bLeSsEd sOuL...

Everyone may have heard of the recent disastrous earthquake in Sichuan province in China. My line of work is in the field of Health, Safety, and Environment which includes ensuring the safety of our people across Asia. We have a manufacturing plant in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province. For successive days after the earthquake, I was on phone talking with the site safety manager and reviewing the status of our plant and people and giving them recommendations on how to ensure the safety of the site and its people post-earthquake.

After 3 days of doing phone reviews with our Chengdu Plant, I felt in my heart that the right thing to do is to fly and visit the site myself. Nobody asked me to do it but I can sense the distress in the site people and that their biggest need for the moment is assurance. They need to be assured that their plant is safe, or can be prepared to be safe to resume operations, but more than anything else, they want assurance that they can overcome the trauma of this whole tragic experience. There may be nobody hurt in our site during the earthquake but the emotions and psychological state of the people are greatly affected as they see their surroundings and know of the thousands of deaths in their province.

The leading was confirmed during my prayer time last Friday morning where I came across the verse “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:16). Frankly, I was scared to go to Sichuan. There are a bunch of risks which include the aftershocks which to-date is now over 5000 in occurrence. However, I felt deep in my heart that the right thing to do is to go and visit the site myself. I cannot continue just doing phone reviews when I can fly and be there. Much more, I wanted to encourage our site people especially the safety team who have been working extraordinarily to help ensure the safety of everyone. So I was there last Sunday to Tuesday. God’s grace was enough to exercise my faith that allowed me to respond to the call of the moment.

When I was there, I did on-site inspection of our facility and the on-going repair work. True I was able to contribute technically, but what made me so glad to be there was to see the spirits of the people lifted up because they feel supported whenever they see external people like us coming over. I also discovered that my main contact, the site safety manager, had difficulty finding a new house to stay since her apartment building had some damage. I saw her distress and my heart goes to her since she was ensuring the safety of everyone else, but she herself was in want of shelter. Even when she told me not to worry I contacted some colleagues in our work network and asked them to help her find a new apartment. Soon enough, the outpouring of support came. The company itself through HR has been providing generous support to our employees along with generous donation to the disaster relief operations. My contact eventually found a temporary shelter. The colleagues I contacted may not have been able to provide direct support to find a new apartment for her, but their gesture did provide moral support to our Chengdu colleague.

I left Manila last January 4 to go back to my new "home base", Guangzhou, China. The past one and a half months saw me starting up my new home, adjusting to living all by myself, experiencing winter (and the coldest at that in China), and becoming domesticated which was never my cup of tea.

It is natural to expect that it can get boring to be living alone. However I have not come to the point of being bored so far. There is just so much to do, so much to explore. Surprisingly, I enjoy doing the mundane daily stuff including the household chores. Well, probably mostly because I did not get to do much of them in the Philippines. I would even say I have now mastered doing house work except cooking. Though the kitchen has become one of my favorite spots in the house, there is so much I can still do in terms of cooking and food preparation beyond the frying and preparing ready to serve dishes.

Doing house work also made me realize one thing: that I am such an achiever. As long as I have goals, there is always something to look forward to. For example, I set the goal to arrange my kitchen and complete the unpacking of my brand new kitchen and dining ware. It took me almost the entire day to do it, but it gave me much sense of accomplishment. There is one watch out with me though, once I have started doing something and like what I am doing, I can get engrossed and forget about time. Even at home I can be a workaholic that I have to schedule my leisure time and 'force' myself to just chill out.

Leisure time is largely watching DVD's. It's one of my favorite 'passive focus' activities that make me forget about my concerns and just rest. Shopping (or window shopping) is another favorite stuff. However, with the cold winter, I avoid going out as much as possible. So other leisure activities that entail going out would have to be mostly done beyond winter.

I also had a milestone at home - I received my first set of vacationing visitors consisting of my friends from Cebu: my kindergarten bestfriend Liezel and my sister Joy from Children of Mary-Mandaue City whom I have not met in years. Such a grand time at home, around Guangzhou, and in Hongkong. Those were the days that I have to go out of the home and brave the winter. Their visit was my 'pilot' in entertaining guests; it means I can do so many more but my guests just have to schedule with me ahead of time as I do travel a lot myself.

While I am away from my family, it is easy to communicate especially with the help of internet. Too expensive if one makes traditional phone calls, so I get creative in using other options.

There are some setbacks in adjusting to a life alone in another country. But having Filipino friends and neighbors help a great deal. My pinoy friends come from the same company where I work and I chose to live close them where I can keep in touch with their families conveniently.

As I reflect, what makes everything work is the presence of Someone with me ALL the time. God has been my companion, friend, and family that make my home never lonely despite having only one tangible physical body. I thank the Lord for always having His hand upon me and making His presence always felt.

A year ago, I would have never guessed the surprises I've been through in 2007. The year that was has been one of the most colorful years in my life. Well-spiced in all aspects, I am amazed to realize I have been through so much and survived well all by God's grace.

First, there was the reality of death presented to my face. At the start of the year, one of my closest sisters in community had cancer and had her operation last January. After months of praying and battling cancer, she survived and is back to good shape now. Then my closest mentor at work died by end-January, and I was grieving for at least a month. Then my first guardian in Manila, great grandma Lola Terang who took care of me for several years since I relocated from Cebu died last March.

The year went on to present me major personal tests and trials all involving relationships. During the first quarter, I almost got into a relationship that would have rocked my Christian faith big time. After several years, my heart became open to love again. However, the prospective guy whom I am attracted strongly to do not fit into the kind of life I am called to live - a life that helps build Christian communities. Had I said yes to the guy, my life would have been radically changed now. However, I realize it is God's will and my relationship with Him that matters more than anything else.

Then there were other tests involving significant persons in my life. While I did struggle, by God's constant and sufficient grace I went through them confident and assured of God's hand protecting and preserving such important relationships. Now, there is real peace and joy, and my heart is grateful to God's faithfulness in this area.

The biggest change in my life also happened this year. While I never thought I will live outside the country at this point in my life, I did move to China recently. If not for God's power to change my heart, I would have never made such decision. Now I am grateful for this major personal change. While it is not easy to adjust to a new environment which is truly out of my comfort zone, I am confident that this is a time to grow and a period of many graces.

Work-wise, I cried in a meeting (and global at that) for the first time when I was in the US last July. That only symbolized a major challenge I was undergoing at work which I survived with much support from management and colleagues. The "suffering" was all worth it since in the end it delivered a breakthrough change in our company globally. Again, that was a milestone of growth in my life. I was also promoted to a key position, one that fits me for who I am and is very challenging to do.

This year, I also celebrated 30, 15, and 10 years of friendship with my kindergarten best friend, male best friend, and first close sister friend in Lingkod ng Panginoon community respectively. Distance and life changes did not affect my relationship with each of them; rather, the bond gets stronger as time passes by.

I also "stepped down" from my service as regional women's leader in Lingkod ng Panginoon Metro Manila which marks fully moving on to Ligaya ng Panginoon, my current Christian community which is the mother community of Lingkod. Little did I know that such moving beyond Lingkod is part of my preparation for my move out of the country. Otherwise, I should still be in Philippines continuing my service.

One of my greatest blessings this year is my Women's Group in Ligaya ng Panginoon, my main support system. My pastoral leader Weng has been such a great blessing whose love, understanding, and selflessness helped me a lot. My group mates have been my prayer warriors and encourager together with long-time Lingkod friends whose friendship I consider a great privilege.

The year ended with a bang, this time the highlight is in the family. My youngest sibling and only sister Rowela got married this month. Since I only recently moved to China, going home in time for the wedding was a journey of faith. But I did claim that God will put all things in order and allow me to complete my immigration requirements in time to go home before my sister's wedding. I received my passport stamped with my residence permit in China the day before I flew back to Manila two nights before the wedding. Aside from a blessed event since the wedding was very beautiful and excellently organized with the help of Lingkod Cavite brothers & sisters, it was also a time for a grand family reunion for several days as my paternal grandmother and siblings were all with us together with more relatives.

Most of all, the year ends with so much joy and peace as I was able to have my annual date with God in a personal retreat in Tagaytay on Dec.30-31. It was a very nice time to savor the year of blessings that has been, and to simply rest in God's arms. I realize that life may not be perfect and not as we wanted and planned, but when lived with God's love, we are assured of a fulfilled life in this temporal dwelling.

Dear Lord, thanks for everything that has been in 2007! Thanks for allowing the spices and colors, and most of all for providing sufficient grace each time that allowed me to breeze through the past year. Thanks especially for the angels you have sent me including in China now! All praise and glory be to you o Lord!

It has been quite a while since I am able to sit down and write on my blogs. I was much into a series of activities that allow me to realize my biggest decision and calling for the present - to relocate to China.

Although I am currently in the Philippines mainly for my sister's wedding this month as well as for the holidays, I am no longer based in my home country. Instead, effective this month, I am already based in Guangzhou, China.

If you ask me two years ago or more, I can never imagine moving into China or simply moving out of the Philippines and live abroad. I have been travelling frequently over the last decade due to work, but those are short trips. Residing abroad was not a compelling dream. However, something happened that changed my heart within the past year.

Whenever I go to other countries, I make it a point to attend Sunday mass whenever I spend weekends there. In the process of doing so, my heart has always been touched seeing Christians from different races and cultures attending mass in those foreign churches. I always end up praying for the growth of those churches I visited. Eventually, I developed the desire to contribute in any way to such growth.

When our company announced the relocation of regional hubs to fastest growing markets like China and India, I felt it was time to seriously consider going out of the country. I have been working for a regional role the past seven years and always managed to be based in the Philippines. However, this time, both career and personal calling seem to point to me going out of the country. So last March and April this year I finally "sat down" and did a formal discernment with the help of my leaders in my Christian community. I sought God's will regarding going out of the Philippines and relocating abroad.

God was so clear. At the end of my discernment last Holy Week on April, I knew for certain it is my calling to go to China. (If you are interested on the details of this, I can share separately through my personal email.) When June came, I got the formal offer to move to China from my boss who never knew the discernment I went through nor the fact that I have some interest to get relocated. She was so surprised when I instantly said yes to the offer. What she did not know was I said yes primarily because I knew it is God's will for me to move to China. I just told my boss it is high time for me to go out of my comfort zone and grow as a person and in my career (which are of course true). Come to think of it, all pieces fell into place; all aspects of my life support this move. It reminds me of the book "The Alchemist" where it says that "all forces in the universe conspire to have you realize your purpose" (not the verbatim statement but this is the message).

As of now, I am still much into "settling down" in China. While home in Philippines this holiday season, I am actually into the thick of packing and shipping my personal stuff to my new home in Guangzhou. I still do not know the major next steps in terms of fulfilling the main purpose of this relocation. What is clear to me now is that God is telling me "to know and embrace the Chinese culture". Thus, part of integrating myself is to learn the language; so I will study Mandarin in 2008. I am also just starting to establish new relationships in my new location.

I am taking advantage of this time in Philippines to get away this year-end and spend the last two days of the year in Tagaytay to go on personal retreat. I want to discern God's will for me in 2008 especially as I start a new life embracing the biggest change I have embarked so far. As I move into this new phase, I hope to be able to sit down from time to time and share my adventure with you.

If I can make a request, it is that you include me in your prayers and help ask God that I be given so much grace to fulfill my mission in this relocation; and that in everything God be glorified and magnified.