BY ATTY. BATAS MAURICIO

LIFE’S INSPIRATIONS: “… Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe…” (Proverbs 29:25, the Holy Bible).

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“WE HAVE BEEN WARNED…”: Yes, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is correct. Global warming and climate change are behind the massive rains, floods and strong winds that have been bringing death and damage to our country. But then, how did global warming and climate change come about?

The usual answer is, man destroyed his environment, and that is the truth. But not the entire truth, really. The other truth is that, global warming and climate change, and the massive rains, floods and strong winds coming to us, were warned about by God during the time of Moses yet, and even repeated during the time of Jesus Christ.

In Deuteronomy 28:15 and 22-24, and Matthew 7:24-27 of the Bible, we find these scary warnings: global warming and climate change, and the rains, floods and winds will come if we continue refusing to listen to God’s Word, and continue to refuse to obey His commands. We have been warned these tragedies will happen, but we are hardheaded.

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ROTARIANS AS MIRACLE WORKERS: Here is the final installment of the speech entitled “Rotarians as miracle workers for Service Above Self” delivered during the “Governor’s Visit and Fellowship for Service Above Self and Four Way Test” of the Rotary Club of Intramuros: 

“It makes me terribly proud to be a Rotarian, and it makes me obsessed with doing my own share of Rotary miracles, even if this means spending my own money to make these miracles come true, and even if it means partnering with other Rotarians in whatever way we can, like for example continuing the medical-surgical and free legal aid missions we already embarked early on for this year, in partnership with other clubs.

“In view of this obsession, I wish to make an offer that I hope my classmates, the ChangeMaker Presidents, will find hard to refuse: let us organize joint medical-surgical and free legal missions in the different areas covered by District 3810, under the leadership of your clubs, and we promise to make available the lawyers and doctors from our club, especially Dr. Arthur Platon, the one man surgical team…

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CHALLENGE FOR ALL ROTARIANS: “I submit that the real challenge for all Rotarians from the District, now and in the days to come, is to band together once more and lead the way in performing more miracles of service which only dedicated Rotarians can do, instead of merely griping about the problems confronting humanity at present.

“ChangeMaker Presidents must join hands, now and in the future, and show the world that, under the leadership of District Governor Ernie Choa and all the Past District Governors of District 3810, we the ChangeMaker Team, can be the change we want to be, despite all adversities.

“And as we stand on the crossroads of Rotary International’s 106th year, I believe that ChangeMaker Presidents and ChangeMaker Rotarians will once more demonstrate that, as the song goes, it is better to light just one little candle, than to stumble in the dark…”

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“Nabigyang babala ang tao…”

INSPIRASYON SA BUHAY: “… Ang pagkatakot sa tao ay magdudulot ng pighati, ngunit ang sinumang nagtitiwala sa Diyos ay mananatiling ligtas…” (Kawikaan 29:25, Bibliya).

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“NABIGYANG BABALA ANG TAO…”: Oo, tama ang Department of Science and Technology (DOST). Ang global warming at climate change ang nasa likod ng mga ulan, baha at hangin na nagdadala ng kamatayan at pinsala sa ating bansa. Pero, papaano ba nagkaroon ng global warming at climate change?

Ang palagiang sagot ay ito: sinira ng tao ang kalikasan, at iyan ay totoo. Pero, hindi ito ang buong katotohanan. Totoo din kasi na ang global warming at climate change, at ang mga ulan, baha at hanging dumarating sa atin, ay ibinabala na ng Diyos noong panahon pa ni Moses, at inulit pa mandin noong panahon ni Jesus.

Sa Deuteronomio 28:15 at 22-24, at Mateo 7:24-27 ng Bibliya, mababasa natin ang mga babalang ito: ang global warming at climate change, at ang mga ulan, baha at hangin ay ibabagsak sa atin kung magpapatuloy tayo sa pagtalikod sa Salita ng Diyos at sa paglabag sa Kanyang mga utos. Binigyang babala tayong lahat na darating ang mga kalamidad na ito, pero matigas talaga ang ating mga ulo.

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ROTARIANS, MATITINDI SA PAGLILINGKOD, PART IV: Naririto na po ang kabuuang bahati ng talumpating “Rotarians bilang mga milagrosong mga manggagawa para sa paglilingkod ng higit sa sarili”, na inilahad noong “Governor’s Visit and Fellowship for Service Above Self and Four Way Test” ng Rotary Club of Intramuros:

“Ito ang nagbibigay sa akin ng karangalan bilang Rotarian, at siyang dahilan upang magsumikap akong gumawa ng sarili kong mga milagro sa pagtulong, kahit na gumastos ako ng sarili kong pera, at kahit na makipag-tulungan ako sa iba pang Rotarians sa lahat ng maaring gawin, gaya ng pagpapatuloy ng mga medical-surgical at free legal missions na naumpisahan na, kasama ang ibang clubs.

“Upang matupad ito, aking inaalok ang aking mga kasamang mga ChangeMaker Presidents: gumawa tayo ng mga pinagsanib na medical-surgical at free legal missions sa mga lugar na nasasakupan ng District 3810, sa pangunguna ng inyong mga clubs, at dadaluhan ito  ng aming mga abogado at mga duktor, lalo na si Dr. Arthur Platon, na maaaring mag-opera kahit nag-iisa lamang siya…”

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HAMON SA LAHAT NG ROTARIANS: “Sa ganang akin, ang tunay na hamon sa mga Rotarians mula sa District 3810, sa ngayon at sa hinaharap, ay ang patuloy na pagsasama-sama ng lahat upang pangunahan ang mas marami pang milagro sa pagtulong na tanging mga Rotarians lamang ang makagagawa, sa halip na nag-uusap lamang tayo ukol sa mga problema ng mundo.

“Dapat magkapit-kamay ang mga ChangeMaker Presidents, sa ngayon at sa kinabukasan, at ipakita sa mundo na sa ilalim ni District Governor Ernie Choa at ng lahat ng Past District Governors ng District 3810, tayo, ang ChangeMaker team, ang pagbabagong nais nating maganap, kahit na maraming balakid.

“At habang tinatahak natin ang landas tungo sa ika-106 na taon ng Rotary International, naninindigan akong ang mga ChangeMaker Presidents at mga ChangeMaker Rotarians ay minsan pang magpapamalas, gaya ng sinasambit ng awitin, na mas mabuti pang magsindi ng kahit na iisang kandila lamang, sa halip na sumpain ang kadiliman…”