coffee, conversations, camaraderie

yesterday, i had lunch and coffee with two of my former classmates at the Asia Baptist Graduate Theological Seminary where we earned our doctoral degrees. one is now serving as president of a seminary here in manila, the other teaching at another seminary (with prospects of becoming a president of a seminary someday too). we usually meet from time to time -for no other purpose than to catch up, talk, and i guess to put a handle on things when they become too insane. we really didn't have any "agenda," which I think is the best recipe to have fun, to relax and to have the proverbial "quality time." we don't get to see other too often - the world we revolve in prohibits it in a way. which makes times like these diamonds. what did we talk about? books, theology, philosophy, health and well being (one is now taking maintenance medicine for hypertension, and so is the other, etc.), news of friends, gossip (yes, why not?), jokes. in short, anything and everything. the camaraderie is warm, the coffee is good, conversations are meangingful (though not always sensible). did it solve the philippine crisis? did it end world hunger? no, but it left us refreshed, and strengthened to face this crisis, the crap that is going on around us.

i am in the midst of preparing for a class i will be teaching at ABGTS, a doctoral course on theologial methods. i am excited, and as expected, apprehensive too. this will be the first i will handle the class. most of the students are leaders of the southern baptist in luzon. will i do justice to the course? will i be able to stir the minds of these leaders, capture their imagination, fire up their passion for theology? the burden of a teacher. the joy of a teacher.