7th People Choice

I love counting years, it reminds me of how I traveled. I love reminiscing, it reminds me of how grateful should I be. And today is another year, after six years and still counting.

Today marked down my seven years in Doha, Qatar. 

Yes 7 years for me is already an achievement, every year actually; I considered it as a success and behind those are overflowing blessings from God.

Time flies so fast but memories hold to last. 

Everyone of us has its own reason why we chose to live or work abroad, kanya-kanyang dahilan, kanya-kanyang hinaing at sintimyento, like others I have my reason why I chose to be here, the only thing that might differ, its not really my plan to be here. 

I was then very idealistic that if you plan your life according to what you want it will happen. Don't get me wrong that planning is just a waste of time, of course mas ok pa rin kung nakaplan talaga but what I mean you need to be ready to accept the disappointments when your plan didn't prosper especially if its not because of yourself but because of others and even the circumstances. I came across to this verse:

"Many are the plans in my mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that  will stand" Proverbs 16:9
Along the way, the Lord bless me of good set of people who have been part of my journey. I will always thankful to them.

Meet the People of my 7th! 

People of Qatar :) 

I have my relatives here whom I called my Doha Family. They are my from my Mom side, I considered them as one of the great blessing in here I will always be thankful to all of them and especially to my loving and caring Tita Sylvia for bringing us here.  You will always be special to me and I will always be thankful to all of you. Sa lahat ng mga pinagdaanan natin iyakan, tawanan, siksikan sa bahay, kainan na favorite nang ating pamilya, at kung ano-ano pang mga gimik na nakakamiss, it will always be treasured. May umaalis sa Doha family pero may mga bago namang dumarating. God is good on us all the time.

 Our first New Year's eve together  -December 31, 2006

Year End Family Get Together - December 27, 2012

Working and earning is not enough to survive. Having a church to be with and cell group to meet up is essential. Second Friday of 2006, my second week, the Lord gave me the QICM - Qatar International Christian Ministries, through Tita Sylvia and her family.

We are conducting our bible study in our house then, we called it PSD cell group as our place is near in Philippine School of Doha and most of the members are working there. 

 PSD cell group when we hosted the 2008 QICM Bible Quiz

 "For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ" I Corinthians 12:12

2010 when I joined the BS Mansoura cell group. Before we are conducting our BS every Monday but due to working schedule for the following day we transferred it to Thursday. 

Thursday night with them is a good start of a blessed weekend!

the oldest group picture we have...   

Thank you BS Mansoura Family for everything - not only for Thursday but for almost every day encouragement and words of wisdom.

QICM will always be a part me. I am so much thankful to the Lord, He directed me in this church. Being in the ministry as well is such a great blessing, serving the Lord and using what talent He have given me.

 honestly nakakakaba pa rin sa unahan...

"A friend loves at all times..." Proverbs 17:17

Most of my friends way back home told me that I am friendly...siguro nga kasi friends ko sila,hehehe. But I think one of the most important attitude we must have is to be friendly wherever we go. Friendly doesn't means you will adapt and live by on what other people believe in or doing. Finding "real" friends abroad is such an achievement, why I say so? crab mentality here is rampant, may maeencounter ka na akala mo kaibigan mo pero in the end you'll discover their purpose of being "friend-friend" kunwari lang pala. No regrets anyway they served me a lesson and even a purpose. Honestly before madali akong maapektuhan especially if I found something that someone I consider as friend betrayed me, mas ok na yong nalalaman ko while still early, mas ayaw kong maginvest ng time sa mga taong in the end pala hindi worth it. I learned not to push myself over a person, I can't please anyone, so kung ayaw nila sa akin e di okay lang...maybe I don't deserve they friendship nga naman, so let go. Lagi kong sinasabi iba ang kaibigan sa nakakasama. Friends for me has a deeper meaning more than what i

I met most of my Doha friends in the company that I'm working. 

You might have been meet the SUPER FRIENDS ....if not yet just click HERE =)

Christmas Special 2012

 Aside from SF I have also other sets of friends to whom I am thankful and grateful too.

Welcoming 2011 - New Year's Eve

  ate Ge's thanks giving - 2 weeks ago :)

si Ate Judith lang ang buntis jan, ako mukhang buntis lang..hahaha - SOJV Annual Party 2007

Friendships are more than pictures, its more than being together most of the time - its all about relationship. Proven and tested of times, niluma na ng panahon, dinaanan na ng bagyo at lindol pero still it stands.

Ooppsss... never to miss, The "M's" sisters - no pictures this time kasi halos every week na nakapost ang faces nyo dito sa blog ko ..hahaha

And the housemates ni Ate and Kuya...nakakamiss pero I am thankful kasi even hindi na tayo magkakasama sa house still you showed up even in just one call. Thanks!

Friends are gems and they are one of my great blessings in life. People may come and go - intentionally or due to circumstances but the memories you shared with me will always be kept. We will part ways but no matter when we see each other again, a simple "hi and hello" will bring back all of the stories we made.

Sa mga walang photo sa post na ito it doesn't matter na hindi ko kayo naalala kaya nga lang wala ako sigurong picture nyo..hahaha kaya ngayon alam nyo na why I'm fond of taking pictures - I love collecting memories. Kaya when I say "picture picture" wag ka nang maginarte picture na tayo :-)

Friends doesn't need to be with you in person all the time at kahit pareho kaming nandito lang naman sa Qatar once pa lang kami nagkita in person by incident pa, salamat sa Chocolate Bar - where we first met each other :-)

Working everyday - 6 times a week, sila ang kasa-kasama ko. Mga taong parte ng pangaraw-araw kong buhay sa gitnang silangan! No man is an island and so do I =) Sa mga cleaners, tea boy and drivers, although hindi nila mababasa ito, I'm so much thankful talaga sa inyong lahat.

Thank you for being nice to me although as I've said we can't please everyone, at sa mga natarayan sa akin, guys sorry I didn't mean it...at kung ikaw ay isa sa mga naiinis sa akin ng hindi mo alam ang reason, tsk tsk tsk iba na yan, hahaha..inggit ang tawag jan ...o ang pikon talo, smile smile lang =)

Doha has been good to me. Its an answered prayer given to me by the Lord to know myself more, to learn how to stand and live my own in a way, to deepen my faith and draw close unto Him, to reach out others in a distance, to meet people, to share my blessings not only to my family but even to others, to open my eyes and heart how can I love others.

The only thing I can do for all that God have done in my life is to praise Him and thank Him.

Thank you Lord for everything...

I will always be thankful and grateful for all things I have and even those I have not, for the experiences I have been through - experiences that make me realized how weak I am but give me a push to be stronger, for the people I've been with and people I still have.

As I step forward on my 7th year in Doha, I claimed that it will be as good or better than my sixth year. As long as the Lord is with me, I don't have anything to be fear.

Holding on to His promise

"For I know the plans I have in you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and future" - Jeremiah 29:11

P.S. The pictures were taken few years ago kaya don't be surprise kung hindi ko na kamukha..hahaha, comparison especially in physical figure are not allowed..lol

At sa mga new  friends na hindi napa-post ang picture next time na lang guys :) wag magtampo..hehehe

Happy 7th year to me!