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FEBRUARY

OUR DAYS
Teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom Psalm 90:12

This day...07February 2008 Juliet Labog-Javellana, Christine Avendaño, and Kristine L. Alave, of Philippine Daily Inquirer send the following report to inquirer.net -

Affidavit A vs Affidavit B

MANILA, Philippines -- “If you are reading this affidavit, I am probably dead.” This was how the affidavit of Rodolfo Noel “Jun” Lozada Jr. began, according to Vicente “Enteng” Romano, lead convenor of the Black and White Movement, a group that has called for the resignation of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Romano on Wednesday told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that as an “insurance” in case Lozada was harmed the witness had executed an affidavit detailing his intimate knowledge of the corruption and officials involved in the $329-million contract for the National Broadband Network (NBN) project awarded to China’s ZTE Corp.

But Lozada is executing another affidavit that may negate his earlier written statement. Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita Wednesday announced that Lozada was preparing an affidavit on his “position” on the NBN controversy and was meeting with his lawyer. “Mr. Lozada will surface in time and can be interviewed and he will tell the truth about what had happened to him,” Ermita said.

The executive secretary said Lozada was not abducted upon his arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Tuesday but was placed under police protection upon the request of his brother. Ermita said Malacañang would not stop Lozada from testifying in the Senate investigation of the ZTE deal because it had nothing to hide or fear.

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OUR JOURNEY
Take...no bag for the journey...for the laborer deserves his food. Matthew 10:10

The tale of the two affidavits, if the second affidavit will be made indeed, would bring to remembrance a similar tale from scriptures - the tale of two voices : voice from heaven--vs-- voice from the wilderness.

And behold the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him; and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:16-17)

And the tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread" (Matthew 4:4)

Rodolfo Noel “Jun” Lozada Jr.'s journey takes another turn as he finally submits himself to the Blue Ribbon Committee of the Philippine Senate, the committee tasked to investigate the "scandalous" National Broadband Network deal. This turn will take him to what may be termed as "A Wilderness Journey." The writers of The Way to Pilgrimage describe the wilderness setting as follows -

The wilderness is a place of dryness, of cracked lips, blistered feet, and stomachaches. A lonely landscape of questions and doubts, of deep longing. A dis-comfort zone, where we may forget who we are. In the wilderness we are tested by voices who want to tell us who we are. If we don't know who we are, the world will tell us. And that answer will undoubtedly not match the identity God gave us. - Dugan & Mitchell

To read The Way of Pilgrimage, CLICK HERE and KEY IN YOUR PASSWORD
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OUR TRIBUTE
Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

"You are my child, the beloved, with you I am well pleased."

Be sensitive to others who may be struggling with the temptations to listen to "wilderness voices." Find a way to bless them with God's voice through a simple word or action that conveys "You are God's; you are loved."

als 02/07/08
www.mkm.alsnet.org