Adopt a Minister International, 7811 Laurel Court, Denham Springs, LA (2026)

05/09/2023

"Frozen with Fear" by Reva Lachica Moore

One day, I saw a most amazing sight. The “scolding” bird came. I call it “scolding” bird because it has the most annoying, loud sounds. When this bird comes, the birds and squirrels feeding on the walk become motionless, as if frozen with fear. That bird’s noise means a predator is on the prowl! What could make the birds and the squirrels become so afraid?

Sometime back, my husband hollered, “Look over there! There’s a hawk! It’s huge!” Then I saw it. The eagle hawk sat on a limb of a tree 80 feet away. The birds and squirrels had disappeared. The “scolding” bird had alerted them of the danger. Later, the eagle hawk was gone.

The following day, I heard the “scolding” bird again. Its calls got louder and faster. Then I saw the birds fly and the squirrels scamper away. Three squirrels were frozen with fear; they couldn’t move. For a few seconds they sat motionless on the walk, looking at the same direction. Then they disappeared. One squirrel had jumped onto the Magnolia tree nearby and it, too, was frozen with fear. It hung on the tree trunk looking like a branch for over 3 minutes. What caused the birds and animals become so afraid? What did the “scolding” bird tell them?

Then I saw it! A shadow caused by a big flying bird above passed by. The Eagle Hawk! It caused sudden chaos and then total silence. Suddenly, I realized that birds and animals experience fear just like humans. No wonder why the blue jay stays in one place for only a few seconds. And the squirrels are always on the alert; even a whip of wind make them scamper away.

Then I think about us humans. How we become frozen with fear when something tragic happens in our lives. I’ve had many of those. But one good thing I know, we have a loving and caring Heavenly Father Who truly cares. And whenever we are afraid, He is only a prayer away.

Nahum 1:7 “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows who trusts Him.”

05/05/2023

“Be NOT Forgetful…” by Reva Lachica Moore

The front doorbell rang and looking through the stained-glass door I could see a woman. The same young woman who had rang the doorbell earlier that morning asking if we have any school children in our house. After telling her that we do not, she left.
Why did she come back 5 hours later? I wondered. But there she stood holding a water bottle when I opened the door.

“Could you please put cold water in my bottle?” she asked.

I took the warm water bottle from her and said, “Come on in. It’s so hot and miserable out there. Come and cool off a bit.”

Some of you are probably saying, “You don’t just open your house to anybody. It’s unsafe!”

A National Rifle Association instructor whom I know said that we should never open our doors to anyone that we do not know. “Watch out,” he warned, “it may be an innocent-looking person at your door, but he or she may have accomplices hiding nearby who could hurt you!”

Another person I shared this story with said, “You should never open the door to anyone you do not know. What if he/she plans to rob you?”

But the Bible says in Hebrews 13:2, “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”
The young woman at the door introduced herself as Dusti and followed me to the kitchen, quite happy for letting her in.

“Would you rather have ice cream?” I asked. “I’ll fill up your water bottle too.”

Her eyes got big and chuckling she said, “I hope I’m not imposing, but yes, I’d like to have ice cream.”

So, I piled up ice cream on apple pie and asked Dusti to sit down and tell me what she was doing. She ate heartily and spoke while I listened to her story. A student selling books to make money for college, she came down to the south for the summer to knock on doors. The blistering sun that day with a heat index near 100 degrees due to the humidity was too much to take. If you go outside, you’d be drenched in a matter of minutes. Dusti felt good to be able to cool off after knocking on doors for 5 hours. She didn’t find anyone home in most of the houses she went to that morning and came back to our house to ask for cold water.
Immediately I felt badly for this young girl who was 1000 miles away from home and working alone. It was only her second day in our city and didn’t know anybody. After our short visit, Dusti left with an invitation to stop by our home anytime.

And so, Dusti came by for a few minutes every day. I’d offer her lunch and ice cream. Sometimes she’d pass by twice and usually before she goes back to the house where she stayed with other students like her, selling books also. It was always a joy to see Dusti. I’d stop whatever I was doing as soon as she comes in. What a delight she was! I came to know a beautiful and wonderful person.

She had sat down with us during many meals. She had shared her problems with me and we had shared prayer times together. She had many doors slammed in her face and people who felt annoyed had screamed at her, which often drove her back to her car crying. And for Dusti to have a place (our home) away from home, was the best help we could give her.

After almost two months of seeing Dusti every day, the time had come for her to go back to her home up north for the start of school. She came by for the last time. My family and I had learned to love this wonderful, young person. I know she has learned to love us too. I believe she’ll always remember her experience with us that summer.

Why did the Bible say, “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers?” Why did the Bible use the word “Be not forgetful?” It could have just said, “Entertain strangers.” Is it because in our daily lives we get so caught up with our everyday work, with family, with problems and other things that we forget about others out there who also need help? Or maybe because we are scared of those whom we do not know?

Dusti was not the first person we had invited into our Denham Springs home. We had invited many through the years. Dusti was a real blessing to us and I feel we’ve entertained an angel in our home.

Hebrews 13:2, “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”

(This happened in 2007. I illustrated using photo shop. I cannot find a picture of our front door but found this on the internet and it's the exact glass design that we have, and I placed a young woman's picture in there.)

05/05/2023

On Bended Knees: A Miracle and Her Last Prayer
by Reva Lachica Wallace-Moore (Written in 2002)

A Miracle
Anxious, cold, and weary, I sat alone in the ICU waiting room of the Baton Rouge General Hospital. I couldn't believe my husband Edwin was in a coma again! Six months earlier, he woke up from a three-day coma due to a malignant brain tumor. I wished I were just dreaming. It was 4:00 a.m. and I had sent my sons home to get some rest. The neurologist had met with us earlier giving us the bad news: "Your husband can no longer talk, is now blind, and paralyzed on his right side. And in 24 hours his kidneys will start to deteriorate." In my heart I knew only a miracle could save him again.

Back at the hospital room the next night, my sons and I decided to pray seven times, like Elijah in the Bible who prayed for rain. On bended knees, we gathered around Edwin's bed and prayed every few minutes. The nurse coming in and seeing us in prayer, stood by the slightly opened door 'til we said, AMEN. That night my oldest son stayed so I could go home and get some rest. At home I entered my walk-in closet and in the complete darkness, cried and begged God for another miracle.

The next morning, our prayers were answered. Edwin woke up NORMAL again to the amazement of the medical staff.
(My husband Edwin finally succumbed to cancer 6 months later. He died on July 8, 1999.)
* * * * * * * * * *
Another story: “Her Past Prayer”

Do you love your downtrodden neighbor?

Betty was one of the "poor people" cared for by our church. A widow in her 70's whose only son died, she lived alone. Plagued with Schizophrenia, Betty looked at the world in a child-like way---everyone should find time for her for she needed help. She didn't have the ability to see anybody else's point of view but only her own. She spent part of her day calling her church family: "Can you bring me food from Piccadilly?" "I need a ride to the doctor." "Can you buy me a new pair of shoes for my birthday?" It seemed Betty thought only about herself - as what some folks concluded. She enjoyed going to the Country Singing Jamboree every Saturday night. Folks from church took turns to take her there. Scared about the pranks of the neighborhood kids, she had an alarm system installed. This made her feel safe. And each time the phone rang in church during services, everyone knew it was Betty. She had called for prayer, for she didn't feel well to come to church.

Because of her mental illness, Betty complained about everything: Her ride being late; about not getting anyone when she called; about my van being too high for her to get in, and other things. Some folks avoided Betty for she was a bother. Yet, a number of folks found time for her. Delores picked Betty up so she could eat at her restaurant. Charity and Delores took turns to take her to the doctor. Chuck picked her up for church. Brad checked on her almost every day. The church elder made sure all her appliances worked. Mary cleaned her house every Friday. And Betty never failed to tell those who cared for her, "I prayed for you today" with a certain sweetness on her face.

One day nobody heard from Betty. Mary went to clean her house, but Betty didn't answer the door. Alarmed about Mary's phone call, Elder Gene who has a key to Betty's house went to check on her. What he saw was absolutely shocking! Betty on bended knees and head slumped on her bed was dead! To some people, Betty was but a burr in their shoe for she had interrupted their everyday lives many times. But God placed Betty on this earth to remind us of the "downtrodden" folks---their lives and their needs.

1 John 5:14-15 “And this is the confidence that we have toward
Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him.”

05/05/2023

"A Gruesome Entertainment" by Reva Lachica Moore

I was gasping for breath after sprinting half a mile from the Center Square in Rome to the Coliseum (also called colosseum). My husband and I had taken the shuttle from the Airport Hilton to the square. We had no idea where to go so we asked folks along the way. We had but a few minutes to reach the meeting place for our tour, and as I ran up the steps, a vendor held a trinket, “Only one euro!” I shook my head and when I turned, I faced another vendor selling ‘selfie’ sticks. But thank God, we made it to our meeting place on time.

It was so amazing to actually stand inside the massive structure. For 3 hours, our guide told stories and facts about the coliseum. The coliseum’s outer wall was made of travertine stones, which were set without mortar; they were held together by 300 tons of iron clamps. The stones were covered by marble, which had been extensively stripped by the Vatican and reused in their buildings. The bronze clamps which held the stonework together were hacked out of the walls, leaving numerous pits, which still scar the building today. One structure where the marble was not removed was the Arch of Constantine that stood nearby because Constantine became a Christian.

The guide continued to tell the story why the Coliseum was constructed. It was built for entertainment. The construction began around 70–72 AD ordered by Emperor Vespasian and completed up to the third story by the time of his death. The top level was finished, and the building was inaugurated by his son, Titus. In 80 AD, according to the Roman historian, Dio Cassius, over 9,000 wild animals were killed during the inaugural games of the amphitheater.

The coliseum was used to stage brutal and savage events to entertain the citizens of Rome. About 50,000 spectators filled the marble-topped seats in the 6-acre arena. The coliseum held 3 types of events that featured gladiators: wild animal hunts, executions of criminals, and gladiator shows involving man-to-man combat. All were gruesome as the gladiator was expected to fight to his death. Gladiators were slaves, criminals, or men who choose the risky life of a gladiator. They trained in gladiator schools. It was said that there could have been around 5,000 gladiators killed each year during the Roman Empire, which lasted until the end of the fifth century.

As I listened to our guide, I imagined how it might have been during that time. I pictured a father telling his children, “Children, today we are going to watch animals get killed by gladiators, and gladiators kill each other.” I was horrified.

Our guide took us to the hypogeum, an underground level that housed the animals and slaves. Animals and performers were brought through tunnels from outside stables and gladiators' barracks. Separate tunnels were provided for the Emperor and the Vestal Virgins so they could enter and exit the Coliseum without having to pass through the crowds. Elevators and pulleys raised and lowered scenery, props and caged animals and gladiators to the surface.

The Coliseum's huge crowd capacity made it essential that the venue could be filled or evacuated in a matter of a few minutes, very similar to those used in modern stadiums. Special boxes were provided at the north and south ends respectively for the Emperor and the Vestal Virgins providing the best views of the arena. On the same level, the senatorial class sat. The next level up was for the ordinary Roman citizens and was divided into two sections. The lower part, for wealthy citizens while the upper part, for poor citizens. Another level was added at the very top of the building for the common poor – the slaves, women and children.

Severe damage was inflicted on the Coliseum by the great earthquake in 1349, causing the outer south side to collapse. Much of the tumbled stones were reused to build palaces, churches, hospitals and other buildings in many places in Rome.
From the third tier, I saw the most incredible view of the inside of the amphitheater as well as the surrounding buildings and ruins outside. I heard that Christians may have been killed in the coliseum, but it was said there is no evidence that that really happened.

As I stood there, I remembered that it was the early Romans that persecuted Christians and crucified Jesus Christ. To be able to watch brutal killings of beasts and humans for entertainment, I can see why they were able to crucify my Jesus on Calvary’s Cross.

John 19: 16-18…“ Finally Pilate handed Him over to them to be crucified. So, the soldiers took charge of Jesus. Carrying His own cross, He went out to the place of the Skull (Golgotha). There they crucified Him, and with Him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.”

05/05/2023

“Others Have It Worse” by Reva Lachica Moore

“When is it ever gonna stop?” I hear this often from folks when annoying things happen to them. I do not ask this question because I know that as long as I live on this earth, bad things will always happen. This is what I tell my family when they lament about things: “Hey, it could be worse!” Or, “Others have it worse.” But they do not want to hear it.

So, when the phone rang yesterday and from what I gathered from my husband JR’s comments - his brother and Mom were in a car wreck. After he hung up, I bombarded him with questions: “Are they OK?” “Did they get hurt?” “Who’s at fault?” “How bad is it?” “How about the other car?” “Did anyone get hurt?” “Where did it happen?”

He couldn’t tell me much. All he knew was his sister had called to say that my in-laws (JR’s brother and mother) were involved in a car wreck and has no idea if there were injuries. A car had hit them from behind. His brother and mother were being taken to the ER. BUT the car that hit their car ran away – meaning – left the scene! And we will be updated again soon.

So, the next half hour was spent in prayers…and speculations, hoping everyone’s OK. An hour later, we received some more updates.

Right after the wreck, JR’s sister quickly drove to the ER to check on the brother and mother, but they were not there. They were still in the scene of the accident. As she waited, she saw a woman wailing in a corner. My sister-in-law knew something was terribly wrong for the woman to wail. The woman was alone in her deep sorrow and right away, my sister-in-law walked to the woman to console her. She placed her arms around this wailing stranger because that was the only thing she knew to do. No words came out of the woman except unrelenting wails.

This part of the story reminded me of the time I wailed, which continued countless more times when my husband Edwin died. Someone wails when a tragedy happens, and when whatever had happened is irreversible.
When Jesus lived on this earth, he heard wailings of people who had lost loved ones. Jesus was always full of compassion; He healed the sick and raised the dead. Today, Jesus still hears those who wail because a loved one had passed away. He is ever present with a compassionate heart and comforting love to those that are going through very difficult times.

Upon seeing the wailing woman in the ER, my sister-in-law thought about Jesus and how He hears people who wail when a loved one has just died. How could Jesus stand unrelenting wails from those who are deeply crushed and in great anguish? As my sister-in-law tried to console the wailing woman, she found out that this was the woman driver who was involved in her mother and brother’s car wreck! The woman was driving her husband to the hospital. She was driving quite fast, anxious, and panic-stricken because her husband was having a heart attack! Because of this, she ran into my brother-in-law’s truck. She fled the scene to take her husband to the ER close by. Sadly, the husband died.

Soon, my brother-in-law and mother-in-law arrived at the ER. Thank God, they did not have any injuries. But I’m very sad to hear about the woman who lost her husband.

Do you feel truly down? Maybe feel as if the whole world is against you? You’re probably asking why bad things happen to you all the time? It’s not the end of the world. Life can get tough sometimes, but remember that there are people out there with worse problems than you. (Written on March 5, 2016.)

1 peter 3:8, 9….Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.

05/05/2023

"Dead at 42" by Reva Moore (written in 2002)

Thirty years ago I found myself playing proxy for a friend whose mother died. It wasn't planned or anticipated. I was sitting in the back pew of the chapel when a man in a dark suit approached me. That very moment I realized he was the funeral director.

"We are now ready to begin and I'd like for you to view your mom one more time," the man whispered to me.

I couldn't believe the man had mistaken me for Celia! The place was already packed but my friend Celia and her family were nowhere in sight. I didn't know what to do! I felt strange about pretending to be the dead woman's daughter. I wasn't even crying. And my face didn't show any sign of mourning. "How can the man think that I'm Celia?" I thought to myself. I wanted to tell him that I wasn't who he thought I was, but he walked away before I could say anything. So, I decided to play along. Since I couldn't cry, I tried to look really, really sad.

I got up and slowly walked towards the casket with questions in my mind. What am I going to do? Should I pretend to kiss the dead person like I've seen some folks do? No way! And neither would I stoop down close to the dead woman's face. So, with my very sad face, I looked at the dead woman and lingered by the casket for a few minutes. Then I quietly found a seat in the front pew with the feeling of--'mission accomplished.' Most of the folks who came knew Celia, but they didn't know me. At that time Celia and I both wore our hair long - down to our waists. This was probably why the funeral director mistook me for my friend.

During that time, I lived in the nurses' dormitory of St. Joseph Hospital in Memphis. On several occasions, Celia took me home with her for some good home-cooked Filipino meals. Celia's mom, a plump and petite woman, was a very good cook. Each time I went to their house, Celia's mom was always in front of the stove--cooking. The aroma of fried food permeated her kitchen always. The smell of bacon, eggs, pork chops, hamburgers, chicken or fish frying, was the norm. It was her job to cook for her family, and she thought she was doing a great job of it.

At an early age, I already knew that fatty foods aren't good for my body. I also knew a little bit about cholesterol. I remember wishing to educate Celia's mom about trimming the fat in meats and eating more steamed or raw vegetables and fresh fruits. But I never did. I figured at 42, Celia's mom was old enough to know these things. And at 22, who was I to educate her?

But, what a sad day it was when Celia phoned me. Her mom had a heart attack and was in a coma in intensive care. At 42! I said my prayers for her healing but after 5 days, the sad news came: "Celia's mom is dead!" My friend was devastated. So I drove to the funeral home on top of a hill that morning with a very heavy heart.

Incidentally, in the middle of the service, Celia and her family came. Of course, they were crying as they found their seats in the front, close to the casket. The funeral director had a puzzled look when he glanced at Celia, and then at me. By this time, he realized that he started the funeral service without the Cruz family.

Why do people die so young? Why do many folks have by-pass surgeries? We know that our diet greatly affects our health. Can we do something about our diet? This is what I wish to share in this two-part article with the hope that many would benefit from these reminders and live long and healthy lives.

According to the Healing Heart Foundation, more than half a million by-pass operations are performed every year in the U.S. alone. Of these, many patients will become candidates for a second, and sometimes a third by-pass operation. It is important to understand that the original cause of the problem is not changed by this surgery. If lifestyle patterns that fostered the problem are not changed, coronary artery disease will continue to threaten the patient's life.

Celia's mom was too young to die. Could her diet have attributed to her demise? How about you? How's your diet?

Please read part two of this article bellow. Also, check the internet for the video, "A Diet for All Reasons" by Michael Klapper, M.D. This video will make a believer of you and, it might save your life!

Dead at 42
(Second of a two-part series -written in 2002)

In Sharing Time last week I spoke of a lady who died at age 42 of a heart attack and how badly I felt about it. I wondered if it could have been prevented, so I put together some heart health information.

According to the Healing Heart Foundation, more than half a million bypass operations are performed every year in the U.S. alone. Of these, many patients will become candidates for a second, and sometimes a third bypass operation. It is important to understand that the original cause of the problem is not changed by this surgery. If lifestyle patterns that fostered the problem are not changed, coronary artery disease will continue to threaten the patient's life.

Let's first consider what by-pass surgery is, then, how we may be able escape this serious surgery. As the name indicates, that surgery uses a segment of a vein from another part of the body like an arm or leg to pass around an obstructed segment of a coronary artery.

Many times, the artery bypassed is as much as 90 per cent or more occluded. Most bypass surgeries require the use of a heart-lung machine. The heart is stopped and a heart-lung machine (cardiopulmonary bypass machine) is used to pump blood and perform the functions normally performed by the heart and lungs. The surgeon then has a heart with no motion on which to work. This is not the only way bypass surgery can be performed, but it is the time honored and the most common method. There is another fairly common procedure for obstructed coronary arteries called endarterectomy or angioplasty, where a small cutting instrument is introduced into one of the large thigh vessels and pushed upward into the heart, then out into the diseased artery where it reams the artery clean.

Why do so many people have this type of surgery? The answer: "rust in the pipes." What caused this "rust"? Mainly, it is plaque resulting from dietary cholesterol, which gradually increases on the arterial wall. This may eventually block the artery completely, and produce a "heart attack," which may be instantly fatal unless the person is old enough and the process gradual enough to allow the body to produce collateral circulation.

Where does the cholesterol come from? Cholesterol is normally produced by the liver and is necessary for body health (for making cells, hormones, etc.). No problem there.
The problem is that all animal fats (meat, milk, eggs, cheese, etc.) contain cholesterol and we love these foods. So, we eat them, and pay the price. If you're overweight, cut down on calories to reach your ideal body weight.

If you would like to avoid being one of the 61,800,000 Americans who have one or more forms of cardiovascular disease at present according to the American Heart Association, or if you have it and want to live with it, consider this advice: Decrease or eliminate all animal fat from your diet, exercise briskly daily, stop smoking if you smoke, use no alcohol, make your diet largely or entirely vegetarian. If you're overweight, cut down on calories to reach your ideal body weight. This includes all sources of calories, whether that be from fats, proteins, carbohydrates or alcohol. Make sure your blood pressure is within normal limits.

If I might be funny, pick your ancestors better, since genetics play an important part in all these, too. No, we can't do that, but we can choose our lifestyle, can't we?

These statistics are from the American Heart Association:

According to Year 2000 estimates:

Americans with one or more forms of cardiovascular disease (CVD) -- 61,800,000
High blood pressure -- 50,000,000
Coronary heart disease -- 12,900,000
Myocardial infarction -- 7,600,000

Coronary artery disease is the number one killer among both men and women in the United States. In years gone by, it was considered a man's hazard, and women were less likely to die with coronary disease; but with increase of smoking and intake of dietary fat, the disease has steadily increased among women.

Cardiovascular disease:

Claimed 945,836 lives in 2000 (39.4 percent of all deaths or 1 of every 2.5 deaths).
Other 2000 mortality: total cancer 553,091; accidents 97,900; HIV (AIDS) 14,478.

Coronary heart disease caused 515,204 deaths in 2000 and is the single leading cause of death in America today.

12,900,000 people alive today have a history of heart attack, angina pectoris or both (about 6,300,000 males and 6,600,000 females). This year an estimated 1.1 million Americans will have a new or recurrent coronary attack.

About 250,000 people a year die of coronary attack without being hospitalized. Most of these are sudden deaths caused by cardiac arrest, usually resulting from ventricular fibrillation.

Remember, housewives, since you do most of the cooking, heart disease is far and away the leading cause of death of American women, and their husbands.

We will mention several things that you hear about, but that space prohibits our discussing:
1. Triglycerides are the chemical form in which most fat exists in food as well as in the body.
2. HDL---So called "good cholesterol."
3. LDL---So called "bad cholesterol."
4. Trans fats---Liquid fats hardened by hydrogenation, like margarine, packaged baked goods and restaurant fried foods. Very bad.
5. Saturated fats (Bad)
6. Unsaturated fats (Better)

Exodus 15:26 He said, "If you listen carefully to the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you."

05/05/2023

Note: I saw Ms.Irene Wakeham’s name on a plaque at the General Conference Headquarters of the SDA in Silver Spring, MD and I looked for my write up about this amazing English teacher.

“My Memory of Ms. Irene Wakeham” by Reva Lachica Moore

I was living at the girl’s dorm (1968) when I received a note from Ms. Wakeham. The note said: “Reva Lachica, come see me in my cottage.”

You can just imagine my fear. Why does she want to see me? What did I do? Instantly, I remembered our English class assignment: Borrow a book from the library. READ it. Close it, and write a one-page summary of the book.

I had many exams that week and did NOT have time to read the book. So, I flipped to the Table of Contents page, read each section title, closed the book and made up my own story. I submitted it the following day. And then I received Ms. Wakeham’s note.

I had no choice but drag my feet toward her cottage; my heart pounding harder as I got closer. I felt horrible for not reading the book. But it’s true, we do things that we regret later.

I knocked on her door. She opened and told me to come in. She didn’t have a smile on her face; I became even more nervous. I sat in the living room. She excused herself and went to her bedroom. When she came out, she had something in her hand – the book that I had borrowed from the library! Oh no! I got caught! Fear was written all over my face.

Then she started asking questions: “Ms. Lachica, what are my instructions about the homework?”

“I have to borrow a book from the library, read it, close it, and then write a summary.”

“Did you follow my instructions?”

(I wrestled a bit on what to answer but, it's true, I did get the book from the library.) “Yes, Ma’am.”

“Reva Lachica, I went to the library and got the book (she held it out). I looked all over this book to see if you copied your words and sentences from it, but I did not see any.”

By this time, I felt myself shaking and knew that she had truly found me out. Should I tell her the truth and say, 'I’m so sorry?' No! I looked down on the floor instead, too scared to look at her face. I didn’t say another word.

“Reva Lachica, you are a good writer. Continue writing.”

What? (I was puzzled.) Did I hear her right? I slightly shook my head, then looked up. This time, she had a smile on her face.

I heaved a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Ma’am. Yes, I will continue to write.”

“Tell me something…are you related to Renato Lachica?”

“Yes, Ma’am. He is my oldest brother.” By this time, I was smiling and felt OK. I thanked Ms. Wakeham for the encouragement. I was skipping and jumping on my way back to the dorm.

That week, I wrote a story, “Locked in the Locker” and mailed it to the Junior Guide here in the US (This magazine is called “Guide” today.) “Locked in the Locker” is a true story about a dorm girl who didn’t go to church one Sabbath. When the dorm dean came to check the rooms, the girl hid in her locker. (We were told to keep our lockers locked when we are out for a few hours.) The dorm dean saw the unlocked locker and clicked on the padlock. Of course, the student realized what had happened and screamed.

Amazingly, my story was published in the Junior Guide a few months later. When I came to the US for the first time in 1968, 12-year-old Ruthie McLarty, the daughter of my American host family, introduced me to her young friends as: “This is Reva Lachica, the one who wrote, “Locked in the Locker.”

In that same year, I wrote another story…

“A young woman literature evangelist was going door to door in a bad part of town. This young woman had no idea of course, but after she realized that the bus had already left, she had no choice but look for a house to spend the night. She knocked on a door. After telling her sad story, a sweet, elderly woman let her in and led her to a nice bedroom. She prayed for protection before she went to sleep. Around midnight, she was suddenly awakened by eerie noises outside. Screams, then jeering, followed by moments of sinister silence, then strange crackling sounds of fire sparks. Then screams again, as if some people were trying to break into her bedroom door but couldn’t. From the short outburst of voices, she felt the bad people couldn’t come in. She heard that someone with a flaming sword was standing by her door. “Kabudlay!” (difficult) was what she heard someone say. Very scared, the young woman knelt, pleading and also thanking God for His protection. She knew that God had sent an angel to guard her bedroom door.

“The many noises outside started to die away and an hour later, there was complete silence. At dawn, she gathered her things and looked for the sweet, elderly woman to thank her for the night. The elderly no longer had a smile on her face. The young woman boarded the bus, crying tears of joy to God for sending her guardian angel that night.”

I sent this story to the Junior Guide (in the US) and a month later, I received a letter plus the story that I wrote. They liked my story, but they want real names and dates and a letter of permission from the person in the story. I was so excited; I shared my letter and the story to my dorm mates that night. My paper story was going from person to person in the dorm, but I knew they’d give it back after they had read it. Sadly though, a day later, I inquired where my story was, but nobody knew who had it last. I never found my story again. I could rewrite it, but got discouraged, and did not do it.

That was the END of my short writing career.

NOTE: I saw Ms. Wakeham and her husband 10 years ago at a church gathering. I greeted her and wished to remind her of our first encounter, but I did not. I don’t think she’d remember me anyway.

I did not write again until 33 years later. The late Pastor Ban Alsaybar became my friend and after a few e-mails, he asked me if I would like to have a weekly column with the California Examiner/Philippine Media newspaper. And so I started writing my weekly Sharing Time columns on New Year of 2001 until August 2019, and I had been posting my Sharing Time stories in the Cyberlink as well. To God be the glory!

I will always remember Ms. Wakeham as the first person who encouraged me to write. Ma’am Alberastine, PUC librarian, was my English teacher the following year. She also called me one night to see her at the library. I went upstairs (I think there was an upstairs) and Ma’am Alberastine also encouraged me to write.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”

Adopt a Minister International

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