...See ya later!

     ....Before I jump into the explanation of this post's title, let me give you all a recap of the last 8 months (yeah it's been that long!). So as my last post mentioned, I took off to Guatemala last year in May with Abby for 6 months. It was crazy and amazing all in one! We were serving in San Jose Poaquil, the indigenous village throughout all of the 6 months. We had the opportunity to really immerse ourselves in the culture and learn from the locals. To be able to preach to them we had to learn their language which is Cakchiquel, and forget everything we knew about English and Spanish. It was definitely a challenge but with Jehovah's help we were able to give the message to the locals and help the local congregation.

      We kicked off our adventure with the Special Day Assembly the very first day. I honestly didn't understand squat. But I am glad we went for two reasons, first because it was amazing to meet friends from different parts of the world who are there trying to help the Cakchiquel circuit! I was also able to reconnect with a sister who is very dear to me, she is a Special Pioneer whom I have to say I learned a lot from during my first trip to Guatemala. The second reason I was glad we made it to the Assembly is because not being able to understand the talks made me frustrated. Sounds weird, I know. But the frustration made me want to know the language even more! I became so determined to hit the books and study so that by the next assembly I would be able to actually understand what was going on! Ill honestly never forget that Assembly haha

     The following week we had our first meeting and .... participation in the meeting! The brothers asked us to present the Watchtower and Awake magazines --mind you that we know nothing of the language! At first I thought, "these brothers are crazy!" But I also thought to myself, "well if I am not here to help then why did I come?" We agreed to present the magazines even if that meant we would literally just read from the Kingdom Ministry word per word. And so with all my nerves going haywire and my stomach in a knot, I read the suggestion of the presentation for the Watchtower in Cakchiquel. I have no idea what I said... And I don't think the brothers did either haha But they were all really happy to see us try our best and of course gave us a big round of applause and a lot of hugs after the meeting. Needless to say, it was another unforgettable moment :) 

     Okay so back to the language... It is so hard! There are sounds that I didn't even know a human being can make that are the basic vowel sounds! Learning a new language takes a lot of effort, time, and energy. I started to realize that after a long day in service, personal study, preparation for the meetings (which takes 3 times as long because it's again, a different language!), and house chores, I did not have any energy left to study Cakchikquel. So I decided it would be one of my priorities of the day. I started to set my alarm at 4am so I could study when it is all quiet and I have no interruptions. It was hard at the beginning, I love sleeping! But I also wanted to see the difference in my ministry. Soon enough I was able to do my own presentations in service, read the publications to the house holder, and conduct studies. Jehovah blessed my efforts without a doubt, with his help I was able to establish 24 studies! 

      Even with all its challenges, my ministry was amazing! I had never enjoyed service more and even when I was exhausted after walking for hours to get to a study, I had a huge smile on my face. It was at this point that I started to already dread the day I had to go home. Initially, I had thought this was my last trip to Guatemala. I thought okay, I will go serve one last time and go home and move to another circuit that needs help. I remember I had even talked to my family about moving to a Native American reservation to help in the Native American Languages. I had found information, which states they were located in, how I could find a job there, etc. But while in Poaquil and fully enjoying all of my studies and ministry, the thought of starting over elsewhere just didn't seem right. I didn't want to start over because I felt like I wasn't finished with Poaquil, I had just started there too! This going back and forth about what I was going to do bothered me for the next 2 days. After those 2 confusing days, the Elders / Special Pioneers had a little chit chat with me about my spiritual goals and what I was going to do next. I explained how I was looking for a territory that would check off my list of requirements.
They kinda laughed at me and said, "Don't you think you found it?"
I said, "Yes, I do and that's why I don't want to leave but there is another detail... I want to go to Evangelizers school and that is why I am going home so I can apply because my publisher card is over there and the elders in my congregation back home know me and can send in my application." Then they told me, "Well, first of all we can get your publisher card sent over here. That's an easy fix. And secondly, we know you too. We wouldn't be trying to help you if we didn't believe in you. It all goes down to you and what you want to do. Put it in prayer and see what Jehovah says."
I did as they said, prayed, looked up info, read scriptures and experiences. Later that week, during a late night clean freak frenzy I came to a conclusion. Crazy how cleaning does that to you huh? Anyways, my conclusion was that I shouldn't be looking for something Jehovah already gave me. It doesn't make any sense. Jehovah had given me this amazing opportunity to serve him where the need is great, in a different language, and make amazing friendships. He had given me more studies then I could handle and a new passion for my ministry. I also now had the privilege to work in a new circuit and congregation with tons of virgin territory. What else do I want? Evangelizer School is a privilege no matter what country I am privileged to attend. The elders here are some of my best friends and have taken seriously the job of helping me get settled in a new place and preparing me for other territories and privileges. It's kind of a no brainer from here... I will be relocating to Guatemala :)

      A lot of friends and even family said they saw it coming, but I sure didn't. I really never thought I would relocate to any other country unless it was an assignment. I always pictured myself going to serve different places for 6months at a time but always go back home to Cali, well I was wrong  again! haha.  And honestly everything turned out perfectly, everything has been falling into place thanks to Jehovah. I found a house I am renting which is pretty beautiful compared to the other places I have stayed (yes I have paid my dues!) There is a sister who has also moved away from her hometown  to serve in Poaquil who will be my housemate so I won't be completely alone and most importantly I will have a service partner. I have been able to keep my job even abroad (thank you Skype!) and my whole family is on board and supporting me, even my father who is not in the truth! (that's a whole other pretty amazing experience, maybe a future post?....) My old congregation ( that sounded weird!) Leland has also been extremely supportive. I can't even begin to express my gratitude for all the help and support they have given me. Many friends have offered a helping hand but most of all their kind words of encouragement have been a blessing. :)

     These last months have gone by so fast, it all seems like a blur now. I have never enjoyed being back home like I did these past months. I was able to hang out with all of my favorite people and strengthen my friendship with many. My best friends have been there with me through all the chaos that comes with moving abroad and without complaining once! Thanks guys :) It's been an emotional journey as you all can imagine filled with anxiety and excitement. Although I feel like if I am beginning a new chapter in my life which is totally exciting, I also feel like I am closing another chapter. It's an emotional rollercoaster to pack and get everything together. For Example, something about having to choose what you will pack and leave behind is sad! It is as if you are choosing what items from your current life are special enough to take with you to your new life. But even throughout all that  I kept it together, even as I told my mother at the airport, "See ya later Mami, i'll be back..."  I felt strong, like nothing was going to break me down. Then I boarded the plane and it took off. As the plane started to circle around in the air and go higher and higher, I could see the golden gate bridge and the city become smaller and smaller. I could see all of my favorite places of the city and I remembered how in all those places I've had some great memories with my best friends and family. ....And that is when I broke down and cried ...and cried! haha Poor passenger next to me, he didn't know what to do with this crying lady next to him haha So for all of my friends and family, you know who you are; turns out I did cry! And a lot! haha 

Goodbye's are never easy no matter how you go about it, that's why to all of my loved ones I refused to say goodbye more like, "...See ya later!" 

I will miss you guys so much but 5 years goes by quickly when your busy and focused on the right things. Thanks again for all your love and support, i'll see ya later! 

P.S. I obviously made it alive to Guatemala, I am currently in Poaquil trying to set up my new house into a home... I will post pictures later on :)

 Oh, and sorry for the ramble, that's what happens when I don't post for a while! 

After the Lesson Comes Jehovah's Blessing ;)

...3 weeks.
To think that in 3 weeks I will once again be rushing through the airport to make it on time for my flight literally just gave me a mini heart attack! If I remember correctly, it was September of 2012 when I traveled last to Guatemala. I originally had thought (and planned) to stay in the beautiful country for 3 months but after just a few days of being abroad, I KNEW it would simply not be enough. I quickly extended my stay from 3 months to 5 months and even then it seemed as though time had cheated me and gone by way too fast. I remember crying the whole week prior to my departure (yes, it was THAT serious for me) and completely dreading my flight back to Cali. Just thinking back to the moment when the van that was taking me back to the city from the pueblo started to finally drive off, makes my stomach in a knot. Tears started to stream down my face as I watched the pueblo become smaller and smaller behind us, and I promised myself  and most importantly Jehovah that I would return. I had so many great and unforgettable experiences serving in the pueblo of San Jose Poaquil, more than I could have ever imagined nor prepared for working side by side with 4 special pioneers. I felt as though it was in San Jose Poaquil that I not only grew and matured as a person, but also that I "found" myself spiritually as a Christian. I found that I had given more to Jehovah in this rural territory than I ever been able to give back home. With all this new found love for Jehovah and his people, I left Guatemala and came home sometime in March 2013.

...Lets fast forward now to April 29th of 2014 aka TODAY.
Crazy to think it has been a little over a year since I came home! I must admit, I have been home a little longer than I expected --okay A LOT longer. It feels like forever! I had plans to be home a couple months and bam! Take off again! In reality I wanted to come back to Cali and apply for a dual citizenship with Guatemala so that I could settle down once and for all in my newly found home. I thought it would all be easy breezy simple and that I would be back in Guatemala before I knew it. WRONG!! Very wrong indeed. Life happened in this past year,  a lot of life actually. For starters, I became very sick. I bounced from one doctor to another and from one medication to another. Treatments after treatments and nothing seemed to work. I soon had to stop working, as I could barely roll out of bed and dress myself, it had become too hard. I got all different kinds of diagnosis from "its just stress and exhaustion" to "it looks like leukemia" no two doctors would agree and none would make it go away.  Although my friends and family were very supportive, I felt very alone. Only I knew what I felt, the pain I was in, and how scared I was.

With exception of a few close friends, I kept all the wrong and scary diagnosis to myself because I did not want to scare anyone if I didn't need to. Soon enough, I was starting to hear negative comments about my trip to Guatemala. A lot of friends started to discourage me and flat out make me think I was crazy for wanting to go back. "Sister, Jehovah loves what you have done, but look what you got in return..." "If you would have never gone in the first place, you would be healthy and in service right now." and many more "lovely" comments.  I started to feel confused, was Jehovah permitting this so that I could get a hint? Or am I like Job just being discouraged by Satan himself? Will I ever go back now?...needless to say, I felt worse.


Just as I was about to hit rock bottom, Jehovah picked me up. Feeling alone and confused it was as if I was living proof of my favorite scriptures, Psalms 27:10 and Isiah 41:9,10. Jehovah kindly reminded me I was not alone by sending over the circuit overseer and an elder from my congregation. Since I had never met this brother, I thought to myself, "how can he help me if I cannot open up to a stranger? I can barely talk about any of this to my own parents!" To my surprise, this quiet brother had me pouring out my heart within ten minutes! I cried and told him exactly how I felt, physically and spiritually. He told me that life happens and sometimes our circumstances will be out of our control and very difficult. He also said he understood how I felt because he too had served in a foreign country and loved his assignment but it didn't last forever. Due to change in circumstances that were out of his control, he too along with his wife had to leave their assignment and go back home. I told him how I even felt guilty for not being able to give more to Jehovah like I had in Guatemala. Then he told me something that has helped till this day, "Sister, you have great and admirable spiritual goals. But do not forget that Jehovah knows where he wants you. You do not know, I do not know, but Jehovah does. Stop making plans and start doing prayer. You have to be like a leaf to Jehovah! A leaf does not go where it wants to go when it wants to, it goes where the wind takes it when it decides to take it there. Let Jehovah's holy spirit guide you." I was speechless. He was right, I can plan and plan all I want but if Jehovah does not want me there yet, then I don't want to be there either. After that visit he quickly put me in contact with his wife who helped me figure out what kind of questions to ask doctors, what tests to demand, and how to also look into alternative medicine. They took a special interest in me and started to help me recover through alternative medicine. The sister took care of me when I was feeling most weak physically and just flat out drained spiritually. Week after week I would go to their home and return to my home a little healthier and a little bit more like myself again. I'm happy to be healthy once again and to be able to call these brothers my close friends.

After my recovery, I met a very special person. Now don't get too excited now, this special person is not only one of my closest friends but also a BRAVE sister who will be traveling with me back to Guatemala! I mention this with so much enthusiasm because in my first trip to serve I had traveled alone. Prior to making plans I searched left and right for a "partner in crime" to take the plunge with me, but nobody was found. With much prayer I took the plunge myself but it was a lot scarier and a lot more lonely. I would often find myself wanting to share something that was new to me or exciting to someone who would understand my reaction as a foreigner but then I would remember I was the only foreigner around... After all the chaos of being back home and being sick was over, I realized that if I had not stuck around I would have never met this sister (who's name is Abby by the way...). Abby will be traveling out of the country for the very first time at the age of 20 to a country where she knows absolutely nobody except me (I told you she was brave!). We are heading back out to San Jose Poaquil where they speak a native Mayan language called Caqchikel. We will be serving in this pueblo for 5 months alongside 22 other members of the local congregation. Abby is literally leaving her job behind and trusting in Jehovah. I admire her for taking the plunge at such a young age and taking advantage of her permitting circumstances to serve Jehovah. 

Its amazing how it all worked out so easily after I just let go of my plans, it's as if that was all that was needed. And after all, this year was not a complete loss. Jehovah has blessed me incredibly with unbelievably great friends near and far. I'm privileged to say the friendship I have with the circuit overseer and his wife is that of a granddaughter with loving and spiritually wise grandparents. We have promised to skype every Monday evening to keep in touch while I'm gone. I am grateful for my best friend Alicia who no matter what mood I am in, "gets me". She keeps me grounded and shares my joys and sorrows just like Jehovah describes a true friend in Proverbs 17:17. We go way back since middle school when we both weren't in the the truth but eh, that's a whole other blog post itself. And of course I am also grateful to Jehovah for providing me with a "partner in crime" this time around, the brave Abby herself. Patience is key with Jehovah and I would have never had the opportunity to bond with each of these special people if I hadn't been home. I can say now that I learned my lesson (I hope!) in this past year, Jehovah knows best. Jehovah knows where I should be and when. I must make the best out of any territory no matter how big or how small. And always trust him with all my heart that he will guide me to what is best me. 



Time is flying on by and I have so much to do, so many phonecalls to make. My list of things to do keeps growing longer and longer. I am excited, yet nervous. I get butterflies in my stomach just thinking about stepping foot in San Jose Poaquil again. Even with all the random thoughts racing in my head I am still so happy to be able to serve where the need is great. At one point I litterally thought this would not be an option anymore but here I am now 3 weeks before I rush off to the airport, this time around with Abby! Conlusion of my ramble?.... After the lesson comes Jehovah's blessing :)

The Next Adventure of the "Small Town Girl"

I am absolutely IN LOVE with Guatemala!
I have been here exactly 2 months and 8 days so far and I truly feel as if I have started a new life out here. I even forget at times that this beautiful country is not my actual home! The first weeks were hard because I had no clue where anything was or how to get anywhere. Thankfully I know my way around the city now (well the necessary) and I do not always have a lost look on my face.

 Interesting enough, I always thought I was more of a "City Girl" but nope, not really.  Once again, I learned something new about myself: I am now a "Small Town Girl!" Who would have thought right?  I am from Bay Point, a tiny town in California. I always hated living there and as a kid dreamed of moving to a big city. Now that I am in Guatemala's Capitol, I cannot stop thinking about my trip to the 'Pueblo' or town that I was assigned to. I still love the city --but, for the reasons I am here for, I felt much more useful in the small town.

 The first Town I went to visit was Atescatempa, Guatemala. It is right on the border of Guatemala and El Salvador. This 'pueblo' is very dry and hot. You literally sweat from just breathing! There is one park or plaza for the town and about three restaurants total. The day begins at 6 am with the market full of locals selling their fresh produce and live chickens. Everybody is up by this time buying or selling in the market until about 1 pm, which by this time only scraps of produce are left. You see women washing by hand or busy grinding corn to make tortillas. Everybody is having lunch at 1 pm and gathering their crops ready for the market the next day. By the time the sun starts to set it is almost 7 pm. and at this point there is not one person is in sight. Everyone is inside their humble homes made of adobe or metal sheets. Not very many people can afford cable let alone a television. Because of this, you often see neighbors spending time together and therefore it becomes a tight knit community where everyone knows everybody and each other's family.

 As I had imagined, I had some personal challenges during my stay in Atescatempa. It included a little bit of everything to be honest, such as learning to wash by hand, getting used to not having a microwave (yes I live off of those!), and not having any type of entertainment such as a television or internet. Among other challenges I was eaten alive by mosquitoes, I often had to walk under huge spider webs full of black spiders the size of my hand and had to avoid catching fleas from stray dogs. There were snakes found inside the house and a rat in my room that would not let me sleep at night. All of this was a piece of cake to get used to once I had my biggest challenge: Being bit by a scorpion! I will admit I cried and literally thought I was going to DIE when I felt my arm and back going numb. Thankfully, I am obviously alive to tell this experience haha.

On the bright side, service in Atescatempa is amazing! You cannot find not one person who does not believe in God therefore conversations are very easy to establish. The people here are very humble and respect Gods word the Bible that leads to them inviting you in their home to listen what you want to share with them. Even the "big time drug dealers" here (yes they live in this small town to stay low key from the authorities) are very appreciative when you visit their home. They thank you for not excluding them from Gods message and listen very well. It is ideal for any full time pioneer! And just like any other territory, it has its challenges. For example, at times you have to walk up steep hills, sides of volcano's, or even cliffs in the scorching hot sun. It is not impossible, but very hard for some who suffer from health conditions. In addition, the majority of people here do not know how to read which means you have to be creative to be able to teach biblical truths in simple ways. Sometimes you have to draw it out and only explain just one scripture during your visit. These challenges were not easy to overcome but they were very rewarding! It was amazing to see how grateful they become when someone is willing to make an effort to visit their home and to teach them about Jehovah. My favorite part was always being able to see the change of expression on their face when they understood a scripture without being able to read! This made me realize how useful I felt as a full time pioneer. I had always felt like I was giving the best of myself to Jehovah but this time it was different, I was able to give even MORE than I ever thought I could.

 Overall, if I had the chance to do all over again, I would pack my bags without a doubt! It was the most rewarding experience of my life and I am thankful to Jehovah for giving me the opportunity to spiritually help this tight knit community. It was obvious to them I was not a local because  they had never seen me before and of course because of my accent. They made it very clear to me that they  appreciated the fact that I left the comfort I have in the U.S. to teach them about what Jehovah has planned for humanity. This experience truly made my life feel like it had purpose and meaning, something I did not want to let go of when I had to pack up my suitcase again to leave.

 Now that I am back in the Guatemala City, I am missing how productive I was in Atescatempa. Everyday I find myself thinking about the countless amazing experiences I had there and all the things that I also learned from the people of Atescatempa. I miss long days in service and having meaningful conversations. I miss the feeling of coming home exhausted from walking all day in the sun but feeling satisfied at the same time of finding more people who wanted to listen to you read the Bible. Because of all that I miss,  I am packing my bags and heading off to another small town! This time I will be heading to the mountains of Guatemala where the climate is very cold. It is a very isolated small 'pueblo' named San Jose Poaquil in department of Chimaltenango, Guatemala. I will be renting an apartment during my stay in this 'pueblo' and will be heading out in exactly 8 days! I am super excited to learn from the people of San Jose Poaquil and to be able to share once again the good news of the Bible! In addition, I am also learning one of the many Mayan languages in Guatemala that is called 'Kaqchikel'. Most people outside of the city that know Spanish, know it as their second language. The native languages of Guatemala are Mayan and in the region I will be visiting the locals speak Kaqchikel.

 I am counting down the days until I leave and cannot wait to see what is in store for me! After being sick in bed for two weeks and being on tons of different medications(that's a whole other story...), I am positively sure that I want to take full advantage of the time I have left in this beautiful country. I am sure that I will have challenges but I also know by experience that they will be well worth it to serve our almighty God Jehovah :)

3038 Miles.

3038 miles. That's how many miles it has took to finally realize what it is I want. I've always been goal oriented since I was a child. I would always set goals for myself and whatever I was into at that time such as reading, jump roping, writing,  etc. And although I never became a pro at any of those, I always enjoyed the challenge and having a purpose in my activities. As I have gotten older I have realized I can not live without goals. I've tried, but it wasn't long before I started to feel like I was aimlessly wasting time, time I can not buy back. I used to envy those people who claim to live as a "free spirit" and "day by day" without any plans. It seemed so stress free and fulfilling but truth is it's just not me. I have a constant fear of waking up one day in my late 30's and realizing that I am in the exact same place in life as I was when I graduated High School. I have so many goals and aspirations that I feel like I have absolutely no time to waste. Although it took me a while, I have learned to accept this part of who I am. It's what makes me, ME and I want to embrace it.  But as always, I keep learning new things about myself, especially this past year. This past year has brought a lot of changes, some negative, some positive and all beneficial. Among those changes was a car accident, quitting my job, and moving twice! It was pretty crazy but all in all it brought me to where I am at this very moment: Guatemala. Relocation to a different country to share the good news of the Bible has been on my goal list for a very long time and I am enjoying every minute of it. Surprisingly, I was very reluctant to pack my suitcase and make the trip out here. Not because I didn't want to, but because I always thought life had to go in a certain order that could not be broken. As I mentioned earlier I've always been a goal oriented person and all my goals always had a certain order. Ideally I thought, " okay, high school, college, job, travel the world preaching, marriage, travel some more as a couple sharing the good news, relocate in a different country, etc" which sounds great, but if I wait for everything to happen exactly as I plan, I will only end up disappointed. I am done with over thinking, over planning and organizing my goals. If I want to get it done then I will just get it done period. When the opportunity comes, just seize it! Who cares what place it falls into the order, life does not care about your order! I'm glad I finally came around with this 'New' concept, it honestly feels like I have broken the chains that were once holding me back. I left my complicated / broken life back in Cali and came to start over in Guatemala. Ditched the 'order' of my goals and I am just taking them as they come. It does not matter what order I get my goals done as long as they get done rather than wait around. Guatemala has been a real eye opener and has reinforced my new "motto" if you will. Thanks to Jehovah God, I have been able to share the good news to hundreds of different people all over the country as well as help people that are victims of poverty. I realize that I am just one person and can't change the world, but Jehovah can and will (Revelation 21:4, Proverbs 37:10). I also realize that thanks to him, I have been able to touch lives without needing a significant others support. I always thought it would be easier to do this kind of missionary work you could say, as a couple. And it may very well be easier, but as a single individual it is not impossible. In fact it's very gratifying to know I am giving the best of myself, and everything I personally can give as Ecclesiastes 12:1 says. It took 3038 miles down south to Guatemala to learn this, but it was worth it! Why? Because as I mentioned earlier I know what I want. I know that it's okay to accomplish your goals as the opportunities come and the order does not matter. Right now I have the opportunity to keep serving in Guatemala and I plan on seizing it! I don't want nor do I have to wait for anyone else to jump on board with me to serve God. If it happens then great, but for now I plan to serve and give as much as I can on my own knowing that Jehovah is always with me. I know for a fact I won't wake up one day realizing I am in the exact same place in life as I was when I graduated high school and I have no one to hold me back. 3038 Miles later and I know what I want :)

10 years later I still just want to help :)

Exactly ten years ago I found myself in God's word and although I was alone, I was no longer lost. I can still remember jotting all my goals down in my yellow composition journal that was meant for science class. After watching the news I realized that no matter where I lived there would always be people suffering around me and with me. I thought to myself, "now how am I going to ever be able to help the whole world?! It’s impossible!" I was crushed. The next day was a day that changed my life... Still "crushed" and home alone like any other Saturday, I was surprised to hear a knock on my door. I walked over to the door and to my surprise it was "la senora Jeanette" She was a long time friend of the family that I had known since I was in diapers. Still surprised and confused I welcomed her inside. The rest was pretty simple; she had heard that I had been hopping around from religion to religion, church to church in search for answers (that’s another story!)and she was curious to know the reason why. I said, "well I want to know god and why things are the way they are, ...well I wanted at least" she asked me why I had stopped searching for the answers, I told her briefly how I had been asked to leave from many churches for asking questions, so I decided to take it upon myself to help (started volunteer work early on) but then I realized that I wasn't able to, it was a job to big for just me. She then asked me "Well, do you have a bible?" "yes" I answered, "well there are your answers, do you want to study together so you can find them? That way you will learn not only about God, but also why things are this way and how YOU as an individual can help?" I did not hesitate to say yes and accept a biblical study in my home. I studied for four hours that very day and fell in love with what I learned. God is loving, and his name is Jehovah! (am I the only one who was oblivious to his name??!)  He does not cause nor ignore the fact that humanity suffers. And he WILL do something to change it all very soon, but meanwhile I CAN help! I am only one person, one imperfect person with limitations, but Jehovah God is almighty with no limitations so if I help people learn the same I have already, he will do the rest. It was all so clear to me; I needed to share this good news with everyone and anyone, go as far as I can to share them. Later on I had a lot of opposition and I mean A LOT from my parents and others that did not allow me to get started on my new goals until I was 18 years old (another story with that, to be continued...) but I am very happy and grateful to be able to say that 10 years later at 22 years old I am still taking those same goals very seriously. It feels like it took me forever to get to this point that at a time seemed almost impossible because of all the obstacles but I am here. I have been sharing the good news locally for the past 4 years and I am now ready to go international. In 19 days I will be traveling to Guatemala for about two months to share all of Gods promises that I have learned in the Bible. Looking back I would have never ever thought this would be actually taking place in my life. I thank Jehovah god for always keeping my goals and dreams in my heart even through all the opposition and after ten years. There is no better way I could want to spend my youth and energies but the exact same way I wanted to ten years ago...