Of notes and Kuya Caloy

One of the greatest joys in one’s life is to receive letters from people. Of course, I get my daily dose of emails—mostly spam, forwarded messages sent to my Yahoo groups, and notices that someone has posted a comment in one of my entries.

But I find real letter sending—the kind that uses pen and paper and envelopes whose flaps you have to lick so they stick—more meaningful. Why? Maybe because it requires extra-effort. Maybe because an ordinary person can only receive a few tangible letters in his lifetime—especially in the advent of the email and SMS. Or maybe because it’s more personalized. I’m not sure if you can relate with me, but reading from a person’s handwriting is different from reading, say, a letter encoded in Times New Roman, font 12.

And when it comes to these things—to letter sending, thoughtfulness, remembering birthdays, pasalubongs, give-aways, and gifts—I never fail to forget Kuya Caloy Novisteros.

I first met him a year ago, when I attended the Kalayaan Christian Fellowship (KalCF). He had a camera with him, a small notebook, and a pocket-sized black Bible. He spoke about something—which topic exactly, I’ve now forgotten, because I’ve heard him speak so many times already.

God has used him tremendously for His purposes. He speaks with such eagerness that infects you like chickenpox, except that it doesn’t cause spots, but a soul anticipating for God. He lives a life so reminiscent of Christ’s: a life of prayer, humility, availability, and service.

Anyway, this is one of his short notes he's given me. He may have sent something for you, too: a note of encouragement written in colorful stationery, with your smiling picture enclosed.