LING LING KING
The most inspiring part of this pilgrimage and where I learnt the most was the climb up to the summit of Mt Sinai.
Hiking up that mountain was an already challenging task; that I had almost no sleep at all made it more difficult. My mind was focused on worries and I started fussing over silly things like where to find a toilet, etc.
I rode the camel on the first leg of the climb, thinking this would make the experience more authentic—and of course, trying to make it easy on myself. But my camel guide mistakenly attached my camel to the back of Sister Deonna’s, which sandwiched me between her and Pastor Peter. Looking back, I happily welcomed this slip-up by the guide. It brought much needed comfort to be between two wonderful people, especially on this part of the journey.
After the camel ride, I set out on foot for anothe 750 steps on a steep elevation to reach the top. During the climb, I found myself with a group of good friends who had some health challenges. Without any verbal communication or pre-arranged agreements, we decided to stay together, at a pace dictated by circumstance, not minding how long it would take to get to where we were going.
It was a challenging climb. Most people consider me athletic, but I was still catching my breath most of the time. I could only imagine what my physically challenged friends were going through. Much as their tenacity inspired me, I also worried that something might happen to them. When we finally reached the summit and I saw the first ray of sunlight, I thought, God had been with us all along. He would not have allowed anything bad to happen to all of the people hiking that morning. We were all there to experience Him and just feel Him.
I just didn’t feel the presence of God in my heart, He made me see. He made me experience Him in the people around me. Witnessing Margie’s [Moran-Floirendo] perseverance to make it to the top with the help of a Bedouin guide, remembering the lady next to me with the inhaler that Anton [San Diego] needed badly, I thought of the verse of John 15:7 “If you remain in me and my words remain in you. Ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”