How to send a gift to the pope

photo from SpecialAchievers

How does one give a gift to the pope? Apparently, it is not that simple specially when you don't have the right connections but it can be done.

Exactly, 25 hours before Pope Francis leaves Manila, Philippines, I was able to hand the gift of 10 child artists with disability to Capt. Skee Tamayo, the pilot of Shepherd One who will bring the pope back to Rome.

Here are the 5 things I learned from that experience.

1.  Keep your eye on the goal
It's surprising that the ones close to me were the same people dissuading me.  "Dear, we have a ticket to his mass. We're only  three rows away from him but I doubt if we can get near him.", explains my father who never says no to me until now.  "You're still at it? You're wasting your time in that!", says a close friend.

I gathered that my family and friends don't want to see me get tired and hurt. So to spare me the pain, they asked me stop midway.  However, it was crystal clear to me that it can be done.  I had this image in my head of Pope Francis receiving the gift- nothing else. That kept me going inspite of whatever everyone's saying.  

My two-cents worth: People will dissuade you.  Move forward anyway.  They do not know what you see.

2.  Do whatever it takes     
After 6 hours of waiting in line, I said I will not do it again.  Come next day, I was running to see Pope Francis again and I never stopped looking for all sorts of ways to hand him the gift until I got it done.

I think that making the seemingly impossible possible is like hammering a metal.  At first, you will not even create a mark.  However, if you keep on pounding the same spot over and over again, you will create a dent.

My two-cents worth: If you want to make things happen, keep on hammering!

3.  Keep the faith
Two days before the pope leaves, I still have no clue how to get the gift to him.  However, the pure desire to get it done is very strong.  I believe it is possible and that strong belief attracted allies.

The article asking for help to have the gift sent to the pope was published an hour after it was submitted.  A stranger was moved by the story and contacted Capt. Skee Tamayo, the pilot of Sheperd One who will fly Pope Francis to Rome.  

My two-cents worth: If you believe with all your heart.  Doors will open.

4.  Storm the heavens
They say "take a step of courage and God will give a thousand-fold help".  After all has been said and done, there's nothing else to do but wait.  The waiting time though can make the heart falter of even the fearless.  To anchor me, I kept on holding on to The One who inspired me to do it.

My two-cents worth:  Pray and meditate.  It works!

5. Never, never, never, never, never, never, never give up
Did i say never give up?

My two-cents worth: Never give-up.

Pope Francis in his mass in Luneta said, “We forget to remain, at heart, children of God.”  

That for me translates to, sometimes forgetting that I am powerful enough to make the seemingly impossible possible.  If I am a child of the Almighty Authority Father then I am heir to his might and authority as well.  As long I remember who I am, anything is possible!