From the medical booth where I sat, I saw my kumpare, Maneouvres manager, Jon Supan  walk through the hallway.  He was seeing to the Maneouvres for their upcoming dance number with Gary V.  He recognized me and I asked him if he knows if there are any Kuhl Event guests who are done with their portion, who might be bored, and would be happy to share their faith story.

He said, “You want me to bring you backstage?”
I showed him my All-Access pass and said, “I have a pass to go there but I was such a greenhorn, I went in rashly earlier and someone told me to come back after the show so I just want to wait here.”

“Tingnan ko ha.” my kumpare said and in a couple minutes, he came out to me with Jaya!

Without further ado, since the finale all-cast number was coming up, we dove right in to the interview…

BUTTERFLYINTHESPRING (BITS):  Hi Jaya! Thank you so much for agreeing to be interviewed.

JAYA (J): You’re welcome.

BITS: Your participating in this concert, what made you want to participate here?
J: Well, we were asked by Miss Kuh Ledesma to join and parang because we’re of the same Christian faith, she wanted to do a show that has people with all the same faith which is focused on Jesus Christ. I easily said “yes” and that’s why I’m here tonight.

BITS: May I know how you came to know the Lord?
J: Wow! Well… I’m married to a Christian man but of course… seven years of going back and forth of kung ano yung faith na talagang tama para sa akin.  He was trying to encourage me without pushing me to it so I kinda found Christ on my own. I’ve always had a question about this since I was about eight years old so maybe God was just on the sidelines saying, “One of these days, you’re going to open your heart to Me because you already have the Holy Spirit in you… it’s just a matter of time” so when I was approached by Ogie—of course my kumpareng napakabait—Ogie Alcasid asked me to join a small group and I kinda said,

“Hmmm… ano yan? Ano yung small group na yan?”…

“Hindi ano yan, konting chika, but you know then we do a little bible study. If you’re interested only…”

“[Sabi] ko, ‘Oh my God, gusto ko yan! Gustung-gusto ko yung mga ganyan but I’ve never had the opportunity.” so then, when I went the first time, I was affected. I cried. It just felt the message was for me and all of a sudden I didn’t go for a while.  I don’t remember how long. Regine was the one that reminded me, ‘You didn’t go after that’ but then I started going and going and it was an every Wednesday or Tuesday thing until I became baptised two and a half years ago. I think all throughout my life I’ve always had this question of “Why am I here?”  It’s just a simple realization that Someone must be doing something in my life that made me reach this position now kasi it’s impossible… I’m not a high school graduate, I lived in the United States by accident. I got a record deal in the U.S. by accident.  Everything felt like an accident. But now that I know Jesus Christ, it’s more of a plan. It was all a plan all along for something bigger. Not bigger for me but bigger for Him so I can serve Him better and much bigger than what I’m doing for myself.  So it was just parang a way for me to really serve and realize that it is all about Him.

BITS:  Do you feel like you have a life message?
J: Wow, we were talking about what bible verse affects us most but, you know, it changes every time, every stage in your life.. di ba? it’s not naman the same. For me right now it’s all about Philippians… I think if I’m not mistaken 4:12? or 13? something like that… it’s “I can do all things in Jesus Christ… through Jesus Christ (tama ba?) who strengthens me”.  There. I can do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens me.  It’s all about gathering strength.  I’m going through a lot but it feels not so heavy and I know it’s because of His grace. God’s grace has been sort of balancing me because He knows how I get.  So talagang yun yung ano ko ngayon, it’s just about gathering strength. I’ve lost a mom.

BITS: Oh I’m so sorry to hear that…

J: I’ve lost a lot. I’ve been losing…

BITS: Oh…

J: I’ve lost a job, of course, our Sunday show, it just feels like every time I lose, I gain. I lose something but I still have Christ. I lose my mom but I still have…She’s with Christ… I lose but I gain. That’s my favorite verse right now.

BITS: So there’s a difference between the time before you knew Christ and now that you know Christ now that you still have burdens (because I’m sure you also had burdens before) so what difference do you see?
J: Without Christ, the burdens feel parang siya yung mas importante. But now , yes i have burdens but i have better things to do than sit down and have fear, have worries, you know what I mean? I have to be strong because I know Christ is with me all the way. thats just the bottomline.

BITS: Thank you so much.

J: Thank you.