“It’s not the distance that’s the enemy, but the endless time I have to wait until I hold you in my arms.”–BesskiLevius

 

Home is where our heart will be. Leaving our home is a difficult choice especially since it is where our heart dwells, and it is where our comfort lies. But there are things that are inevitable and needs a lot of courage to accept and face. One is having a long distance relationship. LDR (Long Distance Relationship) for a married couple is not easy because along the way, there will be challenges that will occur and some do not overcome them.

 

As I left the Philippines on March 23, 2013, I needed to be strong in front of my family especially in front of my husband for it is our first separation after almost 6 years of marriage. As we were in Hong Kong waiting for our connecting flight in Bahrain, I can't help but cry and not just a simple cry, but heavy sobbing as I was bursting in tears.  I tried to hide it from my new found friend and colleague, so I needed to go to the bathroom to compose myself again. Upon reaching Bahrain, there showed a lot of opportunities and dreams to look forward to, and one of them is bringing my husband along.

 

My first church visit in JIA Community Bahrain gave me hope for all my dreams and aspirations, and it revealed to me what the Lord wanted me to do in these foreign land. I joined the Bible study group and with all the prayers that were uttered every week, I do not lose hope and faithfully believed that someday Romeo or KuyaMeo as he is commonly called, my husband, will be with me.

 

It was my dream that Kuya Meo joins me in Bahrain but my company does not provide a visa for a husband. I really cried and begged for God's mercy for us to be together and I claimed the promises of God. With all the prayers, fasting and intercessions, God granted what I and KuyaMeo prayed for. It was indeed an answered prayer when he arrived in Bahrain on December 4, 2014. And as I continue to obey the Lord, I have seen countless blessings, and with the help of our brothers and sisters in Christ especially to our dear pastors, we get to grow, be used, and be more mature in the Lord.

 

JIA Bahrain has been my home for many years and leaving it now is painful because each and everyone has been a piece of the puzzle of my life. This chapter will close soon and I will begin a new chapter in another land, but my JIA Bahrain family will forever be close to my heart.

 

As I leave "my second home", new challenges are coming for us as a couple.  We will need to have a long distance relationship once again, though both of us is still in the Middle East, as well as get to have new friends, meet new faces, and bring people to Gods kingdom for the glory of His Name.

 

I will leave KuyaMeoonce more but soon he will be with me as what the Lord has designed for the couple "to be together" always and to accomplished Gods command by sharing the Gospel.

 "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." Joshua 24:15