50 Years!

Yes, It's my 50th! 

Last week I took a time off to retreat from all the busyness and to walk alone with God. It was my 50^th birthday. Yes, I spent my 50^th birthday alone in a salt flat called the Sala de Uyuni in Bolivia. It is a huge salt flat that becomes the largest mirror in the world when the rain water fills the whole place during the rainy season. For many years I had been planning to go there alone on my 50^th birthday. I wanted to reflect my life in the mirror of God’s grace and faithfulness. So I flew to Lima, Cuzco, and La Paz, Bolivia. From La Paz I took an overnight bus for 11 hours to reach Uyuni. 

The place is about 4000 m above sea level. I suffered from high altitude sickness and later food poisoning. The sun was so close that I had a sunburn. The skin on my face got peeled off.. There was no birthday cake, birthday song or birthday dinner but God’s presence and me. When I stood there I felt so tiny but blessed.

And I really felt that my time was ticking.. 50 years has gone just like a wind. In 10 years, if God willing, I will be 60.. and then 70.. 80.. 90 .. 100.. 110.. if God willing.. The bottom line is that today is the time to prepare for eternity. I wrote in my journal “I want to be a clean vessel..”  To be a sacred and pure vessel to be used by God for God’s kingdom, that’s my goal for the rest of my life..

Thank you, my family and friends, for your prayers.