The Gift of Peace - Sadie Rix Labita
I am the eldest of the five siblings and the time my father died when I was 16, I took his authority to be the house pillar in the family. I was on my senior’s year in high school that time and I am worried about my studies. My mom is a housewife and she gets her income by washing laundries of our wealthy neighbour. Still her earnings were not even enough to raise us 5 siblings. But God is our supplement and we able to pursue our studies and ate our meal 3 times a day. “1. The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.” Psalm 23
Before my senior year ends, my batch mate in high school took scholarship exams in DOST-SEI to pursue our dreams in college. The exam was hard and I can’t even remember how I able to answer them all. Month of April a week after our graduation day, I saw my friend running towards our house, smiling and shouting calling out of my name. He spoke first to my mom and I saw her cry. Then he went over me, shakes my hand, informing me that I passed the scholarship exam. The following day I went to DOST office for the orientation and I am very excited to meet my batch mates who also took the exam with me. However my excitement turns to be indifferent. I don’t have a friend in the place and the facilitator informed me that I was the only one who passed the exam from our school. “2. He makes me lie down in green pasture, he leads me beside quiet waters, and he refreshes my soul.”
I pursue Electronics Engineering in college and I can still remember the first week of school, a group of higher EcE students went to our room for a meeting and it is all about sharing the word of God. From there my faith grow, baptised to be a Christian, start leading small group and sharing His word to fellow students. A midst of adversities that life brings on my studies, I successfully completed my 5 years of training on my profession. ”3. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.”
I took the board exam in the same year after our graduation and I didn’t passed. But deep inside my heart there is peace and I didn’t even feel worried about it. I know that God has something better plan for my life during that time. When I got my exam rating, I found out that I was on the “Conditional” status which means I only need to retake the subject which I had failed. I immediately informed my mom and our home was full of joy. I decided to go back to Cebu after 2 weeks from the time I got home in CDO. I am hunting for a job and it’s really difficult to look for a right company which I will qualify. I am running out of money that time and I only eat once a day for 3 weeks because my mom doesn’t have money too. First quarter of December but still I’m unemployed. I wanted to go home but I do not have money left on my pocket. I celebrated Christmas alone in my boarding house. I received calls and texts of greetings and it broke my heart wishing I could also be with my family too. During that night I pray and I can feel that God is on my side talking to me and letting me know that I am not alone in that room and I need to be happy on His birthday. My face fall down on the floor while kneeling and my sadness turn into worship. “4. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
December 26, 2012 I woke up early and prepared my resume. I walk-in on companies and took their entrance exam. The first company it failed me so I went on after another and praised God before my day ends, an HR told me, “Your hired!”. “5. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
And “Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Psalm 23:6
