YEARLONG REFLECTION

I'll be posting soon a write-up about my reflections for 2016.

I will be 42 years old by Friday, 30 September 2016. Not a big bang celebration but a usual time for my 4 Tamborlings (who loves seafood and meat) and our Queen of the House... Teng.

But what makes 2016 a very memorable year that moved me to write my reflections in life are 4 other significant events:

1. 10 years in the United Nations. My first day of office as a UN officer started on 1 October 2006... a day after my 32nd birthday. What have I contributed after a decade in HIV work? Am I part of the increase in HIV cases in my country? I did not expect it but when I wrote the answers... it was an 8-page essay.

2. 10 years since I helped start a movement to reforest the shores of our Lake Mainit in Surigao del Norte. Planning started in Jan 2006 and the first tree planting was done on 16 September 2006. A decade after, 5 more tree planting activities happened... our model now adopted by the neigboring local governments... and a blog has been dedicated for it. The government of Netherlands picked it up as one of the best practices in DRR.

3. 25 years since High School graduation. Come Dec 2016, our batch will host the grand alumni homecoming of Mainit National High School... a public school in a remote town but has given a lot to Mainitnons. We have helped our school many times... but this one will be special.

4. And of course... 15 years of being married to a remarkable woman who gave me 4 bouncing kids. On 3 March 2001... we exchanged I dos. And in March 2016... we reenacted in Chiang Mai, Thailand our first moments of hinting each other that there was flare in our togetherness.

Thank you in advance for your birthday greetings... but also please join me in thanking the Lord for my work in the UN (my apostolate), the opportunity to help my hometown and school (my passion) and most especially for having the greatest gifts on earth... Teng and the Tamborlings, my Mosende and Palabrica family and relatives (my gems).

I have nothing else to ask for except for His daily presence and constant grace.

Pak. Ganern. #push