ayaw ko ng ganito. isang linggo ang nakaraan ng pakiramdam ko wala akong nagawang maganda. at ngayon, eto na anman ako, eto na naman ang unang araw sa isang linggo. sana naman may mangyaring maganda, may himalang nangyari sa buhay ko. mnsan naiisip ko tuloy na sana lumubog nalang ako bigla para mawala na ako dito sa mundo, pero bakit ganun? bakit ganito? nandidito pa din ako sa lugar na ito. paalam!! parati kong gustong sabihin ang salitang yan, pero bakit hanggang ngayon ay nandito pa din ako. sana ako na ang susunod na aalis. sana ako na ang susunod na mawawala para masabi ko na talaga ang salitang paala.
Ibang klase ang ginagawa ng Lord sa buhay ng mga kabataan sa Agoncillo. Kakaiba talaga Siya..Hindi ko alam kung bakit ganun nalang ang pagkilos Niya sa amin gayong alam namin sa sarili ng bawat isa ay puro masasama at kasalanan ang nagagawa namin. Ngunit kapag tinignan niyo kami ngayon, ibang iba,, makikita mo ang pagbabagong ginagawa ng Panginoon,, hindi na kami katulad ng dati,, masaya,,masaya ang buhay kapag nasa Kanya ka. I can’t help but falling inlove with Him, the author of my life,, the creator of all things,, He is all in all,, He is the lover of my soul,. Im proud that I can stand in front of the people and share His goodness,, mahirap sa una,, ngunit gagawin mo talaga dahil tinawag ka Niya.. Im proud to say that Im His daughter, im proud to say that I serve the Master of all the masters.. Salamat salamat at salamat ang aking masasabi,, dahil nagsing isa ako sa mga tao na pinili ng Panginoon. <’,)))<
Hindi ko alam kung anong ispirito mayroon ang librong Jesus Freak. Habang binabasa ko ang mga istorya na nakasulat dito ay nararamdaman ko ang paghihirap nila sa loob ng kulungan, ang kaligayahan na kasama ang Panginoon, at kung gaano naging mabuti ang Panginoon sa buhay nila. Ang pagmamahal at kagustuhan na makakilala din ang mga nagpapahirap sa kanila at ang pagmamahal sa Pangoon ang nagpapalakas sa kanila. Minsan habang binabasa ko ang istorya ng dalawang magkaibigan na sina Maria at Varia. Naisip ko na ang paglilingkod na ginagawa ko ngayon ay hindi sapat para bigyan ng kaluguran at pasayahin ang Panginoon, sabi ko sa sarili ko na gusto ko ding tumayo sa tawag na Jesus Freak; I am freak in serving God, I am freak in loving God, pero bakit kapag magbabahagi na ng salita Niya; hindi ko magawa, natatakot ako, nawawala ang pagka-Jesus Freak ko. Hanggang sa salita lang ba ako? Hindi ko alam,,siguro OO, o , OO talaga, pero gusto kong magbago, gusto kong maging martyr sa paraan na alam ko para bigyan ng papuri at kaluguran ang Panginoon. Mahal ko Siya ng sobra sobra, higit sa buhay ko, higit sa anumang bagay dito sa mundo. Panginoon, tulungan Mo akong mgabago, turuan Mo ako na maging katulad Mo. <’,)))<
“There Is Freedom Everywhere”
Maria and Varia
18 years old
U.S.S.R.
1960s
Maria asked through the iron bars, “Varia, don’t you regret what you did?”
“No,” she answered. “And if they would free me, I would do it again and would tell them about the great love of Jesus. Don’t think that I suffer. I am very glad that the Lord loves me so much and gives me the joy to endure for His name.”
This was the first time Maria had been able to visit Varia in prison. Her friend was thin, pale, and beaten, but her eyes shone with the peace of God and an unearthly joy. The two Russian teenagers had once been schoolmates in a Communist boarding school. Varia, a member of the Communist Youth Organization, had constantly teased and tormented Maria, a Christian. In response, Maria prayed for the young Communist with special concern.
One day Varia said, “I cannot understand what a being you are. Here so many insult and hurt you, and yet you love everyone.”
Maria said,”God has taught us to love everyone, not only friends, but also enemies.”
“Can you love me, too?” Varia asked.
Maria hugged her, and they both began to weep. Not long after, Varia received Jesus as her personal Savior and witnessed openly to everyone about it.
Maria wrote her parents, “We went together to the assembly of the godless [the school’s Communist Youth Club meeting.] I warned her to be reserved, but it was useless. I went with her to see what would happen.
“After the Communist hymn, Varia came forward before the whole assembly. Courageously and with much feeling, she witnessed to those gathered about Jesus her Savior. She implored all to give up the way of sin and to come to Christ.
“All became silent and no one interrupted her. When she finished speaking, she sang with her splendid voice the whole Christian hymn: “I am not ashamed to proclaim the Christ who died to defend His commandments and the power of His cross.”
“Afterwards….afterwards they took Varia away. We know nothing about her. But God is powerful to save her. Pray!”
Months passed after their single visit in prison. Then Maria received a letter from her friend who was in a Siberian labor camp. Varia wrote:
My heart praises and thanks God that, through you, He showed me the way to salvation. Now, being on his way, my life has a purpose and I know where to go and for whom I suffer. I feel the desire to tell and to witness to everybody about the great joy of salvation that I have in my heart. Who can separate us from the love of God in Christ? Nobody and nothing. Neither prison nor suffering. The sufferings that God sends us only strengthen us more and more in the faith in Him. My heart is so full that the grace of God overflow.
At work, they curse and punish me, giving me extra work because I cannot be silent. I must tell everyone what the Lord has done for me. He has made me a new being, a new creation, of me who was on the way of perdition. Can I be silent after this? No, never! As long as my lips can speak, I will witness to everyone about His great love.
Here there are many who believe in Christ as their personal Savior. More than half of the prisons are believers. We have among us great singers and good preachers of the Gospel. In the evening, when we all gather after heavy work, how wonderful it is to pass at least some time together in prayer at the feet of our Savior. With Christ there is freedom everywhere. I learned here many beautiful hymns and everyday God gives me more and more of His Word.
All our brethren greet you and are glad that your faith in God is so powerful and that you praise Him in your sufferings unceasingly.
Yours,
Varia
Varia just couldn’t keep quiet about what Jesus meant to her, just like the apostles, Peter and John, who were also threatened for speaking out about Jesus. Here’s what they said:
Whether it’s right in God’s eyes to listen to you rather than to God, you decide. As for us, there’s no question – we can’t keep quiet about what we’ve seen and heard.
Acts 4:19, 20
