Forgiveness

We, our couple Pare & Mare were the first-comer couples to a three-day teaching retreat. As a surprise treat, we were to be hosted by one of the organizers. They got our luggages for delivery to the house of the host later.

The first afternoon talk ended almost 10PM. All participants were escorted to their rooms. The only ones left were us two couple first-comers and three couple latecomers, plus our luggages by the wall of the conference room.

The supposed hosts were nowhere, and we were later informed that their house was full because some participant friends were accommodated.

Past 11PM, we five couples were escorted to a big, old, dark unoccupied house. Some retreat sponsors tried, and were able to fix for us some semblance of dusty dim lights, water and pillows.

The beds were so narrow that Berting and I slept with his feet by my face, and vice versa; so too with our couple friends, who shared the room with us. We couldn’t sleep as cockroaches crawled over us, and rats sounded like they were playing tag. Later that evening, we heard a big “blag” from the other room. The bed of the couple next to us collapsed, the pregnant wife was safe but rattled. The long unused house really looked haunted even during the day.

Me fuming mad was an understatement.

The next day I purposely looked for our failed host. She nervously looked at me, I looked through her. After that, she avoided looking at me, I looked through her.

Couples were separated and group seating was raffled so everyone gets to break bread and do WORD sharing with more people.

In my breakfast grouping she was across me, during lunch she was two chairs away from me, at dinner she was across me. “Again! Being funny LORD?!” I told Jesus. Berting said to me, “Forgive already or Jesus will seat her right beside you.”

That night in prayer, our Kumpare said that Jesus, Mary and Joseph were rejected from one house to another, and still they forgave. Like cool water over my burning heart, I forgave, and promised Jesus to confess soonest regarding this.

The next day, I acknowledged her guilty smile.

We went home from that retreat with so much local delicacies from our now-friend host.

JESUS NEVER FAILS. TO GOD BE ALL GLORY!

(Bella A. Sarenas)