WhattaDay

As always, whenever I need affirmation or reassurance from God as to where He wants to take me and in which direction He is pointing me, I take a day off to immerse myself in the first mission He led me to. And, as always, He did not fail to fill me with His grace and steadfast guarantee that things are indeed in His hands and all will be well, as long as He is in the driver's seat.

I don't know if I've mentioned it in any of my reflections, but a handful of people know that this year, I've given the Lord carte blanche over my life. For the first time in my life, I have no schedules set in stone, just vague plans pencilled in. I've given God supreme authority over my life's Filofax. And as I hold in my heart the truths of Romans 8:28 and Jeremiah 29:11-13, I'm pretty excited over what He has in store. In the last couple of months, He's given me brief glimpses of the "cards" He holds in His hand, but oftentimes there's just light enough to take the next step.

I needed that light yesterday, more than ever, and I sure got it. I went back to Montalban for the first time since December, to accompany Kuya Joe Dean on his weekly visit and to spend time with some of the children I love and miss so much. Much to my surprise and delight, one of the other volunteers and a potential land donor couldn't join us, so it was just me and Kuya again. It's been a while since I've had a one-on-one with Kuya, but these are the rare occasions that never fail to bless me tremendously. I always feel so honored every time I get to spend time with him, because he is the closest living thing to the kind of Christian I would like to be.

His every move is a prayer, and he always prays aloud with such clarity. He's the one who taught me to thank God aloud and sing to Him without shame or reservation any time I feel like it (although when he himself starts to sing, I'm still a little timid to join in). And since almost every little thing he does is for the glory of the One he has given his life to, God's response is so very, very evident. I always tell people that if they want to see a miracle, all they have to do is spend time with Kuya Joe Dean as he goes about his mission. His very life is a miracle in itself, but God's movements are resplendently demonstrated in the exercise of his faith, a faith that strives for absolute communion with God's will.

Since God's will was what I was seeking out, I drew close to Kuya's light, hoping to be warmed by the glow of the Spirit working in him. And I was. I got to see my "kids," to help out however I could, to visit the relocated boys' new household and witness how much the former Delta rugby boys have changed. I got to meet two new friends - religious sisters so excited to share in God and Kuya's work to shelter street girls in a new household. And, best of all, I got to see and hear God through one of the greatest servants He has on earth, as we started to talk about God's plans for me. It was enough to make me want to weep - which I always seem to do in the presence of holiness - but somehow I was a little too embarassed to do so. What Kuya told me during the course of the trip back to Project 6 reassured and confirmed God's plans for me, and gave me the big dose of the encouragement I needed just then. Today I am still on shaky legs in following the direction I'm pointed towards, but He is my solid ground and sure foundation and He has never failed to pick me up and guide my way...indeed, as He told me in the midst of worship last night, "Walk in faith." And so the next chapter of my mission begins...

When I got back to the center, I was pleasantly surprised to have a special someone drop by - Sister Daisy, and whattaDay indeed she is! It was her birthday, and, being such a generous soul so radiant with the love of God, she shared her happy day with the kids and streetparents at He Cares (and the celebration continues on Saturday!). WhattaDay - there are very few new female friends I can truly look up to and be great friends with (a theory that I share with my longtime girl friends is that as women get older, we have less patience for the frivolities and familiar "tactics" employed by other females because we've been-there-been-that-style-mo-tita ourselves) and Day is definitely one of them. She has the authenticity I value most in any person, male or (especially) female. And that authenticity shines through in the way she chooses to live her Christianity - as well as in her choice of a husband. O ha, san ka pa? :-) I love you Day...once again, you showed up at the right moment; you are one of those constant and happy reassurances that God has sent my way.

Whatta day, Whatta Day!