NO! I’m not a bad son or a backslider, but it’s true. I rarely listen to him preach and not for the reasons that you’re thinking.

Crossing the Pacific Ocean on a weekly basis is definitely not a viable idea, and anyone, who does that just to hear someone preach is either mentally deranged, idolatrous or has no financial self-control in any sense of the word. But ever since I had a decent amount of brain activity going on in my head, I never found it useful or even necessary to hear Papa preach.

The reason: I learned a lot from his example.

I struggled to read through my first non-academic book. I remember reading it 10 pages at a time, per day, in order to finish it. It was a small and thin material, but finishing it was a success. And I started to read more, and more, and more. I don’t remember Papa telling me to read books (or read a lot) before I was actually showing visible interest on reading. But because he loves reading and have actually turned our house, no matter where we lived, into a library/living space, reading has become part of my lifestyle. It’s a passion and sometimes, an addiction, that I still have and my siblings and I can attest that we find ourself very comfortable in bookstores. No matter where we are.

Nation building wasn’t really the main topic at the dinner table. Until all of us kids were old enough and was showing interest in the stuff did Papa tell us of what he was doing. But we knew what he was doing all along. He was involved in all these Christian organizations and activities that has something to do with nation building. At one point he even wrote speeches for the President for religious events. He didn’t have to tell us that we need to love our nation or be passionate about its welfare. We saw his dedication and love for the nation in his work. And because I’m an extremely smart kid (like every other kid on earth), I learned to follow (some) of what he did. Since he lived it out, I tried to sort of carry some nation building work on my own when I was in college. The idea failed. Heaven knows if I may have a chance to do it again. Nation building, however, is still an advocacy and career I will always have an interest in, even if I’m living in a completely different nation now. Someday, I hope to carry some of what he did, remixed in my version, in the new nation I’m in now.

Church ministry and the people behind them did not really interest me when I was a kid. Papa never singled-out the ministry as “the job” or ever said that being a Pastor or minister is a holier calling than being a businessman, doctor, or whatever profession. However, I found myself having greater respect and deeper appreciation for those who do church work. I actually even did a stint at a church-based organization to kick start my working life. I was never coerced to love church leaders or be grateful of what they do, but since Papa is a minister and I saw how much he love other ministers, I ended up emulating his example. Today, I have a special place in my heart for those in the ministry, first because I’m a Christian, and second, because Papa has been giving his love, life and resources to equip them to become more excellent and effective in the calling they responded to.

They say that you tend to remember about 20% of the things you hear, but can retain in your memory more than half of what you experience. Experience happens when something is seen, felt, heard, read, understood and appreciated, all at once or during the process of encountering it. It is the most powerful of ways to learn and receive impartation of a mindset, habit or lifestyle. 

Papa’s greatest preaching is not being delivered with audible sounds, and thus its impossible to listen to.  He has been living it and has made and continually been making a great impact in my life, far more than a thousand sermons combined.

Happy Father’s Day, Papa!