As the Aura Adventures gang went ahead to Sta. Cruz Island, Ran and I went off on our own, doing how Renegade Junctures started off—as a duo. From the Zamboanga City Hall where our companions dropped us off, we made our way through to a local restaurant and ate breakfast. We then went to a local mall, bought neck pillows, the decided at the last minute to do an exploration in Zamboanga City one last time before heading to the airport.

We took a Piaggio and asked to be dropped off at a popular spot in Zamboanga City that we missed during our second round of exploring the area, the Masjid Rainbow of Zamboanga.

Otherwise known as Masjid Al-Islamia, the mosque used to be painted with plain white and accents of green until around 2017 when during the Siege of Marawi, it was repainted into the colorful structure that it is to this day for at least a couple of reasons. One, the colors were intended to honor those who have fallen because of the conflict. Two, it was a visual call to peace, a plea to unity in the midst of diversity.

As if reminiscent of our trip in Apayao where there was absolutely no one in most of the places we visited, such as in the Mataguisi Church Ruins, Hutungan Hidden Paradise and Bacut Lake, only the silence of the midday welcomed us in the masjid compound. We knew that the prospects of entering the mosque was slim; besides, we were wearing shorts. Being the compound of the mosque though was more than enough for us to appreciate the artistry that embraces the sacred building.

The colorfully intricate exterior of Masjid Rainbow.

Too much colors. Too much thoughts. Too little time left. That was how it felt when we were in Masjid Rainbow. That was our last stop, our last destination, in an adventure that spanned for nine days. In retrospect, it seemed totally providential that the most colorful of destinations will be our last one. It was as if summarizing for us how the past nine days have been: full of colors, filled with provoking thoughts. As the time to leave the rainbow mosque came, as we made our way to the airport, all the more that it started to sink in: it was time to say goodbye. It felt poignant but not totally painful. It was both keen and subtle.

Too much colors. Too much thoughts. Too much words. Too little space. There is just too much to express, and I feel like the unworthy vessel of the words I carry within me, it feels like I am about to crack. That is how Mindanao filled me with so much. That is how the southernmost part of the Philippines completely transformed my worldview.

Stigmas shattered. Stereotypes crushed.

We might have ended this particular juncture in our renegade adventures, but we know that we were just beginning. There is still too much to experience in Mindanao. We are certain that we will be back in the Land of Promise.