Getting Away with Gluttony

Kabanata 51

"Ready na ba lahat?" Tanong ni Emilia bilang head organizer sa event na pinagkaabalahan at pinagpuyatan namin ng halos dalawang buwan.

The church will be conducting a summer praise and worship concert. The JAM short for Jesus Advocate Movement, music team of their church, will be blasting the night with the planetshakers' songs.

It is the opening event for the campus ministry that will be establish inside the Brethren Christian Academy, targetting the young people to be discipled.

I suggested this program sa Church Council last meeting. May mga nakuha kaming sponsors. Kaya madali lang ang preparation.

And tonight will be the start of it. Saul being the administrator accepted the program. He agrees with our purpose. Hindi dahil malakas ako sa kanya kung hindi dahil nakita niya kung gaano kahalaga ang ispiritwal na aspeto ng mga kabataan. Kaya hindi kami nahirapan. I wasn't the one who talked to him and proposed the program. Si Tatay Xenon, being the administrative pastor, at si Mrs. De Guzman, Chairman ng Church Council, ang kumausap sa kanya.

"Hindi pa nagconfirm yong isang speaker for the testimony part. Baka hindi makarating." Saad ko dahil kanina ko pa kino-contact pero hindi sumasagot sa tawag. He's in another call.

Testimony is a Christian witnessing activity. It is the moment when someone will testify how good the Lord was, how the Lord works in someone's life, or even how the Lord made impossible things, possible. A showcase of His goodness and miracles, in short.

"Okay. Any back up plan? Walang ibang pwedeng magtestify?"

"Nagtanong-tanong ako kanina. Most of my prospects ay may prior engagement na."

"How about si Doc?" Tanong niyang mulu na ang tinutukoy ay ang si Doc Murphy, isang veterinarian na bagong member ng church.

"May emergency daw sa clinic niya."

Napatango lang si Emilia at nagbilin ng kung ano -ano para sa set-up ng stage, rehearsals mamaya bago magsimula, light testing at iba pa.

"Let me handle it, Sha. I have someone in mind." Naalis ang pag-aalala ko. Bago siya umalis, binilinan niya akong kausapin ang Production Manager for the updates. Naging busy ako ng araw na iyon to make sure everything is in control. Nakalimutan ko tuloy maglunch.

I was busy talking to the people assigned for setting up the amplifiers, speakers, and wires when a random guy approaches me, handing me a transparent plastic bag. May tupperware sa loob na hula ko ay may lamang pagkain.

"Ma'am kain daw po muna kayo."
Kinuha ko iyon at pinasalamatan siya. Hindi ko na naitanong kung sino ang nagbigay kasi umalis siya agad. Mukhang nagmamadali.

It's already 3 in the afternoon. The concert will start at 6 in the evening. I checked what's inside the plastic bag. A sticky note stopped me from opening the Tupperware.

"Eat." That's what was written in the note with smiley na nakanganga nang malawak tapos wala na. It's pasta. Masarap sana kaso wala na akong gana dahil nalipasan na ng gutom. I had my tuna sandwich naman kaninang 11 AM.

Itinabi ko iyon sa mesang nasa malapit. But before I could go back to the technical support team who was busy setting up, my phone rang. My eyes are directed back to the team when  I answered the call.