Trust His timing and everything will fall into place By Sis Tarra Cecilla Tan

Growing up, I have learned two things in life;  God will never fail you and God will always provide. Today, brothers and sisters, let me share to you the word of God from Jeremiah 29:11-13, “For I know my plans for you are, plans to save and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and to give you hope.” Yahweh says, “When you call on me, I will listen. You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart.”

My brothers and sisters, I am one of the many people that has experienced God’s plans and love (I just had to trust His timing). I am Tarra Cecilla Tan and I’m very proud to say that I grew up in a poor family. My parents, Emmanuel Tan and Maridel Tan, are both government employees. I’ve seen how they’ve worked all their lives just to provide us with food in our table, clothes to wear and give us an education.

My father, who became an orphan at the age of nine, is a self-made man. When his parents died because of a shipwreck, his dream of becoming a seafarer also drowned with them. After that tragic incident, he just wanted to finish school and help his other siblings finish their education as well. Therefore, since my father could only afford to stay in his hometown in Baybay City, Philippines, to finish his studies, he decided to take up Bachelor of Science in Forestry and succeeded. 

My father’s story became my inspiration. Though I had the privilege to take up my first choice, which is to become a Nurse, it was not an easy battle for me and neither is it for my parents. You see, both of my parents’ wages does not cover up all the expenses for me and my three other siblings, so they ended up filing for loans for my tuition and borrowing money from friends and relatives just to be able finance my college education.

Being the eldest daughter, I had to be the role model for my brother and two sisters. The discipline that my mother taught me was very effective for me to become a responsible Ate to my siblings. I had to think twice in every decision I make to set an example for them.

Unlike other college students who dreamt of living alone in a boarding house or in an apartment and going to parties with all the fun and games, I stayed with my aunt in Tacloban City and went to St. Scholastica’s College of Health Sciences to focus on my studies.

In that point in my life I thought everything would go on smoothly, but unfortunately, I failed in some of my subjects. That was the first time that I cried in front of my parents because I failed them and I failed myself from graduating on time.

It was in that moment of failure wherein I felt God’s guidance, reassuring me that a delay is not a denial on what He has planned for me. My parents were still supportive with my mission of finishing my degree, so I transferred to Ormoc City and enrolled in Western College of Ormoc and was able to finish my degree in Nursing.

Despite all the heartaches, sleepless nights, and discouragements of what is next after graduating, I made my family proud by passing the Nursing Board Exam in just one take. After passing the board exam, I volunteered as a nurse in Manila and later on worked as a full time nurse in Fairview General Hospital.

Just when everything seems to be fine and nothing could go wrong, the lowest point of my family’s life came when super typhoon Yolanda hit our country on November 8, 2013 and destroyed my beloved City in Tacloban. My sister, Emmarie Gwen, during that time was in the hospital doing her internship as a Medical Technologist. 

Right after the typhoon, all the cellular towers of the telecommunication companies were destroyed, so we were having trouble contacting my sister. Brothers and sisters, when you are in the middle of chaos and streets full of dead bodies of people that were drowned because of the flashflood; you could only think of the worse that might have also happened to your sister.

My whole family searched for her. Our hearts were heavy with worry and questions of what ifs and what’s next? The most painful part of that searching was seeing our mother almost losing hope of finding my sister alive as she started looking at the lifeless bodies lying on the street, hoping to at least see my sister’s body.

Brothers and sisters, God has yet again showed His love and plans for my family because after two days of looking for my sister, we finally found her alive and unharmed. She was even able to receive her diploma on the same year and passed the board exams for Medical Technologist in 2014, and proceeded with her Medical Degree in 2015. 

As for me, after that tragic incident, as soon as I was able to have my two-year experience as a full time nurse, I tried my luck and applied abroad. God answered my prayer and I was able to fly out of the country in 2015 and worked in Saudi Arabia. 

It was hard leaving my family behind and be in a very different culture but I still persevered because I wanted to help my family. I was able to help finance my siblings’ allowance and other financial needs in the family. Today, my brother, Emmanuel Tan Jr., now works in cruise ship as a cabin crew and our youngest sister, Danielle Ann Tan, is a journalist working in one of the non-government organization. 

I never felt God was away from me. I felt His presence all throughout my journey until I decided that it was time for me to go home and not to renew my contract in Saudi. I took the HAAD and fortunately passed the exam until I finally had the chance to move to another country here in Abu Dhabi and worked as a nurse. 

Up until today my brothers and sisters, I still cannot fathom the idea of me being able to reach this far because of God’s guidance and love for me and for my family. Who would have thought that the eldest daughter of both government employees would be able to graduate and earn her college degree and work abroad and be able to help the family? Who would have thought that after the super typhoon Yolanda, we could still have our complete family photo? Who would have thought that despite the life that we used to live in, my parents were able to raise a nurse, a seafarer, a doctor, and a journalist? 

I also believe that everything happens for a reason because if my siblings and I grew up in a rich family, we would not be able to know the true essence of hard work and perseverance.  God has taught me after all the trials my family has been through that, a delay is not denial and that His plans for each one of us is better than what we have planned for ourselves.

Despite all the hardships and failures that I experienced in my life, I am still blessed that I have a family that has a strong faith in God which also made me believe of the plans He has prepared for me. Yes, my parents were not rich, but my parents gave us a beautiful life, and for me, that is the greatest blessing that anyone could wish for.

May God Be Praised!