in Paju, Kyenggido, became operational on November 16, 2001. In the center, the Brothers give physical and spiritual training to the rehabilitated alcoholics and the mentally disturbed to prepare them to be productive and self-reliant when they go back to the society. There are 50 men selected from inmates of the Eunpyongmaul and sent to this Paju Rehabilitation Center. The brothers with the help of social welfare specialists are apply modern methods to rehabilitate those who once have lived on the streets. The training includes group therapy, humanistic education, and social skill and social adjustment training. Five men per month in average from this center return to the society and that number of men from the Eunpyongmaul fill up the vacancy.
As of July 1, 2003, Father Joseph Kim, handed over his directorship of the Eunpyongmaul to Brother Peter Seo, for the purpose of the voluntary and responsible religious life. He is now thoroughly engaged in the training of aspirants and novices.
Future Expansion
The future history of the Brother of Christ will be that of expansion. The tree named the Brothers of Christ has not grown enough to be a big tree, which can provide a place for birds to rest and sing, thus the need to spread it's branches in the Philippines and Mexico.
The Brothers will pursue to attain a full growth in prayer and service following the spirit of the Father-founder. As flowers emit fragrance, the prayer and service of the Brothers of Christ will automatically emit the fragrance of the spirituality. The spirituality of the Brothers is that they don't spare their love and passion but consume them completely. This we can call children's spirituality. It is the spirituality of the moment in which the kingdom of heaven is realized "now" and here". It is the spirituality of the death of the ego, which is to be resurrected in God. It is Christ's history through which the fragrance of the spirituality of the Brothers of Christ is made and spread all over the universe. In this sense, the history of the Brothers of Christ is being recorded vividly not by letters but by their lives.
The history of the Brothers of Christ is rather of spirituality than the history of events. So, those forgotten of unrecorded events have not been deliberately dug up for recording. It is only expected that the authentic character of the history of the Brothers of Christ cannot be described enough by letters but be understood.
PAJU REHABILITATION CENTER 
Paju Rehabilitation Center becomes operational on November 16, 2001. The brothers give physical and spiritual training to the rehabilitated alcoholics and the mentally disturbed to prepare them to be productive and self-reliant when they go back to the society. Also together with the social welfare specialists they are apply modern methods to rehabilitate those who once have lived on the street. Training includes group therapy, humanistic education, and social skills and social adjustment training. Five men per month in average from this center return to the society and that number of men from Eunpyongmaul fill up the vacancy.
EUNPYONGMAUL (Village of Peace and Grace)  Eunpyongmaul (Village of Peace and Grace) has the capacity of 2,000 mentally and physically handicapped homeless men. The brothers give full-time service; that is, 24 hours – bathing, feeding, working with them and teaching them skills and spiritual values.
MUKDANG RETREAT HOUSE
 Mukdang means a place to hear God's sound - The people come and make their retreat and spend their time in deep prayer and meditation. The Brothers of Christ community headed by Rev. Fr. Joseph Kim BC, who is the general superior of the Brothers of Christ, conducts and organizes the activities and gives spiritual guidance.
GREEN GRASS OF HOME  Green Grass of Home is a charity institution that will give vocation welfare for the out of school youth boys, the Brothers will guide and teach them, also to teach spiritual values to prepare and mold them to be the hope of the society.
SHARING CHRIST HOME
 
A home where the Brothers shares Christ's love for the mentally challenged elderly men, to let them feel the love of Christ the Brothers serve them and take care of them unselfishly. 
LOS HERMANOS de CRISTO (Villa de Gracia AC)  Villa de Gracia (Village of Grace) Guadalajara Mexico, the Brothers of Christ provides free shelter for the homeless elderly men, giving them medical assistance and teach them spiritual values.
Copyright © 2009 • The Brothers of Christ of Banneux, Inc.
Km. 47 Trece-Indang Road Brgy. Luciano Trece Martirez Ciy, Cavite Philippines
(T): (046)686.35.89, 0919.815.49.47 • Bro. Matthew: 0929.731.09.32
Email: brothers_phils@yahoo.com.ph • www.brothersofchrist.org.ph
 Msgr. Aloysius Schwartz was born in Washington D.C. on September 18, 1930. He grew up with the idea of becoming a secular priest, work as a missionary and his apostolate would be to the poor. In 1944, he entered St. Charles Seminary in Maryland, finished his B.A. Degree at Maryknoll College and studied his Theology at Louvain Catholic University in Belgium.
He used to spend his vacation helping at the rag-pickers' camps for the derelicts of the French society. Visiting Banneux, where the Virgin of the Poor appeared, he was more inspired to dedicate his priesthood to the service of the poor in fulfillment of her message.
He was ordained as a diocesan priest on June 29, 1957. He founded the Religious Congregation of the Sisters of Mary to serve the poorest of the poor on August 15, 1964 and the Brothers of Christ on May 10, 1981. He established Boystowns and Girlstowns to take care, educate and give a bright future to the orphans, abandoned and children coming from very poor families. He also built hospitals and sanitoriums for very indigent patients; hospices for the homeless, handicapped elderly men, retarded children, and for unwed mothers. He was also involved in the pro-life activities.
In 1985, he started his charity programs in the Philippines. In 1989, he was diagnosed to have a terminal illness - Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), which he accepted with joy and serenity as a gift from God. In spite of his deteriorating health, he established Boystown and Girlstown in Mexico.
With humility, courage, and unwavering faith, he suffered and accepted a lot of humiliations, criticisms, trials, pains, and difficulties, just to e able to serve and love God through the poor. His illness made him immobile but still even on a wheelchair, he continued to fulfill his duties with joy. He spent hours before the Blessed Sacrament, praying the rosary, hearing confessions, and heroically preaching in words and examples the virtues of truth, justice, chastity, charity and humility. His love for God and the poor consumed him. He did not only help the poor but he also lived poorly.
On March 16, 1992, he breathed his last at the Girlstown in Manila and he was buried at the Boystown in Cavite, Philippines.
The Sisters of Mary and the Brothers of Christ, continue to live his charism of serving gratuitously tens of thousands of the poorest of the poor in Korea, Philippines, Mexico, Guatemala and Brazil. | Father Al's Biographical Timeline | Born September 18, 1930, Washington, D.C. His parents: Louis F. Schwartz and Cedelia A. Bourassa. 1936 - 1944--Holy Name Elementary School in Washington, D.C. 1944 - 1948--St. Charles Minor Seminary in Catonsville, Maryland. 1948 - 1952--Maryknoll College, B.A. Degree, Lakewood, New Jersey and Glen Ellen, Illinois. 1953 - 1957--Theology Degree, Louvain University, Belgium. June 29, 1957--Ordination to the Priesthood in St. Martin's Church, Washington, D.C. Bishop McNamara, Auxiliary Bishop of Washington. December 8, 1957--Arrived in Korea; Incardinated in the Diocese of Busan, Korea. January 20, 1958--Afflicted with hepatitis; returned to U.S. for recuperation. 1959 - 1961--Toured U.S. and Europe with Korean Bishop to raise money for the missions. March 1961--Established Korean Relief, Inc., fundraising Operation in Washington, D.C. December 1961-- Returned to Korea to begin again his Missionary Work. June 1962--Appointed Pastor of Song-do Parish in Busan, Korea. 1963 - 1969--Initiated Operation Hanky Self-help Embroidery Program in Busan, Korea which employed 3,000 slum dwellers. August 15, 1964--Founded the Sisters of Mary in Busan, Korea, (Originally called the Mariahwe Sisters, a Religious group now numbering 300 Sisters working in Korea, the Philippines, Mexico, Guatemala and Brazil.) August 15, 1964--Started family-unit orphan program in Busan, Korea; accepted first group of orphans. September 1966--Opened first dispensary in slums in Amni-Dong in Busan, Korea. January 1967--Opened two more slum dispensaries in Anam-Dong and Bosudong in Busan, Korea. October, 1967--Resigned as pastor to work full time with Orphan Program. December, 1968--Built Amni-Dong Free Middle School for children in Busan, Korea. July 1969--Took over operation of Kuhoso Sanatorium in Busan, Korea now serving 75 TB patients. October 1969--Built Amnamdong School in Busan, Korea; intended to be a middle school for boys in Busan and became first Boystown Program. April 10, 1970--Accepted 300 vagrant boys and greatly expanded Boystown program. October 25, 1970--Built Sisters of Mary Mercy Hospital in Busan, Korea; 120-bed full-service hospital totally free for the poor. 1972 - 1976--Built Elementary School, Middle School, Technical High School in Busan, Korea. (All future BoystownGirlstown Programs would include a fully-accredited school program.) January 1, 1975--Inauguration of the Boystown Program in Seoul, Korea. July 1978--Inauguration of the Girlstown Program in Busan, Korea. (The BoystownGirlstown Programs in Korea at full capacity serves 3,000 orphans.) January 6, 1981--Began program for 400 severely retarded children in Seoul, Korea. January 6, 1981--Took over care of 1,800 destitute and homeless men from the City of Seoul, Korea. May 10, 1981--Founded the Society of the Brothers of Christ Religious Order who care for the homeless men in Seoul, Korea. June 29, 1982--Built second Sisters of Mary Doty Memorial Hospital in Seoul, Korea; 120 bed full-service hospital totally free for the poor. June 29, 1982--25th Anniversary of Fr. Al's Ordination to Priesthood. February 12, 1985--Arrived in Manila at invitation of Jamie Cardinal Sin to begin BoystownGirlstown Program in Manila, Philippines. 1985 to 1992--Began Medical Program for 2,000 destitute tuberculosis patients in Manila, Philippines; Sisters of Mary operated the Charity Pavilion at Quezon Institute until the facility was closed by the government. August 15, 1986--Inauguration of the GirlstownBoystown Program in Manila, Philippines; at full capacity serves 3,500 children. October, 1989--Diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease). February 1, 1990--Elevated to Right Reverend Monsignor; Investiture ceremony in Manila, Philippines. August 23, 1990--Inauguration of the Girlstown Program, Talisay in Cebu, Philippines; at full capacity serves 3,000 girls. September 12, 1990--Sisters of Mary arrived in Mexico to begin BoystownGirlstown Program in Chalco, Mexico. October 1, 1990--Father Al Celebrated 60th birthday in Busan, Korea; 1,000 graduates returned for celebration. July 23, 1991--Inauguration of the Boystown Program in Silang, Cavite, Philippines; at full capacity serves 3,000 boys. October 7, 1991--Inauguration of the BoystownGirlstown Program in Chalco, Mexico; at full capacity serves 3,000 youngsters. March 16, 1992--Father Aloysius Schwartz died from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease), Manila, Philippines, a few hours after naming Sister Michaela Kim of the Sisters of Mary as his successor.
Father Al's " Poor House"
 Father Al moved into his "Poorhouse" in 1961, to give the Benedictine Sisters a place to stay in the parish rectory. A miniature representation of the poorhouse is on exhibit in the Father Al museum. Fr. Al stayed in his poorhouse until 1965, when he left the Parish of Song-do in Busan and moved to another location, where he set up the headquarters of the "Mariahwe" Sisters and his Child Welfare Program. Father Al recalled: "While living in the shack I wrote my first book, "The Starved and the Silent," concerning the poor in Korea and the poverty of Christ. Also, I founded the Sisters of Mary and started my apostolate to the poor. This shack-living certainly was not essential to these programs, but I felt it was quite helpful." "All in all, I consider my years in the poorhouse as one of light and grace. And I look back upon this period of time with gratitude and nostalgia." Here is Father Al's first hand account of his years in his poorhouse. You may ask what helped me relate to the poor. As I mentioned previously, I was named pastor of Song-do Parish in Pusan. In the spring of that year, I moved out of the Bishop's house where I was staying to take up my duties as a parish priest. At first I lived in a small Korean cottage, which was part of the parish plant. After considerable effort and using the good offices of Bishop Choi, I prevailed upon some Korean Benedictine Sisters to come live and work in the parish. Korean Sisters are a great asset to any parish in Korea. They conduct catechetical classes, work with the children, do home visitations, help with the liturgy, and assist the Pastor in many other ways. Their presence heightens the spiritual tone of the parish and very often means the difference between a parish which is alive and dynamic and one which is dying. I was delighted that three Sisters were coming, but there was one problem. There was no place for them to live. I could have built a convent on a small piece of ground adjacent to the Church, but this would take time. Since the demand for Sisters at that time was very great and the supply was very short, I felt that any delay in establishing the presence of the Sisters in the parish might result in losing them. At that time there was a Korean squatter family living in a shack which they had built on church property. The shack was a non-descriptive hovel with a tarpaper roof and mud walls, similar to what other people in the parish were living in. I offered this squatter family a sum of money to purchase or rent shelter elsewhere, and prevailed upon them to move out. My idea was to fix up the shanty in which they were living and use it as a temporary rectory. After the premises were vacated, I went to inspect my future dwelling with my parish assistant, Damiano. The place looked very uninviting and I wasn't sure whether it was livable or not. I turned to Damiano and asked what he thought. His reply was simply, "Sure, Father, with determination you can do it." That simple remark was decisive and I decided, under the circumstances, to give it a try. When people in the parish got wind of what I was going to do, they reacted with horror. The fact that the shack differed very little from the houses in which many of them were dwelling seemed to make no difference. They uttered dire predictions, which had a somewhat unsettling effect on me. They predicted that if I didn't die of tuberculosis, I would be eaten alive by the rats and bugs, and if sickness and rodents didn't do me in, then robbers, who would assault the place at night and smash my head, would finish the job. Frankly, what worried me more than the tuberculosis, rats and armed robbers was the simple fear of making a fool of myself. But the words of my faithful servant, Damiano, "With determination, you can do it" urged me on. Of course, what I might term "determination" another would call "bullheadedness," but that's another matter. I fixed up the shack as best I could and move in. It worked, but just barely. I encountered a number of difficulties. First was the smell, a rich, earthy, overpowering smell, composed of human excrement, dead animals, garbage, bugs and dirt. At first, the smell was so awful I had trouble sleeping at night. But I kept shifting my sleeping bag about the house until I eventually found a corner where the air was somewhat breathable. Then I made a determined assault to extricate the cause of the odor. I discovered one or two dead rodents in the walls, and using some chemicals eventually changed the odorous aspect of the parish house. Also, I am sure that unconsciously my sensitive American nose became desensitized with time, and although the smell lingered on, my reaction to it diminished. The smell from the dead rats was one problem. The noise at night from the live rats which scurried about in the space between the roof and the ceiling was another problem. Rats are real swingers, and every night when I lay down to sleep, they would come alive and start a disco dance just over my head. Before crawling into my bed at night, I would position a broom alongside me. When the rats got too exuberant, I would hit the ceiling with a broom. This would startle them into immobility for a period of time. I waged constant warfare with the rats and although at times I seemed to be winning, I guess the final result would best be termed a "stand-off." Another problem was the cold. During winter months cold, icy wind would find its way through many cracks, holes and crevices and at times, heating the place properly became something of a problem. The shack was heated by yonthen coal, as are most homes in Korea. Yonthen coal briquettes are made of compressed coal dust and clay. They heat the floor from below and this works pretty good except they give off a deadly, odorless carbon monoxide gas which every year claims many lives in Korea. While living in my "poorhouse," on two or three occasions when the floor cracked, or at night when the air was laden and heavy and prevented the smoke from exiting property, the cottage became filled with yonthen fumes. Several times, I remember stumbling out the front door semi-conscious and reeling as a drunkard leaving a tavern at night. After awhile, I considered the yonthen too dangerous and eventually installed a small diesel-burning space heater. One night I woke up to find my shack on fire as a result of the diesel fuel leaking, but the fire was quickly put out and there was very little damage. A final problem, which is in a category by itself, was the problem of the outhouse. The outhouse was located about 20 feet from the front door. I grew rather fond of it over the years. It was a little smaller than a telephone booth and consisted of a leaky roof, four walls made out of planks, and, of course, the strategic hole in the middle of a shaky wooden floor. I have a clear recollection of days when a trip to the outhouse required uncommon courage. It was the rainy season, the wind was blowing, the rain was coming down in sheets, it was cold. An umbrella was useless because of the strong wind, so I would simply fling open the front door, dash 25 feet across the muddy yard, shoot into the outhouse, and position myself. So far, so good. Then as the rain was leaking on my head and I was wondering whether the planks would resist the wind, I glanced down at the spot where a roll of toilet paper should have been. It was gone. The mysterious "toilet-paper-snatcher" had struck again. This was the final blow. <
Posted at 01:34 pm by stairways_06
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I was born in the land of the sun
And the tall green grass
And I don't understand
How all this has come to pass
How we've come to surround ourselves
In a sea of thieves
In a land without learning
Only the fools believe
I went driving last night
On a dark canyon road
Had the sky to myself
But I wasn't alone
Had the pain of my lifetime
For my company
How did it end up like this
For you and me
As I open my eyes to one more day
The wind burns my face
As it whispers your name
As it's pulling me forward
It tears me free
And the only thing left
Is the tears for you and me
'Cause when love breaks the promise
The heart has to keep
It leaves only truth here to find
When the spirit is crushed
And hurt is so deep
Between you and I
Even when love has come and gone
And our hearts have moved along
I will remember
There was a time we had the trust
And that always was enough
I will remember
Even when love has come and gone
And our hearts have moved along
I will remember
There was a time we had the trust
And that always was enough
I will remember.....
I will remember you
Posted at 10:09 pm by stairways_06
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Once upon a time, there was a guy who was very much in love with this
girl. This romantic guy folded 1,000 pieces of papercranes as a gift to
his girl. Although, at that time he was just a small executive in his
company, his future doesn't seemed too bright, they were very happy
together. Until one day, his girl told him she was going to Paris and
will never come back. She also told him that she cannot visualise any
future for the both of them, so let's go their own ways there and
then... heartbroken, the guy agreed.
When he regained his
confidence, he worked hard day and night, slogging his body and mind
just to make something out of himself. Finally with all these hardwork
and with the help of friends, this guy had set up his own company...
"You never fail until you stop trying." he always told himself. "I must make it in life!"
One
rainy day, while this guy was driving, he saw an elderly couple sharing
an umbrella in the rain walking to some destination. Even with the
umbrella, they were still drenched. It didn't take him long to realise
those were his ex-girlfriend's parents. With a heart in getting back at
them, he drove slowly beside the couple, wanting them to spot him in
his luxury sedan. He wanted them to know that he wasn't the same
anymore, he had his own company, car, condo, etc. He had made it in
life!
Before the guy can realise, the couple was walking towards
a cemetary,and he got out of his car and followed them...and he saw his
ex-girlfriend, a photograph of her smiling sweetly as ever at him from
her tombstone... and he saw his precious papercranes in a bottle placed
beside her tomb.
Her parents saw him. He walked over and asked
them why this had happened. They explained, she did not leave for
France at all. She was stricken ill with cancer. In her heart, she had
believed that he will make it someday, but she did not want her illness
to be his obstacle ... therefore she had chosen to leave him.
She
had wanted her parents to put his papercranes beside her, because, if
the day comes when fate brings him to her again he can take some of
those back with him. The guy just wept ...
The worst way to miss someone is to be sitting right beside them but knowing you can't have them and will never see them again
Posted at 10:51 am by stairways_06
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 I was a bit bothered yesterday while pretending to be so busy at work. Before the clock ticked 0230 in the afternoon I was already in front of the clock terminal waiting for the final swing of the dials that will signal a GO to clock out. And as usual, as this past few days amazed me since I've been pumping the wheel of my bike before i head for work and after work for ages eventhough I had already changed the "interior" twice, but now it still looks fine..awesome. Parang magulo ata isip ko ah...hmmmm... well, lets go straight to the point. We had this tiny bump on the driveway inside the company and while I was on my way home yesterday, and with my stupid efforts to avoid the tiny bump i swerve further left bringing myself closer to the fence. And for no reason, in that short span of time, I lost control of my finger and reflexes because i knew that i would be hiting the wall but due to unexplained circumstances, though my two fingers each are pressing the wheel brakes but none of them seemed to follow what I've wanted them to do. I was brought back to the real world when I was thrusted in-front of the bike when the inirtia pushed me afront. Layo parin ako sa topic ah..... I felt like I'm disoriented kasi eh... well, after that mere accident with my bike. I received a txt message from my sister in Davao saying that a relative (cousin of my father) died due to heart-attack, the second txt message was also a death note saying (the half-brother of my late lolo) died. I wasn't a bit worried because for me...passing shouldn't be viewed as tragic in one's life rather a celebration for their transition between this (masalimuot na mundo) and the promised paradise and they will be seeing the master of all creation. The God of Gods and the King of Kings. Thus, they should be envied afterall. For they will soon be living without sufferings and pain, with great love and care in eternity. The third death note I received yesterday was from a friend. My kumpare died from bike accident. I was a bit shocked this time for it was a cruel way of passing though it wasn't his intention probably to die in such manner. I simply can't forget him because he's the first person who branded me "MASTER" in my previous company which eventually lead to the confusions of the manager that we may be organizing a fraternity inside with "ME" as the leader. It wasn't just right for a friend to die two months later after being sent home from abroad (nakabulilyaso kasi sa work). I actually posted as "HIM" and took an ATO (aircraft technician) licensing exam replacing the foto on his ID with mine.hhehehe (he had failed twice na ata kasi) and he was the second person I had posted as "ME" in those exams.hahaha...nakalusot ako twice... The one thing that puzzled me today was none of those later mentioned above but how on earth 3 persons be it a friend or relatives passed away 3 in a row.
Posted at 01:05 pm by stairways_06
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Scared - later laughing behind their back
 This is only 3 of the more than 20's accelerometer connectors i've done in an aircraft i've been doing eversince i went here in Marshall aeorospace. This was an instrument (accelerometer) for measuring acceleration, as of an aircraft or guided missiles. While I was doing different thing in the morning at an aircraft over-wing, I saw this 2 french guy and my technicians having some conversation and it came to the point that they dismantle the connectors i've terminated few months ago. I was nervous thinking that something's might be wrong with how and the way i terminated it. I was really preoccupied that i glanced at them everynow and then. Moments later the guys where now checking the connections from the tail of the aircraft to the inside of the fuselage sections where the computers linking the accelerometers where located. In the afternoon while I found out that 13 wires were still missing into the sensors around the wing and I basically told the technician at the office about it, and the other guy suddenly ask me if I really was the one who made-off those connectors of the accelerometers which i eventually said YES! It was then that I found out they thought I made it off wrongly. They thought I crimped the terminals poorly and connected the wires wrongly. It was so embarassing although they said it was just alright but everybody were talking about it, and the manager was around asking me if I'm the one who did it. The other techinician ask me to check the connections at the other side of the plane which I found out later OK! and when I double checked the other connections which they previously thought and found faulty - it was alright as well!!! HOLY CRAP.. Then one of the technician showed me why they thought my connections were wrong and I was dumbfounded because I can't believe myself to commit such a terrible more than 20's mistakes in one go. I did my own investigation few minutes later why in the first place I connected it that way, that connection which is wrong on their perceptions. And to my dismay ---All of them were totally wrong and I was right afterall. I made my first explanation and my technician consulated the accelerometer technical representatives. When my technician came back he said I was still wrong from the very beginning!!! It was then that i showed him how they got it all wrong because what i had terminated was a female connector and what they have in hand was a male connector and they in the first place did not realized that there was a male connector. Although they had the drawings and manuals at hand but they failed to recognized the exact and actual connector and besides they failed to read the signs that guided me how to do it right eventhough I dont have the manuals when I terminated it...... Guess what?...later on I was laughing behind their backs......and im so thankful because though I know I'm not perfect but thankfully my instinct still functions very well..tenk u PO! hope you'll still stay with me always my BEST FRIEND...
Posted at 11:28 am by stairways_06
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if fate wouldn't be too kind enough...i know i can still wait for you somewhere else....someplace where you will no longer hesitate about my intention, someplace where there will be no "HOW" and "WHAT IF's" , not today, not tomorrow, and if not even in the near future.... may be at life after death.. do you believe in reincarnations? me, i dunnno, but if there is really such a reincarnation thing......in my next life, I wanted to be a bird. where i can freely glide smoothly between winds beneath my wings, soar freely to an unimaginable heights and swiftly strike freely a moving target beneath whenever i wanted, but the good thing in life we had right now is that if i'm just a reincarnation of whatever i was before, GOD didn't made me into a bird otherwise it would have been impossible for Ms. Felicita Galman Bartolome to be courted by Mario in a form of a bird.
I just want to say thank you so much honey for saving for me, for sharing with me a portion of your heart though it's not as big as the space I prepared for you here in my heart yet you don't know how it does made a big difference in my life. I do hope that our stay on each other's heart isn't just in a fleeting moments but lasting and till eternity. I Love You HON...
Posted at 10:44 am by stairways_06
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Letter from a lowly heart
I hope this will be the exit from the gloomy and hollow
years I've spent and I had while traveling down this long and winding journey of
uncertainties. The release from the enclosing nightmare that I may just one day
fall on a wrong woman and not the lady in dreams I had ever since been drawing
out bit by bit, through the years. As jig saw puzzle come alive. Though I don’t
know who she was? What she would be like in the near future. I never did honestly
entertain the possibility that I would on that fateful day find you at ASMSI.
And deep in my heart right then I knew that you’re all I ever wanted. The
master piece lady in dreams, come fully alive.
And I was hoping that you can save a little space in the
heart of your heart, a place wherein my love may reside and never forsake us as
we both struggle through hardships, through trials that may shake the very foundation
of this love I am trying to nurture and grow. This very same love will be your
shield and armor not to suffocate you (as love sometimes tend to build walls)
but to protect you from any danger along your way. But will you give my love a
try?
I am hopeful that you’re willing to take the risk of riding
the same boat with me and experience together how rough and bumpy the rides may
be. I know, as long as we‘re rowing n’sync and smoothly I believe we will
surely succeed and reached the farthest distance wherever life may wants us to
carry. Although sometimes while the tides are high, HEAVENS may pour an endless
rain that may left us in awe and disbelief of all the misfortunes. But rains
sometimes purposely passes and go to wash our tears so we can have a fresh and
have a beginnings anew. Thus, I can’t surely promise you heaven and eternity
because being human and mortal, I only have this love of mine to offer you.
This love, my love will always be on its way and it’s up to you to decide
whether to let it stray outside or open up the door gently for me; Row the same
boat with me or leave me wander alone in the vastness of an open sea. Because I
know this time will be a new season. A season of wiping tears shed for years
from failing remarks. A season to leave all the dreaming far behind because you
are here now and I believe if given a chance, we can together make everything
all right. I’m very much willing to carry you through the shore line; I would
be very grateful to walk you across the water; I’m very much willing to believe
in your strength and understand your weaknesses as I am hoping you would do the
same for me. Because life is a constant struggle and there’s nothing really
permanent in this world but change. Thus, if left unwanted, even love, I
believe tend to change itself over time. I love you so much HON! I hope you’ll
consider having me in your lifetime and not only for today and tomorrow. But
even at life after death. I LOVE YOU…
Posted at 02:22 pm by stairways_06
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A Love Letter for msbartolome
 I think I'll be running out of words and vocabularies that would best
describe this unseen feelings and emotions I had. You could have
already said "YES!" if only I was around there in the Philippines.
That's what you've said. Yet, on the other hand you said you can't say
you love me as well because we still haven't met personally in the
first place, right? Yeah, although I've never seen you and I've heard
your voices just once but even before hearing your sweet sounding
voices I still had gladly exclaimed that I'm really in real love with
you. This what differs us from each other. Meaning, because I'm loving
with all the consequences however painful they may be and however ugly
they may sound in reality. I knew it. Because I had never been
misguided ever since by what my emotions and my instinct dictates. I
had never been dismayed by the choices I've made however quick and fast
the picking process because I've known ever since that the moment I've
chosen something or someone they had, and they possessed the best
qualities envied by most. They had these qualities so outstanding that
it made me into this fool of a person, this crazy of a lover. While
you, I don't really have any slightest idea what your requirements are,
how you size and measure the personalities of the person you've wanted
to be with for the rest of your life. Of course, I know, it wasn't
always that easy on your part as much as it wasn't that easy for me to
have waited and found you lately after all this time. For I had waited
a hell of years before I found you, before fate allowed me to
crossed-path with you. I've waited almost half of my entire lifetime
for this one real love and I'm thankful that I had waited patiently
enough otherwise I would be spending the rest of my life regretting to
see you, contemplating why I hadn't waited long enough for you. But as
fate had it. He was too generous for leading us into this same journey
of trials and difficulties while we're still both available. Because
life wouldn't be that easy and fate probably wanted us to go through
this journey successfully, hand in hand. Taking turns of carrying one
another through our life cycle of up's and down's. Because we can never
make it happily alone. Although we may stumble together along the way
as there has really no perfect trails in reality but at least we have
each other's shoulder to lean on. For today you may be headstrong but
as you fumble along the way, I wanted to be that special someone who
will pick you up and help you make it through wherever you wanted to
go. I wanted to be that special someone who will give you comfort and
dry the tears on your cheek when you're weary and crying. I can be your
shelter from a cold stormy weather to a piercing, burning summer heat.
I wanted to try to offer you anything possible under this heavily laden
sphere as long as you wanted me to. But if you think my love offerings
weren't that good enough for you and decided later on to move along in
search for someone else who could ease your obstacles. I will still be
there for you, lurking in a distance no matter what, watching you and
if possible guide you on a high-rise hindrances so you can move
swiftly on your own again. However painful it may be if you're with someone else. Yes! I can surely wait! but gladly if you can promise me not in vain and not in bed of nails.
Posted at 12:37 pm by stairways_06
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Dedication to my long lost best buddy ever
 Allow me to call her Nyah. She's a very good girl, a kind her family must be and will be proud of someday. At first, I've never really noticed her, but as the days cycled unto years, we became close. We've even shared few secrets, hopes, and dreams but neither of us foreseen a darker horizon looming ahead of us. I thought she was an angel sent from above to teach us mortal how to love, an angel that might save me from my vanity. She taught me patience, perseverance and how to lower my guard. We often had a misunderstanding and neither of us thought our fight would go these far...
She used to be my everything and I lost her the way no one would ever dare to experience losing. I've cheated death not once but twice not because of hating her but because of hating myself so much. I can still remember her clearly as I am writing this now....She cried and scream in a way that cut's me through the soul for it was a woman's scream of fear and heart breaking despair. The late revenge and anger I felt subsided unto pity and I've realized for the first time how delicate, how fragile creature a woman is. I had my lessons learned. And made a promise never to hurt anyone, any woman at all cost, again.
The moment of bliss I've dreamed vanished like fart in the air and the best-friend I thought for life was until as of this moment, an enemy, 8 years after. with my whole life's changed. I talked back to those who talked to me, smiled, but watching my eyes....impossible to do a disguise-saddest they had been in a long time coz she now hates me so much. And I don't bother now looking into her eyes....I'm afraid if I'll do, I'll just blow my brains off. I hate looking into those eyes...they were the kind of eyes that peered right into my soul, with strong conviction telling me of who I am-That I am a man of faults and defects where reform is unwitting. I am just a human after all, born to commit mistakes and sin again and again.Is she capable of pity and forgiveness? She herself was confused of it either. And as for me. To die forgiven? a hard luck I guess.
I used to cry a lot – for a reason I myself can't comprehend. I used to sobs over my pillows from dusk till dawn asking God why not take the life given to me instead….all fell on deaf ears. It started with a little misunderstanding. I prayed for everything to be normal again while God's answer did not reveal itself sugar coated. It came right between the eye and stub through the heart and I lost her – it escalated into my life struggle to survive within an uninviting society. I was hated, yet I hang on hoping and staring at the sun every morning I woke up and prayed to make it through, until the day she learned the art of forgiving. I've done my part… I took all her beatings later on and on with remorse hoping that she would again recognize our kindred spirits….yet to no avail. While the red sunset from the west had thickened unto purples-things really have changed. And the brighter horizons and luminous stars after the storms reduced into myths and heresies. Sounds that cuts across the silence became my music and sobs and "what if's" became my lullabies. Enigma, Mohicans, Quipukamak became my artist. Does some things in this world really meant to be left as it is? Why sets a limitations and standard with the matters of the heart? Why some argued that I've loved her the way I shouldn't be when I've told them otherwise? Is it always a fact that a human actions speak louder than words or sometimes a vagary?
Posted at 12:09 am by stairways_06
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A Love Letter for msbartolome  Honestly, I was convincing and trying myself not to think of you today, because if as what I usually did I would just end up daydreaming for the rest of my day. But sadly, with aircraft's manual and wiring diagram now laid down before me, I still ended up writing this piece of note to let you know how much I really care for you and that in everything I did for these past few days and for everything I'm about to do....you're still the one who had and who will occupy my mind every now and then. I simply can't help neglecting the thought that I have these feelings, these very special emotions that in the coming days or years I simply don't want to be wasted. To be wasted because I didn't have enough courage to tame every-inch of your belief. To be wasted because I failed to extract the magic words that would in response had have sent you lovingly shouts "YES!" Oh yes! I'm probably stupid falling in love with a girl I've never met and had never known ever since. What a crazy feeling is this? How did I fell in love with a girl I've only known through her write-ups and fading images? You know, it's totally beyond explanation perhaps, for I myself don't understand it either. And if I ended up mocked by whomever, "You shut up!" I'm just in real love would always be my response. Because it would be unfair if someone argued about one's feeling and emotions because I surely have known better my very own feelings and emotions than anyone else. This is my own heart and mine alone. No one can tell what I am feeling isn't for real but I. Nobody might had even portrayed how important you are to someone's life at this very moment (except your families) but me. You were sooo very important to me but I cant simply find the exact words to justify that what I' saying weren't due to insanity - infact I had the exact counts of screws in my head, and my systems are functioning well except for this "Heart". If it was only possible for human not to have a heart to be free from all these unfathomable emotions often misunderstood as craving insanity, as autism desires. I would have opted one. Because I don't want to be misunderstood as someone playing marbles with a woman's heart and ended up bruising each marbles or hearts in the long run. To be honest with you and to myself, what I'm feeling right now is totally different from the love at first sight thing I once had. Yes! very different because the first time I saw you I thought you belong and you were one of those persons perceived by most as "pangarap na lamang". My first impression is that I'm a way too far from your standards and qualifications thus I hesitated and tucked myself in silence. My first mail wasn't intended to ignite my hidden admirations but it was only out of kindness and pity because you've posted one message at newbies corner only and nothing else. My only intention was to make you feel at home and stay because I would surely love it to see you here always. And the key that triggered everything was your replies and if I didn't grabbed that once in a lifetime opportunity I would have gone mad this time. But the challenges didn't stop right there and then. For it has always been a part of our everyday living and only the degree differs to some extent. Others struggled to survive a meal while I myself struggled to convince you that what I had is purest intentions. I had summoned every brand of pen at the malls including calligraphy last holiday season hoping that each of them were capable of extracting the magic word I've been longing for. But now I ended up relying on how I really felt hoping that my breast will open and a "hand-heart" holding a magical pen will emerge writing down itself everything, every single emotions I can express and every love definitions I might had forgotten. But with all our human limitations I can only manage to tell and express what ever crosses my mind when I'm with this mighty pen and translucent paper. It's real love! I'm sure of it. But I'm been wondering how this "love" will ever move mountains to show you it's authenticity. Does love really move mountains? that's at least what they said. But literary speaking this love I'm feeling right now can't even move this thin sheet of paper, so does love really move mountains? Or does this mean I'm totally hopeless if my love can't move this thin sheet? I don't get it myself thus, the convincing part really had as always been the challenge. Now, you can call me whatever you wanted! crazy, insane, autistic. All I know is that deep down inside I'm just madly, deeply in love with you. Hope, the best of things? Yes perhaps! unless we ended up hoping for the remainder of our stay here in this labyrinth universe. Waiting? Yes I can surely wait though sometimes time can draw out like a blade. Because not all fantasies had a happy ending. When the reality strikes in the end that you had just waited for nothing, the lengthy process you've spent waiting will cut you into pieces thus hurting your every inch like a blade. When I was a boy before SOM, I used to imagined and dreamed of beautiful grill-walled houses only exist in my fantasies. But as a product of an innocent young mind imaginings, surprisingly there was no woman in that dream. Pero ngaun...ikaw nlng nakikita ko parati sa panaginip na un.
Posted at 11:07 am by stairways_06
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