This is an article I wrote recently for the Adventist Frontiers magazine. It has not been published yet, so I thought I could attract more users if they found out that they were getting the premier reading of certain, prestigious essays.

Sitting in my dorm room, staring at the wall, and thinking about all the homework that I should be doing—and all the other things that I should be doing, I begin to think about how my life was in the Philippines, and what might have happened had I not gone. Of course, I had just turned nine years old when I went, and I didn't have a whole lot of say in the matter. Even so, I was very excited about the whole ordeal. Little did I know what I was getting myself into as we set off into the great unknown. Now, it's been ten years since that date, and I have much to look back on. I know that living in the Philippines has caused me to miss a lot of what's happening in America--especially the friends and connections that I could have had. But what did I get in exchange? Getting bit by a snake, a poisonous centipede, lots of different types of ants, and many other critters of which I don't know the names; swimming in the cold mountain river; helping to save people's lives on a weekly basis; seeing the joy on my friend's faces when the light came on and they really saw Jesus for who He was. Sure I missed out on things here, but what were they? A bunch of no-good rock stars? The new “sag” look? American teen sub-culture? Frankly, I don't think that I missed out on a whole lot. Well, for all you out there, I just want to let you know, it was more than worth it. Going to the Philippines was something that I would never trade—not for all the superficial attractions of the world. And what did I gain? Well, why don't you follow the calling and find out for yourself?

§ Timothy George