Living Normally as HIV+

There are three things I would like to share regarding the title of this particular blog. First, more than three weeks ago, one of the persons who have founded our church needed blood donations to help him to survive as my Pastor announced right after the service (though eventually he died a few days later). Many have volunteered and to my surprise, about two people approached me and invited me to donate blood. I said I cannot do that for obvious reason! They have somewhat forgotten my HIV status! We laughed and they apologized......and it made me realized how people are treating me very normally!

Second, just last week, my close and closest friends from the office where I ended my contract gathered together and surprised me with a send off party! I just did not know how to react for it was truly unexpected. Before we began the food fellowship, each of them uttered heart warming messages and prayers. They were all a bit sad with my decision to leave hoping it is just temporary but at the same time happy for my new endeavor as a full time student. Another dream has just started to come into reality.....how normal is that!

Speaking of this new endeavor as a full time seminary / bible school student....lastly, let me share that finally it sank into me the fact that I am unemployed now and totally relying on the savings I have for my study. Honestly, it made me feel a little worried financially but then I realized this time it's different! I was in this situation before and it was a time before Christ came into my life but I have somehow survived.....now that I have Jesus I am even more confident that I have nothing to worry about for our God is a faithful God and He will always provide! I have proven that for more than a couple of years already during those times I was jobless. And now my days are beginning to get busy with assignments, reading, studying and I am kind of doing all these with joy in my heart, anticipation with new things to learn and excitement. This is called a normal and blessed student life!

"The Sovereign Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to go on the heights." Habakkuk 3:19a.

Living with HIV is a life that can be lived normally, for the Lord Jesus Christ! 

End of Contract Means Full Time Schooling

The Lord answered my prayer after all. Previously I said that my contract was renewed but I got a message from my boss that there are some problems with the extension of my contract and project budget as well and he gave me an option to decide whether to continue or not and he will support me.

Since I have been praying to study full time even for one semester, I took it as His answer and opted not to continue and enroll all the subjects I can while waiting till a new contract is ready. Though honestly, a contract extension will be easy if it will have the same terms and conditions which partly made me to say no.

With my role as a regional project coordinator, I have been doing a unique role of using 50% of my time to the Philippine office and the other 50% to some countries in the Asia Pacific Region. This kind of setting means I have two managers and it requires me to make two reports regularly among other things. It was not easy but able to manage by God's grace. 

My manager in the region is very nice and very professional but here in the Philippines is relatively not. The other trusts and believes so much in me while the other thinks I am a bit arrogant or ambitious, did not know what I am doing as well as the mission and vision of the organization, and I am not doing my job at all which made me feel a bit awful and sad simply because these are not true.

Partly this is one reason why I opted not to continue even if I can. At first I thought it was immature, to avoid working with a manager who thinks of me like that. When I told this to one of the elders from our church, choosing not to work with someone who did not believe and trust in my abilities is just right. Also I am at peace with my decision because I am really excited to go back to school without a job getting in the way.

Studying full time to advance with many subjects I still have to finish is the main reason why I chose not to extend and let my contract ended. I spent my last two official days conducting a Channels of Hope (CoH) workshop for staff and partners and it was so great doing it for the second time with the doctor used by God to bring me back into His Kingdom! And now I am excited to enroll this coming week and go back fully to school!

God truly hear and answer our prayers uniquely! Looking forward now to accomplish great things when unemployed!