Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.
---Palms 126:5
Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
---Isaiah 40:31
Today I received the best birthday present for 2013. I got the official acceptance letter from University of Memphis, Master of Speech-Language Pathology program. According to the letter, their speech program is one of the best in the U.S. (TOP 15). Meanwhile, my academic director is the director of the Social Interaction Lab, the coordinator of the Phonetics Lab, and the collaborator in the Speech Science, Infant Vocalization, and Bilingualism Labs. I am looking forward to furthering my study in this school, since all of these research areas can make a great difference in the lives of special needs children. God, you are so good!
As what I have always been reminded, I am very thankful that God revealed his vision to me at such an early age. Besides joy and peace,I have gone through doubts, fears and distress, and I know I will continue to face more obstacles. But I have gained trust instead of fears, for God has prepared me and I know I am constructed for something great and awesome.
Before I share my testimony, I appeal to you to pray for my parents’ salvation, my father’s sickness (cervical spondylotic myelopathy), and my tuition fee for the master degree. As for the master tuition fee (Because I will be studying three semesters a year, so the tuition fee is $35000 for only 1 year, not including living expenses. I need to study for 2 full years), I am very thankful that I have such supportive parents. They have no idea of what am I going to study and what can I do as a speech pathologist (we have never heard of this career in China), but they said they will try their best to support me to follow my passion and dream. They are planning to put the apartment on mortgage so as to pay for my studies.----But I don’t want them to sacrifice so much for me---They have worked their whole life just to earn this apartment. And it will be a huge debt. Pls pray for me!! Thank you. God will make a way. I believe it!!
MY CALLING, PASSION, AND VISION.
I have long been an active volunteer of Bring Me Hope, a Christian-led care organization that changes lives through summer camps for Chinese orphans. In Feb. 2012, through God’s grace and His provision, I had a chance to visit California and had Bible training for three weeks. After I came back from the States, I felt strongly that G wants me to devote my life for children with special needs (I have had this thought after years of volunteering not only for BMH but for the University Volunteer Association). But I did not know in which specific area. So I kept working hard on school work, kept volunteering and kept taking part-time jobs to support my family. A desire to study special education or speech pathology in the U.S. rose, when I was doing research with one of my professors. I was not sure about this big step. After numerous talks with my Christian mentors, I started to prepare for all kinds of exams and materials to go to grad school in America. But one obstacle appeared soon after that. Because of some policies, there are many limitations for an International student to be admitted, got scholarships, and be licensed as a special education teacher in the U.S. I was very frustrated until one day I have a online conference with C university. I found out speech pathology really fits my talent (I LOVE languages), passion and interests (I LOVE working for special needs children). Meanwhile, the volunteer association I worked for won the “Caring For China---Google China Social Innovation Cup” again! So I started checking three hundreds of grad schools in the U.S. after days of prayers and trust, and despite of all the obstacles: I don’t have money to go to grad school, most Chinese people have NEVER heard of speech therapy, and the competition is fierce even among native students.
I have had a vision for special needs children for a long time. I hope one day I can set up a foundation, holding training camps which are full of songs of joy and love from God. In the camp the kids would learn to find their interests and talents. I will invite volunteers to join the camp with their spiritual gifts, and give different kinds of classes and activities to children with various special needs. Thus, the blinds won’t always have to be masseurs, and children who cannot speak will be able to express their love of this beautiful life.
Another indicator of HIS calling ---my current job as a special education teacher in an American-found orphanage.
After 8 months I finally finished the application. I took the GRE tests, passed the National post-grad entrance examination, conducted three academic researches, and financially supported myself by having three part-time jobs. When it was time for me to leave Y and go back to F, I felt sad, thinking about not having fellowship, no place to serve children (I am very familiar with the kids in Y orphanage). HOWEVER, God helped me again. He heard our prayers. Three friends told me they want to volunteer in a warmer place after their summit in Thailand, and they found an orphanage in F! I STUDIED their website right after I got this news. And I love it!!!
As soon as I arrived home, I went to the orphanage, at first just thinking of volunteering on weekends. But by God’s grace, I was invited to work there, and most importantly, I have fallen in love with these children. I believed that’s totally from God, so I stayed here, working full-time. I teach children with severe communication disorders, such as autism, cp, Down syndrome, and cleft-palate.
Working at this orphanage is a God-blessed experience for me. It reaffirmed my calling and passion. The more I teach, the stronger I feel I need to gain some formal training so as to help them more effectively. AND just last week I was informed that I got admitted by the university of Memphis and New Mexico State U, speech pathology program! I have received 6 rej letters and I did not have any hope in going to grad school. As I checked the website of U of Memphis, I saw their motto: “Dreamers. Thinkers. Doers”. God just made me cry again! He works in a miracle way! I have never thought of being admitted by the U Memphis, since it is so highly ranked and so…unknown in China. God just picked a right one for me!! A cheaper but better one!
To be continued…
The story of me working at the orphanage will go on…and the story of how God provides me money to go to graduate school will begin. I trust our Lord. Last Sunday I set myself crying freely in God’s greatness. As I was listening to “How great is our God”, I remembered how my parents support me even when they don’t understand; I remembered all the days I worked so hard at school; I remembered my Christian family in Y; and I was thinking about how great and big his purpose for me is. I don’t know where and what I will be, and I wept while thinking leaving my parents at home, unsaved. I could give everything, but I cannot afford this…
Thank you for reading this LONG story. I hope someday my dream can come true. And I also hope my parents can be saved soon. My mom is a brilliant tailor, she can make many crafts and clothes. How wonderful it will be if she would join, and using her skills to do God’s work.
How great is our GOD, I want to sing your name forever.
“The LORD is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights. ---Habakkuk 3:19”
"You guide me with Your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. --Psalm 73:24"
Edited on April 3th.: It turns out that I really need to trust God to provide me the money. I am getting out of the boat, and trying to walk on water. This is another huge step I am taking. Here I hope you can help me both spiritually and financially, if you feel like God is telling you to. You can donate here:
Hope you can join me in this life-changing journey.
Thank you.
.JPG)
