“OCCUPY TILL HE COMES”
The last seven months have been marked with unprecedented events, not only in our local setting but also in the global environment. Internet sources and dictionaries define the term unprecedented as fresh, new, novel, original, strange, unfamiliar, unheard-of, unknown. On all angles, these characterizations reflect the world’s and AWESNA’s current experience with Covid-19—an unprecedented pandemic that has drastically altered normal life, affected our plans, and caused fear over our and our family’s health and future. Add to this health challenge the barrage of confusing information, social unrest, and political innuendos occupying all forms of media.
AWESNA is not immune to what is happening in this sin-sick world. Our association had to make adjustments to abide by federal, state, and county regulations to ensure the health and safety of our members. Among the measures the officers and the Board employed, included postponing the annual convention scheduled on September 4-6 at Hilton Resort and Villas, Scottsdale, Arizona, to 2021 labor weekend. Consequently, the planned joint convention in the Philippines on March 19-21 is likewise moved to 2022 (venue and dates to be reconsidered).
However, despite all of the havoc this invisible foe has wreaked both globally and locally, AWESNA has remained undaunted, relying on God’s promises, among which: Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will hold you up with my victorious right hand (Isaiah 41:10, NLT).
Praise God for technology, particularly zoom; for despite our inability to hold in-person meetings, the officers and the AWESNA Board continue to keep in touch. In fact, on the positive note, our zoom meetings enabled chapter presidents, like Rachel Pedernal from Cascadia and Roger Rodriguez from Alberta, to join us after several years. Through the last 10 months, since this new term started, despite foreseen and unforeseen obstacles, AWESNA has implemented its plans and discussed means to continue fulfilling our objectives—engaging in outreach and assisting our dear alma mater.
1. Important actions taken from October 2019 to May 28, 2020:
1.1. Approval of committee job descriptions.
1.2. Centralization of scholarship funds for working students.
1.3. New award—Most Outstanding Chapter (to be awarded during the annual banquet).
1.4. Creation of Ad Hoc Committee to review and recommend amendments to the Endowment Fund Bylaws. Members are: Liberty Olive Bautista, Michelle Perdon Wongkaren, and Pong Manalo.
1.5. Election of Dr. Elmer Bangloy (by the EF Committee) as chair of the Endowment Fund Committee on November 24, 2019.
1.6. Joint AWESNA/EASNAC convention (originally in 2021; now moved to 2022).
1.7. Fundraising for AWESNA sound system and website. (Read details in No. 3 below).
2. Annual Events
2.1. Spiritual Retreat at Miracle Springs Resort and Spa on January 24-26.
Pastor Jun Bautista from New York served as guest speaker. Although we recognize areas of improvement, the retreat has succeeded in encouraging more young alumni participation.
2.2. Medical-dental-evangelistic outreach to Lucban, Quezon.
This year’s outreach which employed the expertise of more than 50 AWESNA and local volunteers, extended services to 2,700+ patients and baptized an initial 76 new members to the Seventh-day Adventist Church. More baptisms were scheduled during the city’s centennial celebration in May, but was halted due to the shutdown. We continue to pray that those who have decided to join the church will continue to hold on till the next baptism.
3. Local Projects
Through chapter and individual donations, needed funds for the following projects voted on by the AWESNA Board have been raised:
3.1. The AWESNA website (total cost- $3, 500; monthly maintenance of $99). The site (puc-aupawesna.org) has been built, and needs populating. I encourage and request chapter presidents to submit your lists of officers, members, reports, and activities to our Multimedia and Communications Design chair, Dr. Jesse Role, who will work with AWESNA PIO, Marjorie Huynh to make the website functional.
3.2. Sound system. (total cost- $5,000). This will help the association provide maximum, quality media services, and save on rental and related expenses during retreats and conventions.
4. Assistance to 135 AUP Working Students. In addition to existing scholarship programs sponsored by several AWESNA chapters, the association extended:
4.1. Inter-semester assistance to AUP working students. Responding to the need for assistance to 135 working students’ food and personal needs for June and July, the AWESNA Board, authorized the president to meet with chapter presidents for this purpose. At the zoom meeting of the AWESNA president with chapter presidents on June 1, 2020, Dr. Salvador Molina, AUP vice president for Student Services provided details on this urgent need. Praise God for the following chapters who readily responded to raise a total of $10,000 which was sent to AUP:
- Cascadia
- La Sierra
- Greater Los Angeles
- Greater Central Valley
- Loma Linda
- San Diego
Additional Appeal for Assistance to Working Students: second-hand, functional laptops. In a recent letter from the AUP VP for Student Services we are requested to respond to an appeal for needed laptops for working students. This is in view of the current online mode of learning. Details will be discussed in the July 26, 2020 AWESNA Board meeting. Alumni who are willing to help in this area may contact Perida Tongpo, chair, Fundraising Committee and the AWESNA president.
“Occupying Till Jesus Comes”
As we navigate the challenges the Covid-19 pandemic and other distractions have imposed on us individually and as an association, we move forward in faith and with unflinching determination and unwavering commitment to God’s mandate in Luke 19:13, when he called His ten servants and delivered them ten pounds, and said to them, ”Occupy till I come.” In the Bible, when God commands us to continue, it does not provide a known or specific terminal point. This uncertainty makes it easy for us to become weary in performing our respective tasks and ministry (in this context, our involvement in AWESNA affairs). We need to be faithful until Jesus returns. “Let us not be weary in well doing.” Instead, let us take courage in God’s promises and the words of the prophet, Ellen G. White,—“In reviewing our past history, having traveled over every step of advance to our present standing, I can say, Praise God! As I see what the Lord has wrought, I am filled with astonishment and with confidence in Christ as leader. We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and His teaching in our past history.”—Life Sketches, 196.
God bless, AWESNA! Shine On, dear AUP!
Thanks for the info.