As I'm preparing for Graduate school, I'm getting more and more excited. I keep thinking 'This is really happening'.
My story started when I was a sophomore in high school. I had just come back from Honduras and my perspective had been changed so much. At 14 I saw poverty for the first time. These children taught me to play futbol, I taught them words in English, we ate together, worshiped together, and held hands. They are my friends.
The months and years that followed, Honduras was constantly on my mind. I went back 4 more times but have never stayed for more than 3 weeks. It doesn't matter how many weeks you stay or times you go, you can be changed instantly, and I was. All through high school and community college I would just dream of going back. Of the boys at the project and of living there. I wanted to move there. I thought to myself, 'Couldn't I just move there to be a missionary?' That's what I want to do after all. These feelings ate me up.
After talking with my parents and a few others about moving to a third-world country to be a missionary, I kept getting the same response. In short it was, "You need a skill". The pastor's wife told me, "It's sometimes hard to get into a country if you say, "I'm here to tell your people about Jesus." It's easier to get in if you say, I'm a (insert profession here) and I'm here to help your people."
So I knew what I needed to do. I needed a skill to offer the people. I went through 2 years of community college having no clue what my skill would be. I prayed with my parents and by myself that God would show me what he had for me to do. During my last semester at MCC I took a class that was supposed to help you discover your niche so that you can pursue a career. In that class we took dozens of tests about personality,work ethic, interests, preferences, communication style, etc. At the end of the tests, it suggests occupations based on your results. On nearly every test my #1 result was Speech Pathologist. At the time, I did not even know what a Speech Pathologist was. So I researched it a bit more, and decided to pursue it at UCF.
I have been at UCF for almost 2 years now and I have 1 more semester until I graduate with a BA in Communication Sciences and Disorders. I am so excited. And a few weeks ago, I found out that I had been accepted into graduate school at UCF! When I read on my application to graduate school that my status had gone from 'No Decision' to 'Admitted' I was elated. I couldn't believe it, because I was not expecting to get in. It is all because of Jesus. He got me in. This is why: For the semester that I applied to graduate school (Fall 2011) over 200 students also applied to the same program. Do you know how many they accept per semester? 35. It is such a competitive program and I was not expecting acceptance. And this is what I said to Russell a few moments after I read about my acceptance to graduate school: "I know God has something special for me to do now." He gave me a seamless transition into the same school at which I am getting my Bachelor's, against those odds of 35 against 200+. I don't have to move schools, I can keep my job, and it will work out."
God has been with me since everything started in Honduras. After I get my master's, I plan on working in the U.S. until God calls me out to return to Honduras, or possibly another third-world country to work as a speech pathologist and be a missionary. All of this makes me want to trust God more in the daily activities of my life. I know he has been faithful up to this point and He will carry out His work through my trust. It will be a lot of hard work, but I am excited to know God is guiding my life. It will be a life well-spent.
