the next semester came and went. it was still on my mind but i dismissed it--never really pursuing that interest. i would continue joking about it with friends and most would just laugh along with me not really knowing that in my heart i was kinda being serious. summer 2008 came and went with not much more thought--still the joking tone i am famous for. one friend would always shake her head when i would mention the China idea and say "Aly, you are not going to China. there is too many people there and it is scary."
then, senior year arrived. i thought it would come wrapped up in a perfect, cute little package with a big pink bow. ha. i had another thing coming for me. incredibly hard changes to push through and God really revealed Himself to me. as senior year started i began to become mentored by Kelley, a missionary who is currently missioning (a new word--per me) on SWU's campus. i finally opened up my heart about going to China and how i thought it would be cool. you must understand, up until this point (first semester of senior year) i really hadn't prayed much about it, it was all really just a joke--but it always found a way back into my heart. i would be on this "China kick" for a while but then something would happen and i figured i oughta find a job in the states.
anyway, i digress. in november of 2008 SWU held their annual missions conference and i attended one of the regular chapel services with my best friend, Paige. throughout the conference Paige and i would attend the regular chapel services because we had to get the credit. however i remember one time leaning over to Paige during one of the video clips they showed before the speaker came out saying "this is going to make me want to go to China again". P just shook her head and smiled, but probably hated the fact i brought it up again. :) i remember thinking "God is China something you really want me to do?" Shortly after that, during the video on the big screen, a HUGE map of China appeared. i thought "seriously?" dang. i looked over at P and smiled. i can not remember the gentleman who spoke at this particular chapel (for all i know i could be mixing up the chapels and thinking all this happened in one--regardless this happened during the missions conference chapels) but i do remember him saying "sometimes you just gotta put your "YES" on the table and let God take it from there. i think at that point i was wrestling with wondering if this was really a "God thing" or an "Aly being crazy thing". however in that moment (and still to this day) i thought "dang, Aly everything in your life starts out as a joke". previous example: i originally transferred to SWU because fall break was for a whole week (not many universities offer that luxury) and there was dr. pepper in the cafe (obviously meaning UNLIMITED supply of DP). so, that night in my little room i prayed and said "alright God--YES--China--whatever that means--YES".
right before i left for Christmas break (2008) Kelley and i looked up different organizations and printed out all the information for me to take home and look over with the rents. i remembered ELIC and applied for another packet of information to be sent to me over the Holidays. well, none came. this past Christmas was probably the BEST i have had...like EVER. my family and i went through a horrible ordeal, but God performed the greatest miracle of all and my Daddy came home safely to us! i remember talking to Paige about it after the new year and telling her that i was pretty sure China was out now. i grew so much in my Faith during those two weeks but could not imagine myself on the other side of the world.
my last semester of college began which proved to be the hardest of my entire college career (student teaching). i still had not heard back from ELIC or CTF (China Teaching Fellows) so i figured it was a "sign" and i could move on. boy was i ever wrong. Kelley made a quick phone call (it had to be a God thing) to see why i never received my packet only to find out the organization had switched offices and a lot of the information had gotten lost in between. so, they sent out the packet right away. i received it, talked to Deb (a CTF counselor who also taught overseas), and the desire in my heart grew larger. i began to take the steps for the application process and soon found out i was, indeed, accepted into the program! the decision was then left up to me. i had been communicating with my family occasionally about this but always got the feeling that they just did not want me to go. i began to pray for my "neon sign" and beg God to show me if this is what He wanted. job leads for teaching jobs around South Carolina were not looking too promising, so i was desperate for an answer or some kind of confirmation. i also prayed that my family, especially my parents would have a peace about whatever happened.
push comes to shove. i realized that God had opened this door to China for a reason. so-i started to pray that i would sign the contract on April 17th. i prayed that if God did NOT want me in China that He would throw up some kind of road block. it was the hardest week of my life. i practically lived in James, especially James 1. late thursday (16th) night and early friday (17th) morning my Mom was up crying in her bathroom praying. all day on Friday i prayed and begged God to show me something. i knew i was signing it, but i begged Him to show me. Mom had left a message that morning telling me God spoke to her and she wanted to talk to me. i called her back on my way home from school and she asked what i had decided. i said "no Ma, what did God tell you?" she said "well, God told me yes." at that moment i started to cry and i could not breathe. God had straight up confirmed it in my heart that China is where He wanted me. the story goes on, but reader's digest version says "God wants me in China". why? i have no idea--we'll see when i get there and i'll be posting updates along the journey.
most of the weekend i was floating on cloud 9 in awe of just how AMAZING the God i serve is. He really shows up. and He has done so in my life in the past four months. the sunday following the confirmation is when it hit me HARD. it is going to be a HUGE change (bigger than anything i have ever experienced) and it will be the hardest thing i will ever do. i fully believe that it will be the most rewarding experience, despite the hard times, because i know i will be in the center of God's will for my life. besides, even though this filipino and change do NOT get along...i have gotten over a LOT of change lately. whats a bit more?
as with most jobs, i had to sign a contract/commitment stating i was going to serve in the People's Republic of China. with Paige and another friend, Jenny, by my side i signed the commitment form. luckily Jenny snapped a few photos for all to see. definitely a night i will never forget.
"Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you...So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him" Genesis 12:1-4
