Erick & Dot Velardo – January 2010

In Good Times and Bad

Our new year started with a wonderful time at home in Baguio. Though a very short stay, we enjoyed our home and bonding time with family and friends. It was also a time for rest after the tiring, yet fulfilling, National Conference. We had a lot of good times and also had a couple of trying times, yet still experienced God’s presence.

In Good Times…

We left for Manila last January 5. The next day was Zeik’s 12th birthday and 5th spiritual birthday. Before leaving for our staff conference in Tagaytay, we woke him up and greeted him with a cake which Dot baked and with some gifts. It was a happy time for us, thanking God for Zeik’s life . His birthday wish is a new marine aquarium, that we still have to give him after we save up for it. Then a few hours later we were off to Tagaytay for our staff conference.

After months of hard work for NC, we, together with all the staff were treated to an afternoon of fun and adventure at Enchanted Kingdom in Laguna. It was a wonderful treat for all of us. We were thrilled at the rides and faced our fears of height and speed. Dot had been shouting at the top of her lungs after few rides. Somehow the rides was freeing and frightening. Yet all of us had a different and memorable experience.

The staff conference was also a time of renewal and recommitment. Its purposes for us staff are to have rest, to plan, and to bond as a team. They were achieved harmoniously. We were also blessed with a meaningful time with some of our BOT. It had been a while since we experienced such wonderful staffcon. Erickson facilitated a lot of sessions. He also worked with key graduates in the formation of IVCF’s new Southern Luzon Regional Unit. Dot, together with Shebel, facilitated 2 sessions on Fund Raising and building relationships with our donors.

After the conference we had witnessed a wedding of a former colleague, and then later met up with some of our Baguio graduates who were already in Manila. All of them were our former IVCF students. Both of us and the boys enjoyed the reunion with these people.

Erickson preached for the first time at Sampaloc Bible Community Church on January 31, 2010. It was a wonderful opportunity to share God’s Word and the ministry of IVCF.

In Bad Times…

We got back to our office work by the third week. Most of the regional staff had gone back to their areas. Most of us here had resumed with our office work, meetings and other tasks clamoring to be accomplished.

Erickson was coming home from a meeting with student leaders when one of the lenses of his eyeglasses fell along the stairs at UP Diliman. It was chipped off and when we was putting it back he discovered that the frame was already broken. It was a daunting task driving along the busy Commonwealth Avenue at night (even bringing some of the students to their nearest jeepney rides). So the very next day, we took an emergency leave from work to buy a new eyeglasses. He needed lenses with 700 and 450 grade, but most optical shops we visited needed 3-5 days to make that kind of eyeglasses. Thankfully we found one shop that could make the glasses before the mall closes. So we just roamed around the shopping mall, window shopping as we waited for it. It was an urgent need and surprise expense.

Since we are always away on summer, we decided to have Zeik circumcised this January. A pedia-friend (also an IV batchmate in Baguio City) recommended to have it done in her clinic in Tarlac because it is cheaper and she could check up on Jahd also. And it was also an opportunity re-connect with her and meet her fiancé. On our way to Tarlac, our car started to make frightful noises from the engine. We stopped at the nearest gas station. The car literally stopped on its own, because the engine was starting to overheat. After cooling it off for a few minutes, we hope to have it checked but no mechanic was on duty that time, so we decided to move on and just looked for auto repair shop along the way. As Erickson stepped on the gas, the sound became louder, like a helicopter. The sound heightened our stress level and we could only breathed prayers asking God for mercy not to let the car break down in unpopulated areas. With an “injured” car, we were able to reach the clinic in Tarlac, on time for Zeik’s circumcision schedule. After bringing the car to a shop near the clinic, we were told that the engine had a major break down and it was unsafe to drive it. Thinking that the car could be fixed the next day, we stayed overnight in Tarlac for Zeik’s sake and “Surprise,” our car. By morning, we the mechanic said that it will take about a week to repair it, with lots of engine parts to be replaced. The car is still in Tarlac, hoping to be ready by next week. We are so thankful for friends like Ate Doc Liza, who accommodated us, gave free immunizations and cheap circumcision cost; for Eljay and Xai (both former students of ours and now like our older children ) who fetched us. And for many added blessings in spite of these not-so-delightful surprises.

On Our Knees…

• Rejoice with us for how the Lord manifests His presence and sovereignty over our circumstances. We may have “un pleasant surprises” or “interruptions” but we are still thankful for how these draw us closer to the Lord. We may even have added and untimely expenses but, we know that the Lord will provide— as He always has.
• Pray for our activities lined up this February: Erickson’s overnight retreat with IVCF Board Of Trustees on the 5th & 6th. Our Love Courtship Marriage talk with Bicol grads in Manila on the 14th; Ministry presentation and talk at Presbyterian Seminary in Dasmarinas, Cavite on the 18th; Southern Luzon Regional Fellowship & Prayer Day on the 20th.
• Pray for Zeik’s fast recovery and healing from his obedience to Genesis 17:10. He enjoys his rest, but gets bored from not doing anything else.
• Pray for Jahd’s appetite and good health. He had lost weight from our conferences due to not eating well, because both of us were so busy to wait for him to finish his meals.:(

At the height of our stress, we definitely reiterated that “hindi man kami mayaman sa maraming bagay pero mayaman kami sa mga kaibigan at sa ibang biyaya ng Diyos”.

Your friendship, prayer, love and support fuel us up, especially in our “bad times.” Knowing that you are always alongside us encourages us in a big way. Bad times do not seem to be bad at all but opportunities to be loved, helped and cared for. We praise the Lord for you.

In His grace,
Erickson &Dot
with Zeik & Jahd

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IVCF, Don Primitivo Ext., Don Antnio Hts., Diliman 1127 Quezon City, Philippines

02 931 7794 | 02 932 1339 | +63 927 3844056 | +63 9273844067

ericksonmv@ivcfphil.org | ericksonmv@gmail.com | dot.velardo@ivcfphil.org | dot.velardo@gmail.com