A few hours before that, we were on our way to Calamian Islands. On a van, I was discussing with a fellow CA2020 Coach how wonderful our country is. It is so beautiful, a great number of untouched natural resources, amazing people but is yet to be developed. We were riding through cattle farms and dirt roads. There weren’t much vehicles, only the usual local motorcycles and vans full of tourists. I told myself, after so many years, why have we not fully developed these wonderful places yet?

The answer was a bit uncomforting. I realized that people become well trained in looking out only for themselves. When they see that nothing is happening in where they are right now, they tend to move on to another place, find a greener pasture and hope that everything goes well. Sadly, a lot of people does the uprooting, rooting and uprooting again and again without much of an improvement or change. It becomes a vicious cycle that along the way, you forget where you are heading anymore. I have nothing against OFW’s. In fact, I love them. If not for them, the country’s economy would be in turmoil. But I can’t help myself feel that sometimes people becomes too selfish. We go to another country to find our luck there. We say that we are doing it for our family, which is admirable, but doing that only helps ourselves. This may be a little bit out of proportion for most people, but what if, JUST WHAT IF, more people would stay, develop themselves so that they would know how to develop the place, which in turn will develop the lives of the many others inhabiting it. Instead of leaving a place because they believe that it is hopeless, they find ways to make it a better one. Working abroad, or finding a great company to work for is okay, if you are only doing it for yourself and your family. But if you care enough to see beyond the world of your family, have you ever thought of actually making a difference?

The normal tendency of people is to leave when everything seems tough already. They never thought that they are having a hard time because, possibly, they are doing the wrong things to get something done. If people are willing, not just to learn, but to develop, First World Philippines is not a not far cry anymore. This country has so much to offer, and yet it is sad that majority of Filipinos cannot see it. Staying in Club Paradise made me realize how many great things, Filipinos are missing. Foreigners pay a great amount of money just to see our wonderful places. Why can’t we do that as well, and the answer was right in front of me. Not everyone has that “great amount of money”. You can go to Palawan on a cheap budget. In fact, you can go anywhere else as a backpack traveler. But I assure you, once you have experienced first class, you are never coming back to wanting to live it cheap. This is one of the reasons why I wanted being an Entrepreneur. I hated living within or below my means, I try as much to expand it. We are the only Filipinos in the resort (there are more if you include the staff and crew), I find it disturbing that people are more proud to travel abroad than see what this country has to offer. Do not get me wrong, I love traveling abroad. I have been to a couple of countries that I would recommend you to visit, but what always struck me was that when we are in a beautiful place, people would say “And ganda, parang wala tayo sa Pilipinas…“

Now, back in Manila. I dream that people would see that there is still to be done here in our country. It may take some time, but it is very much doable. If only there were more people, instead of leaving the country and find their success there, they would find ways to make our country better. There is nothing wrong with wanting to see the world. But to believe that the Philippines does not have a chance to improve anymore, isn’t that a little bit unforgivable? To even say “Wala ng mangyayari satin sa Pilipinas” is unacceptable for me. Not everyone is up for this challenge, I know that. Because not everyone is willing to change the world. Most would rather use their time complaining and seeing the negativities rather than what is impossible. Going abroad is very difficult. I should know, I have a lot of friends and family members out there. If we are doing something difficult, why not do something that could benefit, not just you and your family, but the whole country as well?

I fell in love with our country even more, in my three days in Palawan. There is nothing like first class accommodation and service. I saw the inner beauty of the Philippines that most of us cannot see because we are only focused on how corrupt or government is, and how hard it it to live the life that we wanted here. Isn’t it a little bit unfair to our country? You are judging it without even knowing our own country. I am staying, not because there isn’t something much better, there probably is. But when you love, you see beyond the facade or the usual things that we see. We go beyond what is really there. And even if there is another beauty being presented to you, you admire, but you can never love it as much.

I love the Philippines. I love the people, the places, the culture, the food, and the things that it has yet to offer. There is so many things to be done still. It may be difficult, because only the brave can love as much, and do whatever it takes. Take a risk, find it in your heart to love this country again. Because no matter how many times you leave this country, you know that you will always come back. This is HOME. We might as well give it the love that it deserves. Why don’t we do everything we can so that we can enjoy being here in the Philippines, the first class way. Are you with me?

It made me realize a profound lesson. A lot of people wants to help, they are always willing to lend or share or give. What is stopping them? It is the fear of being the only one who would stand up, being the only who would fight for something, or being someone who would be ridiculous enough to be laughed at. I am just too sure that if the lady in red didn’t stand up, no one would extend to help, and yes, I must admit, even myself. I learned my lesson well. Sometimes, it’s just too hard for us to show everyone that we have the capacity to love and be compassionate and be generous to other people. We would often say, or justify, that we were too busy dealing with our own problems. When we share the possibility of First World Philippines, most people would laugh at us, saying it’s impossible, or they would snicker or raise an eyebrow. Someone even told me it would take a thousand years for that to happen, I mean really, that long? Do we not have faith in ourselves and our country? Then I asked, even if there is so much that you hate about this country, there must be somewhere inside of you that actually wish, if not believe, that the Philippines could be a First World Country.

Okay, so you hate the government, you hate the traffic, resented corruption and all those garbage. You hate the pollution, the everyday stress of the MRT commute, the rising prices and the too many showbiz scandals here in there. But come on, no matter how long you have been working abroad, or no matter how much you want to change your citizenship, you can’t, for the life of you, seem to give up tinapa (smoked fish), or salted egg and tomatoes, or dirty ice cream or mangoes and bagoong (shrimp paste). You still seem to enjoy those provincial fiestas, or hanging out with your extended families, and that very famous karaoke. Let’s face it, this country may have been through the worst leadership and economic crises, but no matter how many different kinds of money currency we hold, we will always want to exchange it to Philippine peso. We love this country, we may have other countries, we call home, but we can’t ever say we were never Filipinos.

The lady in red stood up to offer a hand to Ashley, and people followed. If more and more Filipinos stood up to the possibility of a better Philippines, what do you think could happen? Ashley is like the Philippines, frail, weak and sick. She needs help, are you willing to lend a hand?

Kate Cu

+639178808021

ckatecu.ca2020@yahoo.com

She smiled at me, and held up her hands. I assumed, she wanted me to carry her, so I reached out and she smiled even bigger. She hugged me so tight, and I asked if she wanted to play, she nodded her head. She weighs so light in my arms, yet I can feel how hard it must been for her to live the way she does. We did face painting, book coloring and hep hep hoorays. She wouldn’t let go of my hands, and I felt overwhelmed and touched by her trust and longing.

Ana was her name, 4 years old, among the many orphaned children at the DSWD Center at Quezon City where we held our Feeding Program in celebration of CA2020′s second anniversary last 21st of February, 2010. Each core team member was playing with a child or two. It was one of those moments when your time is worth more than what you have given and the shrieks and laughter of the children are enough to take the tiredness you are feeling. These orphans needed, not just the 6-month feeding program we gave, but the attention and love they did not have. No parents to go to at night, no one to keep them company when they needed someone to hold them, or hug them. I felt so thankful about my life that it made me realize how much I have to give in return. I felt so thankful about Create Abundance Community for showing me what is and what can be done. I felt thankful that I was able to help make things happen rather than just dream about it.

CA2020 did not just gave me a chance to touch the lives of these children, the community gave me a chance to reach out to people and empower them to live the kind of life they want to have. Everyday, I look back to that first day I attended the seminar and finished the course, eventually choosing to become part of the core team. It changed my life, and TO PAY IT FORWARD, I am hoping that I could be able to add value to other people’s lives by giving them a chance to experience the courses as well.

Every time I remember Ana and the other children, it motivates me to dream higher and reach it fast. There are more than a hundred kids at the Quezon City Center alone, how many is there around the country? If these children, and those who lives on the streets, cannot survive because of lack of food, or shelter, or clothing, what would happen to the future generations of our land? This may seem like a big dream for one person like me, I may not be able to do it alone, but I know that with your help it is possible. If you have not found your PURPOSE IN LIFE, look around you and ask, WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP?, not what is it for me?.

CA2020 dreams of creating FIRST WORLD PHILIPPINES, are you with us?

Kate Cu

+639178808021

Marahil sa dinami dami ng mga unos at problemang dumarating sa buhay natin, hindi na natin maisip na posibleng mapabilang ang ating bansa sa mga nangunguna sa kahit anong larangan. Ngunit hindi mo ba napapansin kung gaano kagaling ang mga Pilipino? Mayroon tayong angking galing at talino na hinahangaan ng ibang bansa. Madalas na tayo ang hinahanap na manggagawa dahil sa ating sipag at kakayahan. Tunay na maipagmamalaki rin ang ating kaalaman sa agham, teknolohiya, sining, palakasan at medisina. Nakakalungkot lang na ang nakikinabang sa mga ginintuang karunungan ng ating mga kababayan ay ibang lahi. Madalas, ang pagkilala ay naibibigay sa kung saang bansa naghahanapbuhay ang Pilipino, at hindi mismo sa ating lahi na siya namang nanguna sa kung ano mang pag-aaral na nagawa.

Alam nyo ba na ang Pilipinas ang isa sa pinaka-mayamang bansa sa Asya sa larangan ng likas yaman. Mayroon tayong maipagmamalaking yamang tubig, yamang bundok at yamang mineral. Bukod dito, kay raming mga mga hayop at halaman na sa atin lamang makikita. Sadyang pinagkalooban tayo ng kay gandang mga biyaya. Ngunit bakit tila wala ng nakikitang pag-asa ang ating mga kababayan dito sa ating bansa? Sa tingin ko, hindi lang ito dahil sa ating pamahalaan o pulitika, bagaman isa itong malaking punto, at hindi rin dahil sa disiplina, dahil makikita natin na disiplinado naman ang mga Pilipino sa ibang bansa, kung hindi ito dahil nawawala na rin ang ating pagpapahalaga sa sarili nating lahi. Di nga ba’t marami sa atin ang nais na maging mamamayan ng ibang bansa? Napapansin mo ba na maraming dayuhan ang nais ditong manirahan? Ang ganda ng ating bansa, at nakikita yun ng ibang lahi. Bakit hindi mo iyon makita?

Kapatid, maaaring sa ngayon mahirap isipin ang ikapangyayari na maging isang FIRST WORLD COUNTRY ang Pilipinas. Ngunit hindi ibig sabihin nito ay titigil kaming maniwala na ito ay balang araw magkakatotoo. Pilipino ka, Pilipino tayo. Bakit hindi tayo magkasundo na iangat ang ating bansa? Bakit hindi nating tanggaling ang ating mga pag-aalinlangan at ibuhos natin ang pag-ibig sa bayan at isulong ang bayanihan. Kaya natin ito. Halina’t makisama at tayo nang maging bagong simula!

Kate Cu, Life and Business Coach

+639178808021

www.ca2020.net

www.iloveabundance.com

What is your life’s purpose? For majority of people, either we are too busy to even think of our purpose or we may be spending some time now thinking, why are we really here on earth. This may seem like too much of a serious thing for others, but really, we are not here living just so that we experience life. We are here because there is a reason.

There is no higher purpose than service to others. Whether you choose to be a writer who share and inspire; or a doctor who heals; or a soldier who fights for peace; or a teacher who trains the next generation; a businessman who provides jobs; or anybody for that matter, the real measure of success is in how many people you have touched and how much value have you given to others.

Have you asked yourself lately? How much value have I given with what I am currently doing? How much people have I inspired to change for the better? According to T. Harv Eker, “Your life is not just about you. It’s also about your contributing to others. It’s about living true to your mission and reason for being here on this earth at this time. It’s about adding your piece of the puzzle to the world. Most people are so stuck in their egos that everything revolves around me, me and more me. But if you want to be rich in the truest sense of the world, it can’t only be about you. It has to include adding value to other people’s lives.”

Many people would say that one should serve according to one’s capacity. That if one can give this much only, at least he has given something. I really have nothing against this, I am glad that one is ready to give a part of themselves. All I am saying is that, your playing small does not serve the world. If you love to help your community, think of helping the whole nation as well. If you want to help this group of people, think of also helping the other groups. If you want to help improve the life of one person, why not make it a hundred people. Never limit your capacity to help and empower people thinking that is what you are only capable of. In everything, learn to always think big. You may be called crazy, but it’s the crazy ones who end up changing the world.

Discover your purpose. Never settle for anything not bigger that yourself, remember, it is not just about you.

Kate Cu, Life and Business Coach

+639178808021

www.ca2020.net

www.iloveabundance.com