Thursday we took a day off and decided to go to the beach. Since we’re staying in Manila, we left at 4 AM and drove 4 hours away to the coast. After checking a few places out, we decided to spend our day at a deserted beach resort. It was pouring down rain, there wasn’t a smudge of blue in the sky, and as I walked down the path to the “main attraction” I saw six cabanas, an old volleyball net, and past a gate, a beach…well, sort of. For those of us who have been blessed to spend an afternoon in Maui, this beach would be comparable to my grandmother’s driveway: short, rocky, and people would be more likely to drive on it than lay a towel down. But for whatever reason, yesterday I saw potential. So I told the manager we’d take it. I was able to get us access to the cabanas (which she wanted P3,000 for; P45 = $1) for free under the argument that we were, and probably would be, the only customers for the next 6 weeks. We had packed a cooler with sandwiches and tons of fresh watermelon and pineapple (brought back from the plantation on the lower islands).
We settled in, as the rain started to subside, and a few of us walked down to the beach. Ryan and I met a man who asked us if we would like to rent snorkeling gear for the day, and then described a location he could take us and feed huge fish and see beautiful coral reefs…for the small price of P2,000. We decided to just go with the $3 daily rental. So off we went, masks squeezed tight against our faces and mouthpieces in place, into the crystal clear waters of the Philippines. It took just 200 feet to start a series of what is arguably the most beautiful segment of ocean floor I’ve ever seen. I mean, this thing made Typhoon Lagoon at Disney World look like child’s play! Hundreds of long black-spined sea urchins nest away between cracks of the beautiful coral. Sitting on top of reefs were the brightest blue starfish I’ve ever seen (actually the first blue starfish period). As we went out further, the deeper the water fell below us, and the colder it was against my skin. I could start to see different species of fish the further we swam. This ocean was home to puffer fish, clown-fish, angel fish, seahorses, even a giant cable that looked like an eel from 25 yards away and maybe scared me. At one point I stopped in the middle of the ocean, took off my mask, and made a 180 looking all around me. I smiled, inside and out, because it hit me hard and beautifully…I am snorkeling the clear waters of the Philippines on a day where 6 months ago, I’d be sitting in class on my phone texting, and worrying about how I was going to pass the exam in the next course. But now here I am snorkeling, and experiencing things, and people and life like I have never even thought of. The rain was gone, and blue skies filled the air. It was a wonderful two hours.
After I swam back shore, I went to the cabana to dry off and read my book. I got two paragraphs in before I was interrupted by the same man who had offered to take me and Ryan snorkeling. He asked bluntly, “are you a missionary?” Yes. “Are you a born-again Christian?” Yes. I asked back, “Are you?” He replied, “Yes…but not a perfect one.” I couldn’t possibly pass up this opportunity, so there began what would be an hour and half conversation with Roland De La Cruz, the Mexican-Filipino Christian who wasn’t perfect. In fact, it turns out, Roland had been an alcoholic, a drug user, and addicted to gambling. On Sundays he would spend his time at the casinos, gambling and drinking. Turns out Roland even got drunk and hit his wife one time, which he spent 2 months in jail for.
Then Roland met a guy named Jesus, whom his friend introduced him too 13 months ago. And for 13 months Roland has been drug free and has not gambled. But he lost his wife. He is now a single parent, supporting and raising his four children alone, because his wife got sick of the drugs and the neglect and left. He now sits in so much pain, wishing more than anything, his wife would give him a second chance. He told me he sees families on Sundays, which are family days here, together, laughing and having a grand time, and he wishes his children could feel those things as a whole family. Roland told me these things with deep shame, and with great sadness. I could see in his eyes he would give anything to go back and do it over. He then said those words to me, thus confirming any suspicions I had after looking him in the eye. But Roland is truly alive in Christ. He has changed those habits, and has learned his life is complete only in Christ. Still, the sadness remains. He bluntly stated, “You…you have it easy. You’re doing life with 5 other Christians. I am alone in my town. Do you know how hard it is to have no one to lean on, no one for support?” What could I say. He is absolutely right.
He asked me if I would pray for him before he left to pick up his kids from school. So we prayed for Roland. We prayed for God’s comfort, we prayed for a community that would support him, and we prayed that if God chooses, he’ll reunite Roland and his ex-wife. And then Roland left.
Isn’t it cool to know that when I woke up yesterday at 3:30 AM, God woke Roland up at 2Am to start cooking breakfast for his children, iron their school uniforms, and get them to school; Then he put a group of 6 missionaries on the beach snorkeling, taking their day off, and honestly having no intentions of ministry, and he put them in place to comfort his child who is in great pain, and needed 4 people to gather round him and rally for his strength and happiness?
I don’t believe in coincidence, and neither does our Father.
