The River Forks...

God has a sense of humor. When we think we have it all figured out, He chuckles and lets us know how clueless we really are. He taps us on the shoulder and gently leads us, if only we will listen.

The one thing I learned over the years is that He IS always there, just waiting to be found.

The river forks for me. I have to get off the boat and go the other way and let those with whom I have traveled for almost seven years go on without me. It is my time for a different adventure with different companions on a new journey. I am both excited and sad. I am moving on.

In my previous postings, I mentioned how the people who come into our lives enrich us. I had been privileged to have worked with an outstanding group of people who are passionate and committed. These men and women have exhibited what is possible when one gives his or her best. It is a pleasure to have been in such company. I will miss them sorely, and I will take them with me as I continue on with my own adventure.

I am not sure what lies ahead. I guess that is where the excitement comes from. The unknown is both titillating and scary. Anything is possible. My slate is blank and I could write a new chapter that could be entirely different from what the previous years had been. Call me cocky, but I am not afraid. I have been through more difficult times, but the BIG GUY had always been behind me and every challenging situation had led to me into something better and more rewarding.

It is not always easy to understand what we are being called to do. We need to listen. We need to search, inside and out. We need to trust. I do.

In the meantime, I will be going on a literal journey. I will be traveling in the Philippines and in Southeast Asia. My home country - the Philippines - is made up of 7,100 islands and islets - depending on the tide (yes, some islets are really small). My siblings live in the outskirts of Manila and that will be my homebase. Together with family and old friends, I will be visiting two major islands - Cebu and Palawan. I will also be traversing through Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Laos. My hope is to ameliorate my understanding of peoples and cultures, and in the process enrich myself with the bounty of God's grace through those who will come into my life during this odyssey.

The river forks. There is sadness in my heart, but I am stoked because the possibilities are amazing.