There are times when we are timid and shy about expressing the love we feel. For fear of embarrassing the other person, or ourselves, we hesitate to say the actual words “I love you.” So we try to communicate the idea in other words.

We are sometimes very strange people. The only thing we want to say and the only thing we should say is the one thing we don’t say. And yet, because the feeling is so real and the need to say is so strong, we are driven to use other words and signs to say what we really mean. And many times, the meaning never gets communicated at all and the person is left unloved or unwanted.

Therefore, we have to listen for love in the words people are saying to us. Sometimes, the explicit words are necessary but more often, the manner of saying things is even more important.

Any expression of a person’s concern for others says “I love you.” Sometimes, the expression is clumsy, even cruel. Sometimes, we must look and listen very intently for the love that it contains. But it is often there, beneath the surface.

We show our love sometimes by gentleness, sometimes by thoughtfulness and impulsiveness. Many times we have to show our love by forgiving someone who has listened to the love we have tried to express.

The problem in listening for love is that we don’t always understand the language of love which the other person is using.

Thus, we have to force ourselves to really listen for love. The thing in our world is that people rarely listen to each other. They hear words but they don’t listen to the actions that accompany the words or the expression on the face.

We have to listen for God’s love as well. Thomas Merton says that God’s presence is to speak, ours is to listen. We get all confused and discouraged and think that even God has abandoned us and does not love us anymore because we don’t listen closely enough for His love. It is there in people, in circumstances, in situation if we can only hear it.

Listen for love and we will find that the world is a very loving place after all.

• masaya na gusto nilang matuto
• makulit ang mga kids pero masaya pa rin
• we found out that kids are aware of poverty issues
• taught kids math and english
  
• library (venue) helped
• maraming tutors!
• less gulo
• kids understood
• mabilis matuto ang kids
• load was divided
• hindi umulan

• walang first-aid kit (may nasugatan na bata)
• kids don't want catechism (persuasion->candies)
• makulit ang kids
• nanghahampas ang kids
  
• may mga nag-away
• hindi focused and ibang kids-> give them break in one area; huwag paalisin
• may mga unenrolled kids (distraction) -> make a play space
• sobrang dami ang kids
• hindi nag-aaral -> give them more visual aids
• magulo -> talk to them, make them understand
• aptitude does not match lessons -> practice

• tutorials!
• high attendance rate :)

• "nothing should be stopped?" learn to control though
• tardiness

THE LESSON OF THE COFFEE BEAN
Author Unknown
Aug 2, 2007


A daughter complained to her father about how hard things were for
her. "As soon as I solve one problem," she said, "another one comes
up. I'm tired of struggling."

Her father, a chef, took her to the kitchen where he filled three pots
with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to a
boil. In one he placed carrots, in the second, eggs, and in the last,
ground coffee beans. He let them sit and boil, without saying a word.

The daughter impatiently waited, wondering what he was doing. After a
while, he went over and turned off the burners. He fished out the
carrots and placed them in a bowl. He pulled the eggs out and placed
them a bowl. He poured the coffee into a bowl. Turning to her he
asked, "Darling, what do you see?"

"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied.

He brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and
noted that they were soft. He then asked her to take an egg and break
it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.
Finally, he asked her to sip the coffee. She smiled, as she tasted its
rich flavor.

She asked, "What does it mean, Father?" He explained that each of them
had faced the same adversity -- boiling water -- but each reacted
differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting, but
after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became
weak.

The egg was fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid
interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside
hardened.

The ground coffee beans were unique, however. By being in the boiling
water, they changed the water.

He asked his daughter, "When adversity knocks on your door, which are
you?"


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