I’ve moved to another blog! Please follow wonderfilledissa.com instead of this website.
Wonderfilled Issa is being updated instead of this one, so go read that one.
(Although you’re welcome to read and follow this blog, I’d prefer if you followed my new website – which I actually started on April 2017 haha – where you’ll find my latest stuff.)
2016 was one of the best years of my life, and I can’t just point out a single highlight from it. Let me tell you about the major highlights of my 2016.
• Scuba Diving in Puerto Princesa, Philippines (January)
As a little girl, my dad, who scuba-dived as part of his work, amazed me with bedtime stories of his adventures under the sea. Years later, I saw those stories come to life as I plunged into the ocean when I went through the PADI Introduction to Scuba Diving.
• TGIF (February)
I volunteered as a core team member of TGIF (Thank God It’s Friday), our church’s new youth service. I wore many hats as a graphic designer, music team leader, social media head, host, and even the featured speaker.
Before, I was terrified of having to speak in front of a crowd, because I wasn’t used to it, plus I was scared of stuttering or forgetting what to say. Hosting and speaking for TGIF helped me overcome my stage fright and approach the audience with preparedness and confidence.
• South Africa’s Explore 2016 (March and April)
I also fell in love with a bunch of South Africans. Their team of 12 traveled to 11 countries in Asia and Africa this year. Nepal was their 2nd stop. They inspired me for a number of reasons. One of which is that, back in Pretoria, South Africa, they were working professionals, but they sacrificed a year of their lives and the comfort of home for the sake of serving and experiencing the cultures of the people who looked differently and lived differently from them.
In their 3-week stay, I was quick to form bonds with most of their members, and was won over by their:
1. ACCENT.
2. Beautiful eyes + hair
3. Amazing life stories
4. Love for God
5. (Really being honest with y’all) Handsome guys huhuWAHAHA
6. Crazy good dancing!!!!1!!1
7. And did I mention their ACCENT???
• The Art Market (January-April)
The Art Market is a monthly art fair in Kathmandu which inspired me enough that I came up with an idea that I, a mere 15 year-old, could sell my own art there – in the arena of multinational and professional artists and businesses.
After four months of experimenting and creating my designs, hours of mentorship from StrengthsFinder coach, business, and artist friends, multiple letters to ask for advice and assistance from friends, and even getting rejected by the organisers – by the grace of God, I made it to the Art Market on April 9, a Saturday.
The best things out of that day were #1, my greeting cards and postcards made so many people smile, #2, I made so many friends, and #3, I learned so many new things and ways I could’ve improved on.
• Trek to Gosaikunda Lake (April-May)
I didn’t behold the extent of Nepal’s beauty until I visited its majestic mountain ranges, which boast 8 out of 11 highest peaks in the world. I trekked the Gosaikunda trail in the Langtang mountain range, which brought me to 4,380m above sea level.
It was physically the hardest thing I did in my life: I trekked a maximum of six hours a day without prior training. Our total distance was 28 kilometres, with a total ascent of 2500m.
We also had to live with poor mountain lodge facilities. For example, I wasn’t able to take a bath for almost five days! One time I got so worried because I got a headache – a symptom of altitude sickness. Thank God, it was only because I was dehydrated.
But it was all worth the climb, because I trekked through Lord-of-the-Rings-esque views, saw awe-inspiring high altitude flora and fauna, the starriest night sky I’ve ever seen, and the magnificent, snow-crowned mountains. I made friends with fellow Israeli, Russian, French, English, Korean, and Tamang trekkers.
It was an experience of a lifetime which taught me that anyone, even a young girl like me, can climb mountains.
• Trip to Armenia (June)
I’ll be moving to Armenia in March, but we first visited it last year. I loved it there! Here are some cool stuff we did:
1. Almost saw the Pope when he paid a visit.
2. Watched the fabulous National Philharmonic Orchestra! A classical music fangirl dream come true.
3. Saw Mt. Ararat, the mountain where Noah’s Ark historically landed, from our window.
4. Visited the Armenian National Genocide Museum and Memorial and felt the country’s sorrow.
5. Ate lots of lavash.
6. Kept up with the Armenians. (Kudos if you know Kim Kardashian is half-Armenian. TBH the rest of the Armenians look like models!!!!)
I’m excited to move there already HAHAHA
• My 16th Birthday (September)
My 16th birthday was one of the best birthdays ever! I was overwhelmed by everyone’s appreciative greetings because I realised how much of an impact I was making in other people’s lives. I was even surprised twice in my own house, with cakes and song numbers. One of them was rainbow cake! BEST CAKE EVER!
• Leaving Nepal (November)
This is a bittersweet highlight. My family and I had to say goodbye to this second home we’d lived in for almost six years. As I walked around Kathmandu, I lingered and cherished the city as I saw it. I tried to look at the places as if I saw them for the first time. A friend told me, “Don’t do that. You have to learn how to move on.” But I did it anyway.
I miss my friends, who cried when they heard the news, and still miss me so much. I miss the dust of the city and the blue skies. The spicy food. The small Labim Mall. The fun third-world lifestyle. The mountains.
As Clara Benin sang it: My heart is aching to be in two places at once.
• Winning Matthew Mole’s contest (November and December)
When we arrived in the Philippines last November – fresh from Nepal, I was distracted from crying about Nepal, because I found out that I won a contest by Matthew Mole – a South African singer.
Entrants of the contest had to creatively spell out the title of his new single “Holding On” with all sorts of objects. I used the fists of my good friends in Nepal, and captioned it with a story about how it felt like leaving Nepal and what I learned from it. I think it was the caption that made Matt take notice and pick me.
The prize is a vinyl record and CD of his new album (I need a turntable, someone pls), plus some merch. I’m still waiting for it to arrive/discreetly checking our apartment’s lobby everyday (so maybe the receptionists think I’m weird) to see if there’s a parcel.
Before, I believed that I would become friends with this amazing artist, and we are now, online, at least.
• Baguio Wedding (December)
I cried for the first time because of a beautiful wedding when my friends from church, Rodnel and Siena, tied the knot.
In the morning, the ceremony was held in a beautiful garden surrounded by the pristine, pine-clad mountainside of Baguio Country Club. In the evening, the reception was in a forest clearing illuminated by hanging light bulbs, with a program that included a BBQ party, #LIT hosts, and music numbers. At the open mic sessions, my sister and I sang “The Wedding Song” by Matthew Mole, accompanied by a genius guitarist we just met.
We also had mini-adventures around Baguio with good friends, and the trip made me love my own country more. It prepared me to end the year gratefully.
So those were the 10 highlights of my 2016. What about yours? I’d love to hear all about your 2016 in the comments!
I hope you’ll have an awesome 2017. Take heart and be courageous, friend!
“What if Jesus did not instantly know who he was? Or what his gifts were? What if it dawned on him only gradually, as it dawns on each of us? Maybe his mother recited stories of the unusual events surrounding his birth. Maybe she set the beautiful boxes the three wise men brought him on a shelf in his room, and at night the young boy would take them down and hold them and wonder.” – Jesus, CEO, by Laurie Beth Jones.
This about-to-end-Easter, let me share a story I wrote, in which I imagined Jesus Christ as a little boy and a teenager.
Well, sometimes, God gives us a little imagination for us to draw nearer to Him. And, before a story moves in the heart of its readers, it must first move the heart of the writer.
The reason why I wrote this comes from two Christmases ago, as we watched a lights show that told the story of the birth of Jesus, at a busy Greenhills bazaar in Manila, Philippines. Suddenly, I felt moved by this story of Jesus I’d heard a thousand times over. Recalled to my memory also was the quote mentioned above, and I began to wonder.
Next, I imagined what the boy Jesus, who was just starting to live His life, had felt when He realised what He was really living for on Earth. And, in the midst of that evening crowd, the revelation brought me to tears.
As I put my fingers to the keyboard to write the revelation down, the Holy Spirit then led me to a new realisation of the Gospel and the identity of Jesus, and embraced my heart with a new kind of love.
In sharing this story, I hope you’ll enjoy the same kind of treasure I had in the joy of loving Jesus.
Last month (yeeeeeah, better late than never xD), I spent a Saturday afternoon at a rad event called “Poetry Menu II”, which took place at this nifty place called the Tattva Bistro, and was hosted by the Word Warriors. The Word Warriors are a group of slam/spoken word poets based in Kathmandu, and are, of course, rad as well. Here, I shall share the observations, opinions, and experiences I had during the course of the event.
Yes, I know. It’s been a long while, as I’d been battling the monsters Writer’s Block, Procrastination, Distraction, and Wandering Aimlessly, so I’d been unable to post for weeks. Thankfully, to come to my rescue, I stumbled upon the latest post from one of my favourite blogs, Scathing Jellyfish, in which Stefan, the author, talked about “Tidbits and Interestings”, which is basically the stuff he’s particularly fond of and looking forward to at that time, and asked us if we could maybe do our own “Tidbits and Interestings” post.
I gladly took up the initiative, because I finally had something nice to write about, and I did have some stuff I really liked and wanted to share about, plus, I really look up to Scathing Jellyfish. It took me a painstakingly long time to make this into something readable, but finally, I did it! So, without further ado, here is a list of Awesome Things 🙂
My whole life was radically changed and dedicated to being on fire for Jesus after attending Ignite 2015, from June 2-4 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Manila!
First off, what is Ignite? Ignite is a three-day youth leadership conference hosted by Every Nation Campus – or in my words, the RADDEST party ever I’ve attended in the name of Jesus.
Because it had it all: mind-blowing worship concerts, intense and heart-wrenching messages delivered by stunning speakers, electric crowd participation, opportunities to be BFFs with amazing people from a crowd of 14,000 from 1,486 campuses and 36 countries, and last but definitely not the least, the unmistakable presence of the Holy Spirit. All in all, it wouldn’t be enough to say Ignite was an unforgettable experience; Ignite totally changed my life!
YES. I’ve finally come through with this blog.
After spending ages on picking a theme, writing the ‘About’ page, and groaning about how to write this post, I’ve finally, finally, finally come through with this blog.
So, what’s this blog gonna be about? Yup… It also took me ages figuring out the answer to this question, what with taking up Jeff Goins‘s “Intentional Blogging Challenge” and discovering that I wanted to take blogging seriously. In that challenge, the first step was to find my focus for my blog before I actually made my blog. The main question posed in that first lesson was, “What are you passionate about?” Whoa der. This is yet ANOTHER question that took ages for me to think about, and I still haven’t got a definite answer! You see, I even put up a page of my list of Top 10’s just to show how many things I am very interested in.
And I must say I got a bit obsessed with finding a specific purpose for writing a blog, and also with finding my calling – which I guess isn’t very recommendable at this age, unless you’re Malala Yousafzai, who embodies ‘the struggle you are up against makes you what you are’, or Hiro Hamada, who’s terribly good at his passion.
But really, I haven’t gone through a huge disaster that radically shaped my life (yet), and I don’t consider myself an expert in anything (yet). Plus, I follow some pretty amazing blogs, which are personal blogs, that don’t really have specific purposes except for being the personal blogs of their authors. For now, I guess I will just keep this blog a personal blog, because I am still busy figuring out my course in life and figuring out who I am 🙂
I hope you’ll be able to bear with me and actually like what I write! Not being a normal kid living an ordinary life brings up some pretty bizarre and interesting experiences, and I sure don’t think and act like kids my age. (But where are the actual kids who think and act how kids should at this age?? Do you know some? No?! I guessed so.)
“But we don’t think like other children, do we, Val? We don’t talk like other children. And above all, we don’t write like other children. […] I see myself as knowing how to insert ideas into the public mind. Haven’t you ever thought of a phrase, Val, a clever thing to say, and said it, then two weeks or a month later you hear some adult saying it to another adult, both of them strangers?”
“I always figured I heard it before and only thought I was making it up.”
“You were wrong. […] Val, we can say the words that everyone else will be saying two weeks later. We can do that. We don’t have to wait until we’re grown up and safely put away in some career.”-Peter Wiggin to Valentine Wiggin, Ender’s Game, pg. 164
Well, my visions differ from Peter Wiggin’s, but we do both agree on not waiting until we’re grown up. What I’ll be posting about, for now, will be my experiences and some pieces of my perspective, with the goal of expressing myself, so I apologise if some of them don’t make sense and thank you gratefully if you find that some of them do make sense! (Believe me, that’s why I said goodbye to my old blog, because almost all of my posts didn’t make sense, haha. Hopefully, this time, I’ll get better!) 😀
Alrighty then – welcome to my blog! Enjoy your stay.
And other poetic stuff I write.
Started with a desire to become a writer. These articles are made with wisdom upon hearing God's word to be used as a tool to help people witness His grace and love in their lives as I have. By reading and sharing these blogs, you can help make disciples too as we all share God's wonderful message for us ♡ #inspiredtoinspire
From the mind that breaks you!
Wonder-filled Sam 