“One day you are going to travel around the world” saying Jenna to Mary. Mary chuckled. “Yeah, you will” Jenna trying to convince Mary. “Whatever Jenna” Sticking out her tongue to Jenna. Far in her mind, reminded her when she was 9 saying to herself that one day she would travel around the world after reading a book Around the world in 80 days. “Mary!!! Pay attention please!” exclaimed the class teacher.
Mary pretends listening to the teacher’s teaching. Remember again what her friend has said to her few years back. That was the most beautiful and positive things she ever heard from somebody’s mouth ever. “how is that possible? I am so stupid in class, ugly, not even rich and I always have bad marks in schools” Negative thoughts starting to fill her mind and she could feel a bit tears. “Pst..psst…Are you ok?” Mary forced herself to smile and replied “I’m fine. No worries” “Mary, do u mind to come to my church this Sunday?” Evelyn, her high school classmate invited her to church.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, soul and mind” That was what Mary’s grandma said to her when she was only 5 years old. Mary knows a bit about the church. Her parents seldom brought her there causing curiosity in Mary’s heart to know further about “trust in the Lord?”
Mary accepts Evelyn’s invitation and went to her church. “Humm…so these are the good people” thinks Mary. Meeting nice people greetings her with a big smiles. Tried to be friendly with everybody and at the same time she met a guy from Singapore named Richard. Mary looked at that guy and admire how the way he treated his kids, full of love, hugs, attention. “Wish I have that kind of father” thought Mary again. Richard is kind to everybody and even talks to Mary. Mary met Richard again on the following weeks; he gave her a big smile and offer to pray for Mary. After praying Richard says “Hey, one day you will travel around the world” Mary stunned. “What in the world this stranger is saying to me?” As seems like he knows her well. Wondering why that saying coming back to her. Does God really exist? What Mary knows is her grandma is crazy talking alone in the room before she sleeps and call “God as father?” That is ridiculous. Mary ignored all this non-sense.
Mary went to college, cause problem in school and headache to her parents. Then failed in her studies and went back to work with very little pay. Mary lost hope and always thinks that she is a loser. She went to church and thought going to church will make her life better or a good young lady but unfortunately she met lots of people from every different churches hurt her feeling, gossiping, backstabbing, comparing to each other and “too spiritual”. She is not even can relate, if God is really a good God by seeing these kinds of church people. So, she ran away and went to another country, Brunei Darussalam. Stayed with her aunt, and met a family from India. Mary struggles to speak English and tried to communicate with hands and talk very little English vocabulary. There were cultural differences that Mary hard to relate. At Mary’s aunt home, with opened eyes she says “hello, God or Father. Are you there? Can you open the door for me so that I could learn other people’s culture and see other side of the world?” Mary sighs for no answer or thunder from heaven. “Could be when I become a grandmother then I could travel around the world” thought Mary and went to sleep.
The next day, saying goodbyes to the Indian family is not a good thing. Feeling sad in her heart, knowing that she won’t see this family again. That time, Mary not even knows how to use internet or sending e-mail to keep in touch with them.
Back to Mary’s home town, Mary met a married couple, Mr. and Mrs. Lim. They have been so nice to her and even offered her a job in the company. Some of Mary’s colleagues envy of her because she has been treated so well by the couple. After few months working with them, one day, Mary was alone in the office with Mr. Lim and not feeling comfortable with him. Out of sudden, few days later the wife was unhappy with Mary, so she suggested Mary to study in one of the institution in the States. She promised to pay all the fees for Mary. Mary felt that was odd, so she refused. Then Mrs. Lim keep encouraged Mary to apply any organization she wanted. Mary heard a bit about A.L.O (Agape Love Organization) from her friends and she knew to join the organization needs lots of money, so she suggested A.L.O to Mrs. Lim. She knew that the boss’ wife won’t be affordable to pay the fees. Mary just applies for the sake of her. But then she gets the reply on the next day. Mary thought that was fun and not so serious about it. She knows that is impossible and who going to provide the money. The answer is: NONE.
A couple from A.L.O called and came over to the office to meet Mary. They are so confident in Mary and passed Mary a form to fill. They asked who is going to pay all the fees and Mary told them “my boss”. They replied “Wow! You have a very rich boss for willing to pay all the fees” Mary smiled and filled the form when she looked at question Number 8, if she could speak English well: So she ticked on little. That was the beginning of the challenges. The couple called and told Mary that she has very little chances to get into the organization. Mary does not mind with the result. She knows it at first place and told Mrs. Lim. Mrs. Lim pushed Mary not to give up. “Whatever!” Mary thinks and plus she promised to pay the fees. Week by week, Mary felt unhappy to be pushed by her boss but she felt bad with the couple from A.L.O working so hard to get her in for the organization, especially when they knowing Mary will be sponsored by her boss. Then Mary’s visa was not approved to a country she suppose to fly to. Few weeks later, the boss called Mary to her office and suggests her to ask helps from the churches, pushing her to trust the Lord and telling her that He is the provider. Mary listened to her boss and went to the church, but the leaders said Mary is not good enough for that kind of organization. Few of the leaders saying that Mary is trying to escape from home. Some of the leaders teased her English is not good enough for that kind of organization. There was an African family, who are saying straight to the point in everything to Mary and she couldn’t handle that kind of differences and culture. Mary told them that she is not serious for the organization and try to convince them there is chance next time. But Mary has gone very far, especially she has stand in front of every churches. For Mary, it was a big thing to stand in front of hundreds people asking for sponsorship. But she only gets very little money. Lots of people, not really have the confident in her. She remembered the time she was in school and get “Booooo!!!!” from the students, just because she forgot the poem she has tried to memorized. She walked slowly out from the crowd and regrets for applying that organization. She has shared all these plans to her close friend, even her own close friend abandon her. Went home, and the couple from A.L.O joining Mary to meet her parents and her parents refused in the beginning but the first person who saying “yes” was Mary’s father. All this years, he never agree of lots of things especially being far away from them. But this time, something different is happened.
Mary felt a bit excited to hear that from her dad and leaned one thing on that day itself is “Trust”. Mary sit down and look up to the stars and saying “God, I know u can hear me. All these are too big for me to handle. I don’t mind not going. I know I am not good and always coz troubled. You know at the first place, my boss was the one suggested me to go, but now she left me alone. Help me” Few days later, the couple from A.L.O called and saying that Mary is accepted to join the organization and her visa is approved. Mary can’t believe that happened and start to believe that God is exist. A nice guy came to Mary and told Mary that he wanted to introduce her to somebody. They went to a big company. Mary met a nice lady and the lady asked how much Mary wants. So Mary mentioned how much she needs and approved by that lady and Mary called her “angel” in her heart. Her dream has come true and she has the chance to join the A.L.O organization and has the chances to many other countries and learned cultures differences, people, lifestyles, languages, food and lots more. She knew in her heart, she would travel around the world one day because of the unseen and real Father which is beyond than we thought and imagine.
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