And it is in our humanity that we experience the fullness of God.
‘So, why did you choose social work?’
It’s a FAQ, and one of my favourite. But when my interviewer asked me that today, I found myself giving a slightly different (and perhaps longer) answer than usual.
‘Actually, I didn’t start out wanting to do social work. I always thought I’ll do something more back-end, related to social policy. That’s why I majored in economics at first. But the more I found out about social work, the more I saw something different in it. Especially after my 2 field placements. I saw the value of relationships, I saw a message of hope. To me, when people come to seek help, no matter what’s the presenting issue, whether it’s financial assistance or family problems, I find that they are always looking for something more. They are looking for the hope that things can be better. In our medical setting, for those who are in pain or overwhelmed, sometimes they might even be looking for hope just to continue living. I once attended this medical forum, and the doctor said something which left a deep impression on me- ‘In life, sometimes we find ourselves in circumstances where we might have to hope for less. But we are never hopeless.’ To me that’s what social work is about. And while I cannot create hope by myself, as a social worker I can facilitate the search for hope for my clients and patients, and it’s a privilege to do so.’
By God’s grace, the rest of the interview went rather smoothly as well. Now’s the waiting to see if there’s an offer. And I will hope.
Because in Christ, there is always strength for today, and hope for tomorrow.
Harvest.in.progress 