Meet Chielo
Hi I'm Chielo, and I am 21 years old. I am from the island of Bohol with the sea in my blood. Bohol is my home, the place with beautiful beaches. But right now God has planted me in Butuan to serve Him and His people.
I always heard about God and Jesus when I was just a kid. But it didn’t really matter to me back then. I knew the names, but my heart was not interested. Then I was 13, the big earthquake happened in Bohol. After that, missionaries came to our place. They shared the Gospel with us. They also had Bible studies in our area. I was there listening, but still did not care much at that time. It took me 3 years to grow and really believe in Him. When I was 16, God finally changed my heart.
One day I was riding my motorcycle home from school. The rain was very hard. There was thunder and lightening everywhere. I was so scared. It was dark that I could not almost see the road. I could only see the road clearly when lightening flashed in the sky. The thunder was so close. It felt like a big flashlight following me. I really thought I was gonna die because I could be hit by the thunder at any second. I cried and cried while driving. I prayed, “Lord, don't let me die today, please! I'm not ready. I'm not sure if it will go to heaven.”
Then I got home safely, but I was wet and still crying. I changed my clothes and went to my room. I prayed to the Lord for about an hour. I begged and cried. I said “Lord, please remove the doubt in my heart. I want to really trust you. Please change my heart. Please help me to trust you completely. I want to be in heaven with you. Please have mercy on me Lord. Please, Lord, because I'm scared.”
While I was praying I fell asleep when I woke up, I felt something new. I felt joy. I felt peace. I felt happiness. I felt renewed. Before I was scared. But now I'm free in the name of Jesus. That day I accepted Jesus as my Lord and savior.
I just joined Nehemiah Teams as a translator. This is my very first time to do this work. I will be honest: translating is not easy. Some days the words get stuck in my mind. Some days the heat makes my head spin. Some days I'm afraid that I will say the wrong thing. Translating needs patience, prayer, and a lot of listening. But by the Grace of God He helps me grow and survive it. Each word I translate, each house I visit. God is teaching me to trust Him more. He is teaching me to be faithful even in small things.
I am outgoing person with an adventurous heart. I love to talk and meet new people. I love swimming, exploring new places. I love saying “yes” to new experiences. Bohol taught me to love people and new challenges.
I may be new at this work, but my goal is simple. I want to serve God. I want to love our people well. Even when translating feel heavy. I know His grace carries me. Life with Him is the greatest adventure. I’m learning it one word at a time, one conversion at a time. I pray and hope that the Lord will use me will the very last breath of my life.
Zechariah 4:6
Not by might, nor by power, but by His Spirit.
- Kylie
Philippine Summer Media Intern