Tonight marked the third night of the World Prayer Assembly here in Sentul, Bogor, Indonesia. And tonight’s plenary session featured the youth of today, the great potential that lies within them and their current condition that must really wake us up to action!

Pastor Jerome Ocampo, began by saying that today’s youth is a very powerful generation. It’s DNA has the potential to spark new movements, impact lives and literally change nations! 

But what’s currently trying to stop us now???

He shared some shocking statistics that should really shake us, get us on our knees and cause us to ride the waves of God’s move in this times!

43.8 Million young people commits abortion every year

126 Million children are under the yoke of child labor

150 Million girls and 73 Million boys are sexually abused and

in Asia alone more than 1 Million young people ages 15-34 commit suicide!

The rate of young people who end up wasting their lives and killing themselves now outnumbers death caused by armed conflicts!

This is one of his strategies! He isolates young people from spiritual families and loving communities so that they would be so much self-absorbed and depressed enough to kill themselves and end their lives!

Our Enemy Satan really hates this generation and we actually don’t have to be prophetic to know this! The devil actually doesn’t  just want to hurt us, He wants to kill us! He wants us physically dead because he’s afraid of us!!! He’s afraid that if we begin to wake up and rise up to God’s call in our lives in these exciting times, we are going to change nations and defeat him!!! 

He’s afraid that once you realized how your past sins and weakness can now be your powerful weapon because of God’s grace and love, he’s going to loose!!! He’s afraid you that you will be very instrumental for the advancement of God’s kingdom!!!

We are God’s change-agents!!!

We are living at the right time and in the right place!!!

NOW is the time!!! RISE UP!!! WAKE UP!!!

 Let’s take up our place and live for His Cause!!!

“Wake up child

It’s your time to shine

You were born for such a time as this”

                                                                            -The Anthem (Jesus Culture)

If you’ve already watched the Avengers movie, you would appreciate the themes on unity, leadership, and heroism in the plot. But one of the characters stood out and carried the story (at least for me and my friends)-yes it’s he, the Incredible Hulk!

Col. Nick Fury’s The Avengers Assembly idea was great, Capt. America’s team leadership skills was notable, Hawkeye’s achery was unusual, Black Widow’s spying & fighting skills were cute, Thor’s “divine” powers were quite usual, and Iron man’s gadgets were really cool but the Hulk’s might and heart-felt passion was just remarkable! 

If you’re just like me, a sinner, ungodly, lustful, prideful, impatient, self-worshipping, self-seeking, people-pleasing, religious externally yet a rebellious-at-heart-person who’ve experienced the mercy and the incredible grace of God and was transformed into a new creation by faith in Christ alone, and is continually being changed by that same awesome grace, I believe you are called to be a M.A.D. Disciple-Making-Disciple!

 1. MULTIPLYING-you’re not sent out to “clone” yourself. Our goal is for them to live out their new selves IN CHRIST! Unity in Diversity is exponentially powerful! They might be future politicians, artists, theologians, writers, sports people, entrepreneurs, or even educators in the making in one group, ITS OK! The win is to Multiply Christ-loving & Christ-driven lives!

2. AGGRESSIVE-you may not have a big name, a remarkable social influence, or even the props, lights, and gadgets but you have the Truth!!! If you’ll only have bullet to give, that’s the message of the gospel! And you have to live in the power of the Holy Spirit for a gospel-driven life! Don’t be a mere “Christian worker”, be a Christ-lover! Lovers always outdo the workers!

3. DELIBERATE-we are sent out by Jesus like sheep among wolves and we are to be as humble as doves yet as strategic as serpents. We have to be very intentional with the people we are trying to reach and disciple. Engage and build relationship, demonstrate the gospel in the way to think, speak, and live and yet don’t just walk it out, talk about it!!!    Make the gospel message clear! 

As we grow up as disciples who make disciples, I believe each of us have to really come to that point where you’ll say “enough is enough!” Enough young lives are being destroyed! Enough with those teens who live without a true sense of identity, worth and purpose! Enough with those young women kneeling down to men! (if you know what I mean) Enough of those young men looking for wholeness in physical pleasures than in God! Enough with those teen-age pregnancies, teen suicides, teen murders, and teen crimes!

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!

It’s time to rise up young people! Yes, you who claim to be a Christian! Remember, you bear the Ultimate Name above every name! Let’s honor our Creator in the days of our youth! It’s time to live out our God-given purpose! It’s time to snatch our friends from the fire! It’s time to bring them to our lives and point lead them to the One who rescued us! The One who had mercy on us & gave us life!

Let the real Jesus be known that He might be loved!!!

 We are NOT history makers in the future!

By God’s grace, we are history makers today!

 Let’s make history, one life at a time! 

(Disclaimer: Don’t worry I’m not angry I’m just M.A.D.!!! ROARRR!!!!!)

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you have anyway.

(The Paradoxical Commandments
by Dr. Kent M. Keith)

Living out true radical love is a hard thing!

“Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud, it is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs…”  (1 Corinthians 13)

The truth about what’s above is it’s not really hard…it’s totally impossible! 

It’s the God kind of love that is supernatural, life-changing and just amazingly crazy!

The good news is we can experience this God kind of love! Well, we have to if we want to be a part of this revolution! We just cannot spread out something we do not have! Good thing, God is giving it to us in Christ!

For only in Him can living in true radical love be made possible!

“For I have been crucified with Christ and therefore, I no longer live but Christ now lives in me. The life I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God who loves me and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

When Jesus is the one living through us, true radical love can be demonstrated. This is where our true power flows from! And only as we allow ourselves to live by His grace can His Kingdom and Movement can be advanced! In Christ, we have become a part of this revolution! Only through him can we live out this love loud!

“For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power, love and a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

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“Love is the movement 
Love is a revolution 
This is redemption 
We don’t have to slow back down.”

                                                          -Switchfoot

13 year old Pippen Tan writes an awesome song of hope for our nation!

These Next Generation people are just inspiring!

Kaya Natin! By Pippen Tan

We usually think of freedom as a license to do whatever we want, whenever we want it in whatever way we like it. It’s being free from rules and control, free from something or someone that would regulate or boss around us.

When we graduate from High School, we get so excited! No more haircut regulation, no more school bus,

no more uniforms! No more crazy rules!!!

But then, sooner or later we’ll realize that we are actually slaves… We are slaves to our own fallenness, slaves of this ultimate root of all the problems we have- we are slaves of sin. We wanted to do what’s right but we just can’t. We want to honor God in everything but it seems just too difficult! Impossible!!!

 True Freedom is having the ability to do what God says is right.

Ando to put it plainly: It’s only in Christ Jesus that can we find true freedom!

This is what we’ve always wanted! And it’s only by grace that we can have this! From this awesome grace comes the power and the ability to say no to what’s wrong and choose what’s is right.

Question is, have you been truly been set free?

Come to Jesus.

Come to Him & be truly set free!

Yesterday’s preaching at the 4pm worship service in our local church was just very timely. Pastor Dennis Sy preached about Storing Up Mercy for the Next Generation. I really had a lot of great things to blog in response to all that he shared. But what I want to share in this post is something that God has been strongly impressing in my heart-to honor the NOW GENERATION specially my parents even in this blogsite.

Meet my parents-Fernando and Milagros

Ang surprise flowers ni papa for their 25th wedding anniversary last year! Ang Tamis! @mama, yan ang beauty bagong gising! haha! )

Both of them grew up in the province. My father was born and raised in a religious Catholic culture in Atimonan, Quezon. God’s grace caught him when he heard the gospel for the first time through a Christian radio broadcast. It eventually led him to a Christian local church in Quezon that teaches the truth about Jesus where he was followed up and mentored by a pastor he heard over that radio broadcast. He eventually felt called to be a pastor, went to Metro Manila for theological training and first served in a Free Methodist church as a pastor.

My mother on the other side of the story was born in Manila but raised in Occidental Mindoro. Her father was from Ilocos but they had to move in this island because of my grand father’s work. My mother was a persecutor of Christians as she would tell us. It was her mother (our grand mother) who first came to know Jesus and whenever some people would go to their house and do Bible study, she would make distractive noises or throw up some tantrums just to discourage my her mother’s mentors from coming into their home. But God’s love truly never fails! One summer, she came to her senses and felt that true need for a Savior through a Vacation Bible School. She was in her early teens then. She too eventually grew up strong in God’s grace and in the faith.

God led them to each other as they were busy serving God’s purposes in their season. They met each other while working at the Back to the Bible Philippines when my father was working at the Broadcasting Department and my mother at the Management Office Department. To cut this cute story short they got married and God blessed them with three children named Harvest (our ate), Joash (ehem ) and Joshua.

Joshua is graduating this year and its just a matter of time until they will finally have all kids who are now grown up working in the professional world. Just looking back at God’s story in our parents’ lives that still continues down to us just makes me humble and grateful for the goodness of God. This is all by God’s grace!

And to our parents this is my message…

Papa and Mama, we love you and thank God so much for your love for God and for each other! Pa, I love it how you would always bring mama to movie dates etc. I laughed out loud the last time I learned where you brought her-to watch Hunger Games! Haha! Ma, I love it how you would always be there for papa, just to always cover him in prayers and just be with him wherever he goes in the world! We look up to you and even though you are not perfect as no others parent would be, we will always love you and honor you even for all the prayers, tears, hard work, patience, the mercy and grace you showed and demonstrated to us just to raise us up in the knowledge, reverence, grace and in the love of God in Christ. We Praise God for your lives! We’ll live out this heritage of faith to our own families and generations to come! And it’s only because of Jesus and His grace that we can pass this on even live out loud in the grace of God:

“But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children— with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.”

-Psalm 103:17-18

Our family story for God’s glory continues! All is Grace!!! )

_________________________________________________________________________________________

(Disclaimer: this is not a eulogy ) our parents are still alive hehe! )

Today is Resurrection Sunday! Every Christian celebrates the victory of our Savior and King Jesus who conquered Sin, Death and its power over us! It’s amazing how we can be part of the advancement of His Kingdom and His Unstoppable Movement in our generation all because Jesus started a good work in each of us who now lives in Him! 

Last Tuesday, Every Nation Ministries celebrated the 7th commencement of its School of Campus Ministries. Twenty-three promising individuals from all over our nation are now geared up to reach the next generation with the message of new life in Christ! These young men and women are passionate in preparing students for a life that would honor God and make a lasting impact in their cities and campuses.

I personally like how their batch response was made and delivered. (You can read Liane Silla’s speech, their batch’s best communicator and excellence awardee below) And as I was listening I realized 3 basic truths we must hold on if we are to be catalysts for transformation in our generation:

1. Christ is the Ultimate Catalyst!-the hope for World Change stems back from who Jesus is and what He has done for us on the cross! It’s all about Him, it has always been about Him. and it should always be about him! Every story that does not revolve around the glory of the Jesus’ victory on the cross is not worth sharing.

2. We’re Called to Make A Difference!-the radical grace that we have received will continue to change us and will cause us to spark transformations in wherever we set our foot on. Indeed as “salt and light” we preserve a decaying culture and lead people to the only Truth, the only Way, and the only source of Life.

3. God Will Definitely Change the World!-this is the hope that all of Christ’s followers should look forward to! Christ Jesus will literally come for the second time around to make all things new! We are not to be concerned of the time and date of His return, but it has always been imminent. What we need to be concerned of is what Christ has commissioned us to do which is to faithfully live lives that honor Him and make disciples!

THE CATALYST

Batch Response by Liane Silla

“Good evening. Indeed time flies by so quickly. After eleven jam-packed weeks of fruitful learning moments, fun, crazy adventures and gimiks, nerve-racking classroom discourse and debates, surprise quizzes, as well as a lot of character-building and faith-stretching experiences, not to mention the countless sleepless nights partnered with a very comprehensive list of group projects, assignments and reading requirements, I count it a privilege to stand before you today, proud to present the 23 graduates of the 7^th batch of the School of Campus Ministry, The Catalyst.

Well, I could talk to you about all the experiences we’ve gone through as a batch – all the deadly assignments, our even deadlier events concept paper presentations, and the many times when we felt like Jesus in Gethsemane falling with our faces to the ground and praying, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” J But tonight, allow me to talk to you about something else. Allow me to talk to you about our greatest take home as a batch and as individuals from the school. I remember Ptr. Joe and Maya asking me why our batch name wasn’t in plural form. Why just The Catalyst when there were 23 of us? Well, a catalyst is something or someone that causes an important event to happen. And for us, someone did.

Jesus is our Catalyst. Just as a catalyst combines two things that are originally impossible to combine, Jesus did so too. He was the only one capable of reconciling God’s justice for our sins and God’s love for us. He was the one who served as the bridge in order for us to be reconciled with God, something that we can never do on our own. Once we were far away, but because of Jesus we have now been brought near to God and now we can even enjoy a relationship with His Father. Jesus is our Change agent. Not only has he saved us; he has also changed us to live a new life. He brought the greatest transformation in our lives; He gave us a new heart. Imagine, insecure people finding their identity and value in Christ; the proud realizing that it’s never about them but about Christ; people who once questioned their capabilities now drawing their strength from Christ; people from backgrounds of abuse finding healing and restoration in Christ. That’s not just random examples of life stories, the people you see here in front? Those are our life stories. And it is Jesus who made all that possible.

Where else can you find a love like that? Where else can you find a love that lays down one’s life for someone who returns nothing but hate? A sinful man encountering the love of Jesus. This is the story for all of us who are in Christ. And if you are not yet in Christ, this too can be your story. Your story doesn’t have to end with an ugly past. God desires for you to encounter him in a way that will change you forever.

But it doesn’t stop there. The transformation that God did in us through His son, Jesus, He now commissions us to share to others. Now I understand why God allowed the 23 of us to go through the things that we did in life. In order that we too can become catalysts of His love to other people. Those who were fatherless, he calls to minister to the fatherless. Those who experienced abuse, he now calls to comfort those who went through the same. Those who were insecure, he sends out to speak of identity and value. Those who were unloved, he uses as a mouthpiece of his unconditional love.

The Bible says in 1 Cor. 1:26-29 “Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things — and the things that are not — to nullify the things that are, so that no-one may boast before him.”

We are not wise, nor are we influential or of noble birth. And yet, God loved us anyway. You know why? Because God is never limited by the things we see in the physical. He knows there is no way we could change with our own strength. Left to our own we are nothing but with Jesus as our catalyst, we can be strong. With Jesus as our catalyst, we are unstoppable. This truth gives us so much hope for the next generation. THERE IS HOPE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION! And so to all the young people in this room, don’t you give up on your friends and classmates. No matter how stubborn or hopeless they may look like, kayang kayang baguhin ni God yan! Look at us, look at the people around you, if God can change sinners like us, that just means He can do it and He will do it for them. Students, you are God’s catalysts to your family, you are His catalysts to your campuses. and it is by the power that resides in you and flows through you that can change lives, transform campuses, reach nations, and impact generations. This is our story, and this could be yours as well. This is what we are bringing home as we go back to our local church and campus assignments, WE CAN BECAUSE JESUS DID.

Let me end by expressing our deepest gratitude to some of the people who God has used to be catalysts in our lives:

To the Apostolic Team – Thank you for putting such a high premium on young people. Thank you for your life that testifies extreme passion and love for God and the next generation. Thank you for embodying what we value most as a church – your life of faith and total surrender to God speaks much louder than words could ever speak.

To our dear families and loved ones – Thank you for the unconditional love and support you have continuously given us along the way. Thank you for understanding the call that God has place in our lives and for always wanting the best in us. From all of us, we love you. In front of all of you I would also like to honor my bestfriend, my #1 fan, the greatest man in my life, Papa. Thank you papa for being the best father that you are and have always been. I love you, mama, kuya Tristan, Tita LC, and JR. J

To all our teachers and mentors – thank you for the opportunity of learning from you. Thank you for imparting your life to us and for always reminding us of the most important thing – loving God and loving His people. We shared so many precious hours listening to you, exchanging and sharing with one another our experiences and insights which will surely go beyond the four corners of our classroom. Because of you, the cute little colored plastic balls we used to love and play with as kids have now become quite a scare for us. Every time you’d draw a ball to call someone for recitation, all the class pray with fear and trembling that our name wouldn’t be called. Babes, thank you for discipling and mentoring me especially for those times when you did not give up on me kahit sobrang sakit ko na sa ulo J When you graduated from the School of World Missions not too long ago, I remember telling myself I’d also be going up this stage like you did. Your labor and tears were not in vain. J Thank you for being my discipler, my mentor, my confidant, and my friend.

To Perci, Maya, Ptr. Joe and Ptr. Cj – Thank you for looking beyond our weaknesses and recognizing our potentials. Thank you for raising the bar of excellence and for challenging us to improve more, to walk the extra mile, and to take that extra step. Sabi nga ni Eca, you bring out the best in us J and to the LifeBox National Office, thank you for making the school an unforgettable experience for all of us.

To Kuya Neil, ang pinakagwapo daw naming tech guy sabi niya – Thank you po for helping us accomplish our EPIC presentations complete with all the lights and sound effects and perfected with your on-time powerpoint transitions. Ang galing niyo! J

To Jae, our library model sabi din niya – Thank you (and sorry) for bearing with us every time we’d stress you out for printing/photo copying/ring binding/book borrowing. You are an angel sent down from heaven to rescue us in times of destruction, I mean, submission of assignment. J

To Ms. Hazel of the MPD Department – Thank you for processing our monthly remittances, indeed you are our piece of heaven here on earth. Enough said. J

To all our Pastors, Campus Directors, leaders and churchmates – Thank you for believing in us and for sending us to the school. Thank you for your love for the next generation. We are all excited to go back and serve the Lord with you. Pastor Jon, Ate Trish, Pastor Jerry and to the rest of my Victory LB family, thank you very much. For everything. You guys are the best, most hardworking and craziest bunch of people I’ve ever worked with! Thank you for being my second family and my friends.

To our ministry partners – Thank you for your rich generosity, unwavering support, and faithful commitment to pray as we continue to reach the next generation for Jesus. We count it a privilege to partner with you in advancing God’s kingdom in the campuses. And just as you have sowed much, we pray that you would continue to experience God’s overflow and abundant provision in every area of your life.

To the students – Know that God has a great destiny for each one of you, a destiny far bigger and greater than what you have ever thought of or imagined and there is no greater joy than to see you become the best person God has intended you to be. Don’t ever look down on yourself just because you are young; God has given you the highest value and He desires to use your life as a platform to display His power and greatness for all men to see. Don’t ever look down on yourself because with Christ living inside of you, you are worth a hundred people, maybe a thousand. You are worth your whole campus, think of your whole family. With Christ’s power at work in your lives, you can change your generation. Fight for your relationship with Christ! Fight for your destiny in Christ! Never let anyone or anything stop you from pursuing the call of God in your life! OKAY?! J

To my batchmates – Thank you for sharing your life with me and the rest of the class. I have learned so much from each one of you. I know it is no coincidence that God has brought us together and I look forward to a lifetime of friendship and good memories to share with you all.

Above all, we give our utmost gratitude to you, Jesus. Thank you for your unconditional love and overflowing grace in our lives. Thank you for being the catalyst in our lives and for calling us to be a part of the great work you are doing in the lives of the next generation, we count it an honor to be used by you as catalysts of change in the campus. We give you all the glory and honor and praise that is due you. We love you.

 Again, in behalf of the graduates, from the bottom of our hearts: Maraming maraming salamat po.”

Indeed, Christ is The Ultimate Catalyst, We are Called to Advance His Cause, and He will definitely make all things new!

Suppose there was a king who loved a humble maiden.

The king was like no other king. Every statesman trembled before his power.

No one dared breathe a word against him, for he had the strength to crush all opponents. And yet this mighty king was melted by love for a humble maiden who lived in a poor village in his kingdom.

How could he declare his love for her? In an odd sort of way, his kingliness tied his hands. If he brought her to the palace and crowned her head with jewels and clothed her body in royal robes, she would surely not resist-no one dared resist him. But would she love him?

She would say she loved him, of course, but would she truly? Or would she live with him in fear, nursing a private grief for the life she had left behind? Would she be happy at his side? How could he know for sure?

If he rode to her forest cottage in his royal carriage, with an armed escort waving bright banners, that too would overwhelm her.

He did not want a cringing subject. He wanted a lover, an equal. He wanted her to forget that he was a king and she a humble maiden and to let shared love cross the gulf between them.

For it is only in love that the unequal can be made equal.

The king, convinced he could not elevate the maiden without crushing her freedom, resolved to descend to her. Clothed as a beggar, he approached her cottage with a worn cloak fluttering loose about him. This was not just a disguise – the king took on a totally new identity – He had renounced his throne to declare his love and to win hers.

-Soren Kierkegaard  (The King and The Maiden)

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This story is an awesome picture of God’s fiery love for us!

He’s so radical about bringing us into a personal love relationship with him! He became man & lived life among us.

On the cross, He has done the greatest expression of love to win your heart, to win your love!

Question is …have you surrendered your heart to Him? Are you now consumed by His love? 

“Christ Jesus:
 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 
 but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness. 
 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself 
and became obedient to death– 
even death on a cross! 
 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name…”

(Philippians 2:5-9 NIV84)

This is the greatest love story!

(Photos taken from FaceBook/MarsHillChurch)

16 year-old Katniss Everdeen stands out among the crowd taking place of her sister Prim to represent their community (District 12) and is forced to fight in a televised teenage death match called the Hunger Games! (just watch the film or better read the book! This post is not a spoiler! ;p)… and so the adventure goes! And we get to enjoy it!

But why do we enjoy movies like these? I believe we enjoy them because good movies that almost everyone would love and appreciate is usually one that has the ingredients of LOVE, FRIENDSHIP, ADVENTURE, CONFLICT, DANGER, HEROISM, ROMANCE and SACRIFICE and we like it because reality is our lives include such themes that all of us can relate with!

Now I want to speak with the teens (and the teens at heart). Reading and watching the Hunger Games Story hopefully causes you to realize 3 Life Realities which I believe You Need to Know as a Teenager:

#1 Life is An Adventure- you have to see life as an adventure to live! You got to live life with purpose! The goal of of life is not to live comfortably merely playing video games in an air-conditioned, food-filled mansion. Live for a Cause bigger than yourself never for mere Comfort!

#2  A Fight We Need To Win -believe it or not the truth is we are at war! There is a conflict, a battle between right and wrong, true and false, good and evil. Question is whose side are you in? Where is your loyalty surrendered? Are you faithfully advancing His cause? One thing is sure: You fight differently in life, when you fight for the King you love and the Kingdom you know you belong to!  

#3 LOVE-Based Decisions-in life there will be major crossroads. Decisions has to be made, you have to make your choice! But the thing is all the choice you’ll make will be based on what you truly love, what you truly value. As a teen, you got to know your values! Right Values in life will lead us to right priorities and right priorities leads us to right decisions. Who are the ones you truly love and value?

Who are the ones you’re going to live with, fight with and love in this one big movie called life?

Rubber meets the road the moment you walk out that theatre exit.

Let the real games begin! May the odds be ever at your favor!!!

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