(650) 583-6818 • http://www.asianjournal.com NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 14-20, 2011 B�Community Journal

Believe in miracles

He’s barely five feet tall but dignified, and carries a bright smile.

Friar Bobong accepted an enormous assignment some time ago to rebuild a parish in a community of 40,000 people in one of the poorest neighbor-hoods in greater Manila. This parish community in Tala, near Caloocan City, borders a leprosarium and includes many homeless, jobless, restless, but certainly not hopeless, souls. Fr. Bobong’s daunting task was to rebuild the parish – “to sink or swim” – with no start-up fund, no resources, no budget, nothing. Just rebuild the parish. Get ready to believe in miracles.

Fr. Bobong – The workerThe parish is called “Saint Joseph, The Worker.”

When he first arrived, Fr. Bobong admitted that he was appalled at what he saw. “Walang bubong,” (“We had no roof,”) he said, in Fili-pino. A parsonage with no roof is not surprising in a town with thousands of homeless. To build a roof, he turned to some friends for donations. With just the right amount of charm, and of course the authority of God, in a matter of weeks he was able to build the roof.

40,000 soulsHis next project is construction of a parking lot

and renovation of the aging, dilapidated church building and its sanctuary. At first, Fr. Bobong was overwhelmed. “I’m a man of God, but I’m not immune to frustrations and despair,” stated Fr. Bobong. He confided to me that even priests get depressed, especially when surrounded by ex-treme poverty and given the task to be the spiritual leader of the poorest of the poor – 40,000 of them. You need many miracles. It still baffles me to this day how one man can minister to 40,000. He has no associates – just a small volunteer staff to help him run the parish.

leprosarium, changing attitudesRight next to his parish is a leprosarium. “The

good news is there is now a cure,” says Fr. Bo-bong.” The lepers are part of his parish commu-nity. And although people are still reluctant to socialize with the lepers, Fr. Bobong believes that the attitude towards this disease is changing. “We are trying to integrate them within our parish,” he says. “Many of them are working and are produc-tive members now,” he adds.

Priest and teacherFr. Bobong has a doctorate (PhD) in civil admin-

istration. He is also a Professor of Philosophy at the University of the Philippines. This made me more curious as to why he continues to do what he does. He certainly can just walk away from the relentless pressure of his job. Even he admits there is always a job waiting for him in the private or public sector. But men like Fr. Bobong are in-spired individuals. It’s not clear where the inspira-tion comes from, but they seem to understand the biblical phrase that “faith can move mountains.”

Just one manHe administers six masses every Sunday and at

least one mass each day. On any given day there is great demand for his services. He is called to

baptize, administer to the sick, perform wedding ceremonies, conduct confessions, make home vis-its, and always attend to the spiritual needs of his flock. I was shocked to hear that there is no other priest in his parish. Despite his enormous respon-sibilities, he still finds time to teach. He says that teaching is sort of an escape from the mundane, day-to-day tasks of administering to those pre-cious to him, those who need him.

Beyond ChristmasThis Christmas he hopes to feed hundreds of kids

in the parish. He is organizing the annual Christ-mas party. As always, he is not sure where the money might come from to buy the food. But he believes that something will happen. As we chat, I was reminded of Mother Theresa who started with nothing in the poor neighborhood of Calcutta and built a parish community that to this day remains vibrant and internationally recognized. Whenever possible, our firm assists Fr. Bobong in pulling off his Christmas party. One dollar will buy a bowl

of spaghetti, a drink, and pos-sibly even des-sert for each p a r i s h i o n e r who attends.

But these people need so much more beyond a Christmas party just to survive.

A Harvard scholar and a blessingFr. Bobong recently received a scholarship to

attend a Harvard University Graduate School Pro-gram where he took classes in community orga-nizing. After spending six months at Harvard, we had dinner one evening as he prepared to return to Manila and resume his priestly duties. (It was then I learned of his challenges.) I asked him if his experience at Harvard, or just living in the US, had changed his mind about going back to his 40,000.

He looked at me with a twinkle in his eyes and he surprisingly said “I like the change here.” He said that he may apply for another scholarship, but he does not know if his bishop will allow him to return. And so he returned to Manila as a typhoon ravaged the islands. On the day of his flight, he sent me a text message thanking me for every-thing.

My reply was, “You are a gift to the 40,000, and whatever you do, you bless them with your pres-ence.”

Helping heroesThe heroes of this world are not the army gener-

als or the politicians or the billionaires or the pro athletes. The real heroes are the men and women who are quietly inspired. And through their inspi-ration, they stand out as an inspiration to others. No doubt that Fr. Bobong’s church community was affected by the typhoon as he winged his way back to his flock.

Please contact our office if you would like to help his parish.

* * *Lazaro Law Group, Professional Corporation represents immigrants

all over the United States and the US Embassy in Manila. The firm’s offices are located in San Francisco, Fremont/Newark/Union City, and Sacramento, California. Attorney Johnson Lazaro can be reached at (415) 800-5775 or toll free at (855) 4-LAZARO. His email is Law@LazaroLaw.com.

* * *This article should not be taken as legal advice for any individual

case or situation. The information is intended to be general and should not be relied upon for any specific situation. This is not meant to create a lawyer-client relationship. (Advertising Supplement)

Atty. Johnson LAzAro

Legal Rights

40,000 lives; 40,000 souls

By Monet Lu

A simple appreciation of friendship

TIME really flies so fast. It seems like yesterday—I was

barely 15, starting to discover things and knowing people and friends who matter in life.

I would like to take this oppor-tunity to show my appreciation to all my friends and loved ones.

Each moment is so precious and most of the time, it’s too late to express how we feel about the people we love.

I have decided to devote this ar-ticle to some friends, whose pres-ence in my life remind me once in a while that true friendship is a treasure—unequaled by wealth or any possession.

This is for Danilo Salas also known as Niela, one of my Monet Salon loyal stylists and most of all, a long-time friend.

Nakikita ko siyang palaging du-madaan sa tapat ng bahay namin sa Marikina. Every time he would

pass by, being a spirited teenager, I would always yell not-so-kind words at him. Dala na rin ng pag-ka-intrimitida ko noong panahon.

One day, he got fed up and ac-tually confronted me. We started hitting each other and what en-sued next was like a scene out of the Maximo Oliveros movie.

It was like the ultimate gay match in the middle of the street. Talaga namang pinanood kami ng mga tao. Needless to say, it was a big scene.

Eventually, Niela and I patched things up, because our common friends Fabiana and Menchie in-

It’s not clear where the inspiration comes from, but they seem to understand the biblical phrase that “faith can move mountains.”

REDWOOD CITY—Virgie was one of Mang Peter’s children whom he petitioned back in 1993. While waiting for her petition to become current, Virgie lived a normal, happy life with her hus-band and three children. Trag-edy struck in 1994, when Virgie’s eldest daughter was diagnosed with leukemia at nine years old. Her daughter bravely battled the disease through the years. How-ever, in 2000, another blow hit Virgie when her husband had a deadly stroke and passed away. Shortly after, her daughter finally succumbed to cancer. Through all these dark moments, Virgie tried to be strong. And then, she got the news that her parents in the US also had to undergo heart surgery. They were also old and their health was failing fast. As the dutiful daughter, Virgie went to the US, when she got a tour-ist visa. Night and day, she took care of all the needs of her ailing parents. Time flew quickly and al-though she had planned to return to the Philippines, she eventually overstayed. She was now official-ly a “TNT.”

Virgie could not leave her par-

ents, but was also hoping to pur-sue a green card in the US, and be reunited with her two remain-ing children left in the Philippines. After finding an employer who showed “promise” of petitioning her, and hiring a “lawyer”, Virgie ended up dismayed and broke when this plan did not pan out. The lawyer, who was really only a “consultant”, disappeared with her paperwork and the fees that Virgie saved for.

Distraught and almost hope-less, Virgie heeded the advice of family and friends and took a chance with Atty. Michael J. Gurf-inkel. She had heard that this “At-torney-of-Last-Hope” would not disappoint. Atty. Gurfinkel was Virgie’s beacon of hope.

This Sunday, watch another success story when leading US immigration attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel brings you a brand-new episode of Citizen Pinoy. Atty. Gurfinkel will also answer viewers’ immigration questions on everyone’s favorite segment: Your Tanong, My Sagot. Don’t miss this brand-new episode on an all-new Citizen Pinoy this Sun-day (October 16), at 5:45pm (PST)

with a replay the next Sunday, at 12:10am (PST) on TFC.

And for kapamilya in Chicago and neighboring areas in Illi-nois—Citizen Pinoy will be at the Intercontinental Chicago Mag-nificent Mile at 505 N. Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611 on Sun-day, October 30th. Audience call times are at 10am / 1pm / 4pm. As a public service from the TFC and the Law Offices of Michael J. Gurfinkel, seats are FREE, but you need to reserve now at www.citi-zenpinoy.com or you may call toll free 1-866-487-3465. More up-dates will also be made available on the website so be sure to click and visit www.citizenpinoy.com.

Citizen Pinoy is made pos-sible with the generous support of sponsors who are also dedicated to giving back to the Filipino com-munity: Asian Journal—with cir-culation in Northern and South-ern California, Nevada, and in the East Coast; and Arko Foods, the oldest existing Filipino-owned business in Southern California. Citizen Pinoy is also supported by ABS-CBN Global’s key product of-ferings: Star Kargo, Starry Starry Store, and Sarimanok One.

First ‘lawyer’ disappears with documents and fees, but The Law Offices of Michael Gurfinkel

comes to the rescue—on ’Citizen Pinoy’

PAGE B6

sisted on it. The four of us became really

close and became known as the “four musketeers” of our neigh-borhood.

I remember that Niela worked at a shoe factory, cutting and sewing patterns.

Back then, I already saw his work ethic, na dala-dala pa rin niya hanggang ngayon. He is always very professional and patient.

The four of us would hang out all the time. It was the kind of friendship where we would always engage in playful banter and ar-guments about who has the best idol.

I was a staunch fan of Susan Ro-ces, while Niela was a die-hard for Amalia Fuentes.

When we were not arguing about our idols, we were planning and staging our very own awards night.

We would invite friends and hold the event at the school audito-rium without the administration’s knowledge.

The no-cost production was fun to do! We would fashion our own