The Beginning
Hello everyone! Welcome to my blog!
As many of you may know, my name is Vianay Valadez, I am 20 years old, and I have made the decision to serve as a student missionary in Chad, Africa for my 2015-2016 school year. Now, I am sure that many of you may be wondering why I chose Chad and what in the world led me to make this decision . . . I mean, I should be focusing on my studies and thinking about what I'm going to do once I graduate, right? Well, let me give you a background story as to how this all came about.
This was not the plan. I didn't plan to be a student missionary this year at all! I had my life set: I was going to finish my undergrad, continue working as the secretary for my dorm, participate in school events, etc. I was going to live the "what you see in movies" college life (without the partying, of course). Then one Sabbath morning at La Sierra University's Collegiate Sabbath School, Randall Sāfotu, who was a student missionary in Egypt, shared his story/experience with us. I listened and was intrigued, but when Sabbath School was over, I went on with my day. Yet, something kept pulling me back to Randy's story. Something kept telling me, It's time. Time? Time for what? Little did I know, that God was calling me to serve.
I brushed off the idea and I told God that being a missionary was not my plan. At least not yet. I kept going about my business but God kept interrupting whatever I was doing to tell me that I was ready to go.
UM. No, God. I told you I'm not ready. I don't even know where I would go.
Don't worry, I know where you're going.
HA! NO.
Yes.
.....No.
Trust me.
I thought I was going crazy, so I just got on my knees and started to pray. I told God that I wasn't exactly ready and that I had planned out my life already. However, if it was His will, I would do it. I was trusting Him. I would put my life in His hands. Within the next few weeks with TONS of prayer, I accepted God's call. I was SUPER scared. I even remember going to Yesenia Sosa's (one of my best friends) room to talk to her about it, and we just cried together. Yet, we promised to follow God in whatever happened and that we would go together, and I have not once regretted that decision. I talked to my Missions director, Linda, and told her that I wanted to go somewhere in Africa that was extremely rural, somewhere where life was going to be hard and where I didn't know the culture AT ALL. That's when she found Chad.
Since then, I have been in contact with the doctor at Béré Adventist Hospital in Chad where I will be serving. My heart is full of joy and I have been putting every bit of faith that I have in the plans that God has for me. I may not have planned to be a missionary this year, but God did, and His plan ALWAYS prevails when we surrender to Him and have the will to be a part of it. I hope that through this blog, you will find encouragement, inspiration, and joy as you embark on this journey with me. Whatever happens, happens. And I'm okay with that, because wherever God leads, I will follow.
May you all be blessed,
Vianay Valadez
As many of you may know, my name is Vianay Valadez, I am 20 years old, and I have made the decision to serve as a student missionary in Chad, Africa for my 2015-2016 school year. Now, I am sure that many of you may be wondering why I chose Chad and what in the world led me to make this decision . . . I mean, I should be focusing on my studies and thinking about what I'm going to do once I graduate, right? Well, let me give you a background story as to how this all came about.
This was not the plan. I didn't plan to be a student missionary this year at all! I had my life set: I was going to finish my undergrad, continue working as the secretary for my dorm, participate in school events, etc. I was going to live the "what you see in movies" college life (without the partying, of course). Then one Sabbath morning at La Sierra University's Collegiate Sabbath School, Randall Sāfotu, who was a student missionary in Egypt, shared his story/experience with us. I listened and was intrigued, but when Sabbath School was over, I went on with my day. Yet, something kept pulling me back to Randy's story. Something kept telling me, It's time. Time? Time for what? Little did I know, that God was calling me to serve.
I brushed off the idea and I told God that being a missionary was not my plan. At least not yet. I kept going about my business but God kept interrupting whatever I was doing to tell me that I was ready to go.
UM. No, God. I told you I'm not ready. I don't even know where I would go.
Don't worry, I know where you're going.
HA! NO.
Yes.
.....No.
Trust me.
I thought I was going crazy, so I just got on my knees and started to pray. I told God that I wasn't exactly ready and that I had planned out my life already. However, if it was His will, I would do it. I was trusting Him. I would put my life in His hands. Within the next few weeks with TONS of prayer, I accepted God's call. I was SUPER scared. I even remember going to Yesenia Sosa's (one of my best friends) room to talk to her about it, and we just cried together. Yet, we promised to follow God in whatever happened and that we would go together, and I have not once regretted that decision. I talked to my Missions director, Linda, and told her that I wanted to go somewhere in Africa that was extremely rural, somewhere where life was going to be hard and where I didn't know the culture AT ALL. That's when she found Chad.
Since then, I have been in contact with the doctor at Béré Adventist Hospital in Chad where I will be serving. My heart is full of joy and I have been putting every bit of faith that I have in the plans that God has for me. I may not have planned to be a missionary this year, but God did, and His plan ALWAYS prevails when we surrender to Him and have the will to be a part of it. I hope that through this blog, you will find encouragement, inspiration, and joy as you embark on this journey with me. Whatever happens, happens. And I'm okay with that, because wherever God leads, I will follow.
May you all be blessed,
Vianay Valadez