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If being a teacher or a preacher is hard, try being both at the same time.
Preaching and teaching, although both goal being to educate, is different in usage. Mix both
worlds and you'll get Sir Benedict "Buy" Rivera.
Sir Benedict two main assets is his love for Mathematics and his passion for the Word of God.
Both of this serves as the reason for who he chose to be today. But, behind every
accomplishments, there's always a story worth listening.
I TEACH TO PREACH
Teaching in class was never his dream. As Sir Buy said, "Hindi ko talaga naging choice ang
pagiging teacher eh." With his growing fondness for Math, his favorite subject, his first choice
was being an accountant and an engineer as his substitute. Although sometimes, God works in
a mysterious way.
"Pagdating sa PUP, naubusan ako ng slots." Never letting an opportunity pass, he saw a vacant
slot in Education and grabbed it. He doesn't even like Social Studies, going so far to say that,
"Boring na boring talaga sakin ang Araling Panlipunan." Still, he continued following what he
thinks God wants for him.
"I'm grateful na nakakapagsama ako ng bible verse sa lahat ng tinuturo ko," Sir Buy explained
about his teaching technique. Ever since the day he became a Christian, he has dedicated his
lessons in producing what the Visions of the school promises: producing and educating
character-driven leaders of tomorrow. According to him, "Mahirap magproduce ng magaling na
leader kung walang character."
'Til today, he continues to do his work as a professor with the subject of Araling Panlipunan,
Applied Economics, Philippines Politics and Government, "Understanding Culture, Society and
Politics" (UCSP) and giving tutors in Mathematics. He's still keeping his principles to make sure
that everyone of us will learn atleast something we can use.
I PREACH TO TEACH
"Meron palang nakahain si Lord na ganoong opportunity," Sir Buy said about the turning point of
his life. Although it was hard for him to accept, he admitted that he accepted Christianity when
his father, Norberto Rivera, died from a fatal accident on March 10, 2017. When there's nobody
he can turn into, he chose God.
"Hindi madali yung naging journey ko as a preacher." According to him, you need the guidance
of the Lord, a full meditation, and a soaked deep in the word of God. "Parang teacher lang yan
eh. Ako, hindi ako nagtuturo ng hindi ako handa," he added. There's more time, in his own
opinion, to alot in preaching than teaching.
"You cannot give what you don't have," Sir Buy stated. As a preacher for only 2 years, he says
he's still in the learning phase. It's a learning process that develops you on the way. As he said,
"Hindi lang naman tumitigil ang pagiging kristiyano sa pagkilala mo sa Lord."
Nowadays, you can see him in chapel services or in Powerhouse Friday as a speaker. In these,
he can give you unforgettable lessons like "Your Role as the Member of the Church" or "How to
Set a Goal". For him, everything he's doing is only to glorify God and no one else.
Bringing the best of both worlds as a teacher and a preacher can not only be helpful but can
also be unique. With the right mixture, you can be different.
As Sir Buy always says, "Being the difference is by setting the difference."