When I was still a child, my dream was to become a seaman. I still remembered that I had the most unique dream in our classroom because I’m the only one who had that dream. Since I dreamt of becoming a seaman, I pursued it. It was the end of the school year 2014 when I joined the Youth Camp. At first, I was very hesitant because I’m a college student and the others were still very young, but my parents pushed me to attend the camp so I didn’t have a choice.
After the youth camp, I became an active member in our province in Palawan. I still remembered that even if I don’t have the company to join in the activities, I was still excited because I can always feel God’s presence in each activity. After a year of being an active member in Palawan, I transferred to Iloilo to pursue my dream because my family experienced financial struggles. In my new area, I found a home away from home because of the community. I still served the Lord while pursuing my dream.
During my third year in college, one of my ates in the community asked me to pray and discern about becoming a mission volunteer and at the same time, I received one of the stepping stones to my reach my dream. I’ve passed the examination in a shipping company. During that time, I told myself “Lord this is it! I’m going to be a seaman now.” But as I continued to pursue my dream, God was slowly revealing His own dream for me. I feel bothered pursuing my personal dream during our shipboard training so I decided to pray the Novena of St. Therese, the child of Jesus, because that was the name of the ship that we are riding that time. I prayed to God if where was He really leading me, if it is for my personal dream or for the mission. And God said “Yes, you are for the mission.” I was very afraid because it was also the moment that I needed to decide between my dream and God’s dream for me. During our exit interview, I felt that my prayers were not enough after all the affirmations I received from the Lord. I even asked myself, “Lord is that really you?” So, I decided to go home to pray more. It was Sunday morning when our family attended the mass and the mass presider was a missionary priest.
During the homily, my mother said “Alam mo ba na siya yung pari na nagging dahilan kung bakit kami pumayag na mag misyonaro ka.” It was very random but I believed that it was the Holy Spirit who talked to my mother that moment. It was an affirmation to my journey with God that it is always Him who talks, and not me. That when the Lord already said YES, no matter what circumstances you are in, the calling of the Lord shall prevail.
Right now, I am joyfully serving the Lord as a mission worker here in Guimaras Island, and YES, I may not be able to pursue my own personal dream but I am fulfilling the dream the Lord has called me to be. Because God’s dream is always better than our own personal dream.
