One Prayer

Gabii sa Kabilin 2010 Pictures

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Gabii sa Kabilin

On its fourth year, Gabii sa Kabilin (Night of Heritage) promises the public a richer experience of Cebu culture and heritage as nine museums welcome visitors from 6 p.m. to midnight on Friday, May 28, 2010.

On this special night, families, friends, and tourists can visit Casa Gorordo Museum along 35 Lopez Jaena Street, the Cathedral Museum of Cebu and Basilica del Santo Niño Museum on P. Burgos Street, Fort San Pedro in Plaza Independencia, the Yap-Sandiego ancestral house on the corner of Mabini and Lopez Jaena Streets, Museo Sugbo on M.J. Cuenco Street, 1730 Jesuit House along Zulueta Street, University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) – Rizal Museum on Mabini Street, and Sacred Heart Parish along Jakosalem Street and witness the different cultural presentations for a fee of only P100 per person for multiple entry to each venue.

Rediscover Cebu’s rich history by going on a walking tour to the museums. Ride a tartanilla and experience Cebu’s colourful past. Visit the Cathedral Museum of Cebu and the Basilica del Santo Niño Museum for a glimpse of religious relics and old statues and images.

Learn how Filipinos lived in the Hispanic times at the Casa Gorordo Museum. Or explore the richness of colonial architecture when you visit the Yap Sandiego House and the 1730 Jesuit House in the old Parian district. Know interesting things about Jose Rizal, our national hero, at the USPF-Rizal Museum. And be attracted to the beautiful contemporary paintings of Cebu’s very own artists at Sacred Heart Parish.

Listen to traditional Cebuano love poetry and music by local performers or watch dance performances by the Sandiego Dance Company and other dance troupes. Watch reenactments of Rizal’s last moments as well as award-winning indie films.

Parada or tartanilla rides are offered at between Fort San Pedro and Basilica del Sto. Nino Museum. Mini-buses are offered from Museo Sugbo, Fort San Pedro and Sacred Heart Parish.

To be a part of this one-of-a-kind experience, get your Gabii sa Kabilin tickets at the respective participating museums for P100 per person (please see fact sheet for contact information). Ask any of the tartanillas to bring you to Fort San Pedro and Basilica del Sto. Nino Museum for only P50.00 per person.

Definitely a must-do this summer vacation, Gabii sa Kabilin is on many counts a wonderful way of spending your Friday night. Whether you are with family or friends, this cultural event is sure to be an enjoyable learning experience where you will see and experience museums beyond their collections.

“The Gabii sa Kabilin concept is patterned after the long night of the museum in Germany and other European countries to draw and encourage people to visit museums as a venue for cultural understanding” said Dr. Joy Gerra, Executive Director of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI)-Cultural Heritage Program.

“We would also like to offer our guests a chance to ride the calesa or tartanilla (parada), a mode of transportation at the turn of 19th century as they move around from museum to museum. We also encourage people to dress in period costumes for the event,” she added.

Gabii sa Kabilin, the only museum and cultural event of its kind in the Philippines and Asia, is organized by RAFI in partnership with the Visayas Association of Museums and Galleries Inc. (VAMGI).

Forget Me Not..

Motto 36

In This Eyes of Mine

The Geese and the Snowstorm

There was once a man who did not believe in either the virgin birth of Christ or the spiritual meaning behind it, and was skeptical even about God. He and his family lived in a farm community. His wife was a devout believer and diligently raised her children in the faith. He sometimes gave her a hard time about her belief and mocked her religious observances.

“It’s all nonsense—why would God lower himself and become a human like us? It’s such a ridiculous story”, he said.

One snowy day, she and the children left for church while he stayed at home. After they had departed, the winds grew stronger and the snow turned into a blinding snowstorm. He sat down to relax before the fire for the evening.

Then he heard a loud thump, something hitting against the window… And, still another thump. He looked outside but could not see anything. So he ventured outside for a better view. In the field near his house saw, of all the strangest things, a flock of geese. They were apparently flying to look for a warmer area down south, but they had been caught in the snowstorm. The storm had become too blinding and violent for the geese to fly or see their way. They were stranded on his farm, with no food or shelter, unable to do more than flutter their wings and fly in aimless circles. He had compassion for them and wanted to help them. He thought to himself, the barn would be a great place for them to stay. It is warm and safe; surely they could spend the night and wait out the storm. So he opened the barn doors for them.

He waited, watching them, hoping they would notice the open barn and go inside. Nevertheless, they did not notice the barn or realize what it could mean for them. He moved closer toward them to get their attention, but they just moved away from him out of fear.

He went into the house and came back with some bread, broke it up, and made a bread trail to the barn. They still did not catch on.

Starting to get frustrated, he went over and tried to shoo them toward the barn. They panicked and scattered into every direction except toward the barn. Nothing he could get them to go into the barn where there is warmth, safety, and shelter. Feeling totally frustrated, he exclaimed, “Why don’t they follow me? Can’t they see this is the only place where they can survive the storm? How can I possibly get them into the one place to save them?” He thought for a moment and realized that they just would not follow a human.  He said to himself, “How can I possibly save them? The only way would be for me to become like those geese. If only I could become like one of them. Then I could save them. They would follow me and I would lead them to safety.”

At that moment, he stopped and considered what he had said.

The words reverberated in his mind: If only I could become like one of them, then I could save them. Then, at last, he understood God’s heart towards mankind…and he fell on his knees in the snow.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16-17

Be All You Can Be!

All my life I had been looking for something, and everywhere I turned someone tried to tell me what it was.  I accepted their answers too, though they were often in contradiction and even self-contradictory.  I was naïve.  I was looking for myself and asking everyone except myself questions which I, and only I, could answer.  It took me a long time and much painful boomeranging of my expectations to achieve a realization everyone else appears to have been born with:  that I am nobody but myself.

‘Till Our Next Hello