February 2015 meeting at Starbucks, Trinoma

       Mario Toots Fungo and Gabby Medina continued planning at Starbucks, Trinoma after their MPAI core group meeting in Quiapo. They talked about the SOPP this May and also having a fund-raising activity for the group. They also talked about hiring someone to do a website for Mandala Peace Arts Initiative while maintaining this blogspot account.

       For the Symphony of Peace Prayers, the group will be divided into two or maybe even more. One group will go to Baguio to help in the SOPP preparations there. The rest will stay here in Manila. But before the said event, the group shall make Mandala T-shirts, Mandala Pins and Mandala Bags for sale. The MPAI members can wear them and can set up a booth during the SOPP where participants can buy these items at a reasonable price. Some items can also be brought to Japan. 

       As for the website, Toots and Gabby need to finalize the content first before hiring a web designer to make the website for the group. Some of the categories or web pages include the divinity-in prayers, the mandala writing workshops, the symphony of peace prayers and the core group meetings. Hopefully this will be up and running before the SOPP this May. We can link also other Peace organizations to our website like URI and Peace Makers Circle.

February 2015 Core Group Meeting at Kafe Boix in Quiapo, Manila

       The Core Group of Mandala Peace Arts Initiative decided to hold our monthly meeting in a century old house in Quiapo, Manila called Kafe Boix. We learned that our former President Manuel L. Quezon used to live in this very old dormitory.

       We were able to meet two members of the Manila Muslim-Christian Community Peace Makers Association, Inc.  who are the ones responsible in maintaining the said place. They were also there to join us in our meeting. In the meeting, it was decided that we shall have our core group meetings there every month. We shall also conduct a Mandala Writing Workshop there in the morning or in the afternoon. We shall also reach out to neighboring universities in the area like MLQU and Arellano for the workshops. We can also contact companies or other organizations or groups who may want to have a Mandala Writing workshop for them. As for the future workshop participants at Kafe Boix, we can ask them for a little donation for the maintenance of the venue. Any amount is fine. We shall also contact all of those who participated before in our workshops to also give some donations not only for Kafe Boix but also for our materials like Mandala papers and colored pens. Orlan suggested something like a "Pay it forward" thing that if the participants enjoyed the workshop, they can give a little donation for us so that we can have resources for all the workshops that we will be conducting after that. Toots also suggested that we can donate our budget for our ISIS-rent to Kafe Boix since the place is our new venue. We shall still conduct workshops at ISIS one Saturday of every month just a day before the Core Group meeting. Lastly, we can tap the help of Rotary, Lions and some other groups to help us in maintaining Kafe Boix and also to construct clean comfort rooms for men and women who will be attending our workshops. They can also help us purchase a water dispenser, a battery for our solar panels and whatever that we may need.

       We immediately prayed and performed the divinity in after the meeting.

       Some good picture taking before leaving Kafe Boix. May Peace Prevail on Earth.