Surprise, Surprise! - God (a story of my Conversion)

My story of Conversion.. Story talaga kasi mahaba.. hahaha!

When my parents started to participate in Ligaya again, i was already in my 1st year highschool. I was 13 years old.. My parents did not actually gave us a background about what is LIGAYA, kung anu yung meron dun, bakit kami umaattend dun and so on. Ang alam ko lang na reason by then was that my grandparents, uncle and antie was also member there. So i thought it was really a requirement and a family LEGACY to continue. I was a typical teenager back then, - mareklamo, makulit, may attitude to disobey my parents, feeling independent, gustong gustong gumala kapag may pagkakataon, go with the flow lang (kung nasan ang magulang, andun din kami) at yung tipong naiilang kapag Diyos na ang pinaguusapan. Long and behold, LIGAYA is actually about God.. when my parents started to participate, bigla na lng akong nagtaka kung bakit kelangan naming gumising ng maaga para magsimba, at bakit hindi sa literal na simbahan, at iba pa.. I even thought before na Ligaya people are weird. Yung tipong bakit sila nagtataas ng kamay? Pati si dady, na yung tipong natatamaan na mukha ko.. haha in short, ndi ko feel ang ligaya by then. Wala akong kilalang ibang tao kungdi grandparents, tito, at tita ko.. friends? I did not have any really. At take note, YA na daw ako nun.. so “anu yung YA?? Wala nga akong kilala dun. Samantalang sila parang lumaki sa iisang village at yung tipong magkaklase pa simula nung nagaral sila..” Ganun lagi ung naiisip ko..

Nafifeel ko nun sa YA na i dont belong in here, these people were studying in private schools, (i particularly termed it as “mayayamang school”) na samantalang ako sa public highschool nag-aaral.. I cant speak english straight, or even conyo.. napaka-barok ko magenglish nung mga panahon na yun, kasi sa bahay namin hindi naman kami naguusap ng english.. kaya medyo naculture shock ako.. etu din ung time na sinama ako ng parents ko sa YA Camp, first ever main acitivty ko sa ligaya, yung tipong wala na akong magagawa kungdi pumunta kasi bayad na.. lagi ko ngang tanung sa parents ko kpg may retreat/camp/something event ng YA, “bayad na ba ako dyan? Kung bayad na ako, edi wala na naman akong choice kundi sumama eh.” Buong highschool life ko ganyan ako. Hindi na ako kinukulit ng parents ko nun nung bigla kong nasabi na “bakit niyu ba ako laging pinipilit sa mga bagay na ayoko namang gawin?” grabe noh? Parang nakakakonsensya pero ganun yung nararamdaman ko that time.. i ended YA being an inactive member.. super inactive,, kasi talagang minsan tinataguan ko yung mga YA worker, ang dami kong palusot para hindi pumunta sa event. Haha

Ayan ngcollege na ako, 1st year up to 2nd and half of my college life, YES! WALANG NANGUNGULIT SA AKIN SA LIGAYA.. hahaha though alam ko na may UD nun.. pero wala naman akong friends nung YA, so naisip ko na baka sila na nmn yung makita ko sa UD kaya parang wag na lng.. pero kapag si God talaga, laging nasa timing. He prepared me through my course, BS Psychology. Yung tipong pinakita nya sa akin na “I know that you know, you want a change. Gusto mo ng pagbabago sa buhay mo. And for you to achieve that, you have to open up yourself to everything that is new, and some kinda WIERD things.” And this is actually one of the basic principle in Psychology.. Etu talaga, so kaya ko nafeel na super God-given yung course ko.. pero hindi lang yan, inilapit pa ako kay nikki sandoval.. haha sya kasi yung nakakita sa akin sa SDE gathering ng parents ko. Nilapitan nya ako and biglang sinabi na “uy! Di ba UD ka na?” sagot naman ako, “uhm opo ata??” haha sabi naman nya “OO! UD ka na!! Anu number mo? May UD gath sa poveda, punta ka dun.. “ so ayan hindi na ako nakawala kasi personal na akong nilapitan kaya nakakahiya namang tumanggi.. so ayun punta ako ng Poveda. Tapos surprise surprise.. marunong sila magtagalog! Minsan lang sila magenglish! So naisip ko “uy ayos to ah.. makakasalita ako ng tuwid..” then hanggang sa natapos yung gathering, tapos surprise surprise ulit, pinakilala sa akin ni nikki yung AGL ko.. so nagulat naman ako kasi first time ko plng umatend ng gathering, may AGL agad.. hahaha! At yun ay si ate ceri talan.. iba tlga si Lord. Alam niya kung ano yung makakahatak sa akin. He knows that my greatest dream is to become a doctor.. at si ate ceri ey isang med student sa PLM.. so boom!! Sakto!! Naisip ko na “woooow!! Ang gandang opportunity to know kung pano maging med student!! Hindi ko na to palalampasin..” hahaha so kht ganun ung reason, God knows that it could be a stepping stone for me to know him more.. Through these people.. Then ayan, ag ag, punta punta sa pedro gil to meet them, have some segue interview about med student life, etc,. tapos pina-attend ako ni ate ceri sa CLS,, and it totally Change my life, ung talks, sobrang ang daming pinarealize sa akin ni Lord. I enjoyed being with CYA, until now, together with UD.. I really did not regret that I challenged my self to get out of my comfort zone to explore what does CYA and LIGAYA are meant to do.. Para sa akin, hindi man ako lumaking YA kid, hinanda at inantay padin ako ni Lord na dumating sa tamang oras for me to understand better what he wants me to know..

In conclusion, God really knows how to prepare us for the changes that our hearts really desire.. God really does not loose faith na babalik at makikilala ko din sya sa tamang panahon.. sobrang tyaga lang sa akin ni Lord.. Nagwork sya sa buhay ko nang hindi ko man lang napapansin.. narealize ko lng, nasa CYA na ako.. db? God really loves to surprise us.. and he never ever failed to do so.. Last na masasabi ko lang ay, God is always approaching us.. kelangan lang din nating huminto at lumapit din saknya ng kusa.. we just need to let Him do His work, and see every opportunity as a leading path to what God wants us to experience.. sabi nga ni Lord, “kahit anong iwas mo, hinding hindi ka padin makakatakas sa pagmamahal ko sayo..”