Heroes of Mob Wars

Have you ever played the game of Mob Wars in Facebook? Are there Heroes in Mob Wars or ALL are villains? A hero by definition is someone who is rightful, safeguard moral values and does good to others. It is a perfect picture of someone who promotes justice, fights against any form of abuse and advances the protection of women and children. Are these present in the game of Mob Wars? If not, how can there heroes in Mob Wars. Before we can answer this fairly, let us explore the game. This game in Facebook is believed to be one of the most lucrative apps and most played online game. There are about 500,000 players a day. The number is huge because the game is relatively easy to play with simple mechanics and graphics. There was even a belief that it increases educational performance as the game trains you to learn to compute, strategize your moves to win the game and budget your resources like doing wise spending. It also helps one to build online friends around the world. Just like today, I got birthday greetings to people half away the globe and personally do not know but made friends through the game.

Going back to the game, a player starts off as a petty thief and must work his way to the top of the crime chain, earning points by fighting opposing gangsters, doing jobs, robbing stores, banks and casinos, exploiting underlings and doing all forms of smuggling. The player can improve his character by spending these points on better guns, real estate, loyalty and more, and while he could spend an eternity building up enough points to become a serious baller, he can also spend real cash to jumpstart the process. If this is the game all about,then there are no heroes in the game. But the game is not just about attacking and punching other gangsters nor robbing stores and bank. It is also building online friends, breaking international boundaries and bringing nations into one virtual community. It is through this premise that heroes are born in this game. A player becomes a hero when he opens the door to online friendship by creating communication lines like sharing of cultural experiences, welcoming a losing gangster into an alliance, building allies, sharing gaming techniques like doing more missions than fighting and above all for saying sorry for delivering provocative attacks and unreasonable punches after series of attacks to the same player. I remember a player wrote, "Hi, I'm sorry, but I just killed you on Mob Wars. You were on a hit list so if I hadn't done it, someone else would have. I just thought I'd message you to see if you wanted to join my Mob " Instead of feeling upset, I laughed and immediately shoot an email and joined her mob. Funny that a virtual killing can bring forth a flag of truce and make gaming more fun.

Heroes of Mob Wars then are those who go beyond the mere rules and mechanics of the game. They are those who make friends instead of reaping enemies. These heroes are those who purchase more properties, do more jobs than promote fighting. They level up by doing more missions. You can accomplish this by adding more to your energy than putting all your points in either attack, defense or health. Make the game your gateway to gaining and winning Friends and become heroes of MOB WARS.

Remembering my Everyday Heroes

"My mother", "my father", "my pastor", "my friend", "my wife", "my husband", the Street sweeper are proudly identified as everyday heroes of those who are close to theirs hearts or those who have been touched by their very act of kindness and generosity. Many of those I have asked point to their mother as "Everyday Hero". I guessed this does not come as a surprise to you for every mother of the house in every part of the world -- the mother, plays a significantly special role in the family. She is the "Light of the house," that gives direction to her children. Making sure that her children would grow healthy in body and soul. For many, the mother provides a household support by preparing the best food that anyone can eat. I remember my office mate humbly telling me that his mother does boil water for him to use when taking a bath so that he does not get cough or colds. That she is always asking him if he has done taking dinner after the day's work. More so, she keeps a viand for him to eat whenever my office mate comes home late at night. I remember my late Ima ("mother" for a local dialect), who was doing exactly the same thing for me and my sibling. Not only was my mother good in preparing food, she was keen in instilling moral values. She thought us to always do right and avoid doing wrong to others. Most of all, she was my confidant in terms of matter of the heart. She was there to give me a push when I was losing courage to say my heart's intent to the person I was feeling in-loved with. She would even prepare some food which I was bringing along with me to give to the girl. There is nothing my mother would not do nor fail to do to help me in any way possible to win the love of my life then. She was always there ready at all times and never grew tired of doing the same thing everyday. Not a word of complain ever whispered nor spoken in the four corners of our home. She was on call 24 hours a day and seven days a week. I am very proud and blest to have my mother. I actually missed her so much. Deep in my heart, she will always be one of my "Everyday Heroes".

The other everyday hero of my life is my Tatang ("father" for a local dialect), who was very gentle and loving. Whenever I asked him of any food either in the refrigerator or on the table, he would always say, "it is yours to eat". There was nothing that was not mine, whenever I asked him. He does the same thing with my siblings. That is why whoever asked him first gets the prize. Not only was my father a good provider. He was also our first teacher in religion. He thought everyone of us to pray and the one who inspired me to enter the religious life after college. He led me have a devotion to "Apung Mamacalulu" at
Apu Chapel where the shrine of the Our Lord of the Holy Sepulcher (Apung Mamacalulu) is housed. My father and I, together with my older brother, paid our homage to the shrine every Friday. This experience opened me to a life of prayer that guided me to live a religious life. Though I did not become a religious priest, I am still very grateful to my late father who was always available then to listen to my challenges until I finished my Theological studies in one of the schools in Quezon City. He was the father to me to the end and to keep his name, I have named my son after him.

Up to this date, my late parents are my everyday heroes for they continue to inspire me of the experiences they have both shared and lived with us. I missed them both. If both were still alive, I would tell them, "Ima, Tatang, you are my Everyday Heroes. For you, whose parents are still with you, I invite you tell them, "Ima, Tatang, you are my Everyday Heroes."

The Birth of a HERO

The Birth of a HERO.

The Hero is defined by Merriam-Webster as a : a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability b : an illustrious warrior c : a person admired for his/er achievements and noble qualities d : one that shows great courage. In my opinion, these definitions do not completely capture the very soul a hero. You may ask why is that. To prove my point, I asked some of my good friends' definition of a hero. It is interesting to note that other defines a hero as "a person who is willing to sacrifice his/er life for the other, significant or otherwise." I believed there is truth in this statement for I have encountered people who are willing to give up their own successful careers in life and choose another path, not commonly trekked by many, so that they become servant of many. I am referring to some classmates of mine back in the seminary. There was a surgeon, a dentist, a civil engineer, a lawyer and a teacher whom I had the opportunity to study Theology with them. These people were not born heroes but became heroes of their peers, parents and friends. They were leaving a promising profession but chose to live a life of a servant. They are called to be servant of many. Are they modern day heroes? Many would agree with me that they are heroes here and now. The fact that they let go of their careers for a noble cause -- servant of many -- is already a first step to heroism.

A second friend defines a hero as "a person willing to face challenges regardless of the consequence and for a good cause and greater good of others. The hero "stands up for the truth and right," she added. They do not seek for any recognition, rewards and/or fame. Are these real people? Flesh and blood, person just like you and me. I was doing my apostolate in one of the hospitals in Manila and met this guy named Rafael. He was donating half of his kidney to his uncle who was dying of kidney failure. His uncle's kidneys, which normally clear the blood of toxic wastes produced by day-to-day living, had almost completely stopped doing their job. Fearing that one day his uncle would leave the family that Rafael loves so much. So one day after celebrating the Holy Eucharist, Rafael told his parents that he is willing to share his kidney to his uncle. At first his parents were reluctant to accept Rafael's idea. But in the end, after thorough discussion with the surgeon, his parents gave in to the idea of sharing his life to his uncle. Rafael never had a second thought of possible effect to his health. All he knows is, he is responding to the inner voice whispering during his prayer time. Hero indeed and surprising enough that the name -- Rafael -- means "God has healed". His uncle lives up to this day.

Wanting to know more about what makes a person a hero so I asked another friend whom I normally go out with during lunch break. For her a hero is "usually an ordinary person that does extraordinary things. S/he may have shown a very special character or an attitude that one can look up to." What makes these ordinary persons extraordinary is their sincere and selfless willingness to give up everything and follow the path of social service, or fulfil the calling that God gave them. Not so many of us are willing to take big responsibility in life. Not wanting to become an instant hero lest you may face death or insurmountable challenges. Fear not, we do not need to take big responsibility to become hero. We can be hero in our own small and special way. Start by sharing the blessings we are receiving everyday. Share a meal with someone who is hungry; someone who is less fortunate in life. Share a home with a street children who long for an elderly attention and care. Join the apostolate that visits the prisoners specially those who are abandoned by their loved ones. I am sure you can bring smile to their drooping spirits and lonely hearts. These are few that we can do for there are many ways to becoming a hero and it is up to us on how we can make it happen and wake the hero inside us.