One more reflection on my recent Philippine trips by boat and by plane - oh, those were quite stressful times then. Yet now I look back at them with a sense of relief and adventure.

I've passed through the test of water, fire and air!:-)

On my way to Cebu where I took my flight back to Singapore, I was on board a small, old boat that sailed from my hometown. With the stormy weather, the boat danced like crazy above the dark sea waters. To add more scare to my bones, the boat had some fire accident and power problem. I was so scared. The 10-hour boat ride wasn't fun. Yet my faithful Rescuer brought me to Cebu safe and sound.

And of course my airport mess was a big deal. But again, I managed to get in the plane, be up in the air, and reach Singapore.

Still, it wasn't an experience I would pick, if I had the choice. But in the end, out from those scary and stressful times, I saw His faithful hands that calmed my fears and took away my frustrations. Oh, what a thrill! How small my faith was.

I got back in Singapore from Cebu a week ago. My editor and I made a four-day trip to make use of my return ticket to Cebu - definitely an unexpected, unplanned trip. But like many other experiences, it's the unplanned trips and unexpected twists and turns in our lives that make things exciting, revealing and so much fun!

The trauma I had from my January 11 flight was overshadowed by my recent trip's good memories. I came back to life and work in Singapore with so much energy and focus.

In our Cebu trip, I felt so pampered, rested and recharged. I got to see my sisters again who came all the way from Masbate.

I also met up with few friends, dropped by SunStar newsroom and visited my old university.

I was a tour guide to my Singaporean editor and I also felt like a tourist myself - shopping, dining at nice restaurants (no McDonald's this time :-)), etc! :-)

What's more fun - we had full body massage and scrub, facial scrub, foot spa, hair cut and treatment, etc! - my first time to have it all together at one time! haha.

Thanks to my Father who has seen my tired soul and heard my cries. He gave me fun treats and restored my spirit through this trip. (Thanks too to my angel who paid almost all expenses of the trip!:-)) It surely was a treat!

Few days before my "OFW ordeal" at Cebu airport, a Navigator friend sent an sms to ask for anyone willing to extend any financial help to a family who is in great need.

I was in Masbate that time. I prayed about it and asked God how much. I don't know why but the figure of P300 came to mind. So I said, "I will give P300". However, I didn't get the chance to hand it over when I dropped by Cebu. So I thought of sending it back when I get to Singapore.

When I sold my phones and camera at the airport to make my cash enough for my ticket, travel tax and other fees for me to be able to leave, I thought I'd already spent every dollar and peso I had - including my P300 pledge.

But when I unpacked my bags in Singapore, I found P300 in my thin wallet! It looked so neat and undisturbed from what I went through at the airport. Haha. I laughed and shook my head in amazement. Regardless of the amount (big or small), the P300 was a gift from God for that needy family - an amount that was never to be touched, not even by a very desperate situation I had at the airport.

Surely, God moves in mysterious ways.