Wednesday, November 4, 2009

The Cost of a Dream

When I first started this journey everyone, or let's say almost everyone, encouraged me to pursuit my dream and do what my heart desired. "Fight for it" some said, "Don't give up" other would tell me, and so I did. Ventured into the unknown with my heart wide open and my eyes closed, with all my faith in My Father and expecting to see great things from Him, and willing to do, or don't do, whatever He would guide me to do. And He hasn't let me down.
Nobody said anything about the cost though. I've always said that when you tell God "Here I am, do what you want in me", He takes it seriously, He ain't playing, so you better prepare yourself cuz He is gonna do wnat He wants to do, and the thing is, that we are completely clueless as of HOW He is going to do it, and that when things get tough.
The Bible says "You cannot become my disciple without giving up EVERYTHING you own". Easier said than done huh? NO! It is not even easy to say it! Jesus gave up all of his rights as the SON of GOD just out of obedience to the Father and His love for us. Sacrificing everything to serve Him, or at least be willing to loose it all, even my own life, is the least I can do for Him.
I cannot even begin telling you all the things I've had to sacrifice to obey His call, and I cannot even imagine the things I will have to give up once I set my foot on Africa. He has humbled me as He has taken away everything, and He has given me more of Himself, so if you ask me, I haven't lost anything at all, in loosing my life I have gained it. But I am willing to give up all my rights, if in return I can share God's love with the unloved.


Monday, October 5, 2009

What am I doing in Texas?/Que estoy haciendo en Texas?


About four years ago, I was at Drue's birthday party in a mexican restaurant in Dallas, TX. Meeting new people and getting to know my roomate Christina, whom I had met that same night. Drue was very excited to introduce me to his friend Anne, I had to meet her, he said, because she was a missionary in Honduras, my country, in case you didn't know, and i would like her very much. Anne was very interesting, a young doctor that was volunteering for an organization called Mercy Ships, that would go to Africa and poor countries like Honduras and provide health care, like orthopedic surgeries, cleff palad... "Operation Smile?"- I asked,"No- she replied-" is something different, we do it on a ship and it's free for anyone". That's how I came to know about Mercy Ships (www.mercyships.org), and since that January my heart and mind were restless thinking about this hospital ship that would go around Africa actively showing God's love to the poorest of the poor.

On March 2009, I finally sent an application to serve with Mercy Ships, in June they told me they wanted to meet me, in September my friend Bobby and some other friends from New River Fellowship in Weatherford, TX, flew me into the DFW airport from Tegucigalpa, where I left my friends, my sisters, my dad, my Hershey's(my daughter dog) and my beautiful mother, without really knowing when I would be back. Two days later after I arrived at the airport, my new adoptive father, "Lencho" Mims, drove me 4 hours to the Mercy Ships headquarters in East Texas, where after a week of training, asking a million questions to the MS staff and meeting some great people passionate about serving others, not only did I get a position to serve on the ship but God also confirmed the calling that He had given me to go to Africa and share his love with those that need Him.

I am leaving in February 2010 for two years, first stop, TOGO, where I will be joining the hospitality team at the Africa Mercy, later on in August I will become a part of the Human Resource Department. Until then I have a long road ahead of me, and a whole lot of trusting in God to do, to know that He will provide all that I need through my fund raising and that He will hold me up when I'm feeling like giving up, and that He will be my comfort when i miss my family and to never forget what He has called me to do. I do hope you can join me in my journey, I sure do need you. May y'all be greatly blessed!

Spanish


Alrededor de cuatro atras, estaba en la celebracion de cumpleanos de Drue en un restaurante mexicano en la ciudad de Dallas, TX. Con personas nuevas y conociendo a mi companera de casa, Christina, a quien habia visto por primera vez ese mismo dia. Drue queria que yo conociera a su amiga Anne, que estaba como misionera en Honduras, se que te va a caer bien, me dijo. Anne resulto ser una chica muy interesante, una joven doctora que trabajaba como voluntaria en una organizacion llamada Naves de Esperanza (Mercy Ships) la cual va a Africa y paises pobres como Honduras y proveen atencion medica, como ser cirugias ortopedicas, labio leporino..."Operacion Sonrisa?"-dije, "No"-ella contesto-"es algo diferente, nosotros lo hacemos en un barco y es gratis para cualquier persona". Asi fue como supe de Mercy Ships (http://www.nde.es/), y desde ese dia de Enero mi corazon y mi mente no dejaron de pensar en este hospital flotante que va alrededor de Africa mostrando activamente el amor de Dios a los mas pobres.

En Marzo del 2009, finalmente envie una aplicacion para servir en Mercy Ships, en Junio me enviaron una invitacion para poder conocerme, en Septiembre mi amigo Bobby y otras personas de New River Fellowship en Weatherford, TX, me trajeron hasta el aeropuerto de DFW desde Tegucigalpa, donde deje a mis amigos, mis hermanas, mi papa, mi Hershey's (mi perrita hija) y mi hermosa mama, sin realmente saber cuando volveria. Dos dias despues de mi llegada a Dallas, mi nuevo papa adoptivo, "Lencho" Mims, manejo cuatro horas hacia el este de Texas para dejarme en el campus de Mercy Ships, donde despues de una semana de entrenamiento, de hacer mil preguntas al staff de MS y de conocer a personas maravillosas igualmente apasionadas para servir a otros, no solamente se me fue dada una posicion para poder servir en el barco, sino que Dios confirmo el llamado que un dia me hizo para ir a Africa y compartir de su amor con aquellos que le necesitan.


En Febrero del 2010 me voy por dos anios, primera parada, TOGO, donde sere parte del equipo de Hospitalidad del "Africa Mercy" (nombre del barco), luego en Agosto me unire al Departamento de Recursos Humanos. Hasta entonces me espera un largo camino por delante, y a poner toda mi confianza en Dios, y saber que el proveera todo lo que necesito a traves de mi esfuerzo para recaudar fondos, que El me levantara cuando sienta que no pueda seguir, que me confortara cuando extrane a mi familia y nunca olvidar la razon por la cual El me llamo. Espero puedan acompanarme en mi aventura, realmente los necesito. Los bendigo grandemente!