Salaamu'alaikum! First off, let me give you some background info so you know what it's like in my life :) I was born in the Philippines because my dad served in the Air Force. I was baptized Catholic, but it wasn't really taken too seriously. I flew back to the US when I was around 3 or 4, I don't quite remember.

Anyhow, I have been in Catholic schools all my life. I can remember how much I hated to go to religion class in grade school. I was basically taught that Jesus(pbuh) was THE ONLY way to get to heaven. I didn't agree with them a lot of the time, but I went on with my business and didn't say anything. The first time I said something was in my 8th grade year. True, many people rebel when they become teenagers, but my "rebellion" was in a different source. I remember going through a process before getting Confirmed. I remember dreading the meetings because I couldn't bear to listen to them ramble on and on. See, I would've prabably done something earlier, but I'm from a city/town of 5,000 in NW Indiana, and it's a Christian city all around. So days went by and I got confirmed...I didn't do it for me, but so I would fit in because everyone else did. I can remember try to be "religious", but the more I tried the more ridiculous the whole thing sounded. I wasn't a bad kid to begin with, but it was really hard to be something I wasn't.

So, in April of '98 came and I was on Easter Break. I decided it was my chance to see what else there was out there. By this time, I had become determined to find out what the truth was. I set out to find answers my teachers and priests didn't give me, because they had avoided answering me. Ok, that clued me in that I might've been onto something when they didn't answer, but what I found made me even more convinced. I didn't tell my friends about it quite yet, I wasn't ready to tell them. So we graduated, and then the breakthrough began. It took a while, but if I recall it all started in July. I was in Denver on vacation, and I saw this road sign that said "Islamic Center next right". I thought, "What's Islam all about?" I remember watching a TV Program that night which talked about Jihad and terrorism, and how they intertwined somehow. So I made a note to look it up as soon as we got home...but I forgot that when I would get home I was going on vacation with my mom to Disney World. (The happiest place on earth...sometimes :) ) My parents are divorced, so it makes it easier to understand. I've always had an interest in geography, so I spent a lot of time in Epcot, and walked along the countries by myself and I came upon a man named Jiwad from Morocco. We talked and Islam came up, and this got me even mroe interested. So we got home, and went to school the next day.

I started attending a Catholic high school, and had a priest teaching my theology class! Ack, I was in for it now, I thought. But even so, I'd read articles and pamphlets on Islam I got online. I remember one day he came by my desk and saw one, I think it was on Paul from an Islamic perspective. He thought it was from Christian, like most people would...and he read, and paused. He looked at me, and kind of shook his head as to discourage me. I took that as an incentive to learn more, even though I know he was disappointed in me. So 1/2 year went by, Christmas Vacation time. Some friends and myself went to Chicago, and it dawned on me that it'd be a great time to buy books on Islam, and, of course, a copy of the Qur'an. So I went straight to Borders and bought a Qur'an, but couldn't find the book "Daughters of Another Path." True, i'm not female, but I thought that it would present some of the same situations I am in. So we left the store and on the ride home, one friend asked "what's a...um...how do you say that?" I told him, and he just looked at me like he'd seen a ghost! So I read it asap, and I was ultimately convinced that it was the truth, the words of Allah(swt) himself.

Now I was faced with a dilemma. I wanted to revert, but now I was having second thoughts. So I looked in my Qur'an, and that assured me that my decision was to revert. "When? Where? How?" were some of the questions I asked...So one day, May 10th to be exact....I knew that I couldn't wait any longer. In the back of my mind I was looking for some sort of "sign" to tell me I was right, but I realized it wasn't necessary. So I took my shahadah, alhumdulillah. It was almost magic, I could feel my life beginning again.

It's been about 5 months, and it's time for school again...and I have the same priest. This time I enjoy it, because now I don't have to hide. Now I can be Muslim, and try to represent Allah as best as I can. Insha'allah, I'll do my best in school, and so will the rest of the students reading this! And at the moment, my Qur'an is being read by a friend of mine! Insha'allah, Allah will guide her too! Take care everyone, thanks for reading this LONG story! Wasalaam, Adam