Saul The Persecutor Turned Preacher

From among the most bitter and relentless persecutors of the church of Christ, arose the ablest
defender and most successful herald of the gospel. Saul of Tarsus, a Pharisee in Jerusalem was
authorized by the high priest to arrest any followers of Jesus in the city of Damascus. He then
swore to wipe out the new Christian church, called The Way. Acts 9:1 says he was "breathing out
murderous threats against the Lord's disciples."

On the way to Damascus, Saul was blinded when he and his companions were struck down by a
blinding light. Saul heard a voice say, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" (Acts 9:4, NIV).
When Saul asked who was speaking, the voice replied: "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do." (Acts 9:5-6, NIV). His
companions then led him into Damascus to a man named Judas, on Straight Street. For three days
Saul was blind and didn't eat or drink.

Meanwhile, a disciple in Damascus named Ananias had a vision wherein Jesus told him to go to
Saul. He went to Saul and found him at Judas' house, praying for help. Ananias laid his hands on
Saul, telling him Jesus had sent him to restore his sight and that Saul might be filled with the Holy
Spirit. Saul thereafter was able to see again. He arose and was baptized into the Christian faith.

After his conversion, Saul changed his name to Paul. Jesus, in his command to Ananias, explained
that Saul was his chosen instrument to deliver the gospel to the Gentiles, their kings, and the people
of Israel. The conversion of Paul showed that Jesus himself wanted the gospel message to go to
the Gentiles, quashing any argument from the early Jewish Christians that the gospel was only for
the Jews.

In one moment of fear, enlightenment, and regret, Saul understood that Jesus was the true Messiah
and that Saul had helped murder and imprison innocent people. Despite his previous beliefs as a
Pharisee, he now knew the truth about God and was obligated to obey him. Paul's conversion
proves that God can call and transform anyone he chooses, even the most hard-hearted; from
among the most bitter and relentless persecutors of the church of Christ, arose the ablest defender
and most successful herald of the gospel.

Eryl Isabelle Yu Cabaron

 Blood Donation

Blood is a very vital part in every human system. When we lose too much blood, we lose our lives
as well. You may not be in such situation, but more than hundreds of thousands of other people
are. It may be your mother, your father, your brothers or sisters, your spouse or your children. We
need to donate blood since it can save a life of either someone you know, a person in need, or a
relative.
Imagine a situation where someone you know is really in need of a blood donor to save his or her
life. For instance, if someone you know is born with a heart defect, and he or she needs an urgent
blood transfusion to save their life. To save a situation similar to this or even worse, we all need
to donate blood in large numbers, along with the increase in demand for blood supply.
People need to donate blood in large numbers because according to the Red Cross the demand for
blood is always there because patients in need are always admitted in the hospitals. To save the
situation the government should have various donation centers where people will be donating
frequently. Schools and Universities, as per my experience, conducts bloodletting every once in a
while, in cooperation with the bloodletting program of the Red Cross.
The process of blood donation is very simple and takes only a few minutes of your time, but the
impact it makes when people donate blood is significant. The blood you give save many lives
because people involved in road accidents, people having surgery, patients with cancer, women
having babies are all saved when you donate blood. The demand for blood is always increasing,
and when you donate blood, you will assist in meeting the demand.
Your little acts can make great things. Your small amount of sacrifice can free other people from
sufferings. Ask your school or office or any hospitals for a scheduled blood donation program. If
there is none, I encourage you to donate blood at the Red Cross offices any day, and you will save
lives.

Eryl Isabelle Yu Cabaron

 Overweight and Obesity

Being obese or overweight is more personal rather than general. One must consult, individually,
to a healthcare professional in order to address their needs. Research alone cannot resolve one’s
issue, nor advice given by a professional through an article or any reference found in the internet
or a published book. Every person has different needs, genetics, body type, metabolism or the like.

According to the World Health Organization, the fundamental cause of obesity and overweight is
an energy imbalance between calories consumed and calories expended. Globally, there has been
an increased intake of energy-dense foods that are high in fat; and an increase in physical inactivity
due to the increasingly sedentary nature of many forms of work, changing modes of transportation,
and increasing urbanization.

As stated by National Heart, Lung and Blood institute, overweight and obesity are increasingly
common conditions in the United States. They are caused by the increase in the size and the amount
of fat cells in the body. Doctors measure body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference to screen
and diagnose overweight and obesity. Treatment depends on the cause and severity of your
condition and whether you have complications. Treatments include lifestyle changes, such as
heart-healthy eating and increased physical activity, and Food and Drug Administration-approved
weight-loss medicines.

There are a lot of benefits in losing weight. “It is difficult to measure how much quality of life is
improved if you lose some weight. Many people feel better and have more energy. Some people
notice an improvement in their self-esteem. But there are also definite health benefits from losing
some weight. Many diseases are more common in obese and overweight people and you are less
likely to develop them if you lose some weight” (Dr Laurence Knott, 01 Mar 2018).

An obese or overweight person must, then, seek and consult personally if he or she may feel like
losing hope in putting off weight. There is always a solution for every problem. He or she must
consider that every person is unique. What works for one is not a guarantee that it will work for
another. Our body will response to what is ideal for use. A health care professional may help with
one’s personal needs.

Eryl Isabelle Yu Cabaron

 Apologies

Japanese ambassador, Ichiro Fujisaki, should not only apologize to the Americans, but also to the
Filipinos, most especially. The Japanese occupation was one of the darkest interludes in the history
of the Philippines. The Japanese, not only controlled the Philippines, they also mistreated the
Filipinos with severe cruelty, changed their ways of living, starved and caused an outbreak of
epidemics which were prevalent such as dysentery, malaria and TB causing death of many people.
Over a million Filipinos had been killed in the war and many towns and cities, including Manila,
were left in ruins.

The Japanese occupation of the Philippines was the period in the history of the Philippines between
1942 and 1945, when the Empire of Japan occupied the previously American-controlled
Philippines during World War II. Most of the 80,000 prisoners of war captured by the Japanese at
Bataan were forced to undertake the infamous "Bataan Death March" to a prison camp. It is
estimated that as many as 10,000 men, weakened by disease and malnutrition and treated harshly
by their captors, died before reaching their destination.

The cruelty of the Japanese military occupation of the Philippines is legendary. One of the many
cruelties made by the Japanese, as testified by the first former Japanese soldier to have been
stationed in the Philippines, Akira Makino, who still suffered nightmares about Filipino hostages
and the injections that rendered them unconscious. According to him, he experienced situations
wherein surgical knives are gouging human livers and had flashbacks of horrific killing scenes.
Filipinos were treated nothing but living-body experiments.

Japanese occupation of the Philippines was opposed by active and successful underground and
guerrilla activity that increased over the years and that eventually covered a large portion of the
country. The Philippine guerrilla movement continued to grow, in spite of Japanese campaigns
against them. Throughout Luzon and the southern islands, Filipinos joined various groups and
vowed to fight the Japanese. The Filipinos, eager to resist Japanese control over our country, fought
for their freedom.

The period of the Japanese occupation lasting three years (1942-1945) was of the darkest interludes
in the history of the Philippines. Under the guise of emancipating the Philippines from the bondage
to Western imperialism, Japan brought her within the orbit of its so-called “Greater East Asia Co-
Prosperity Sphere”, but instead the rich Philippine natural resources were plundered, innumerable
atrocities were inflicted on the Filipinos and their education and culture were extremely
regimented. Thus, must apologize not only to the Americans, but most especially, to us Filipinos.

Eryl Is`abelle Yu Cabaron