Jason is off to Japan

Part of the reason why I got to know a lot of people in Kalayaan Residence Hall in 2004 was my roommate. Kind, smart, and ravishing, Jason Enriquez unintentionally attracted feminine gazes just by being . . . well, himself.

These girls would ask me if Jason was the type who studied really hard ("Yes, he does"), if he slept late ("No, he sleeps at nine"), if he roomhopped often ("Never, except to consult Luther on their ES 1 plates")—these, among other things normal people would otherwise consider irrelevant. It's the Jason magic. To prove that, Jason attracted the most number of people when we were sharing the gospel to a school in Antique—hence, the running joke, "Jason, our secret evangelistic tool."

I last met Jason a couple of weeks ago to bid him goodbye as he leaves for Japan today. The trip is work-related. I don't know how long he's going to stay there—even he's not sure—but I trust that the Lord will protect and guide him. I myself will surely miss him. To this day, he remains the best roommate I've ever had.

People will, of course, distinctly remember Jason as the guitar player. He used the instrument like it was an extension of himself, and I miss those moments of clarity when he created melodies just before he went to sleep.

So, God bless and keep you, Jase, the world's most beloved