Promised land

Maaga pa, wala pang alas-syete. Maluwag ngayon sa MRT, nakaupo pa ‘ko. Pwedeng magmuni-muni…

Dalawa’t kalahating taon na ang nakararaan, may isang ambisyosang batang taga-Batangas ang malapit na gumradweyt ng college at nagpaplano ng kanyang magiging “career path”. Sapagkat kung anu-anong uri ng pagrampa ang ginawa nya buong college, hindi sya nakapag-focus sa pag-aaral. Dahil dito, minarapat nyang alisin muna ang opsyon na pagbo-board exam.

Dahil na rin sa angking pagka-ambisyosa, hindi sya makapapayag na maging isang payak na empleyado lamang. Dapat sosyal ang kanyang mapagtrabahuhan. Itinanong niya sa kanyang Ate Marie bago sumapit ang araw ng kanyang pagtatapos, “Ate, saan magandang magtrabaho?” At isinagot nito: “Sa BSP o PDIC.” Uy, sosyal pakinggan, pwede…

Ika-12 ng Mayo 2009, lumuwas siya ng Maynila, na may matayog na mga adhikain. Hindi nya alam kung paano mag-apply. Tinanong nya sa kanyang Ate Myrns kung paano sya makakapunta ng BSP, sabi nito, wag dun, malayo yun. Samantala, nalaman nyang dati palang empleyado ang kanyang Ate Evelyn sa agency na nagpapadala ng mga aplikante sa PDIC.

Buong kasiyahan nya itong inapplyan. Bawat nag-interview sa kanya, tinatanong sya kung ok lang daw ba sa kanya na contractual. Wala syang pakialam. Hindi nya kasi alam ang buong ibig sabihin nun. Natanggap sya at nagsimulang magtrabaho ika-21 ng Mayo 2009.

Doon pala magsisimulang gumuho ang kanyang mga pangarap (exaj). Masaya sa office, doon nya nakilala ang isang napakabait na boss, at mga mabubuting kaibigan. Masaya ang kwentuhan pag lunch at merienda time. Yun nga lang, kabilang sya dun sa limang piso lang ang higit sa minimum ang sweldo, “no-work-no-pay”, walang benefits. Ang trabaho, masaya kapag kaharap sina Word at Excel sa computer. Pero minsan din, taga-photocopy o taga-imbentaryo ng mga kahon-kahong dokumento. Well, hindi naman big deal sa kanya ang pera at hindi naman sya maarte sa trabaho, masakit lang sa pride.

Bago pa lamang sya sa kanyang walk with God nung mga panahong yun. Noon nya nakilala ang isang kaibigan na itago natin sa pangalang Ate Joy. Turning 21 on the 21st sya nun at isa syang hopeless case. Ma-pride, madaling ma-offend, self-centered, kuripot, injanera, etc (2many2mention). Pero hindi matatawaran ang patience ni Ate Joy sa kanya. Hindi nya ito tinigilan sa pagbibigay ng encouragements, sa paggabay upang magbasa ng Bible, matutong magtiwala sa Panginoon, at higit sa lahat, magdasal. Sinabi nya ring God is a "fulfiller of dreams".

Pagkaraan ng mahigit isang taon, nagdasal sya and she tried to seek kung anong plano ni God para sa kanya. Naghanap sya ng bagong trabaho at nag-apply kung saan saan.

Hindi nya nalimutan si BSP. Itago natin ito sa tawag na Boy Scouts of the Philippines, lol.

Nagtingin sya sa website ng mga bakanteng posisyon at buong tapang na pumunta doon dala-dala ang isang envelope na naglalaman ng mga application papers. Hinarang pa sya ng lalake sa gate na may nakasuksok na malaking armalayt sa bewang. Pagkatapos ng ilang oras na pagkaligaw at pagtatanong, narating din nya si HR para iabot ang envelope.

Nang pauwi na sya, sakay sa bus, nagduda sya kung mapapansin kaya ang envelope na iyon. Subalit sa halip na manghinayang sa effort, nagdasal sya at sinabing, Lord, let Your will be done.

Nagkasunod sunod ang tawag ng mga inapplyan nya. Pero for some reasons, sa tawag ng PCFC sya nahikayat. Nag exam sya, apat na interviews, then laking kagalakan nya nang sabihin ni HR na pasado na sya at pwede na magreport anytime. Yes! Matatakasan na nya ang buhay contractual. Pumasok sya doon ika-21 ng Setyembre 2010, clueless kung ano namang uri ng buhay ang kakaharapin.

Pagkatapos ng ilang linggong adjustments, masaya sya sa bagong workplace, sa mga kaibigang natagpuan, sa mga katrabaho sa paligid, maging sa mga benefits tulad ng gift checks at bigas buwan-buwan na nagpapasaya sa kanyang ina. PS. Doon nya din natutunan kung paano bumangon ala-Miriam Quiambao kapag nadapa (literal). Komportable sya sa simplisidad ng buhay sa opisinang iyon. 

Hanggang isang araw, isang tawag ang gumimbal sa nananahimik na sana nyang mundo. Makaraan ang mahigit isang taon, napansin ang kanyang envelope. Tumawag si Boy Scouts of the Philippines.

“Arriving at Araneta-Cubao station…” Ngak! Babaan na pala!

I combed my usually unruly hair and put some lipstick on while at the bus, so as to at least look like a normal employee. I entered BSP premises, praying for a smooth day ahead of me. Everyday, as I log in at the biostation, I would always acknowledge that it is only by God’s amazing grace that I am here.

I remember a verse in the Bible wherein Joshua said “…You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed.” Joshua 23:14

Yes, I am a testimony that our God who fulfilled His promises to His people yesterday is still the same faithful God today and forever. There may be times that we doubt. There may be times that we don’t understand what’s happening in our lives. There may be times that we are already tired of waiting. But these are the times when our faith is tested; it’s our call for us to trust in Him at all circumstances.

After that out-of-nowhere call from BSP, it took another half a year to finish the hiring process. And during those times when I was already losing the patience to wait, and I was already planning to settle in my "Egypt", I came across this verse while reading the Bible: “I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27:13-14

What are you waiting for right now? It may not be in the area of your career. It may be waiting for breakthroughs in finances. It may be waiting for relationships to be fixed. Seek what God is teaching you at all seasons in your life. Trust in God’s perfect will* and perfect timing.

When I landed on my first job, I didn’t know what I was doing there. Until it dawned on me that it is where God broke down my pride and taught me how to be humble; I am a nobody apart from His goodness. It was also where I learned how to relate and build relationships with people from all walks of life.

On my second job, He taught me how to magnify His name in all that I do. It was where I learned to stand for my faith. It was where I started to find joy in sharing God’s Word and the stories that He has faithfully woven in my life. In my thirteen months of stay there, God just worked a lot in me and through me.

Was it by mere luck that now, I am at my promised land? No. When I met Jesus, I’ve never believed in chances or coincidences anymore. Nothing happens by luck. Everything happens by God’s plan, for His purpose.

Same questions were being asked to me, time and again, “Are you an Ateneo or La Salle or UP graduate? Or did you graduate Cum Laude?” My answer is No. I am just a humble servant of God who seeks His purpose for my life and who believes that with God, nothing is impossible; I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

“Did I have a backer?” My answer is yes. I’ve got the biggest backer of all: my loving Heavenly Father.

          *Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2