Last Chapter: Episode 1

Soo. After almost a year and a half I finally move on to the last chapter of my life. Yet, with series of episodes, I believe. So why last chapter? Why not call it.. next ? Maybe because I want to end my life this way, with him. And I don't want and need anybody else, but him.

Yeah, yeah.. bet you're already hitting the bull's-eye by now.

(Warning: Cheesyness overload)

Episode 1: The Amazing Grace

It is exactly four days before my Mongolian Visa will expire. It's in the middle of mining industry ebb when the company where I'm working on wanted me to be transferred in Jakarta as soon as possible. That chaotic transfer put me into total blow. You see, I already laid out my plans for the next 3 months. I am planning to go back to Hong Kong (HK) next month to see my church mates again and meet my HS friends there. I have to see my Pastor and his family before leaving HK for good. I have to meet and have a date with Raissa and Ate Chona. I have to close and settle my bank account deals. Most importantly, I need to talk to Ry. I need to tell Him what God has told me. We need to talk. 

About a month ago I got the sweetest answer that I wanted to hear for so long from my First Love. But of course, it was in my dimmest moment when He raised His unfathomable moves. All hopes are kinda lost, and my prayers turned into to pleas. Up to the tiny bit of my pursuit, I sought. But He remained silent. Until one night in my prayer time, He spoke. He spoke so vividly that I could still remember Him saying,  

Yes, him. 

  

The delight was suddenly turned into reluctance and thirst, craving for more specific answer from Him. 

"Back it up with a verse, God. I want another confirmation from You."

Good thing He never failed. He never fails. And He will never ever fail. He answered me the next morning through my devotion:

It’s better to have a partner than go it alone.

Share the work, share the wealth.

And if one falls down, the other helps,

But if there’s no one to help, tough!

Two in a bed warm each other.

Alone, you shiver all night.

By yourself you’re unprotected.

With a friend you can face the worst.

Can you round up a third?

A three-stranded rope isn’t easily snapped. 

 - Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (MSG)

  

And everything else is history.

Gotcha. It would be better if that happened right ahead, smoothly. But no, not at all. I am still leaving Mongolia and will head straight away to Jakarta.

Consciously or not, the Lord is surely behind this, tickling the inner nucleus of my heart, the deepest core of my being, waggling the shakable things in me, so that the unshakable things, remain. I don't want to question Him again. By this time I should know that I need to trust Him and His plans for me.

"Lord you know my heart and everything that I desire. But if this is still not the time for us to talk yet, I will wait. I am more than happy to know that he's the one. With that, I am already satisfied", all I could say to Him in my prayer time. I don't want to be the old Jep who used to demand and complain even in the tiniest stuff. I have faith but if He allowed this circumstance on me He'll sure use it to bring glory to His Name.

"Well, at least your route will be via Hong Kong, I can meet you at the airport and we can talk there", said Ry in one of our Viber conversations. Yes, it's good enough. At least we can talk for a few hours. That few hours might be enough to tell my month-long confession. He seems to be cool, but I can tell his excitement in his voice. 

"Matutuloy ka sa July, kine-claim ko na yan". He added with a laugh.  Haha paasa 'to. Or see you in December, perhaps. Or maybe a surprise visit on my birthday, eh? In any possible way I could think of, I know there will be a perfect time for us. Because I'm pretty much assured about us, dear. All is set. Everything is ready. I'll just wait for that moment when He'll finally tell me, "Go". 

And just in time. Just. In. Time. His amazing hands move. Allow me to brag my Creator once again. This is really what you called divine intervention. Or an answered prayer.  Perhaps a living faith. Or love at act (read it again: love @act = love attack). But if you would allow me to describe this enigma, I would like to call it, amazing grace. I don't know how things agree and come to its proper place but the bottom line is: I will meet him in HK more than the agreed hours that we expected. I will exit Ulaanbaatar (UB) via HK for 2 days. On top of that, I will be coming back to UB, and my transfer to Jakarta will be delayed. It means that I will still be spending my work-slash-ministry wayfaring with my UB friends whom I dearly loved. How bout that? An answered prayer in an answered prayer. Just woa.

The day of my departure come. It is Saturday and is scorching hot, a nice and perfect day to travel - call it another grace from God. Honestly, the plane ride seems like days for me. Why does it take so long? My long-awaited time is so, so near.. yet so far. I can't sleep. My heart's beatin' fast. I wonder what is he doing by this time. I try to sleep but my mind's pre-occupied with things. "Lord, I don't know how to say 'yes' to him. He didn't even tell me those three words. How can I reply him back? This is craaazy. I don't want to be the first to tell. Lord make a way for us." 

Atop the Long and Winding Plane Ride
(Gobi Desert, South Gobi, Mongolia)

And so my plane has finally landed. I see myself walking down that familiar place.. again. And I see another familiar face.. again. Smiling. Holding a heart-shaped box of chocolates. 

"Kamusta? How's your plane ride?" he said upon my arrival, handing me the chocolates (he really knows how to make my heart skip a beat with those chocolates!). I want to reply him with, "Buong byahe ko, ikaw laman ng isip ko paano ako magiging okay?"   

Well, well. In reality, all I could utter was, "Okay naman". Haha. Pathetic me.  

My first day in HK has passed, I've got the chance to meet my Saturday BS group (my first family), went to Mongkok and Sham Shui Po with Ry to buy a phone for a friend in UB, and have a dinner with Pastor Jorge, 'Nay Bolen and Thea. To cut it short, we didn't get the chance to talk. That day ended with a text message from him: 

(Non-verbatim) Kahit ilang beses mo nang narinig 'to sakin sasabihin ko pa rin.. mas lalo kang gumaganda ngayon.. And alam ko magiging busy ka tomorrow but can I ask for 2 hours of your time? Sabay na tayo mag-dinner.. 

   

Now he's talking. 

  

Sunday came. I met Ate Chona and had breakfast together with 'Nay Bolen, Thea and Ate Taj before heading to church. Haven't heard anything about him yet after that conversation last night. Well, I've already told 'Nay Bolen and Ate Cho on what is about to happen today. And they're more excited than I am. They know our love chronicles, they have also witnessed how God works in each of our personal life, from how-i-met-you stage to sorry-please-wait stage to yes-ligawan-na stage. They are few of those people who prayed with us and for us. More than a friend, they're our prayer warriors.. they're already a family.

Finally, the long wait is over. Along the busy streets of Nathan Road, we choose a perfect spot to talk with our heart's content. We stammer. we pause, looking for perfect set of words to say. Of course  there were awkward moments, dead-air and all. Still, it is the grace of God that comes to surface. I told him everything what God has told me, those seeking times when He was silent, how He said that it was him who'll I end up with, how I got my confirmations and all. It is amazing that during those times, Ry was seeking as well. And the Lord confirmed us both that we are meant for each other, bound to dance with His never-ending, uncontainable grace and love. 

With two satisfied soul, the night ends in a spine-tingling holding hands and heart-stirring i love you's. 

  

Truly, grace abounds.