My blog has hibernated again- might be the freezing weather and my adjustment to a totally new environment. One month ago, I initially thought of not boarding my plane to Mongolia because I admit like everyone else is, I am afraid of leaving everything behind and of risking love. Not to mention losing my sanity in a place where I could not even express my sanity.
Few days ago, I started pondering on Enoch and how he walked steadily with God until the time he was taken away by no other than God Himself. No grieving relatives, wake, death and decayed flesh. Enoch simply vanished. I imagined him in his bedtime trousers, eating his cereals and having a conversation with God about anything like politics or missing cattle. Then God just took him away- oh yeah on his striped trousers.
A lot of the volunteers told me that I will definitely have frustrations, disappointments and confrontations during my 16 month stay here in Mongolia. In spite of this, I am determined to live one day at a time, to learn how to laugh in spite all the negativities and to appreciate what I was given on each day. I decided not to run to my finish line but to walk steadily instead. Just like Enoch.
I began work on the 18th at the Bayanzurkh District Health Unit as a Public Health Educator for the EU Project. Since I am still new in the unit, it was not as enjoyable as work back home where there was the hustle of saving lives, the luxury of a beneficial communication and the comfort of a near workplace. But unlike in the Philippines, it is only here and only now that I learned how to walk more.
Every morning, I walk for 35- 40 minutes to reach my health unit. I walk tolerating the 1 kilometer distance, freezing temperature, dust and air pollution. (Trivia: UlaanBaatar is the world’s 5th most air polluted city.) There were moments when I am tempted to ride the bus and spend 200 tugrugs for two stops and a short 5 minute walk. But since I started reading about Enoch, I am constantly convincing myself to walk to work to appreciate “walking”.
I have not given “walking” a considerable thought before. Who would spend a lot of time to think about walking except for someone who walks by herself and who thinks why on earth she is castigating herself by walking out in cold. I learned from my daily walking events that when the Bible says: “Enoch walked steadily with God”, he chose to just walk with his Creator. He walked not minding the discomfort of walking, because he enjoyed walking with God. He walked with balance and if he loses it he had his Lord’s hands for support. He walked on proper footwear because he was too clever not to have a sore feet or he would missed his walks with God. He walked in the right path and had not wandered on short cuts. He walked with appreciation of the beauty and never complained of repulsiveness of his surroundings. Perhaps he had been bumped, pushed aside, fell, slipped and bruised his knees on the way but one thing was sure, he walked steadily and never stopped walking.
I yearn to walk steady with God and…
Never complain of the cold.
Never stray on short cuts.
Be grateful on the peculiar beauty of a ruined city.
Pay attention to any risk of being pick-pocketed, harassed and bullied.
Not be offended on the strange stares I receive because I am and feel different.
Not to be entangled in all the frustrations and disappointments of living in a new country and working with people of different culture, language and working orientation.
Arrive at my final destination.
