The Calling

So, I was in Singapore from the 17th to the 21st of July in the 2013th year of our Lord for the
16th Baptist Youth World Conference themed Reach
(See, even the theme itself is mission-related)
And I thought that this was just another rally, we get all fired up, and we all go home, and by next Sunday its business as usual, with bonus holiday pictures like

Yeah, I'm the shorty in the middle v(T.T)v

And

Left corner, standing *not so short after all* ^_^

And I've got to say, my bro and I had tonnes of fun over there with God's people. But it was so much more than that. I never thought it was going to end up like this, and impact my life this way.

During my first day there, I explored the common area once we got there, and hooooo boy there were so many stalls to visit. There was this one stall, tucked away in an inconspicuous corner, and there were a few ladies seated there. It looked like any other stall there, but for one notable difference. It was filled with flags and maps of different countries. And led like a lamb to a slaughter I followed this strange unexplainable impulse to walk to it. It said boldly SIM~ Serving in Missions.

WHOA. This must be a joke, right? God, You let me throw those years away studying lifeless machines and NOW You lead me here? Those days are long gone, GONE! Look in the box labelled

Impossible

and tell me what You see in there? Yes, that's the dream I gave up! And now You dare-

"Hello, young man. How may I help you? You have an interest in missions, yes?" 

Said a sister to me. I fumbled out a response that maybe I was. I told her frankly that I didn't know what led me to that stall, bypassing other stalls with big names like the BWA and the Dallas Baptist University. I just told her how I really was, and she understood. I chatted some more with another sister who was with her about the possibilities of me going into missions. She gave me a card, and left in me a slight tremor

 Am I really too late?

So it passed, I walked away from that stall as fast as my legs could. This is nuts!~ said I to the Lord.
Remember Jonah?~ retorted the Lord to me. Sure, send me a sign~ I snapped back bitterly.
*Readers beware. When you ask Him for a sign, He gets dramatic pretty easily*

On the 2nd day, we discussed the passage where Jesus washes His disciples feet, and I got this urge to point out to my family group (its like a Care Group, but International!) this sentence in the passage:

He got up from his meal

And eloquently I posited to my interested group members that when we are called for humble service, we are often called during the times when it is most inconvenient for us. So we, like Jesus, should respond immediately when we are called, not when it suits us.

Christianity doesn't have the luxury of convenience, I argued. I felt the Lord chuckle at my side: "Couldn't have said it better. Now about your university..." I tuned Him out for the rest of the discussion. Really, I was getting flustered

On the 3rd night, if i remember correctly, there was this speaker who challenged us all with a few questions~

What would you do for Jesus if you had no restrictions, nothing to hold you back, not time, not money, nothing?

was the one that impacted me the most. Really, God? You're going to pull this off underhandedly? You know full well that I would've wound back the clock and entered into missions. And NOW You want me to think about it? But my university...? "You have said it from your own lips", I felt the Lord answer. I swallowed hard. My dad isn't going to like this... "Follow Me. No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God" But...I haven't even started missions yet!!! "You did when you first called me Lord."

Then He gave me a break, and didn't bother me with signs until the next day. I was having a stroll with my newfound friends from India and Indonesia and Singapore. We were having durian icecream.
*Readers, if you haven't tried durian, do so. Now. I insist*
And we thought that it would be a fun idea to see the reactions of people who tried it for the first time.
A German brother who sampled it pulled a poker face and said it tasted rather good.
An African brother to whom I passed a spoonful ingested it, savored and started thanking me with tears in his eyes. I jest not, his eyes brimmed over with tears and he thanked me profusely for my kindness.
Kindness??? What did I just do??? @,@
And then it hit me. What passed as my lunch's dessert was this brother's breakfast. He hardly had a bite to eat since the start of the day! No wonder he looked so famished.
"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in"
Whoa. Lord. This blew me away. Later we packed lunch meals for refugee children in destitute countries, and I felt...happy

You'd think this is all over? Not even close.