For me to be in this picture today is the story of incredible love, determination and the amazing grace of God. I share this with you in the hopes that it will encourage you that nothing is impossible with God.
My father, George Tan passed away suddenly in a blasting accident when I was 11 and my sister was about 9. Dad had only very recently received Jesus into his life and our lives as a small family was comfortable.
Our lives were forever changed the day we lost dad. My mum, suddenly had to look for a job and my sister and I were left to fend for ourselves at home.There were times when mum's stall could barely earn RM20 for the week and it was hard going. But mum always made sure we had food on the table and money in our pockets for school.
I am really grateful to my mum and all her struggles to provide for us. During our school years in St. Teresa, we never had any new text books as most of them had to be on loan. But God sent me some great teachers, they motivated me and some even applied for scholarships and bursaries on my behalf.
It was tough on my mum. She was working two jobs and trying to give us the best. She would send us for tuition either in between work or after her work finished. She was often exhausted and tired reaching home after work at 12 midnight. Later in my upper form, Uncle Fredrick from church offered to send me for tuition and that saved mum quite a few trips for that year.
I guess from a mum's point of view she also wanted to give sis and me a comfortable life. And so she worked hard to provide for tuition fees, Astro program and the occasional outing. Later after her PMR, my sis also worked part time so that she could have some extra pocket money.
All this time however, my family was never without help, love or support from different church members. I really don't know what my family would have done without them. They were there to cheer us on, encourage us and stand by us .
As I grew older my ambition had always been to be a medical doctor. I envied many of my friends whose parents could so easily send them for medical studies abroad. My only hope to get into medicine then was to score high for my STPM. Unfortunately, I only managed an A and 2 B's. It was hard for me. Unlike many of my friends I had no other option but to take what the Government was offering me.. Environmental Science. I remember talking to Aunty Su back then and I recalled she said to give it a try because perhaps God had a better plan for me... If He did then, I couldn't see it back then but I decided if this was the only way to get a degree , I would accept the offer.
Mid way through my first year a government official called me and said that they had noted I had asked to study medicine and given my present grades in my first year they were offering to send me on a scholarship for a degree in Medicine. I was really overjoyed.. my dream come true!
But it meant leaving my friends and my mum. So after much discussion, prayer and thought I turned down their offer and decided to finish my environmental studies.
This year I graduated the top of my class and the top student of my faculty. As a top student with a top score in my studies my university has offered me a scholarship to complete a Doctorate program by-passing a Master's degree. This to me is an awesome opportunity and a tremendous testimony of God's grace and favor upon my life. Aunty Su came for my awards ceremony and I told everyone she was my "God -Ma"!
When my dad passed away my mum could easily have given up on Christ and grown bitter at the thought of being a widow at such a young age. But my mum sent us faithfully to church and encouraged me and sis to join the youth team. My life's testimony so far is that God has just shown me favor after favor with my teachers, friends, professors and educational opportunities. He has brought people into my life at just the right time and led me to relationships with many people like Uncle Fredrick, Uncle Brian, Uncle Jeff and Aunty Su and with Aunty Teck Hui, Aunty Madelyn and Aunty Lily and so many others at GNF who have stood by me and my family all these years. He has always put my sister and I at the right place at exactly the right time. I really give Him all the glory today .
Honestly my graduation is a testimony that our God is an awesome and mighty God. He has made a way for me at every crucial moment of my student life. Keep Praising Him!
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