Due to the amazing Gilman Scholarship offered to students from low-income families, I am able to participate in Brigham Young University's Namibia Field Study this April. (In 70 days actually, but who's counting!?) The culmination of events leading up to this experience has been crazy-- in the very best kind of way!
Last September, I knew I wanted to take advantage of BYU's study abroad program and get some in-country experience in a developing nation. It seems like everyone here has lived overseas and the fact that I had never lived in a developing country was something I know I needed for the future. Afterall, I want to permanently work in these poor nations and with so many African study abroads, I knew it would have to happen!
I worked long and hard on two essays with Brenda from the Kennedy Center and I created something that I was proud of. When I submit the essays, I don't know if I even believed I had a shot. It's a NATIONAL scholarship competition. The Lord surely works in mysterious ways!
Fast forward to December 2nd when I was on a group ice-skating date. At the end of the date, I slipped and nailed my head on the ice resulting in a very, very painful concussion. Well, the weeks following that awful night, I was confined to my room to live in darkness and a quiet space. I had a lot of time to reflect. I had a lot of time to read scriptures. From there, I decided to withdraw the Malawi Internship application and to, instead, turn in my mission papers. I did not even remember turning in any scholarship.
So last week-- my papers are done, I had an interview with the Bishop set up and I'm well on my way to leaving after the semester is up in April. "Guess again!" said Heavenly Father to himself. I get an email congratulating me on receiving the Gilman Scholarship. "The what?" I thought to myself. "I don't remember applying for a school scholarship..."
Bam. It hits me. I have an opportunity to go to Africa! But I don't have a program to go with. Is it too late? Is there still time? Are they all full? Do I have time to buy a plane ticket? Does this make me choose between a mission and a study abroad!?
I was so confused at first! But then I realized that any fool would not see this as a clear indicator that Heavenly Father is leading me in a totally un-thought-of direction. I don't have to sacrifice my mission for this! I may have to set my availability date back by a month or two but that's no problem! A fool would throw away a study abroad scholarship. It's free money! TO AFRICA!
So within a short period of two days, I experienced the 24-hour giddy jitters because I could possibly be going to Africa and the race against time to pray, find a program, talk to directors, pray some more, change my initial program with the Gilman people, write new essays, and receive some answers all happened-- in two days! My nerves were shot by Friday evening.
In the end, I found the Namibia Field Study which sounds incredible and I will still be able to use the funds despite having applied for the Malawi Internship primarily. It feels so right and I am so freaking excited. I cannot even form the words to express how excited I am! Clearly I was not meant to leave as early as I had planned. And clearly I am meant to have these experiences prior. It's crazy or me to look back and a mere 4 days before that life-changing email, I had broke down and bawled about the possibility of not serving a foreign mission due to my medication requirement. And now I get to go to Africa!? The Lord works in mysterious ways!!! It is just like France. I wanted to attend the American University in Paris but I applied for school in Utah, was miserable, and then was shown the path to France in order to get it out of my system before beginning college. This is crazy.
And that, my dear readers, is how Julia spontaneously went to Namibia to live among an indigenous tribe under a special tree named after our program director by the OvaHimba.
Last September, I knew I wanted to take advantage of BYU's study abroad program and get some in-country experience in a developing nation. It seems like everyone here has lived overseas and the fact that I had never lived in a developing country was something I know I needed for the future. Afterall, I want to permanently work in these poor nations and with so many African study abroads, I knew it would have to happen!
I worked long and hard on two essays with Brenda from the Kennedy Center and I created something that I was proud of. When I submit the essays, I don't know if I even believed I had a shot. It's a NATIONAL scholarship competition. The Lord surely works in mysterious ways!
Fast forward to December 2nd when I was on a group ice-skating date. At the end of the date, I slipped and nailed my head on the ice resulting in a very, very painful concussion. Well, the weeks following that awful night, I was confined to my room to live in darkness and a quiet space. I had a lot of time to reflect. I had a lot of time to read scriptures. From there, I decided to withdraw the Malawi Internship application and to, instead, turn in my mission papers. I did not even remember turning in any scholarship.
So last week-- my papers are done, I had an interview with the Bishop set up and I'm well on my way to leaving after the semester is up in April. "Guess again!" said Heavenly Father to himself. I get an email congratulating me on receiving the Gilman Scholarship. "The what?" I thought to myself. "I don't remember applying for a school scholarship..."
Bam. It hits me. I have an opportunity to go to Africa! But I don't have a program to go with. Is it too late? Is there still time? Are they all full? Do I have time to buy a plane ticket? Does this make me choose between a mission and a study abroad!?
I was so confused at first! But then I realized that any fool would not see this as a clear indicator that Heavenly Father is leading me in a totally un-thought-of direction. I don't have to sacrifice my mission for this! I may have to set my availability date back by a month or two but that's no problem! A fool would throw away a study abroad scholarship. It's free money! TO AFRICA!
So within a short period of two days, I experienced the 24-hour giddy jitters because I could possibly be going to Africa and the race against time to pray, find a program, talk to directors, pray some more, change my initial program with the Gilman people, write new essays, and receive some answers all happened-- in two days! My nerves were shot by Friday evening.
In the end, I found the Namibia Field Study which sounds incredible and I will still be able to use the funds despite having applied for the Malawi Internship primarily. It feels so right and I am so freaking excited. I cannot even form the words to express how excited I am! Clearly I was not meant to leave as early as I had planned. And clearly I am meant to have these experiences prior. It's crazy or me to look back and a mere 4 days before that life-changing email, I had broke down and bawled about the possibility of not serving a foreign mission due to my medication requirement. And now I get to go to Africa!? The Lord works in mysterious ways!!! It is just like France. I wanted to attend the American University in Paris but I applied for school in Utah, was miserable, and then was shown the path to France in order to get it out of my system before beginning college. This is crazy.
And that, my dear readers, is how Julia spontaneously went to Namibia to live among an indigenous tribe under a special tree named after our program director by the OvaHimba.
I don't know how to change my name setting here, haha. But seriously, YOU ARE AMAZING!! Thanks for reminding me that Heavenly Father works in mysterious ways; we may not understand why things happen the way they do, but life is FULFILLING and ENRICHING one-hundred percent when we follow through with some faith (: Love you Julia, I hope you are having an incredible time!! I'm praying you.
ReplyDeleteTo my fellow "Foreign Figure" making big things happen overseas-- Keep Making Life Come Alive ❤ ❤ ❤