Red Seas & Jordan Rivers

Twice every month, we, the JCSGO youth, are having what we call yUtNITED™. It’s a two and a half-hour Christian youth gathering held on Fridays wherein the youth get to bond with each other and praise God together, and enjoy His Word. For this week, I was the assigned speaker. I was really hesitant to accept the assignment at first knowing that my hectic BSN schedule would probably not allow it, especially during our present shift that time wherein we’re scheduled to have a duty from 12pm-6pm on Fridays (yUtNITED™ starts at 6:30pm, and the trip home usually takes an hour). But well, I told myself, “Surely, God would make a way.” I realized that if it was really God’s Will for me to speak, then He would make a way.

I asked Kuya Allen (our youth pastor) to make a letter to my clinical instructor requesting if I could just have the duty from 7am-1pm instead so I could be on my speaking assignment on time. The details were explained in the letter. I told this to my clinical instructor and explained it to her. She told me to have my letter signed by the dean. I totally have no idea why the dean still has to sign it. She (my clinical instructor) has authority over me, and if she really wants, she could just arrange my schedule with me without consulting the dean. Yes there is a hierarchy, but I think that in this situation, it was unnecessary for her to consult the dean (in fact, that was what the dean said when I talked to her). But being an obedient student, I waited for the dean. I waited for 1 full hour for this dean only to find out that she is NOT gonna sign my letter. “This is a personal request, not covered by academics, I won’t sign this. Talk to your C.I. about this.” she told me. “But ma’am, she said she won’t approve it unless you approve it.” I told her. “Kayo na lang mag-usap.” She responded further. “Okay, thank you po ma’am” I answered sadly. I then texted my clinical instructor about it. “I won’t approve it unless it was signed by the dean.” she told me via sms. When I pushed further, she ended up being mad at me. “Ano ba talagang gusto mo? Di na ko magrereply.” she texted. After that, I smiled and said “Thank You Lord for giving me very considerate superiors. Bless them Lord. BLESS THEM!!! (arghh!)”

That 1-hour wait caused me to miss my most favorite part of the service that Thursday night –the Praise & Worship. Come to think of it, naghintay ako nang ISANG ORAS para lang malaman na hindi din pala pipirmahan ang letter ko! Perfect! Simply perfect!.

The next day (Friday), of course I have no choice but to come to duty from 12pm-6pm. In my course, one cannot simply absent himself during duty days, because you will pay for the hours you missed. . .double! Absenting myself that day would have given me 12 hours of make-up duty, and with our present schedule of 6 days per week, that is very difficult to complete. I performed my duty assignments, and at around 3pm, I had the guts to make a request to my clinical instructor (again) if she could dismiss me earlier, probably at around 5:30pm so I could have a greater chance of making it on time for our youth gathering. Miraculously enough, she conceded. Well the irony here is that at around 5:25pm, one of my two patient’s NGT (naso-gastric tube) got displaced so we have to reinsert it. It was my duty, I could not simply leave it. So there, I had to wait for the staff nurse to look for the materials and to prepare them, and then I went with him to reinsert the patient’s NGT. The waiting and the insertion took about 30 minutes all in all! So instead of leaving at 5:30pm, I ended up leaving at 6:15pm to be exact! I immediately ran outside the ward, running like there’s no tomorrow! I took the LRT (I only use it for emergency purposes) and reached Anonas Station at 6:45pm! During the whole trip, I was saying “God will make a way, I won’t be late. God will make a way! Yes He will, yes He will”. When I reached the station, it was raining real hard! I had no umbrella and for the FIRST TIME in 4 years, I had trouble waiting for a Cubao Ali Mall jeep in Anonas!! At this point, I was like saying “God will [You] make a way??” (hehe!)

All along, even when my letter wasn’t approved, I had absolute faith that God will make a way. I mean, He assigned me to speak, so He will also provide the way for me. But during this point of time, when I found myself in that place, soaked by the hard rain having no umbrella and no jeep (not to mention not enough money to ride a taxi), there came the temptation to indulge in self-pity. Had I focused on myself that time (the thing I am really being tempted to do at that moment), I would have thought of things like: “Kawawa naman ako, eto basa na nga, wala pang jeep, at walang perang pang-taxi.” It even crossed my mind for 5 seconds to simply text Kuya Allen if he could just take my place because I can’t make it. I was tempted to give up, and to simply rest my very very tired body. That time, I was really tired physically and emotionally. Finally, I could not bear it anymore finding myself in that situation wherein I wanna obey God but it seems that everything is against me –even God (silly thought huh), so I said: “Lord naman, nasan ang suporta? This is Your event na pupuntahan ko, bakit ganito? Sinusunod ko naman will mo ah, bakit parang ayaw Mo ‘kong papuntahin on time? Ano ba talaga Lord?” Believe it or not, The Lord’s Answer came rather quick. . .”Ano ka ba?” I seem to hear Him say. “Hindi ka pa nga dinudugo sa pagsunod mo sa ‘Kin, sumusuko ka na.” Immediately, I got reminded of the prophets, pinuputulan na ng paa, ng kamay, kahit ng dila, pero nagpe-preach parin! Yung iba pinutulan na ng ulo ayaw pa ring paawat! Okay exagg naman na ata yung last example na yun (hehe!). Pero diba, kung sila nga ganun na nangyayari, tuloy pa rin, eh ako pa kaya na tubig ulan pa lang ang kaharap. Right there and then, I also got reminded of a beautiful part in the Bible wherein a prophet also seems to have trouble with how God is handling things, God answered Him by saying. . .

“If you have ran with footmen, and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses?” (Jeremiah 12:5)

That was enough for me to regain confidence in my God’s Promise and for my smile to return. Great Peace and Joy overflowed in my heart and a few minutes after I received this revelation, a Cubao Ali Mall jeep came! Wow! Thank God! (this was about 7pm already). But my Red Sea & Jordan River crossing, as I have found out, was not yet over. Pagbaba ko sa kanto, guess what! Baha! It was a literal Jordan River that I have to cross (haha!), the only difference is that I think I need to cross it wet (haha!)! But by this time, my heart is so much saturated by God’s Joy, and I didn’t mind crossing Red Seas and Jordan Rivers to fulfill His Will. So with all courage, I decided to run through that flooded street (in my nursing uniform)! It was like in a movie! (haha!) “FOOOR yUtNITED™ and FOOOR GOD!!!” I screamed as I ran! I reached the church at around 7:10pm (Of course that screaming part was only a joke).

I ran straight to the youth office to change. Good thing I was prepared. Before leaving the office, I paused for about half a minute and sighed “Haaay :-D, Thank You po Lord”.

Third song na of the Praise and Worship yung inabutan ko. Before my turn to speak came. I told The Lord: “Lord, gusto kong makita ang result that You INDEED used me tonight.”

It was very smooth. The youth were attentive and participative. After yUtNITED™, when I got home, I received a text message from a co-youth leader: “Zion thank you ha.” “For what?” I asked him “Yung tatlo kong mga in-invite na first-timers kanina told me that they really got encouraged sa message, at natamaan. Hehe, kaya thank you. Thank God.” Upon reading that text message, I paused again and said “Glory to You Lord!” Sulit lahat ng Red Sea at Jordan River na aking tinawid. I realized that nothing is more satisfying than finding yourself being used by God. Indeed at the whisper of God’s Call, no Red Sea or Jordan River could stop you. They will all make way, indeed, even oceans will part.