Going on Mission

Two years ago, my husband and I were given the privilege to serve on two mission trips to Kalibo, Aklan and Calbayog City, Western Samar. We volunteered to be in these trips as we experience a certain high in meeting new people while spreading God's Word either as a speaker or sharer. Usually it is the wife who shares her or her family's experiences on the topic that her husband just delivered. That was my role when we went to Kalibo and Calbayog City. On mission, my fear of speaking in front of many strangers is nonexistent. It is a well-known fact that I don't stand up to share in MPAs. For my thirteen years as a member of Couples for Christ, I have only shared once and I did that after ten years.

Preparation for the trip started with booking for the flight. The team head couple for the mission trip on the other hand coordinates with his counterpart in the mission area. The kind of talks to be given, accommodation, venue of the conference and logistics are ironed out over exchanges of emails, text messages and voice malls. Technology has made preparations far easier and cheaper compared to those done years ago.

For our first mission trip, we went to Calbayog City. Our flight was delayed for at least thirty minutes due to bad weather enroute to Calbayog City. Although the typhoon has already left the Samar provinces, there were intermittent rains. While inflight, we went through a series of turbulence that made us clutched our rosaries. At times like this, the only thing that matters is your faith in the Supreme Being. We landed successfully after that nerve-wracking episode. All our nervousness vanished at the concern and hospitality accorded us by our brothers and sisters from Calbayog City.

Our Kalibo trip was not so uneventful compared to the first one. Though there was a raging storm in Metro Manila, in Kalibo, it was sunny when we landed. We felt more like going on a vacation than a mission trip. It helped that Kalibo is just more than an hour drive to the world-famous Boracay. There was no welcoming CFC-Kalibo as we proceeded to Boracay for two days of rest and recreation. At the crack of dawn two days later, the mission group was up and about onboard a motorized banca and a rented van enroute to Kalibo. When in Kalibo, we were met by one of the service team members. We then proceeded to the house of the Provincial Head, Bro. Chem and Sis. Hope Aldecoa for a very hearty breakfast. That famed Filipino hospitality is working to the max again.

For both instances, after the initial getting to know you occasions, we then went on with the task at hand: delivering the talks that our brothers and sisters requested to hear. Yes, it was tiring but hearing their compliments and seeing the smiles in their faces more than compensated the days spent away from loved ones.

After the conferences had ended, we were all treated to more food and singing and a tour of the places. Who would ever forget the Sampaguita Village at New Washington, Cardinal Sin's hometown and an afternoon at Malahug Beach in Calbayog? And what about the pasalubongs that the locals gave to each one of us?

Up to now we are in constant communication with our new found friends...brethren. Mission work really brought out the best in everyone. Just wondering when the next mission trip would be.