Jehovah Jireh, My Provider

I’ve been without a paying job for a year and seven months now and considering that I am the head of the family, and have been actively putting food on the table ever since I graduated from medical school 25 years ago, makes it seem a disaster and quite unthinkable.

I have already written about how God in His graciousness kept us from deprivation after I lost my job for His sake, by giving my wife and two children good paying jobs in a country with an appreciable low cost of living, and at the same time giving me the chance to work for Thailand’s poor. This one I’m writing will tell how God financed our travels as a family and increased our happiness as we celebrated with love ones after being away for a year in spite of the financial crunch that the world is in today.

International travel as a family of four, not to mention the baby, is quite expensive considering the fare, travel tax, immigration fees, airport shuttle, the party expenses and the “pasalubong” for the folks back at home. Filipino culture dictates that those who are better off, because they work abroad, must bring home presents for each family member left behind in homeland.

As a family we had only two months of savings in the bank, just enough for the roundtrip fare for three persons, some pasalubong and the birthday party expenses, which means that we didn’t have enough money to bring us all home. A month before the date Jaypea, Jo Ann and Kai already had their plane tickets booked while I was resigned to staying behind. This was unthinkable for Kai and she was very positive that God would provide like He always did – in the nick of time. I rested on Kai’s faith in God while coaxing my own.

Before we migrated to Thailand I placed Kai’s car up for sale. It was an eye-catching tangerine, two-door, very low profile, 16-valve Toyota GT with all the amenities of subwoofer, turbocharger, mags, all power, etc and was the car of choice for drag racers in the Davao racing circuit. The proceeds from this brat were intended to finance a car that I planned to buy in Thailand. The day of our departure came and still there were no takers. I prayed to God as we left the car behind with a brother-in-law, that He would see the car sold in His own time, as only He could see our needs. [The selling of our family van is also a testimony of God’s power in our lives.]

We moved to Bangkok and it is here that we realize that we didn’t need a car. The house we got was just a stone’s throw from the hospital and public transportation in Thailand is cheap and readily available. So “Garfield” as Kai christened her car, was used by Pastor Bogs for a year while it persistently displayed a “For Sale” sign in a rear window. He testified that there were a lot of interested buyers but nothing materialized.

Pastor Bogs suddenly communicates a week before the three, plus baby were scheduled to leave for home, that a person had already given some earnest money so the car won’t go to some other interested buyer, and would be paying in full by the time they get there. A niece of Jo Ann also calls and says that she has a buyer with the money on hand, and ready to pay for the car. After a year of waiting suddenly there are four buyers with the cash and even willing to make bids on the car.

Kai hurriedly calls her travel agent and books my seat on the plane. We make the trip home, sign the deed of sale and collect the money. Most of all we realize that Gods word is true and that He wants his children to prosper and be happy. We also realize that when we let God take charge of our affairs he will set the perfect timing and leave us wondering at his greatness.

All I can say is “God is awesome, Hallelujah!”

Davao here we come!

One year away from homeland makes one yearn for a sentimental journey. To celebrate a birthday with love ones makes it the more necessary, and to indulge in the mouthwatering native dishes after a year of eating Thai food makes it the most mandatory.

We may have taken a few hundred pictures of the trip, but to spare you the boredom I will only post some, just so this album will at least make you long for home... if you are also living overseas.

My friends at Medical School

Davao Medical School Foundation. It was a project of Ateneo de Davao University. I dont know if it has gained an independent status now.

Davao Medical School Foundation - my alma mater, and the friends that I gained through those grueling and bittersweet years deserve an album in this site. The problem is I dont have the pictures of those years, and the friends are scattered all over the globe.

I know that this album will fill up as soon as the connections are made and old memories relived. A reunion with the guys who ate dinuguan@puto, lumpia, pancit, etc and the nth cup of coffee with a marlboro for brunch is the best thing that could ever happen.

I hope the mention of these places would make them come out in the open: Uncle Tom's cabin, One Down, de Lumbar, Merco, D' Counter,Station 55, Shakey's, Times beach, diversion road, paradise island, Crest and Lyric theaters, DM & Queensland(?).....