“NOW
IS MY TURN”. This is the thought that
has occupied my mind for the past few days.
Reflecting on how people come and go in this world, I realize that like
them there is a definite slot of time for me to live here on earth. For how long it will be, I do not know, but
for sure, time will come for me to say ‘Goodbye’.
My memory then lingered on the death
of the last of our ancestors, the youngest in a family of ten children whom we
call “Ina INES”. She died on June 8,
2007, her birthday, at the age of 89. It
was on the occasion of her death that we thought of doing something to
perpetuate the loving memories of our ancestors. Some of us have witnessed how they have
gathered together regularly, almost every weekend. They ate together, exchanged
views with one another and firmed up their brotherhood despite some differences
in viewpoints or misunderstandings at times.
This, certainly, is something worth emulating.
At this point in time, we, who are
the children from this Family of our Grandparents, Esteban and Juana, compose
what we may call the “NOW GENERATION”.
It is NOW our TURN to leave a legacy similar to what our parents have bequeathed
to us. It is a legacy of UNIFICATION.
Moved by the spirit of brotherhood
which we witnessed from our ancestors, we then made a covenant to bring the
members of our BIRUNG’S CLAN closer together thru an association. After some brainstorming, we agreed at a
consensus to form an Association of Birung’s Clan (ABC). A Constitution and By-laws were then drafted,
and after some revisions, it was approved and ratified on September 2, 2007 in
a meeting of the Elders, representing the ten children of our progenitors.
A General Assembly and Annual
Reunion was then held every year thereafter on the month of December. The Fifth General Assembly and Annual Reunion
was held last December 30, 2011 at the Gymnasium of Cataggaman Elementary
School. Approximately three hundred
(300) members of the ABC graced this gathering with their presence and participation
in the Holy Mass Celebration and other parts of the Program to promote
fellowship, have joyful entertainment and strengthen the bond of love that will
lead us to unification.
In an Archdiocesan Bible Congress
that was held last year we learned that no association or organization can last
without the WORD OF GOD. Hence, we
agreed to come together once a month to listen to the Word of God through Bible
Sharing. We have, indeed, felt God’s
loving presence as we meditated on His Word and shared our personal experiences
in our everyday life.
We do hope that we, who compose the
NOW GENERATION in this Birung’s Clan, shall have done something towards the goal
of UNIFICATION, which we believe is God’s plan for mankind in this world.
by: Buddy Cagurangan
April
29, 2012
