Transforming Today's World Magazine - JAN 2014 Special Edition Vol 5 Issue 3 | Page 9

dedicated young girl that believed NOTHING was too big to conquer!
Taking all of that into consideration, it was not surprising that a short
time later this young lady soon got on a bus with a couple of suitcases,
hair all a mess, with no make-up and entered the huge pageant doors to
an astounded group of professionals looking at her in dis-belief. Who
WAS this rag-a muffin in obvious dis-array? My goodness! What was
SHE doing here! Ara Celi, not losing one step, got to her room and
began to prepare. Knowing all too well she had never been in a pageant
before, the future of competition was daunting at best. So, she took the
high road, which, in her case was humor. She just looked at the entire
process as practically silly. Imagine: There were so many beautiful
women taking themselves so seriously. Their hair and make-up-was
perfect at all times and their gowns looked like they just walked off the
Red Carpet! Quite simply, there were all the girls and then there was
our girl. Smiling behind the pageant curtain was Ara Celi, who was no
longer daunted but curiously looking at all of the hoopla with a sense of
humor and amazement. As she walked out on the stage with grace and
attitude, she was aware of how seriously these girls looked at the
pageant and what it meant to them. To our girl it was all just amusement
and another fun experience in her life. Little did the other contestants
know, the inexperienced girl from El Paso would be the one walking
the REAL Red Carpet one day! Always in control, always driven,
always dedicated, Ara Celi was intimately in touch with the reality that
God had a plan and destiny for