Ligaya Acosta, June 2008.

The month of June was a very hectic but fruitful one for HLI-Asia, with a frenzy of activities in the Philippines and a ten-day travel to the landlocked country of Nepal, cruising through a total of 5,484 air miles.

On this trip, there was almost no time to sleep, as we conducted talks and congresses to awaken the people and save them from the sharpened claws of the culture of death, and we worked with key church groups to chart further strategies to defeat the forces of evil.

STRENGTHENING THE PRO-LIFE MESSAGE IN THE PHILIPPINES

The month aptly opened with a big Marian Congress in Davao City, Philippines, with the theme, "Mama Mary Guardian and Protector of Life," held on June 1 and attended by about 2,000 people.  This was an offshoot of last month's symposium, where attendees clamored to have more people learn and understand the threats and challenges to life and family.  I was one of only two speakers, and after my talk, some media people approached me for further interviews.  Also, after the talks, there was a long processional prayer rally all around the city in which participants carried placards proclaiming their support for life and "no" to abortion and anti-life laws.  The long walk along the rugged roads of the city was exhausting, but the vivid vision of Jesus walking with the heavy cross to Calvary was enough to force my weary legs and bruised feet to carry on.  Besides, I thought it was too little a reparation for the sins against life and family, which make Mama Mary shed tears of blood.  The event was capped by a Mass presided over by the Auxiliary Bishop and concelebrated by a number of priests.

Aside from Davao City, I gave nine other talks during the month: On June 3, I gave a talk to the Bishops from the Episcopal Commission on Family & Life (ECFL); on June 4, I addressed the Family and Life Priests from Luzon and Metro Manila; on June 13-14, I gave three talks in the Province of Bohol (two with Family and Life workers and one with more than 200 teachers of the Holy Name University); on June 18, I gave a talk to the elite Federation of Broadcasters of the Philippines (KBP); and on June 30, I gave three talks in the city of Legazpi with three different audiences - one to the presbyterium of the Diocese of Legazpi (which was attended by the Bishop and almost 100 priests), another at the Bicol University (attended by seminarians, Family & Life workers, teachers, students, and media), and the third with about 200 parishioners of St. Raphaela Church, which included the attendance of some religious groups.  The Legazpi talks were part of a three-day sortie to the Bicol Region, which lasted until July 2, where I had eight very fulfilling speaking engagements in four provinces and cities.

Aside from the talks, there were constant meetings to plan and organize the grand celebration for the 40^th anniversary of Humanae vitae.  A special TV program was also made for the Family and Life Crusade of the Philippines on Humanae vitae, with me as the lone guest.  It was taped on June 11, and the episode was aired on July 6.

On June 12, I also had a chance to meet with a group of priests from the St. John the Baptist Congregation, which included their Superior General, who came all the way from the U.S.A.  They were introduced to me by a nun who is Superior at a Convent where I spoke in Korea.  The five priests came from three countries-Vietnam, China, and Taipei-and they offered their assistance for me to be able to visit their countries, where they have a house of their congregation.  We set a contingent visit to Taipei in December and a possible visit to Vietnam in August.

BREAKING THE SILENCE OF NEPAL

There is a great contrast between Nepal and the Philippines.  In the Philippines, there are well-organized groups defending life and family, while in Nepal there are none.  The silence in Nepal on life issues is due to their lack of knowledge of the anti-life conspirators' agenda.  My visit and talks were thus welcomed and well-received, especially since the parliament was soon to vote on a proposal to increase the age limit for when babies could be legally slaughtered or aborted.

Credit is due to His Excellency Bishop Anthony Sharma, of the Apostolic Vicariate of Nepal, and Rev. Father Pius Perumana, Vicar General, who readily extended their assistance and welcome when I contacted them.  The good Bishop also approved, in principle, a national pro-life congress to equip Nepal with the ammunition of facts and figures for pro-life activism.

DIRECTLY CONFRONTING THE CULTURE OF DEATH

I gave five talks during my nearly seven-day stay in Nepal.  Two others that had been scheduled-one exclusively for the clergy and the other for college students-but these had to be cancelled because of the constant strikes and demonstrations against the government, which paralyzed public transportation and practically put life on hold in the city of Kathmandu.  The clergy however, were able to attend my other talks.  On the day that I had been scheduled to talk at the biggest Catholic college in the country, the Parliamentarians themselves declared a ban on all public and private transportation, as they wrestled over the issue of government control, pressuring the Prime Minister-who had been identified with the ousted king-to resign.

It was a great disappointment for me not to be able to address the students and faculty.  Students in Nepal are so powerful that when they declare a strike all public transportation can come to a halt (though their means of doing it-by burning tires in the streets, among other things-cannot be condoned).  They have been so instrumental in bringing about change for so many causes in the past that I wanted to tell them about the much more important issue that needs their attention: stopping the legalization of the mass slaughter of children in their country.  One teacher from that college, however, was able to attend one of my talks, and he expressed to me how moved he was by it.

My most exciting session was with the death peddlers themselves.  We came early to the Church of the Assumption-the biggest Catholic Cathedral in the whole of Nepal-for my 10:30 a.m. talk on June 22.  My talk was scheduled to take place after Mass, and I was told I would meet many Filipinos and English-speaking parishioners.  As I arrived, my heart turned to heaven for reinforcement!  Written in bold on the flashy cars parked in the Church compound were UN, UNFPA, and UNICEF, among others.  The first Filipino introduced to me was a woman who was working with UNICEF.  I also met a doctor who had been a friend of mine and who is now the Country Director of UNAIDS in Nepal.  We had been together in Australia for a training course on HIV/AIDS many years back when we were both still at the Department of Health in the Philippines, which of course included training in the massive promotion of condoms and, now I realize, other shameful and deceptive things.

What I thought would be a confrontation during my talk became a triumph of GOD's glory.  Nobody contradicted me, and many spoke to me afterwards to express appreciation for my "courage" in exposing the death peddlers right in their presence.  The Country Director of World Vision-an African lady-even stayed after my talk to express a touching thanks and said that my coming was timely because the Parliament would soon be voting on a proposal to increase the age of babies in the womb eligible for legal abortion.  She attended my session again the next evening with the Couples for Christ group, who had requested a talk on Natural Family Planning, and she influenced others to attend my subsequent sessions.  The other African lady, though, who was Country Director of UNICEF, did not finish the session.  Before I ended, she silently left without saying anything. 

The touching confessions and sharing of those currently doing anti-life work were enough to make all the sacrifices I had made for this trip vanish away.  Their keen interest in listening to and knowing the truth also touched my heart.  It made me look back at my own deep conversion, which I also shared with them. Some members of the media also covered my talks, with one attending three of the five sessions and calling me a number of times until I left the country. He told me how grateful he was for my coming, and that he was deeply convinced of my message.  Again, the power of the Gospel of Life shone.