Last sunday I bought The Passion dvd movie. I saw it in the store I was shopping at, and I thought "you know, I havent seen this movie completely yet, and everybody has seen it. It happens that long time ago, I went to the cinema with my friend Travis who invited me to watch it, however I was having migrane that day, so at the middle of the movie I just had to go out, couldnt continue inside the theather. I was very very bad. It was a shame, cuz I really wanted to see it. Then couple of weeks later while visiting some friends at a nursing home where I use to work before, I had the chance to see part of it, but a the same time I was chatting with the people around, so I wasnt really paying attention to it. Anyway, everybody has told me since then what an amazing movie it was and everybody assures that it was a very feeling moving movie and weeping was part of it. Even my dad who is not too given to cry, acknowledges that he did. Well, the thing is that couple of days ago, I set myself for it and I saw the movie and it really made me thing and yes, why not, it took lot of tears out of me. Like everyone else, I´ve seen so many movies showing Jesus´ life when on earth, but this one, was very explicit and very crude, it showed how He suffered for us in order to gives us an opportunity to eternal life. Though I have a critic for it. It shows all the suffering and his last hours, and at the very end it acknowledges His resurrection, but it was to quick, I really expected a more impactant scene showing His victory over the death, maybe at the very end raising up into the clouds...you know, the way hollywood knows how to impress the mass. Anyway, I really hope many people get to know Jesus and accept His sacrifice and get eternal life.

Xtreme Makeover Part II

What inspire someone to help another human being?; Why would someone spare his/her free time to make someone else feel better? In most of the cases, would the motivation to do so is the correct? I found myself thinking about this as we were on our way from the ship to the place where we would help to clean and make a better place to live to a couple of abandoned elderly. We went deep into the heart of Mazatlan directly into the extreme poor side of it. We saw houses that doesnt deserve to be called as so, but indeed, they are to those people who live in there. Kilometers of cartons/zinc tiny boxes meant to be houses along the way, mostly of the time overcrowded with a bunch of little kids and starving people. I've seen this scene so many times in poor areas in my own country and I've been given the opportunity to help them out with their physical needs and spiritual needs as well. However, the right motivation is a tricky thing. Why do I put myself in such a critical situation if I dont really need to? Would it be, because it makes me feel superior, or because it makes me looks like a good person that only thinks on doing well to others, or would it be because I dont have anything else to do, or because I am thankful enough to God for everything He's given to me that I just feel the need to help others. Whatever reason you might have to help others, the second God's commandment says "Love others like if it was yourself" and with this you can sum up the whole ten commandments. People can do good deeds with the wrong motivation and still be able to feel the exquisite feeling of wellness after doing so, however if we are able to help others, with the proper motivation, we are gonna be able not only to feel the exquisite feeling of wellness, but also get eternal compensation from God. The Bible in Corinthios talks about Love and its attributes, it also mentions that if I gave all my possesions so others could eat and I do it without love, it is just worthless, says that if I gave my body to the flames and I do it with no love, it's useless. So summing up, doing good deeds is not going to grant me a good future after my death, I can do all the good things that might come to my mind, but if my life is not commited to Jesus Christ and saved by His holy blood, then it comes to be only that, a good thing that brings you well being, nothing else. All these came to my mind, cuz this was the first time I did charitable work with non-christian people, and all the way I wondered myself what would motivate these people to spare their time to do this, what would be their internal reasons, their justification. Unfortunately, I only got to know the reason of one of the team member, and it was pretty amazing to realize that this particular guy is from one of the most devastated countries of the caribbean by the last 4 hurricanes in the past month, that has killed countless persons even in his country, and destruction and devastation is all over the country, and still he being abroad, knowing nothing about his relatives because there is no phone and internet services, he feels the need to help in a foreign country to people who he doesnt even know. If he that is not a christian and is able to feel this and do it, why you and me who call ourselves followers of the Merciful God, and believe in Jesus Christ's love and compassion wont do it? The reason why I do spend time in helping poor people and put myself in a sacrificing position is because in that way I know I am being thankful to God for all the countless blessings He's given to me and my family. This is also a good exercise to measure how much you have even when you think you have nothing comparing to wealthy persons. This is a great time to witness people who because are in a more vulnerable position are able to accept God's salvation, mercy and protection. I've come to the conclusion that when you have very less or are in a very bad position, you are more open to accept help, and what better help than the one from Jesus Christ brought to them through us. Love is the key of all. Love can inspire someone to help another human being, and love is the right motivation to do so. Love is suffered, is patient, doesnt get irritated, doesnt seek its own wellness, is honest. Pretty good description of our Saviour. By the way, Xtreme Makeover was a success, even though there was not a very good organization, we managed to clean nicely inside the house and we brought brand new beds, linen, a dinning table and some other stuffs. Not to many people signed up for it though, but the team, who consisted of the paymaster, the housekeeping manager, the senior joiner, the lead nurse, two enterteiners, a cook and myself did a good job. Thanks God.

I am very excited about the idea of "Extreme Makeover". Accounting Deparment organized this activiy which consist in rebuilding a home for a extremely elderly couple in Mazatlan. I saw the ad on one of the boards and saw the pic of the status of their house, and it was wao. I complain about what I have, but what I have is a world compared to what this couple have. So in order to be thankful to God I decided to sign up. This reminds me so much about the trips I use to go when in Panama with Teen Mania (american mission organization), to very very poor neiborhoods in the city and help them economically, physically and spiritually. I am really looking forward to help them get to know the One who will be their provider, their supporter even in hard times. I even talked in one of my friends, who in order to go, will not sleep for 24 hours straight, but this kind of experiences, I know change lives. I hope this would be a extreme good day.

Sweet....they finally came back to the ship after a long, stressing, killing and agonizing waiting to re-inspect the ship. This last 6 weeks has been extremely hard, to much pressure from the headquarter offices in miami and from the diferent head departments on board. However, last sunday public health officer came onboard, and after a couple of hours we learned that we passed with the perfect score of 100. Now, to me, thats like nothing, I would've rather pass the first one with the lowest possible score than having to pass a second one with the highest one. Anyway, now everything back to calm, at least for a couple of weeks. So, around 11:00 pm my boss called me and asked me to come to the crew bar, to celebrate. All the management were there, and the manager was giving away his money buying drinks and beers to all the fellows, now, the akward moment was when he asked me what did I want, I told him, just a coke....lol, he was like "are u serious" with this puzzled face, arrg, they were so pushing me to take a drink...and I felt kind of in a bad situation cuz he is the big boss and even the captain was around, so I know that to the worldly eyes that was just a bad move from my part, however I wouldnt never give up my convictions and my faith in order to please another person, even if that cost me a promotion and a better position. Even worse, I felt bad cuz it is there when I should stand high and be the light in the dark the answer to their nonsense life, but once again I couldnt. Peer pressure is a big deal, no wonder why so many teenagers go after the bad things. "God, I ask you to help me everyday to be the difference in this world"
On the best note of the day, I bought this new music cd of The Passion, it has songs from different singers, that after watching the movie felt compelled to write songs about the whole stuff. It has songs ranging from hard rock like P.O.D. passing to alternative like third day, going to rap from kirk frankling and sweet songs from others excellent performers. Its just a great purchase. I am enjoying it to the most!

I think, I finally learned how to use hello software.

Long Beach, California Sunrise