Merry Christmas from the Caganaps!
GAT KID: Gabe and Abe's sister, Babe, on mission with The Great Adventure Tour in Manila, Philippines.
Gabe staring at the camera and Abe looking up with Jeff Vasquez of Seattle and fellow GAT 2 participants.
|
Erick, CFC-New York, has been with the military for over 10 years. "I've dealt with Gabe in the past with SFC/YFC matters. I've seen a lot in and out of the military.
The world is still a dangerous and unpredicable place -- only Yahweh, Allah or God would know the outcome of this. The military is a thankless job at times, and we do it so others don't have to, but live. Remember the services and sacrifices of the brothers of SFC/YFC who are in the reserves -- after all, freedom of religion is one of the amendments in the Constitution. Don't forget to say thanks to a veteran young or old -- it's really for God, country and most of all, family."
Contribution: What is a vet?
Gabe's training at a base in Missouri ended March 15. Coming back, he said everyone should join the army. "I learned a different meaning of discipline while at the army that I wouldn't have otherwise learned in civilian life," he said.
"Have you ever seen Black Hawk Down? At the end, the guy says that he's not crazy, he's not a war junkie. It's not even about the war... it's not even about getting rank or recognition... it's about the person next to you. In basic training I met people that I know are gonna be there for me for the rest of my life. If I ever needed anything from those guys they would be there and vice versa. Even if we're thousands of miles away from each other... all it takes is one phone call and we're there. I would gladly give my life for some of the people I met over there.
So it's not really about having to watch someone else's back... it's about WILLING to watch someone's back. We went through a lot together, ultimately it's about love. I love those guys and I will serve with them in a heartbeat. You can't really put it into words but you'll know. when you look into our eyes there's something different... there's something special... something bigger... in the army we just say HUUAAHH!"
Gabe is currently back to training one weekend a month as an army reserve.
In the wake of Sept. 11, 2001's horrific events, President Bush has ordered thousands of military reserves on standby in case they are needed in his new war on terrorism. It is a serious call in these serious times.
Many CFC-Youth for Christ reservists have already received the call to be on standby in case the government needs to send them out to war. One of these YFC reservists is SoCal's Gabe Caganap.
From the looks of it, there is nothing serious about Gabe. A veteran of The Great Adventure Tour 2 held in 1999, he is known for his crazy, creative antics.
"You wouldn't want to know. Even some of the brothers don't wanna know what he has done," said Mike de Leon of Jerzee, a fellow GAT2 member. At one YFC Christmas party, Mike said Gabe "took one of those metal folding chairs and used it as a skateboard and ran into a bunch of other chairs."
Gabe also frequently e-mails one-liners that mince no words, one of which is about toilet paper, sent to GATFamily YahooGroups:
| hahahaha... you guys wanna know what i miss most? -no toilet paper
-traffic
-hella hot... even when it's raining
-smell of the palenke
-hella small bathrooms
-no toilet paper
-what's you're waist size?
-walking in the floods
-driving for hours and getting nowhere
-no toilet paper
-bagong silang basketball
-NO TOILET PAPER
-white cran vu
-calary saps
-but most of all... NO TOILET PAPER!!! |
GABE IN THE GOATEE AND ARMY SHIRT with Juan, SoCal: He will bring with him to the front the ability to "laugh at everything. Life is simple, it's just us that makes it so complicated." |
Originally from Long Beach, California, he moved to New Jersey to attend Rutgers Univeristy, becoming East Coast Campus Based Coordinator for YFC. He is now a college graduate and a specialist with the army reserves, which he joined to build his resume and help pay for college loans.
Gabe says he's not scared to go to the front. His superiors called him the day President Bush said he will activate the reserves and told him to be ready for action.
"My parents laughed at me -- it's a special relationship we have. All my friends are freaking out, but I'm not worried, just kept it cool. I'd rather be in the front lines than being stuck in an office looking pretty. I feel like I need to put in my work," he said.
Gabe's brother, Abe Caganap, is confident that his brother knows what he's doing. "My brother chose to go into the reserves. He knows what the risks were. If he's called to war, he won't punk out or run."
Many YFC brothers expressed concern about being drafted to go to war, and even with a brother in the reserves, Abe actually wishes he were forced to go to war.
ABE CAGANAP
smiling big with Pacs Lacson, Jerzee |
"But I think of my mom and what she would go through if both her sons are at war. I've actually already been drafted -- the day I stood at my camp, the day I said my 'yes' to God. I see this as a direct attack on the freedom and peace that I've experienced through God and Jesus, and I'll be more than proud to fight for the God-given freedom that the United States represents. I'll be proud to put my life on the line to secure that freedom. I know my brother feels the same," Abe said. |
Gabe thinks going to war is the only way to stop terrorism, and agrees with President Bush's decision to send troops to war. While it is still uncertain whether or not a full-scale war will erupt, and as of this post Gabe's unit is not yet mobilized, Gabe believes that God will protect him fully should he need to go to war.
"I just have faith," he said. "God puts me where I need to be. It doesn't scare me that we probably will go to war, in fact I'm pretty down for it. I know I seem confident and cocky even but if God puts me out there, then I'll do the best I can. He won't let harm come to me but I can mess up, I get hurt, but I brought that on myself. No matter what happens, I'm doing my best to be the best person God intends me to be."
|
Gabe laughing with friends during a break, Victory Conference, Seattle, 2000.
Gabe and Juan lounging after lunch during the campus-based meeting, Shout Conference, Dallas 2001.
|
