Friday, August 31, 2007

Ricky Sanchez in Singapore

Pilipinas, Aug 31, 2007
It was just an ordinary day for the Tampines home cell, we usually have dinner together at Ate Remy’s place. But last Friday night seemed to be a special day for a couple of reasons, one being the cute and cuddly Slim wants to showcase to us the craft of his “Electric Drill Skill.” Lol! Sorry bro, I have been contemplating on mentioning your name here in my blog for quite some time now and this is your day.

We shared a festive meal courtesy of Agnes and it was really good, especially the marinated chicken. I could still taste it in my mouth almost eight hours have passed (or was it because it did not brush my teeth? Nah! I did brush my teeth, the chicken was just really awesome) Amere, plucks on the six-stringed instrument which she is very passionate about. Abraham and Ethan Mae continued with their usual stunts, playing and kidding around the room while the rest of us are mingling in a semi-social, tongue-in-cheek discussion about life and faith. Ate Chilet was also there, she was introduced as a special guest but there was this person who quietly sits silently on one corner of the room, clad in a collared blue shirt and just gives off a few smile every once in a while.

A few minutes after reaching block 768, it was our visitor whom I looked at first when me and my wife entered the room. I have been to Slim and Mau’s place several times before and as if I knew the house so well, I knew already where to look for our guest.

Prior to this day, the host of the gathering already made mention that we will have a special guest. Apparently, he was a friend to our church community here in Singapore but for me, he was a new acquaintance.

I grew up in church hearing Ricky Sanchez’ name. I even play his cassette tapes, when a member of the music team would sing some of his songs (Minus one CDs before was a rarity). There where only a few of his songs that I could remember, Hesus-Aking Musika, Huwag mo Sanang Isipin. And if I am not mistaken, he was also the one who wrote Ako ay Binago Niya. It was a time where Marty Sampson and Reuben Morgan were not yet around. I remember hearing Darrel Evans as the first one who had loud riffs on gospel songs. But most of the music team would be having their own taste of local gospel music and some of these are Mr. Sanchez’.

Well, as far as I am concern. This person is really famous. But fame is not something that I saw in him last night, he quietly picks up the plate when it was dinner time, he attentively listened to us while the group bolsters each other’s beliefs and also shared a few of his thoughts regarding our topic. He was also very generous to reply to our inquiries. He even rendered a song for us before the home cell started. He shared to us that a few of his songs had made it to one of the famous soap in the Philippines and another song would be recorded by a local heartthrob who goes by the name of Piolo Pascual. As he was singing, I picked up my cell phone because I have no pen with me that time, I jotted down the chorus of his song. It was simple yet another truth of God was revealed to us in a unique way. He told us that he was able to write the song at the restroom of the Hotel Royale, while waiting for our church service to start. This was a part of his song;

Though He is the King of kings and Lord of lords HE LOVES ME,
The Prince of peace, Living Master is a FRIEND who cares for me.

I am not sure if I got the exact lyrics but I never had the chance to personally thank him for these words. It was really inspiring. In its truest sense, even amidst of losing most of our friends, in the uncertainty of who else could love us for who we are and not for what we did. There is something special to these words – “He loves me”. It is something that only helpless babies could feel when embraced and nursed by their loving parents, it is the earliest throne of comfort for them, the most secured position aside from their soft beds.

Indeed, even a small gathering of believers could turn to a close encounter to the One we believed in. Another one of God’s ways in telling us that “I love you my child!” it became personal, the scrumptious meal fed our hunger but the truth of God’s word fed a deeper hunger from within us.

All of us wore a different kind of joy in our hearts as we leave the place, our smiles are apparently unique compared with each other and we took home different stories inside us, this is my version, and the rest will surely bless the people that God has placed beside the circle of friends called – Tampines Home Cell.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hi blessed wind! Bro. Ricky Sanchez is my favorite papuri singer too. & i just would like to share his new website with you...

http://rickysanchezmusic.blogspot.com

thanks