Hi all,
I want to update you on some of my recent experiences. I like sharing with you my personal feelings and development because I think it brings us closer as human beings. You never know what impact you might have on another person by opening up and just being real! After coming back from Scotland, I had to finish my Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) course which I started before I moved to Scotland. The truth is, I already had a feeling that working in a business would not be something I wanted to do for the rest of my life. In Scotland this feeling became a reality and I decided not to work in the private sector when looking for a job. Thank God, after having met with the Belgian public employment service, I was allowed to finish my online course without the stress of looking for a job in the meantime. As I was finishing up my course, I started applying to TEFL summer jobs in Europe to have a taste of what teaching feels like, for which, by God's grace, I also had permission from my public employment contact person. A short teaching experience would give me more insight on my future career, and studies if necessary. However, my plans were different and I was afraid of sharing them. I kept them to myself until I could not stand it anymore and I told my parents that I wanted to go to Romania and work for the ministry I had volunteered for in the past three years. My plan was to become a freelance online English teacher and translator to support myself financially. My parents did not support my ideas as they were not measurable or sustainable. I was disappointed. My dream was shattered and I was afraid I would end up working for a company where everything evolves around money. I had to wake up from my dream where there were only good intentions but no well-defined plans and responsibilities. I felt alone and I cried but at least I was not keeping my dream secret anymore. Until one day, I was listening to a sermon on Matthew 11:30 where Jesus says, "my yoke is easy and my burden is light." It touched me and as I lay in bed, I started saying a short prayer that went like this: "dear Jesus, my heart is burdened, please take the burden away and instead, pour out your love that will give me life." It was a simple prayer but the need for it was great. I felt again that God was near and taking care of me. The next day, as I was looking at job offers, I stumbled upon a job description from Teach for Belgium. Their job offer was so different and I could immediately identify with their beliefs. Their mission is education equity where every child deserves equal chances to succeed in school, regardless of their socioeconomic background. I was intrigued and so I filled out the application form. The next day, they called me and signed me up for the recruitment day. I was excited but tried to keep my expectations low. In the meantime, I had applied for summer camps to teach English. I sent my CV to different locations in Italy and Spain. But I did not receive any positive answers, until I decided to apply for an English camp in Romania. In spite of my distress, I had already come to terms with the fact that Romania would not be an option this summer. God, however, seemed to lead me in that direction through TEFL. May, the 24th, I was taking tests that would determine whether I would be a Teach for Belgium participant or not. The 25th, I saw Tauren Wells and Hillsong Young & Free live in the Netherlands and I felt at peace no matter what the outcome might be. Two days later I received a call with some amazing news: I was accepted into the summer training! There was one obstacle though, the start date of the summer training and the end date of the English camp in Romania overlapped. I saw an opening door closing again and I was telling myself again: "you can't have it all, it's either one or the other. Just leave it up to God." I contacted the English camp in Romania and apologised that I had to reject their offer due to a summer training that could open the door to a long-term job. I told them it wouldn't be fair for the children if I left early. To my surprise, they were willing to agree on an early departure date, and after some emails, I managed to book a flight that would bring me home a day before the start of the summer training. I was overwhelmed. I thought, "this is too good to be true". But why would God not give us the desires of our heart if we commit our ways to Him? (Psalm 37:4-5) Before I poured out my heart to God, I was walking through a desert trying to find my way. I was thirsty for justice and wanted to reach the place where I could fight against poverty. But I was lost and unprepared. I was not equipped. I wanted to quench my thirst right away without asking God to give me what I really need and trust His timing. I was the desert because my heart was an unclear and unstable path. It had no strong foundation. Once again, I was reminded of the fact that life is not always the way we want it to be and that the joy of the Lord should be our strength, not our circumstances or the outcomes of our dreams. When I prayed to Jesus to deliver me from my impatience, self-pity and disappointment that I carried as a burden, I felt streams of living water and the assurance that everything would be ok if I trust the One who is greater than the world. I'm still learning to be patient but I believe that He will act if I wait for Him everyday again and again. I've seen how He allowed me to go to Romania when I thought it was not an option. Not only did I teach English for two weeks but I also visited the ministry I volunteered for in the past. Seeing the children was a gift straight from heaven and proof of the fact that God cares. How He loves us! My parents picked me up at 10pm on the 13th of July. I slept in my own bed for one night after which I repacked my suitcase and left for the summer training. Over the course of four weeks, I met wonderful people who have the same goal: to give less privileged kids more equal chances in life through inspiring teaching. In Brussels, I learnt to reflect and share on identity, life goals, leadership, etc. In Antwerp, I taught Dutch at a summer academy and met children that I will surely miss. At the time being, I am getting ready for job interviews in different schools. You know, patience really rewards you! I had to wait longer in order to be placed but now I have job offers from different schools, so more choice for me! Having finished the Teach for Belgium summer training, I am embarking on a journey I had never thought I would. I will be honest: I am scared! But keeping my goal in sight and knowing that Jesus is with me every step of the way is what motivates me. I am so thankful for the possibility to become an inspiring teacher and being a part of a network that tackles the problem of educational inequity due to socioeconomic backgrounds in the Belgian education system and world-wide. I might not be in the oasis of my dreams but I know God is leading me along the safest path where difficulties are only going to make me stronger. He loves us and cares about our desires but only He knows what we really need. He prepares us to show His strength even when we don't feel qualified. He works miracles in people and is worthy of our praise! I want to wrap up with a quote from an inspiring leader and writer: "Dreams die and seasons end and terrible, unspeakable things happen that don't make much sense, but God is not done with us yet. He uses the bending and the breaking and the dying to prepare the harvest, to prepare more for us. We reach high to the Son and He comes down and pulls us closer. We lift our heads to Him in awe and know that there might be hard around the corner but that we can look expectantly even to the bowing and the breaking, even the death of all we have planned, because we know in Him there is always more. He sees the seeds that come with all the endings and is faithful to use them, to turn them into beauty". p. 71 Daring to Hope - Katie Davis Majors Here are the new Teach for Belgium teachers (find me on the far right):
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