Thoughts: Hannah's Blog

It was the year 2008, recession was at its peak. (An earlier blog about it)I was placed in-campus in my 3rd year. But we did not get the joining letter. College was over in May, 55 of us were placed in the same company. None were called till November. After that they started calling batches every few months or so. All of us were so uncertain of being called.

Many started seeking opportunities outside. Some got through referrals. Some of us tried joining as lecturers in college then ran away within a month 🙂 Then we started sending resumes to everyone we know, everyone our parents know, everyone our relatives know. But none would work out. Then we would apply online, look at ads for walk-in and go there. It would turn out to be a consultancy where they would guarantee a job within a month but we need to pay a price or we need to sign some bond for a year or two.

This went on for months together, it seemed like the longest months ever. My mom gave an ultimatum: try and find a job or else go for higher studies. I thought she’d say “I’ll marry you off”, but that did not happen 😉 So I decided to prepare for GATE, wrote the exams and was waiting for the results. That’s when it happened.

My mom knew of some of her older batch of students who had a startup and wanted some freshers. But they asked for 50k. It was not an easy amount and I did not want to go to work paying some money. I had already written GATE and so I didn’t want to take it up. But mom stressed that it would add to my experience and that I can earn it back in a few months. They had promised 7k for first 3 months and an increase after that. I had 6 more months to join college anyway so decided to join.

It was a valley experience for me. There were 2 directors who never stepped out of their office room, one older admin guy and one other techie from whom I was getting KT (Knowledge Transfer) He left for the client location after 2 weeks. I was all alone with no one to talk to. I had lunch alone, I had to travel a long distance and if it were not for the amount paid, I wouldn’t have wanted to go at all. I felt so miserable, I couldn’t eat properly, I was loosing weight. (Shocker! Given that I was already under-weight)

But even amidst the dull and depressing situation, I could strongly feel that God was always there with me. Walking with me through the long walks to the bus stop, whenever it used to get too hot and unbearable for me, some cloud used to pass by and give me shelter. Whenever I felt too weak to stand in the crowded bus for the long journey, the seat right next to where I stood would become vacant, granting me the rest I need. In the little little things, in small small ways God showed me that He is near and that I can lean on him for strength when I am weak. It was a time of spiritual strengthening and growing closer to God.

One surprising thing in all this was that they had not encashed the cheque, even after 2 weeks of me joining there. I thought that would have been the first thing they did. And they had not given me the joining letter yet, said they were re-drafting it.

2 weeks later (after a month of me joining there) they gave back the cheque and cancelled it right in front of me and said they wanted me to sign a bond for 2 years and then to sign the joining letter as well. No mention of increase in pay after 3 months. The terms sounded sketchy but it was the greatest miracle that they gave back the cheque. I wouldn’t have wanted to sign the bond at any rate, by then my GATE results had arrived and by God’s grace it was a good grade – far greater than what I had expected.

So I declined their offer to sign the bond and escaped from there! The way it all worked out was so amazing for me: that God would protect my mother’s hard earned money, that He would provide me with such a way to escape, the timing was just right.

Do you find yourself trapped in a situation where there is no escape? Don’t worry, God will make a way where there seems to be no way, He works in ways that we can never even think or imagine.  He will provide you with a way of escape. He cares about you so much. Give all your cares and worries to him, trust in him and lean on him for strength. He will never let you down. He will carry you through in this season of waiting, you will wait and watch the wonderful way in which he will guide you out. Keep holding on to hope.