(Manong Gard - In the Philippine setting, a colloquial term used to refer to security guards on duty, a term of respect for this type of men in uniform; the Filipino word manong or kuya is a term used to address an older brother.)
Of Security Guards...
( Men In Black. Thank you, Google for this photo.)
Someday, I'll be able to post a picture of the Manong Gards that have shown us utmost kindness by allowing the Son to bring his kick scooter inside the building where the Hunny works despite the tight security that they implement inside the corporate premises.
Each employee is to have a special ID card that has a unique code assigned to them. They are then to tap their vinyl card on a terminal assigned on every floor of the twelve-storey building to access the office. Then right at the doorstep of the office, they had to step back and keep their eyes open for iris scan. Then a stainless vaulted door seamlessly opens. I will then get in trouble with the Hunny for lying on the last two sentences. Haha.
Suffice it to say that it is a high-tech building with compliance to tight security measures. The security guards wore black suits and ties and even if you smile at them from ear to ear, they won't smile back at you. They were just doing their job. So, don't expect social nicety here. Just look stern and keep your head up. I've seen a KGB agent, a post-Soviet Russia KGB agent. As for saling-pusa's or tag-along family like us, we can only go as far as the ground floor lobby. There's a cafeteria and a coffee shop there where guests may hang out with free access to high speed internet wifi.
The other day, my mama heart melted for overjoy when a KGB agent Manong Gard came up to us at the coffee table and said something like, "Sdnjdnkdsdnsdmksdmsdmsdkdk, kjdsidjidjsdjskdsdhsdnjdhsdh," motioning to the scooter seating nicely at the corner of the lobby. My brain was still having difficulty processing or decoding the Russian language. I said in my Russian accent, "Sorrri??? Only English, please???" Then I grinned from ear to ear. Manong Gard repeated the code, "Sdnjdnkdsdnsdmksdmsdmsdkdk, kjdsidjidjsdjskdsdhsdnjdhsdh," pointing towards the scooter. Aha, got it, I decoded it based on context clues with the aid of sign language, my left and right thumbs automatically sticking up, "So you were telling us that my boy may play with his scooter at the lawn in front of the building??? Ya???" "Da, da, da," said he. That's Russian for "yes, yes, yes." And my mama heart, yes, (with intented repetition) melted for overjoy. Glory hallelujah! We didn't even ask him for it. It was so kind of you. God bless your heart, Manong Gard.
In a place where most of the beautiful people we meet everyday don't speak English but only Po-russki, it is quite a challenge to connect and build friendships because of the language barrier. But everyday is an opportunity, a privilege to discover nuggets of gold tucked within the predominantly reserved disposition of beautiful Russian people. Hence, I came to realize that the word kindness is a verb - it is universal that it knows no barriers because it is understood when put to action.
The Dramas of Our Life...
Remember that days ago, I've had the audacity of sharing one of those weirdest of dreams of mine; that our Lord purposefully had this building constructed for our homeschooling convenience; where the Hunny goes to work everyday; where there's a park across this building to boot; and where we walk to our flat just nearby? How awesome is that! I mean, it's not that I'm painting a picture of your typical homeschooling family living abroad, Filipinos at that; and then I lace it with "we're awesome" or as the Daughter would say the word, "awesome-r" than any one else; it's not about us, I hope to say, but it's all about Him, and to point every direction to Him. We have a truly Awesome-Awesome Lord Who caused all of these to fall into place. In fact, we had no particular country in mind but just as long as we're together as a family, we are home. It may be on planet Mars, or may be even on planet Venus. But isn't God AMAZING! Was waiting for over a decade a long time? The job offer finally came from Moscow with the invitation to bring along family to live here and homeschool at their ginormous parks. Picture below.
If you're a mom like me, you would know what I mean, know how it feels, when you have a child that is relational by nature; the type that is also highly tactile and kinesthetic, and you see him each day looking out the kitchen window watching other kids at play in envy, you see the boredom and frustration written all over his face. The Son had been praying for almost a month now since we relocated here asking the Lord to send a friend that can speak the English language. I would jokingly tell him to pray for God's miracle by enabling all four of us to "speak in tongues" just like what happened in the book of Acts, but pray that it is in Russian. "How come I haven't made any friends yet," looking away. He didn't find my joke funny.
"Mom, the other day, I begged the Lord to send somebody, a kid my age, whom I can talk to. I was so desperate I even told the Lord that I wouldn't mind if it's a girl He would send this time."
"Let's wait for that someone to come. We're still adjusting to our new neighborhood at this time. The Lord hears us for sure. But remember, there's time for everything. Be patient now. Remember those years of waiting? And now we're finally together with Dad and very close to his workplace."
"But don't tell me I'll have to wait for another decade for a friend to come." He cut me straight to what I was going to say next. "Another decade, Mom?" Letting both his hands swing up in the air.
I felt that this boy looking at me straight in the eyes is not so little any more. Picture below from 6 years ago.
"I don't know. Do you think I would know the answer to that? I am not God. All I know is that we have to trust the Lord for everything. He has everything covered. So, chill." (Now trying to sound like the Daughter when I said "chill.")
"But I haven't spoken to anyone who understands me since we got here."
"Neither have I. But you have your Dad, you have your sister, and you have me as your friends. I think the Lord is teaching us something, to depend on Him every single day as we wait for our roots to grow stronger. Slowly but surely."
This boy knew what I was pertaining to.
"That as we were relocated to a foreign land, we were likened to a plant that has been uprooted and replanted on a fertile soil. We wait for our roots to grow back in time. And plants don't grow their roots overnight. It will take a while. It is when we learn to fully depend on Him that we honor Him. It's our daily goal. To honor Him. But you know what? Even your Dad and I, even adults like us find it quite a challenge to honor God on a daily basis. The struggle is real. But His grace will see us through."
This conversation may be one of the most difficult I've had with this young man to date. But as a homeschooling family, parents like us are the most privileged to walk alongside our children as they go through situations like this, handling frustrations and dealing with unmet expectations; to usher them to our Lord Jesus; to guide them from the biblical stand point and to model Godly characters like patience and perseverance to them.
I heard one preacher said that we bond in our weaknesses, when we share them with others. Hence, we've become closer than ever as a family and more than that we've become closer as friends. I think that's wonderful. Our natural dynamics have been to bond closer together seeing each other's vulnerabilites. So, for now, while they're still young and they're still here, we cease every opportunity to pour to our children. Our family is a perfect candidate for God's grace to flow through, sinful children having sinful parents.
Lessons From A Scooter...
Still on our dramas. And it's rolling like tele-serye these days. Forty-four, forty-three, fifteen, and ten... these are our ages respectively. We've grown and so our stories have changed along with our ages. And to restrict me from committing TMI ( too much info ) and to maintain anonimity, I will attempt by starting it with...
Once upon a time, from a far away place, there lived a young boy who learned to ride the kick scooter on his own...and with a little help from Youtube.
...he prayed hard to the Lord for this scooter...and it wasn't long before the Lord answered his prayer...
...with a limited space of their 126 square meter flat, he was able to ride it like a pro in a matter of five days, with just a little sleep each night...
... he would park the scooter next to his bed...
...and in his cunning ways, he was able to convince his father that he will be ready to go out to cross the street, straight to the park...scoot , scoot away in no time...
...the father felt so proud of his young boy for learning a new skill in a foreign land... the father quietly smiled to himself and said, "he is like me, fearless..."
(To be continued, by God's grace...)
