This is, by the way, an appreciation post to my mentor in my "Katkat Bukid" goals, Jeffrey Bbdong Ferigura.
"Huwat sa ta kay wa pai clearing", you said before the photo happened. And then... We lit. 🔥💯✔😎
This is the best way I know, on how I can express my deepest thanks to the people who have touched and made a difference in my life so far. Words are all I have at this point, I hope it can serve you well.
The intersection of our paths first happened on a fine Friday afternoon, way back Year 2009. You're at the girl's quarters writing something on a manila paper. I was entering the room and you were so friendly, saying hi and hello to every participant coming into the room. You happened to be one of the facilitators on our Youth Camp and I am one of those bully participants.
Our second point of intersection was when you served back again during Malabuyoc youth camp, and I can still remember under those built tents, you were sharing to us your desire to climb mountains. And then I was like, yeah I have that same desire too. Few months after, I started seeing your "Katkat Bukid" posts on Facebook, one mountain at a time. I became one of those people who always click 'Like' every time another of your posts appear and then gets a little excited because maybe one day, I can do the same too. I saw how the Lord greatly blessed you with your experiences. I saw how the Lord loves you in ways that we, His people, deserve to have. And I was really praying, "Lord, I want to experience it too."
Your posts have always fanned the dying embers of my mountaineer soul.
But, things started to shift and I was no longer seeing your cool outdoor photos. I have no idea what happened to you on those times you went MIA on Facebook. I even thought you already stopped exploring great peaks. It was also those times that I was stuck in a situation like I was locked up in chains of whatever is holding me as captive - which slowly took away the fun, the friendship, the freedom but not the faith - that there was in me. It was those moments where life seems pointless, no direction. I was in a different trail heading to my own destruction. Dire moments dominated the radiant ones. But, with God's deliverance, I managed my way out.
Until I started seeing posts of your adventures again. Little did I know that all your outdoors were on IG (@bandana_stories), so I decided that maybe it's time for me to invade IG also. And it was such a great relief to know that you never really stopped climbing. And the next thing I knew, you've done many major climbs already without even me following it. I was in thirst to know more of your Bandana Stories that I began asking for your photos, or how did you do it. Knowing your "buwis buhay" adventures made me dropped my jaw into 'Woooow'. Praise God for all those hikes and treks of yours. The dying embers of my burning passion to climb great peaks were being fanned once again.
The third point of our intersection was Mt. Lanaya with an amazing group of religious people. And it was remarkable because we attended a mass on top of the summit for the very first time, with a Catholic priest of course. I don't even know that it was possible. But it was. And we did. So, we camped for a night with them and what makes it even more amazing was singing songs of praise and worship to God under the moon and stars, on top of a mountain. Amazing! Thank you for inviting me to tag along.
The fourth point of our intersection was our MNL/Batangas/Baguio/Sagada/Benguet trip. I super thank you for including me in your illegal laag. I learned a lot of things, I started to love museums, I started to appreciate the history and culture of the Philippines, I begin admiring Igorot people and wondering how it is to live under their traditions. Thank you for helping me achieve what used to be a dream. Thank you for clearing out all the doubts. Thank you for helping me with the Hillsong UxYF Concert. Thank you for pushing me to go for it. Thank you for booking the plane tickets. Thank you for the patience every time my doubt about this trip started to crawl in. Thank you for understanding the unplanned itinerary in Batangas. Most of all I thank the Lord for your presence in our lives, for always lighting the eyes of the hopeless. Them people thought "Hayahay" our lives have become. But really, they have no idea what we went through before the trip happened - the "madugong labanan" because of 1500 words.
Who would have thought that we will be climbing mountains together? After nine amazing years since Moalboal Youth Camp, the Lord worked His ways extremely brilliant. We were like two lines before, who only meet at a certain point of intersection, creating vertically opposite angles after we cross each other. And now at this present year, at exactly the right angle, both our lines have intersected again. From being perpendicular we became parallel - going to the same direction, walking the same trail, heading to the same peak, continuing on and on the climb - and now praying for another point of intersection again or another "illegal laag" to experience. (Hello old friend, Geometry. Paubana baya gehapon ko Kuya Jepp ha.)
Kuya Jepp, thank you for being God's instrument to help me during my waiting season. Thank you for introducing me the joy of working remotely while at the same time following my heart, because it really is worth it. I owe you a lot. And you deserve all the love and respect in this world. I know that there are people out there who don't understand the way we choose to live our lives right now. It's how our lives shifted at the time being. I pray that one day, they will find it in their hearts the joy of seeing us happy in what we've been doing so far. I hope they can also see the happiness in your eyes after you are being embraced by the mountains, the peaks, and the summits. Ravaaaan kuya jepp. Cheers to more illegal laags. 💪
✏
All Rights Reserved
MALIPAYONG JOSEFINA
@happyemzey
(follow on facebook, twitter and instagram)
To God be all the glory and praise.
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