Hating Ships, Loving Water and Loving God More

I really hate riding on ships.

Thank God, I haven’t had any chance to ride any of those; and I’m not planning to. (How about a ‘special escapade cruise’?!----It depends where, when and with whom. You know, special escapade cruises, though very expensive, are more relaxing and has a soothing, calming and tranquilizing effect for its passengers unlike the normal course of sailing: boring and very tedious. Hehehe..)

I just hate it. I really hate the feeling of vomiting, the “nausea-tic” effect while traversing the monotonous view of the ranging waters----the queasiness that it brings and perturbed feeling while spending long hours of waiting and wandering. It’s like having emetophobia (fear of vomiting), illyngophobia (fear of vertigo or feeling dizzy when looking down), cymophobia (fear of waves), potamophobia (fear of rivers or running water) and selachophobia (fear of sharks) ----all rolled into one. Actually, I don’t have any of those; I just feel researching and stating them. Hehehe… I feel threatened whenever I hear stories of sharks playing under the ship and eventually surrounding it. I hate ‘Titanic effects’, though romantic still it’s tragic. (Wow! How poetic! Hehehe… I can’t stand romance trapped into a tragedy. And who wants to?! Maybe Romeo and Juliet?!) I feel uncomfortable not because I don’t know how to swim, (huh, I had my swimming lessons when I was still in grade school with my village friends.) but because of the threatening stories I hear from those who have ridden ships most of their lives.

Ironically, I love water. In fact, I can’t live without it. Everyday I consume many liters of water just to keep me going for the rest of the day. As an effect, I sweat a lot. There are times I just feel that I have more water than blood in my body. (Doc, is that a fact?! Hehehe...)

I remember when I was confined in the hospital for almost 2 weeks because of Dengue. My doctor told me that I was also suffering from dehydration. Huh?! I was shocked. Almost all my life, every night and day, I always have a bottle of water with me. And I see to it that it is always empty before I sleep at night. And now, a doctor telling me that I was also suffering from dehydration?! Eventually, he explained to me the secondary effects of Dengue such as dehydration. It’s funny that almost all of my visitors have this uniformity of idea of bringing lots of liquids such Gatorade (except the dark-colored ones) and almost all brands of mineral water available. Every hour, I get to drink at least 10 liters of water and 5 bottles of Gatorade. (Isn’t that enough?!) I almost drown myself with water and Gatorade trying to hydrate myself once again. It seems like I had an insatiable thirst that no liquid could or will ever quench. (Hmm…O.A.?! Hehehe...) Yeah, that’s true. Thank God, as I was discharged from the hospital, I felt like I have no more blood running through the veins of my body instead I have tons of water flowing in my system keeping me alive. Hehehe... I almost considered the idea of passing a ‘two-week VTR’ to the advertisers of Gatorade and almost all brands of mineral water, thinking that I would be a very efficient and effective endorser of the said brands; and to prove that they have healing effects in a regular usage. Hehehe... At least now, I’m back to my normal life of drinking normal liters of water everyday. And thank God, I’m also normally hydrated.

See how I love water and I hate ships.

This coming May 15-20, 2006, our church has organized a medical/dental mission, film showing and concert in Caticlan (Boracay). I really love to join in that mission work. But I’m also caught in a dilemma of whether joining them in a ship (Come on! Have I not over-emphasized how I hate riding on ships?!) or taking a delayed flight on May 18 (Grr… all flights going to Aklan: fully booked. I don’t believe it. My mom said, some airlines do not allow passengers to occupy the seats at the back part of the plane. And they are not explaining why.) Take note, the whole mission trip will end on May 20, don’t you think it’s not worth going if I only have at least 2 days to spend it with them? (How impractical!) To think, if I will take that May 18 flight to Aklan, the only flight available coming back to Manila will be on May 30. (Don’t you think that’s too much for a vacation?! Hehehe… Plus the fact that I have to enroll on May 26 for law school.) Or the option of joining them, forgetting my anxieties, surrendering my ‘fears’ to God (How spiritual, but it’s true, and that’s the way it should be.) and overcoming the things that I hate for the sake of loving God more and deeply serving Him through this mission, film showing and concert.

I know some would say that it is not a dilemma. Some would even think that this problem is so petty considering that financial difficulties should be given more emphasis. But come to think of it, inasmuch as I want to think about the financial predicaments that this trip would entail, I believe that each participant-minister of this mission work should have the right reasons for doing this mission. That there are still issues that one should consider before going to the mission field. I thank God for dealing mine as 'petty' as it may appear; and other things that need a revamp and repair. Others may have concerns bigger and more serious issues than hating ships, abhorring nausea and dizziness, overcoming phobias, and being threatened by playful sharks. Others may have certain issues of the heart, or attitudes, or character, we don’t know. But it’s not my business to criticize neither to scrutinize anyone. I believe that God has prepared each minister that He sends to the mission field to sow more souls for Him; and harvest fruits for His glory. That’s the big deal!

Come to think of it, it’s more than---hating ships and loving water, it’s all about loving God MORE!!!!

P.S.: Please pray for our Caticlan Mission. Please pray also for the people of Caticlan that may God open their spiritual eyes and ears for the God’s Word of salvation and healing. Please pray for a continuous financial support for our mission works.

Thanks. God bless!