D R . E L R O I

A PERSONAL JOURNAL OF A MAN LIVING WITH HIV

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

The 700 Club, Logos Hope & NCE


 

Few major things have happened in the past month until last week and the key words as to what are those can be read from the title.

It was my first time to be interviewed on national TV via 700 Club Asia about my journey and struggles with SSA that was aired on second week of Julyat GMA News TV. At first, I thought I got invited to share my views on the Anti-SOGI Discrimination bill but when I got on the set and read the script I was shocked! But then I realized perhaps it was the time the Lord has set for it to happen so it felt like God has set me up for a good purpose without a warning! Asking my friends and prayer to cover me with prayers and the Holy Spirit to lead me, it went very well indeed.

The host Peter Kairuz and the former beauty queen Miriam Quiambiao were the interviewers. Basically I was able to share how I have come up with my decision to “deny” myself and try hard to live the life God has called me for, which is to turn away from the “gay” life. And since it is a Christian program, my views on homosexual issues were the big part of that conversation. Positive feedbacks were received from all the community I am connected with including the former ones. A few of them told me that I was like a professor giving lectures to the two interviewers hahaha! Most importantly, I got some supports and very good comments from my family and relatives.Also, this debut on TV has revealed the real me to old friends and former classmates during high school and college days thus I can say, “I am truly out!”They were all proud of me actually praise God!

For the fourth time since 2012, I have visited the Logos Hope ship docked at San Fernando, La Union and shared the story God has written on my life for the second time to this whole community of young Christian missionaries from all over the world. Not only I have done devotion and workshops on homosexuality but I was also able to do a one on one focused conversation than counseling with some of the ship’s crew. So glad to hear that they were truly blessed with everything I have shared and encouraged to face theirself-issues. This was the part I really enjoyed during this stay. Moreover, I was able to make a new best friend out of my Scottish host from Edinburgh and made friends with his friends and some of the Filipino visitors and volunteers. Similarly, not only they were proud of me but impressed and blessed too with the work God has been doing through my life.

Closely fourteen days after I left the ship, I took the board for NCE or National Counselors Examination to become a licensed practitioner or Registered Guidance Counselor or RGC. Despite of the several challenges we have faced such as time constraint reviewing, application for examination and uncertainties from Professionals Regulations Commission or PRC as to whether our program and school will be approved to take the exam, almost all of us who took from the our school passed the exam! On top of that, one of us placed fifth overall! Personally this is a miracle and truly all by His grace alone for this is how exactly what I have been praying from the beginning of our intention to take the licensure examination. Now my masters’ degree did not only give me a “Pastoral Counselor” ministry title but also earned me a license as RGC. It was really unbelievable for we found the exam difficult like it was impossible to pass especially if you were not able to study well almost 75% of the content. But this is another proof that if you yield everything, trusts and let God…His will prevails! What an unforgettable experience! So to all who prayed for and with us, from the bottom of my heart, my deepest thanks!


So what’s next? Well I need to focus now with our newly formed counseling center and attend to several commitments on seminars, workshops, and counseling that all were put on hold for this NCE. Another thing that happened in the Logos Hope ship, somebody told me…. again…to write a book on my story so I am still praying if it is really one of the direction God is setting me up for. Hmmm not a bad idea so we’ll see, I might start thinking about it seriously. 

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