Today was a wonderful day. Yup, I said it! it is amazing how truly, truly, consolation from desolation – it is not a joke my friends. It is certainly a legit statement and truth. Now, timing, our timing, my impulsiveness timing, that’s something different.
I started off my day again with some delicious taho, with the man all happy with his big eyes, that I was going to buy some of his taho again. When he finished filling my mug, he was like, “ tomorrow, again?” obviously, I said yes. BUT I’m gonna need to not get this everyday, because as it stands, I am eating two breakfasts. The taho is a treat, and then later I eat some bread to hold me for the morning…sooooo yeah, that needs to be assessed. I just thought it was pretty awesome that he came exactly at 6:30am just like I had instructed him yesterday, and he definitely rang the doorbell. Hahaha. Gotta love the Philippines.
And then, I got to skype with my director, Gina. And of course, it was good, it was perfect, and being an external processor, it was nice to have that opportunity, to re-connect, and hear her great wisdom and advice during my time of transition and adjustment to my mission here in baguio city. As I began my paperwork to get the ball rollin’ on all the logistical stuff related to actually being in a foreign country, the next thing you know, I get connected with a maryknoll affiliate out here, and it’s going to be great! The connections are stacking up, and things are starting to look up. Woohoo! YES. I know, what a breakthrough! Go me and God’s timing that I so often struggle in trusting in.
The next thing you know, I’m on my way to my mission site, made it safely there on my own, using two jeepneys, and the next thing you know, I am eating lunch with my staff (kids weren’t coming in) – tuyo (pronounced tu-YO [accent on the o]) which is fish, but like, smelly fish. Haha, like, I’m talking, when my mom or my aunts/uncles would cook this in the states, all the windows and doors would be open, cause the smell carries. Hahaha! I know, awesome. I met some of the staff workers, exchanged some stories, met the director of the Foundation, got some logistical stuff taken care of…and the next thing you know, I am sitting across the table from Sr. Romy. God is good. Perfect, perfect timing.
She was reading the newspaper, and I basically sat down, and was like, Sr. Romy, we need to talk. But, I might need some tissue. She goes to the paper towel roll, and she’s like, a small one? or a big one? she looks at me, and she’s like, ok, a big one. So I sat, and I just said, Sr. Romy, I want you to talk to me about transition.
We exchanged stories – she’s been all over, moving from mission to mission, and her warm, gentle spirit was just so overwhelmingly perfect, calming, and soothing. I felt like my jaw was just open the whole time, taking in everything she was saying. It was so perfect. Then, Sr. T came into the kitchen, she was gonna get some food, and her wonderful self sat down, and she talked more about this – she too, provided me with so much goodness to take away with me, and sit with…
These sisters are so inspiring, so legit, just so good, and for what ended up being an hour and a half conversation, the grace was all around:
- give me time. Don’t rush me.
- sometimes we might expect 10 people to come to a program we put on. But you know what? if there’s only 2, sit with the 2.
- JUST LIVE.
- TAKE TIME.
- The consolation lies in seeing and feeling how God speaks to you.
- SEE/DISCERN/ACT – see the people, see the reality, pray for the people
- ACCEPT the TRANSITION
Being both Brazilian sisters, I asked them, so do you speak to Portuguese to one another? That was after I mentioned to them I’m reading Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Frerrie…and in unison, pounding their fists on the table, they said, “no! we need to learn Tagalog!” it was amazing! I loved that moment. Haha!
I eventually left, and I think I skipped my way on over to a taxi. The next thing you know, I end up at the mall. I know, I know. I get a little snack, look around at all the people, watch them all walk by, and watch them ALL text, and as I’m walking to the escalator, I see a cd store…with what? That’s right, a MAGIC sing (filipino karaoke system that scores you. Basically, 1 out of 3 Filipino families own one or have a brother or sister who do). Soooo naturally, I flock over because I see someone singing…and well, I have not sung in a while, and that is a release for me…and soooo, the next thing you know, I’m singing Open Arms in the store. Haha, YUP. It brought me back to my karaoke singing days in the random stores in Marikina – sooo why not in Baguio? The security guard starting singing along with me in the microphone and he kept telling me to sing…and I still had time, so I proceeded with I Will Survive (the people in the store were dancing!), then busted out my American tagalong skills and sang, Nandito Ako. Hahaha…I walked away from the store after a good 25 minute singing sesh, and bid them farewell.
It was hilarious because in the other video store, the guy selling the MAGIC sing system was definitely singing Jai Ho from Slum Dog Millionaire. I didn’t even know that could even be a karaoke song – but hey, anything goes! Clearly! Haha, I laughed by myself as I walked. Haha, it was unfortunate, but I was like, am I the only one who thinks that is not normal?
Got home, watched one of my community members make adobo, fried rice, and some vegetables, prayed with the community, thennnnnn played two rounds of skip-bo. Seriously, I am the only one who has NOT won a game yet. it’s starting to become a personal situation. A sad, personal situation! I must redeem myself.
And, to conclude. Yes, I woke up this morning, and BOOM lizard straight up staring at me on one of the walls. AHHHHH!!! If you know me, you know, I absolutely loathe, do not love the outdoors, creepy crawly things, or anything of the sort. And of course, earlier tonight, the lizard definitely moved to the other wall. HOWEVER! I will say, my mom always told me they were good luck. BUT, I think she made that up. next story though, is that they’re good because they eat mosquitoes. YES.
Seriously though, I’m gonna need to put vinegar next to my bed. This whole mosquito situation is beginning to not be a good situation. You know, the problem is, is that I need to be one with the animal situation out here in the Philippines…otherwise, shoot…I don’t even know what I’ll do.
Lastly…
Sr. Terez provided me with a beautiful image on transition and moving from place to place. I’ll try my best to explain it – it’s just good hearing her say it too though, cause she has like, umph when she talks. Haha!….so we are trees, and just as we have our roots exactly where we are, sometimes we get moved from an old place to a new place, and when this happens, our roots too get re-organized and must be firmly planted in their new place. Well…how will it grow? We must water it, give it nutrients, provide it with sunlight, and boom, the tree can grow again. And so, give me time. don’t rush me. That’s me talking to myself – using the words that Sr. T would say, and so she shared that with me.
Sr. Romy told me, you’re not gonna do everything in one day, it’s not gonna happen so fast – it’s going to take months, maybe longer. Take one day at a time.
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