A MOTHER'S PRAYER

by Juliet Tudence

Heavenly Mother-Father God:
We thank you for all the blessings that you have given to us.
Thank you for your guidance and protection
We feel completely secure because you are with us,
Bless each and every one of us today
While we celebrate mothers and mothering
and children of their childhood,
We implore you to bless all mothers for their encounters with pain and sacrifices
for the sake of their children
Lead them O God, on the right path and never let them depart from you
May the sacrifices of all mothers bear good and lasting fruits
Watch over all children, O God
Especially those whose mothers left them for jobs abroad
for their sake and their future
Let their homes be safe and secured places for growing up

Watch over us, mothers and fathers who are away from home
We pray for family reunions,
when we can touch and talk with our children and family members
and enjoy the graces that you have given to us.
Bless and keep all mothers in your care
Remind us always of our true home
Keep all mothers and children from sickness and accidents

O God, bless our families in the Philippines
as well as the families of our brothers and sisters in Korea
Protect us from all dangers while we are here in Korea
To do the work which you have given us
Shelter us and bring us back safely to our families
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

The Rev. Edison Lapuz, a minister of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) was killed by suspected government operatives on May 12, 2005 in San Isidro town, Leyte. 

They Killed Him!

A STATEMENT ON THE KILLING OF REV. EDISON LAPUZ

Early in his theological formation he sang:
“Dili sayon ang pagsunod kang Kristo. Daghang tunok ang dalan nga agian ta
Bug-at ang krus nga pagapas-anon ta, Ug kamatayon naa gahulat kanato.”

“To follow Christ is not an easy choice. The thorns are many in the pathways of struggles
Heavy the cross on our shoulders we must hoist and agonizing death ever waits to get us.”
(From the song “Ang Hagit sa Ebanghelyo” -The Challenge of the Gospel)


He is a person filled with joy and goodness never tired of doing well for poor peasants and mobilized resources to assist the struggling and oppressed.

We are saddened by the untimely death of The Rev. Edison Lapuz, Conference Minister of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) in Northern-Eastern Leyte Conference, central Philippines. He was brutally murdered on May 12, 2005, in San Isidro Leyte, together with Mr. Alfredo Malinao, a peasant leader, by suspected military officers The slaying happened in front of his house and was witnessed by his eldest child. In that day, Rev. Lapuz had just arrived from the burial of his father-in-law. His sudden death left orphaned his two children and his wife, Emma.

He unceasingly challenged the powers and principalities in his country and the world at large with the Gospel of love in Christ.

The Rev. Edison Lapuz is one of the many contemporary committed and concerned Filipino prophets who in the midst of escalating political repression and worsening poverty situation has always been in the forefront of protecting people’s human rights but was considered threat to society by the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo government. The slaying of Rev. Lapuz and Alfredo Malinao has brought to five (5) the number of people’s organizations’ leaders killed in Eastern Visayas, central Philippines by assailants associated with the government’s military establishment since the month of March, while three (3) others escaped slay attempts.

We strongly condemn the ongoing political repression in the Philippines targeting priests, pastors, and other church workers as part of the evil design to stifle prophets and legitimate political dissenters of the morally bankrupt Macapagal-Arroyo government. It is deplorable that the Philippine government has unreservedly made public exposure of the military list of the enemies of the state entitled: “Knowing your Enemy” that includes, the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP), the Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), Association of Major Religious Superiors (AMRSP), Promotion of Church People’s Response (PCPR), Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI), and National Union of Journalist in the Philippines (NUJP) among others.

We call on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to act immediately to give justice for the Rev. Edison Lapuz and the other Church workers who were murdered in the service of the people and God. Let justice be the value in governing the Filipino people, respect human rights and institute social justice to improve living conditions of the poor and oppressed in society.

I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU AS ORPHANS

Last year a Canadian friend asked me if I was stopped anywhere in Seoul by Korean immigration officers for visa spot check and I told her that I haven't experienced that yet. Jokingly, I told her that probably I looked too formal wearing coat and tie or decent clothes, or I'm handsome enough to be checked. Well, last week I experienced it not in Seoul but in Suwon station.

Wednesday, April 28 I attended the overnight seminar-workshop in the Korean Exchange Bank Seminar House in Yongin, Kyonggi-do sponsored by the Migrant Workers in Korea office under the Ministry of Labor. After the long inputs and discussion on various topics we were on our way home on Thursday afternoon April 29. The good pastor from Songnam Migrant Workers House patiently gave us a lift from the seminar venue to Suwon station which was around 20 minutes ride. In front of Suwon station we disembark and after saying goodbye to moksanim I hurried to ward the subway entrance. Before reaching the entrance three plainclothes men approached me showing their ID, which I didn't bother to see, introduced themselves as immigration officers. One of them asked for my passport, I said well, maybe you want to see my alien ID. He said, yes, so I got it from my wallet and showed it to them. He could not identify what a D6 visa is and he saked me. I told him it is a missionary visa. He may not have heard me right so he asked again and I said, missionary. Third time he asked and I said "missionary."

Wow, now I have that experience in Suwon. The question is what did the immigration officers saw in me that gave them an idea I am an undocumented worker in Korea? My best guess is my my looks. I was wearing a denim jacket, carries a back pack and unshaved for a day--which emphasized my non-korean profile. This experience is alarming for many undocumented workers.

In one occasion Jesus said tohis disciples, "I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you" (John 14:18). This is a fulfilled promise through the presence of the Holy Spirit. We are never alone because we have someone who listens to us. We have someone who is able to lift us out of our loneliness, anxiety and even in desperate situations. May we have the faith that transcends what human beings can do.