aerolthemissionary - Tumblr blog

[aerolthemissionary]

I can live with it

Last week I gave myself a 3-day full break to recollect, rest, and reflect. I originally planned to visit the Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Tagaytay because it is one of my go-to-places that is peaceful and quiet but when I got there, I saw that a wedding is being held so I ended up going to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, the closest parish in the area. Hindi 'yun part ng plan but I still decided to go.

It was my first time there and I was surprised by its beautiful and classic structure but as I enter, I've heard a loud noise coming from the altar. There was construction going on. As I get closer, I'm having second thought kung papasok pa ba ako and then I saw a family right in the first row, praying solemnly as if they cannot hear the noise. I was moved by their faith to proceed. I sat in the second row near the altar and saw 2 men working a lot of things. There were also excavations on both sides of it. At that point, I know that it will be a challenging time for me to reflect. Add to that the awkwardness I felt in front of those workers. But then, I helped myself and asked Mama Mary to pray for me so I can focus.

In the middle of the distracting noise, I started praying. After doing the sign of the cross, silence filled my heart and I began to cry. No words. Just pure tears of confusion while my mind looks back to all the things that happened for the first half of the year. At that time, I am certain that the Lord already knew that I have a lot of questions to ask. That I was on the verge of giving up some important things & people in my life because I thought it was the answer to all of them.

After about 15 minutes of crying, I just looked at the ongoing constructions and saw it as if it was my life. Then I loudly heard the Lord speaking directly to me that the answer to all of my questions is not a yes or a no, but a "wait". Wait until the process is over.

That very intimate and special moment, the Lord made me realize that I don't have to give up on some difficult people in our family because the conversion is not yet done, I don't have to abandon my vocation because He is still fixing something from within, and I don't have to force myself to enter a new chapter because there's so much more to unfold in the current page. And while I am embracing my realities and pains. While I'm still in the season of waiting, the Lord affirmed to me that I can still be happy. I can still grow. I can still be alive.

In our time today, we are being fooled by the world that we can thrive by escaping our realities or by avoiding hardships. But the truth is, we cannot because first, we are never in control, and second, pains and frustrations are part of it, and ways for us to grow more and trust more in God who is with us every step of our way.

Life under construction is still a life to live. For now, there may be a lot of noise. There may be a lot of emotions to handle and tons of work to be done but we should never forget that we can continue living in hope while facing it all.

We can live with it. :)

[aerolthemissionary]

How's the mission work so far?

Ever since I started my journey as a Fulltime Lay Missionary, my life turned upside down. There are a lot of happy moments that really brought joy to my life and there are also challenging times that tested me in a deeper level. It's almost 2 years and I want to ask myself, how is it so far?

It's truly an adventure filled with so much surprises. I cannot deny the fact that there are times that I almost give up especially now that we are in a time of pandemic. But God keeps on pulling me in to this boat and affirming me that it's not done yet. In every season of this mission work, God is present. Sometimes He is silent but He is there.

This whole missionary experience is also a continuous learning process but one of the greatest lesson so far is to go beyond myself. I believe that following Jesus' call means being selfless. It's about thinking more of others. Caring for them. Loving them without any condition. Being brave to take risks. It's about going to unfamiliar places. Exploring and living in both comfort and discomfort. When I got accepted to do this work, I thought it's because people knew that I can serve. Never did I imagined that it is through this work that I will learn how to serve. And serving the Lord and His people without asking for anything in return is the best experience ever. It is an opportunity for me to be the best version of myself and to use my little knowledge and abilities to bring glory to God and to make Him known to the area where I am assigned and to people who might experience Him through my work.

Missionary work is not easy but it is full of fun. It's not glamorous but it is exciting. It's not usual because it is extraordinary. As long as the Lord calls me to be here, I will continue to endure, I will continue to go beyond myself for Him and for the benefit of the people He entrusted to me.

[aerolthemissionary]

From above with the squad

I am still amazed about the story in the bible when a group of people brought their paralytic friend to Jesus by lowering him from the roof where He was staying, because they cannot find a way to be closer to Him since a lot of people that time surrounds the Lord to be healed and to witness miracles as well. 

With that epic story, I realized that as imperfect beings, we have the tendency to be paralyzed not just because of sickness but also because of different trials in life. Example, when we lose someone or something important to us, we tend to lose sight and strength to move forward. In this story, as well, I also learned that, the moments when we feel most vulnerable are also the perfect time to seek help to our friends, (whom I bet), are willing to carry us above the “roof” to bring us closer to Jesus who is the One who can heal the brokenness or emptiness in our lives, 

Do you feel paralyzed now? Don’t hesitate to wave to your friends or accept the help they offer because no one can find Jesus alone. In one way or another, we need other people to support and journey with us. Like what our grade school teachers taught us, we need others because ‘no man is an island’. 

[aerolthemissionary]

Two Movements

Jesus lived a very busy life especially during His public ministry where He performed miracles, healed those who are sick, driven out demons, even faced those who oppose His teachings. But one incredible fact is that, He never forget to give time to meditate and pray in silence. One of the most notable moments was when He healed people including the mother-in-law of Simon. Since many people witnessed it, a lot of them follow and look after Him. But one morning, the Lord vanished from the scene and went to a quiet place to reflect. 

This event taught me of two movements that the Lord did: To seek out and to lift up.

“Seeking out” people to bring them closer to God through our actions, words, and thoughts; and not forgetting to “lift up” ourselves back to God, whom is the source of everything we have -our strengths, knowledge, talents, abilities. In doing these two movements, we are allowing ourselves to live with perfect balance. Helping us to avoid being spiritually drained and overwhelmed. 

Let us pray, “Lord, thank You for giving us the courage and faith to seek out for people around us and for constantly blessing and reenergizing our souls every time we lift up ourselves to You. May You continue to be our perfect role model in living our purpose in its fullest, Amen”.

Suggested Reading: Mark 1:29-39

[aerolthemissionary]

A note to myself for 2021

1. Take a stand and have the courage to oppose everything that is unfair, unjust, and corrupt, not because you want to gain power but because you want everyone to live in peace and equity, whether it is in your family, community, organization, or the society. 

2. Help to end the hate culture that most of our political leaders started to cultivate. Why? Because it's not your forte. You are made 'for' and 'to' love. 

3. Stop faking, not just your feelings (char) but also yourself. Be your own best version without comparing your life to everything you see on social media.  Original last long, imitation doesn't.

4. Accept similarities and respect differences but educate if necessary.

5. Begin to understand that individualism will only make life worst. I hate to say this cliche' but 'no man is an island'. This year taught you that you can never thrive alone. You need to belong to a community in order to grow.

6. Understand that even though you are more than your emotion, it is still part of your humanity. If you do not allow yourself to feel, you also do not allow yourself to be human. 

7. You should be part of your priorities. It is in taking care of yourself that you can take care of more people. Self-love is not selfish. 

8. Your worth cannot be defined by the number of likes and reactions from other people. It is only defined by the quality of love of the One who created you. And so you don't have to impress others, you only have to impress God. 

9. You are not a product to maintain a certain branding. You are a person, fully alive, and open to radical changes and growth. 

10. Remember in three different ways: 

a. Remember to let go when things are uncontrollable. 

b. Remember to have fun while taking the journey seriously. Trust that you can do both 

c. Always remember stories, experiences, and people because among them, there is God. Happy New Year, everyone! 

[aerolthemissionary]

2020 broke our hearts. But it is through this brokenness that we learned that love is still the most important thing in life. This love let us share every piece of our broken selves to rebuild others... to help them stand and continue the journey with confidence that none of us will be left behind. This unprecedented time also revealed to us that when love and brokenness are shared, it gives us power. A power that breaks boundaries and challenges impossibility. A power to pick up sharp pieces of this shattered year and use them to create a greater year ahead.