Some of the names have been changed to protect the privacy of the persons concerned.

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Return to Libya...A Leap of Faith: The Waiting Time

Tuesday, 31 July 2012

When I came home to the Philippines in April 2011, it was just for a month vacation. That one month slowly progressed into many months. I religiously monitored the events in Libya through news on television and in the internet and was constantly praying for all my friends, colleagues, and students whom I had left behind. I was happy to be with my family but there was that restless feeling that I should be somewhere else.

When the Khaddafi regime had fallen and his sensational death was aired in all media, the thought of being able to communicate with Kiko, my bestfriend, who remained in Libya together with his family, filled me with excitement. He and Fr. Allan, a Filipino Franciscan missionary priest, were my sources of information on the ins and outs on Libya. In October, Fr. Allan was encouraging: "Kailangan namin dito yung skill mo in communication so balik ka na.(We need your skill in communication here so you come back now.)". Kiko, on the other hand, was less optimistic. He would tell me about the dangers in the Tunisian border ( the entry point in going to Tripoli), the absence of money transfer stations, the limited bank withdrawals, the increased prices of commodities. There was a time when I told Kiko that it seemed that he did not want me to go back and we had a quarrel over it. He told me that as a friend, it is his duty to inform me about the true situation not just the things that I wanted to hear.

In November, my boss, Dr. Shabous, instructed me to send an application as a new teacher. He was very concerned for me to go back to the college so he advised me to do it. At that time, there were talks that repatriates would not be rehired. By the end of November, I was informed that I was accepted back by the college but the final decision is with the university which might take some time. At this time, Kiko was not reassuring. He even suggested that I apply in Saudi. On the contrary, Fr. Allan was supportive. He told me that if I could get a certification that I would be rehired by the college, he would submit it to the Office of the Labor Attache and I would be given an exemption from the travel ban. Somebody had to work for that within the college, and the person who could do it, Mr. Francisco D. Napalit, a.k.a. Kiko simply believed that I should not go back to Libya yet at that time.

December came. It was like being suspended in the air. There was no news about my application. When it became clear that it wouldn't be God's christmas present, I prayed that it would be His birthday gift. Not the return to Libya itself, but a clear sign whether I was meant to go back or should  I make way for a new beginning. On January 1, as the only one who was still awake at that time, I was lazily browsing over on my Facebook account, when I saw that Terese, a colleague in Zletin who was like a sister, was online. I decided to say hello before going to sleep. She was excited to hear from me and asked me when I would go back. I told her about the application in Tripoli and Kiko's lukewarm assurance of a positive response from the university. She said: "Sister, if Tripoli will not get you, there are openings for English teachers in Kohms. You can apply there."....Surely, it was the sign I was looking for. The bleak ending of 2011 was met by a bright and vibrant new beginning of 2012. My heart sang Alleluiah that very moment....I am going back to Libya!

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Return to Libya...A Leap of Faith

Sunday, 29 July 2012

Six months after my return to Libya, I couldn't help but marvel at God's awesome goodness and generosity as I recall the events that led to my return to this country. I feel that not writing about it and sharing it to everyone would be a dishonor to God who should be credited for all the good things that have happened in my life.

The skylark's escape from Libya during the revolution had been faithfully recorded in my earlier blogs and readers found the journals enticing and spiritually uplifting. However, nothing can be compared to the spiritual 'high' I felt as I went through the events that enabled me to return to this country. Indeed, what happened in my life was a leap of faith!

During my 10-month hiatus in the Philippines, and as the events in Libya were being unfolded for  the whole world to see, my heart was anticipating my return to this North African nation. I didn't know how, but deep inside, I knew that I would come back to this country which I have learned to love. When the former regime fell and some OFWs were able to go back, I remember a Filipino priest  who jokingly posted in the Facebook: "Aydee, balik ka na sa Libya, $600 lang sa Immigration."(Aydee, you can now return to Libya, it's just $600 in the Philippine immigration as bribed money). I answered this with "I will not be a party to any corruption; if God wants me to return to Libya, He would pave the way." And in my heart, I said : "Oh God...please, please let it be!"....

In this period of waiting, I got close to two colleagues, Lovie and Remi, whom I would talk to or would send text messages almost daily. We tried to support each other morally and spiritually. Both of them wanted to go with me should I make the decision to come back to Libya. When an offer came to apply in Saudi Arabia, both of them applied and encouraged me to join them but I told them that I would not apply because I did not want my heart to be divided. I told them that if I would apply in Saudi, it was like telling God that I was not sure that He would make way for me to go back. It would seem that I was doubting Him, so I was determined not to apply.


December came. It's Christmas time....nothing. No feelers, no signs....nothing. Ahh, perhaps God is not going to give it as a Christmas gift. My birthday is in January...could it be His birthday present for me?....