D R . E L R O I

A PERSONAL JOURNAL OF A MAN LIVING WITH HIV

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

COH Ozamis

The other two COH facilitator and me went to Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental to conduct the three day HIV & AIDS workshop last March 16.

There were 32 participants who were blessed with my testimony and at the same time empowered by loads of information we have presented to them. Three of them congratulated me personally for the courage I have shown by telling them my life story. Real life stories can truly made an impact that went straight to the heart of the people in seminars like this.

I thank the Lord for using me for this purpose for almost a year now. I give back all the honor and glory to our Lord Jesus Christ. Truly, God is in the business of changing lives and I am a living testimony to that.

This week, I will be conducting a one day workshop with the other two facilitators to this huge Christian church.

Friday, March 20, 2009

One Year Celibacy

Yesterday marked the first year since I made the celibacy vow to the Lord, I have promised to consecrate myself for God few months after I became a Christian.

In my own definition of celibacy being a single man of God, I have decided to abstain from any sexual activity such as masturbation, phone sex, and sexual intercourse whether anal or oral sex.

Wikipedia defined it as a state of being intentionally unmarried and abstaining from sexual intercourse. It is the promise to refrain from all sexual activities including lustful thoughts for the purpose of spiritual advancement.

I must admit it is by God's grace and not by my own strength. Honestly, there were two or three times that I almost did it but it never actually happened because I do not want to. My flesh said yes but my mind said no and I have to stop it for God made a way out, it's really hard but with prayers and prayers of others and Words of God I guess it is possible. The most difficult is the lustful thoughts and Lord knows I am trying very hard working on it. Like I said before, I do not know until when I could continue doing this and only God knows. Thank you God for the grace!

Lord knows my secret desires so I pray that He will be patient with me as I struggle to break free from all of these evil desires.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

First Anniversary

Last March 4 marked the first year of this blog. I still can't believe that I have been doing this for more than a year now and there were few people who have been blessed when they read this.

Anyway, last Saturday I have spoken about my testimony before the graduating high school class of the academy of our church. This is in preparation for them to college. It's like making them aware what is the world look like outside the Christian school, an environment they are so used to. The message of my talk was encouraging them to deal or face the issues they have right now and not to wait for something bad to happen to them before they address it. My pastor and our youth leader told me that they have been so blessed and a lot of questions were raised at the end of the day. Praise the Lord Jesus Christ!

On the evening of that day, I attended for the first time the ALPHA for PLWH at my doctor's house and I was blessed to see my friends who are so interested in searching for God. I told them how the Lord is changing me ever since I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior. I am glad that they were all blessed and amazed on how my life has changed so far praise God! That was the feedback I got from my doctor.

What a way of living this life thank God!

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

My 32nd Birthday

Yesterday was my birthday and it has full of surprises! God is so good!

First, my good friend who happens to be my Christian doctor paid me a surprise visit and stayed at our house till 4PM. She conspired with my parents not to tell me about the small party they have been up to. There's pasta, cake and ice cream!

Second, an LBC messenger brought my gift from my foster mother in Palawan! The gifts are three nice books, now I have so many to read. I am so elated that I gave her a call to thank her.

Lastly, my Pastor and his wife, my good old friends from my first job gave me a phone call just to greet me while others sent their greetings via SMS and I have received a lot.

It was indeed a wonderful and happy birthday celebration. I thank God for all the blessings I have received from Him and for everything He did into my life. I am so happy! It could be one of the happiest birthdays I ever had praise the Lord!

Sunday, March 1, 2009

My Viral Load

Hello readers! I am so happy to post here on my blog about the result of my viral load test last month. I paid a visit to my doctor last Friday for her to check up on what is wrong with me for I have been suffering with a severe cold and fever since last Sunday, the day after my talk.

I got a slight fever from Sunday to Tuesday then it went away after taking some medicines. Now I am on my way to full recovery from this flu for my doctor has given me an antibiotic. I am feeling much better now.

Going back to the result of my VL test, it is 47 copies per milliliter of blood. This is a blessing indeed for it is very low and very close to be "undetected". Perhaps, after six months or a year I will have my VL test once again to check if the HIV in my blood is undetected. Thank you and God bless the person who paid for my test.