It was a hard decision to make. Finances are tight. Children have school fees. You want to buy a place of your own. You’ve worked overseas before…should you go again? The money is good, but you’d be separated from your family. You seek advice from the church. You pray long and hard. You speak to your eldest children about it. In the end, the decision is made: move to Kuwait for a 3-year nursing contract.
Separation
Rene and Agnes Serna are disciples in the AMS (Arts, Ministry & Sports) sector of the Metro Manila Church of Christ. Rene is a musician, while Agnes is a nurse. They have 3 children ages 14 (a disciple in the teens ministry), 9 and 3. As many know, a musician’s work is unstable at best. And nursing doesn’t pay well in the Philippines. Agnes had worked in foreign countries as a nurse before – should she go again? The church’s advice was not to separate as a couple. However the financial challenges of raising their 3 children – especially paying school fees – seemed insurmountable.
So Agnes accepted an offer to work in Kuwait as a nurse. It’s not been easy. In her own words of advice to a fellow disciple back in Manila considering a job in Kuwait she expressed, “I miss my family. I need my husband the same way he needs me...spiritually, emotionally and physically. My children need me; as a mother I should be there to guide, mold and take care of them, but I am neglecting my role. I have many regrets leaving my family…I miss my children very much. I will not see my children grow. I will not be able to hug and kiss them anytime I want. I am not there to help them with their homework and listen to their stories. I didn't see my son's first haircut. I will not be able to take care of them when they are sick. “
Unification
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However, in spite of all these challenges, Agnes remains strong and faithful. Her daily Bible study led one of her colleagues and flatmate, Nancy, to ask her why she reads her Bible every day. Nancy commented that she’s not known other Christians who read their Bible everyday. Agnes started sharing about her faith and especially about how she finds comfort in Scripture despite missing her family. Soon Nancy was opening up about missing her family. Not long after, Nancy came to church and wanted to find out more about what the Bible says.
Six months after arriving in Kuwait, Agnes was fruitful. Nancy was baptized.
Today, both women are known in the hospital where they work for being Christians. When a new group of nurses arrived recently, a few of them asked around for a church and everyone directed them the same two people: Nancy and Agnes.
Both women are also united in finding a way to reunite their families – be that by going home to the Philippines or finding a country where they and their family can be united.
When asked what advice she had for other disciples in her situation, Agnes candidly shares, “Looking back, I see God had a hand in my coming to Kuwait because my flatmate and colleague, Nancy, became a Christian. And I’ve learned a lot from the church and the sisters here in Kuwait. I think it is not so much a decision of right versus wrong, but a decision of ‘what is best’. “If you find your job will take too much of your time away from your family, remember: you can get another job or even learn another career. But you don't have a second chance to see your child take his first steps, read him stories, teach him principles and family values. Today my deepest desire is to be reunited my family. But I’ve learned that God can use every decision we make and every situation we are in to His glory.”