SHARING

It was an unusual Sunday morning as it was rather warm and stuffy.  To coincide with it, it was my first time to attend Mass at the Atma Jaya University Chapel.  I made an enquiry at the hotel the night before and was told that Mass was at 9:30 a.m. 

 

I have a habit to go for Mass early so to avoid any unexpected incidents that I may encounter on the way.  So I decided to leave early and be there to pray. 

 

I arrived there about 9:15 a.m. and went up the lift.  I was dumbfounded when the lift opened.  There were so many people coming into the lift, which indicated that Mass was already over.  I thought that it was my fault, as I did not listen to the time correctly from the hotel receptionist.  A huge relief came when I read the notice board that Mass was at 10.00 a.m.

 

This may appear to be normal for many of us but it was an unusual Sunday for me.  Here is why it was unusual.  It was during this time that I took time to pray and since I was holding an ECLS flyer (as I was early) started reading it.  I thought that probably I should attend it but then again, perhaps not.  No decision was made yet at that time.

 

Then, a charming man approached me and asked me whether I was interested to attend the ECLS seminar.  He introduced himself as Brother Pete.  I was thinking to myself, perhaps this is a calling that I should go.  But then I thought again, should I go out, as Jakarta is so unsafe at night?  So I told Brother Pete that I did not know the place as an excuse not to go.  He assured me that he will arrange for people to pick me up and gave me his contact number.  So I let matters rest until Friday, 11 May 2001, the ECLS Orientation Day.  On hindsight reflection, I thought that nobody from the Church had approached me to attend the ECLS and was willing to go the extra mile to arrange the transportation for me.

 

When the day came, there were so many obstacles that I had to face and they were as follows:

* Tried to call Brother Pete but he was not picking up his hand phone (later found out that he was in Manila);

* Had a message from Den (who tried several times to reach me during the day as he was supposed to pick me up from the hotel) but I could not contact him that evening.  His hand phone was out of the service area coverage; and

* Did not know where the place was and how to get there.  Of course people may say that I could have gone there by taxi. But I had been hearing many sad stories of people taking the taxi.  So I was a bit apprehensive to take a taxi.

 

So what was I to do?  I felt cheated, frustrated and angry.  I almost did not want to come due to the many feelings that I had.  Then again, curiosity and determination were what gave me the motivation to come for the orientation.  I made it there and was glad that I took the effort to go there.

 

The moral of the story is that God rewards and blesses a person for the person’s efforts to search for God for His glory, not only twice but abundantly.  I was called and I responded to God’s call and that is what matters, though there were so many obstacles.  You may call it what you may but to me it is a God Coincident.  Not by chance but a God Coincident. 

 

My presence turned out to be a huge blessing.  If I had not gone, I would not have met the members of the Genesis Catholic Community like Alfred and Pinky, Fred and Beth, Armand and Ira, Andy and Tintin, Joaqui, Gina, Miya, Nenette Dizon, Lisa and Benny, Imelda and many others just to name the ones that I remember.  I must admit that being a part of Genesis and attending the ECLS has made a difference during my stay in Jakarta.  My first month, April 2001 in Jakarta was so mundane and boring, as compared to May and June.

 

How did Genesis make a huge difference in my life?  You shone out to me like the light that Jesus was talking about, through your actions and deeds.  Your hospitality, friendliness, care and love that were shown during my first visit to the orientation, overwhelmed me.  You are so blessed to have such an exemplary Community.  I was blessed to be a part of Genesis for about over a month.  Life would have been different without Genesis.  Definitely A God Coincident – A Blessing in Disguise!!!

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