YWAM Conference in Costa Rica

In November, the week before heading off to outreach during my DTS (Discipleship Training School) we had the opportunity to go to Costa Rica for a Conference where the founder of YWAM (Youth With A Mission), Loren Cunningham, would be speaking. Fui a Costa Rica por una semana para asistir una conferencia de JuCUM. A few of us took this opportunity and flew from the Dominican Republic where we were completing our lecture phase to San Jose. This picture is of a fellow student (Sara) who was able to proudly display the Dominican flag during a procession of all the different nationalities that attended. Aquí está la bandera de la República Dominicana y amiga mia que tiene mucho flow.

During the conference I learned about OneStory. It is an amazing opportunity to go to an unreached people group and translate a bunch of Bible stories into their native tongue. You only have to dedicate 2 years of your life to this project. You get trained at one of several training centers around the world, you start learning the language while living amongst the people, then you begin translating stories and teaching the locals to pass it on. Eventually you end up with audio recordings and a plan for long-term opportunities like church planting, discipleship, and leadership development.

The Dominican Dream

After completing my Discipleship Training School (through YWAM) in the Dominican Republic (which I have yet to talk about), I had a strong desire to return to that little island as soon as I could. I had a vague idea of what I wanted to do, but now after being home for several months I was beginning to lose the vision I had had. I started looking at different YWAM training schools I could go to after I took some Spanish courses at my university. So many of them interested me, but how could I choose? There is a Spanish school in Chile... a school in Uganda where you learn about health promotion in rural communities... a school in Guatemala where you learn Primary Health Care... a school in Costa Rica where you learn about Children at Risk... a school in Brazil where you learn about HIV/AIDS... and a school in Mexico where you learn about community development... They were/are all so appealing!

Then having been home for the last several days because of a post-poned house-building trip to Mexico and a week booked off work, I was bored of looking at training schools and I felt like I had no motivation to do anything. I decided I needed to go for a God-talk/walk so I went up the hill behind my house to enjoy the trees and the stillness.

During the walk I had this moment of deep revelation. Well, it was more like something just "clicked." I realized that my focus in the Dominican Republic would be relationships. I wouldn't have a specific ministry that only focuses on the need itself, but I would have a personal ministry based on building relationships. It made total sense too. One thing I learned in the DTS is that the purpose of life is relationships: with God and with others.

I had been torn between ideas of ministries... should I focus on medical missions? If so, should I focus on education in communities, actually giving the medical attention myself, or specializing on HIV/AIDS or water sanitation? Should I focus on street children and start an orphanage or a program for children at risk? Or should I focus on the sex tourism problem and just work with prostitutes? And I can't forget about spreading the gospel... should I just go around preaching? Or should I work in the church and disciple youth? And what about starting a YWAM base? But now I had a clearer idea.

MY DOMINICAN DREAM:

As I met people and spent time with them... whether buying vegetables together, chatting in their living room, or collecting plastic bottles in the dump... I would discover their needs and aim to fill them. I would tell them about Jesus. If they didn't have a Bible I would take the honor of getting them one. If they didn't have a place to stay, I would take them in. If they were hungry or malnourished, I would give them something to eat. If they were a hurting and lonely prostitute, I would comfort them and speak words of life over them. If they needed medical attention, I would get them help. I would also teach people about basic hygiene and sanitation. I would live amongst the poor and make friends with my neighbours. This way I could also connect people with already existing ministries and I wouldn't have to "re-invent the wheel."

See a need. Fill a need.

Guatemala May 2008

So I decided I'm going to start with my trip to Guatemala in May of 2008. Fui a Guatemala con mi mejor amiga y el viaje fue asombroso. I went with Trinity Western University to take a Spanish course for a month. Some very fond moments were formed on this trip and I think this was partly due to the fact that my best friend, Sarah, came with me.

We began our journey after a long, hard year of studying as 2nd year science students at UBCO. We had especially connected after having breaks together and being a part of the same Organic Chemistry Family (a group that suffers along side you when you attempt to do pre-, post-, and in- lab assignments). A decir verdad, ya no me gusta estudiar las ciencias. I am writing this line because the computer does not seem to want to leave a space so I am forcing it too! lol.

I stayed with a Guatemalan family in Antigua for a week and that was one of my most unforgettable experiences. I had a taste of how a lot of the world lives. I had my first encounter with Horchata (a rice drink), home-made corn tortillas, and fresh fruit punch (made by chopping up fruit and throwing it in a jar). I had to get used to only curtains separating me (in my bedroom or in the bathroom, for example) from the rest of the family... letting my underwear air dry (outside for the world to see)... and struggling to communicate with my new family. No, en serio, estoy muy llena. ¡No puedo comer más!

I learned a lot about coffee on my trip. The amount of work that goes into the whole process is incredible. It is also a story of abuse. A lot of the workers in developing nations that do almost all of the labour receive poor wages and are subjected to poor working conditions. Somethings are improving, but I was shocked to discover how coffee beans are roasted when done the old-fashioned way. This lady used an open fire in her house. Most of us foreigners could not even watch because the smoke burned our eyes and we felt suffocated. It helped me realize the importance of true fair trade coffee (whether it is certified or not).

I met this girl, Maria, during our trip to Lake Atitlan. She was trying to sell me something, but I wanted to practice my (much needing-help) Spanish. She ended up following me and I asked every question I knew in Spanish. How old are you? ¿Cuántos años tienes? How many brothers and sisters do you have? ¿Cuántos hermanos tienes? What are their names? ¿Cómo se llaman? How old are they? ¿Cuántos años tienen? How many languages do you speak? ¿Cuántos idiomas hablas? You get the point. However, that's how I found out what her native language was (Tz'utujil - which contains that strange H sound you have to make in the back on your throat) and how to say the greeting. Well, I greeted every Mayan I could see from that point on and I must have butchered it pretty badly (considering it required a sort of clucking sound). I learned a little about her history (which was pretty hard stuff) and ended up buying her some of her favorite food... fried chicken ¿Cuál es tu comida favorita? Pollo frito... and then bidding her farewell.

We went to Guatemala City, which has tons of street children, and where slums are very much present. Everytime I visit slums my heart cries out and I yearn to be doing something more. I want to help the poor and desperate. ¿Cómo puedo ayudar los pobres? I don't want these people's living conditions to cause easily preventable illnesses. I want them to have clean, accessable water... nutritious, affordable food... good, available healthcare... strong, relevant education... in a nutshell: a way out of the poverty cycle. But most of all, I want them to know they are loved by their Heavenly Father. I want them to know that the King of Kings cares for them and wants to take all of their burdens. He hurts when they hurt and He cries when they cry.

(Lucas 6:20-21)

"Dichosos ustedes los pobres, porque el reino de Dios les pertenece.
Dichosos ustedes que ahora pasan hambre, porque serán saciados.

Dichosos ustedes que ahora lloran, porque luego habrán de reír."

(Lucas 6:20-21)

One weekend we ventured to Tac Tic where there is a famous sink hole. For a long time Mayans have been coming here to offer sacrifices and practice witchcraft. The place is black from all the fires made and you could see the remains of chickens, bottles, flowers, etc. It made me think how these people need Jesus... just like everyone else...
Okay, here I go again writing in white to leave a gap...

So that was a very, very short summary of my trip to Guatemala. I have lots more to write about since that was only 1 month of an 8 month adventure to far away lands! Hold on to your seat (okay, it won't be that exciting) because you have yet to travel to the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, and Haiti. ¿Cuántos de ustedes saben que mi corazón está en la República Dominicana?

Introduction

What do I want to do? ¿Qué quiero hacer? That's a big question... there's so many things! (Okay, I'm going to skip the intro because just thinking about all the possibilities makes me excited and an introduction seems way to boring right now.) I could name so many countries I'd like to live in, so many ways I'd love to help people and so many things I'd love to learn. Hay tantas cosas. God has given me passion; he's given me a desire to love the hurting and a desire to do his will. He has also created me with a longing for adventure... for purpose... and for a fulfilling life.