well here i am sitting in the hotel room of Best Western. it looks like this will be my new home in about 4 months… hard to believe. i’m such a home-body, a big family person, and although i’m a total extrovert i dont love change all that much. funny how when i look back on my life, i can see God’s hand in my situations, opening and closing doors… i see how it all fits together now too. it makes me excited about what lies ahead, you know?
if you knew me when i was finishing high school, OAC was a really bad year for me. i was totally deflated, somewhat depressed, and really struggling. I am a smart person with a lot of ability and things goin’ for me, but at that time in my life i really felt like i was a nobody. i didn’t even apply for university because i didn’t think i’d get in. i went to do business diploma at Seneca, found out about an Applied degree. i didn’t have any math past grade 10 (definitely not a strong point for me). i was accepted to that program, and got straight A’s, except for failing math (6/7 A’s). i got called into the Dean’s office at which point she asked me, “how did you get into the program?” i didn’t have any requirements in the math area to have been accepted! turns out that the teacher admitted to not having taught the class to the fullest of his potential and he offered to come back and teach it again to the bunch of students who hadn’t passed, for free. I got a B!!
it started with my first trip to Cuba when i was 17. i had never thought much about “when i grow up…”. i was able to do some really labour intensive construction, some good friends, and experience a TOTALLY different culture. scorpions, rice & beans (i dont like rice), bucket showers (no running water), cockroaches in my bed (ewwwwwwwww), etc. what a different world. but TRUE JOY! anyways i got to go back the following year as well. totally opened my eyes to what exists outside my bubble that is Toronto.
anyways, it ended up that i took an elective Human Development II with Veale (awesome teacher!!) and that is where the door opened for me to go to Tyndale. during my time there, i wasn’t sure at first… i came in the 3rd year of my degree, everybody already knew each other, and I just wasn’t sure if i’d connect. in my 4th semester at there i had the opportunity to go on a different type of mission trip with OI (http://www.opportunityinternational.ca/) to Honduras. Wow! Another totally different experience but i met some awesome people!
over my life i’ve heard many people share of the moments when God revealed to them what His will was for their lives. it always seemed amazing, but never personal as I knew God had provided for me time and time again, but that I had no real sense of direction in terms of my future. then it was just over a year ago when i found myself sitting in the Missions Chapel and i felt that God was telling me that i am to be a “missionary”. not in the traditional sense, and i don’t know that it will be forever, but i really feel led to work with the poor. sustainable, long term solutions is where my real passion lies, although all of that could change. i mean, there’s so many opportunities out there.
now, here i am finishing up at Tyndale this fall. i found this awesome program at Eastern in International Development that will prepare me to go into that field and it also has a 4 month field placement in a developing country! wow
i have no idea what other opportunities and challenges lie ahead, but it’s exciting.
the only part that kinda has me is i feel torn to leave my family and friends. what can i say, i’m a homegirl, daddy’s little girl. and i’m really going to miss my family and good friends. *hugs*
