"Your promise still stands,
Great is your faithfulness.
I'm still in your hands.
This is my confidence.
You've never failed me yet!"
-Lyrics from the song “Do It Again”; the song that changed my life in an instant.
How? Here’s my story.
Long before, it hadn’t crossed my mind to work outside of my country. I am an only child and a single mother and was never away from my family. I was scared of living alone and leaving my son.
June of 2018, my dream was to finish writing my thesis and graduate in March 2019. Unfortunately, I had one subject na closed na kasi late ako ng enrol. Nagipit sa pang tuition kasi wala pang sahod newly-hired teachers nun.
I was dismayed.
I questioned the Lord. “Bakit hindi ko maabot yung pangarap ko? Dahil lang sa isang subject, hindi ako makakapagtapos this year. Lord, anong plan mo for me, bakit ganito?” But Jesus said, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” —John 13:7
August came and my aunt introduced to me, TEACH-USA. I visited the website, read its success stories and I was so inspired by them. “May mga taga Dumaguete!”
I was excited.
Then, sabi ko sa sarili ko, “If it happened to them, It can happen to me too!”
From out of the blue, the fear of being away from my family disappeared and was replaced by an unexplainable burning desire of reaching my newly-found dream— my American dream.
Then, I started my application. I started exchanging emails with Teach-USA. I admit that at first, I was intimidated by my batchmates who had very impressive backgrounds.
I am 25 yrs old and only had a 5-yr teaching experience. Yet, I was thankful to Ms. Pepai for her story truly inspired me. Nanumbalik ang confidence ko.
Months later, we had a Skype job fair for 2 days.
Unfortunately, I didn’t receive a call.
I was frustrated.
I had to wait for the next online applications. But that experience taught me the value of GRATEFULNESS (of the many blessings we have at present) and PATIENCE (of the glory the Lord is about to reveal).
Meanwhile, Ma’am Gemma encouraged us na kumuha ng TESOL course para may edge sa applications. So kumuha agad ako. By God’s grace, natapos ko in time for April.
Nagsimula na ulit ang online applications. Lagi akong nagbabasa ng mga updates sa GC at sa FB group.
Ilang beses ko din na revised and resume and cover letter ko hanggang satisfied na ako. Everyday @ 11pm, 3am, at 7am, gumigising ako to check my email at websites ng mga school districts. Then, apply...apply...apply...
April 19 (Good Friday at birthday ng Mama ko), I received my first ever interview invite. I took me a while to respond sa email kasi umiiyak lang ako, nakaluhod at sumisigaw, “Thank you, Lord!” And I had to read the email many times, making sure that I was not dreaming!
April 26 @ 5:30AM, interview came. Panel interview! 7 interviewers! 2-3 questions bawat isa!
Pero feeling ko noon, I did well.
Days after, nag email ako sa Asst. Principal, only to find out na hindi ako nakuha.
But our God is a God of abundance! I received 2 more invites. One got cancelled (may nakuha na daw) the other one was unsuccessful (kinuha daw yung may mas mahabang experience).
I cried my heart out. Pero hindi parin ako nawalan ng lakas ng loob
Kasi sabi sa Galatians 6:9, “Do not be weary in doing good, for you will reap in DUE SEASON, if you DON’T GIVE UP.”
May 20, I did my night routine. I read the day’s reflection from Our Daily Bread, read the Bible, prayed so hard and played on Spotify one of my favorite praise songs —Do It Again by Elevation worship.
I closed my eyes, pero di ako nakatulog kasi nag stop yung song. Nagstop ang song kasi may tumatawag pala sa Skype! Sino? Yung Principal ng school na unang nag interview sakin! Dali dali akong tumayo kinuha ko yung headphones, tapos I answered the audio call.
Sabi nya, “I am sorry for calling you unexpectedly. I’d like to inform you that we have another open position and we would want to interview you again. We will give you 6 hrs to sleep and we shall call you @ 5am.”
Speechless ako. Naisip ko agad. “Binalikan talaga ako. Sana this is it, Lord!” 6hrs to sleep? I tried, but I just can’t!
Nagreview nlng ako, tapos paulit-ulit kong pinakinggan ang Do It Again.
Dun sa lyrics na, “YOUR PROMISE STILL STANDS. GREAT IS YOUR FAITHFULNESS. I’M STILL IN YOUR HANDS. THIS IS MY CONFIDENCE. YOU’VE NEVER FAILED ME YET”
The interview questions were all the same. So mas napaganda ko mga answers ko. Pero at the back of my mind, iniisip ko bat kaya nag interview pa sila pareho lang naman lahat ng questions. I noticed na no pressure na ung interview.
Tapos I asked the principal the typical questions, “What kind of teacher would you want to fill this position? What specific skills do you need that teacher to possess?” Sabi nya, “I believe, knowledge and skills can be taught and learned. What matters most is the person’s character.” While he was saying that, nakasmile talaga cya. Dun pa lang feeling ko ako yung tinutukoy nya!
Pero sabi nya hintay ako ng ilang days for the result kasi my ibang applicants pa daw.
After the interview, kakaiba yung feeling ko. I thank the Lord kasi parang this is it! Kahit wala pang result. Alam kong ibibigay na Niya talaga. 5 mins, tumawag ulit!
Sabi nya, “Hi Ms. Garbo, unfortunately...(tagal ng next word, speechless lang ako) we... will not interview anymore applicants. And we do not want you to have interviews with other schools, because... we will hire you!”
The first school who broke my heart, took me back!
INDEED, THE LORD KEPT HIS PROMISE! HE IS A GOD OF MERCY! HE IS A GOD OF ABUNDANCE! HE IS WORTHY OF ALL PRAISE!
Shoutout po sa women behind Teach-USA I said this before and I am saying it again. THANK YOU PO! You are truly heaven-sent! God’s gifts to all of us.
At sa lahat po na patuloy na nangangarap, if He did all these to me, surely He will DO IT AGAIN to you.
Because “HIS PROMISE STILL STANDS. GREAT IS HIS FAITHFULNESS. YOU’RE STILL IN HIS HANDS. THIS IS YOUR CONFIDENCE. HE HAS NEVER FAILED YOU YET”.
Lovean!
Written by Jesselle.
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