I want to help people. I want to help people regardless of age, background, ethnicity, sex, financial stability, health, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, or etc. I want to help. Ever since I was in elementary that was a core part of who I was; as I’ve grown up I’ve had a dream and every year it grows bigger and more elaborate.
It first started off as me wanting to work in minority communities helping kids/youth realize their potential and showing them that there was a way to better oneself through education. (Honestly I was a pretty “woke” kid in elementary. I was well aware of Americas crippling effect on the countries and people it set its eyes on. Wars, corruption, murder, sexism, racism etc. I was aware of the racial struggle that all minorities had in the U.S. and their history. I was well aware that I or my family didn’t look like what White America called a regular.) By the time I was in middle school I knew I wanted to do ministry and by the time I reached high school my goal was to work in orphanages in Latin America. In high school I started to dream of not just working in an orphanage but actually opening one up and running it.
I wanted to make a place where kids who were hurting can be/feel safe and call home. I just didn’t want that but also somewhere where they can grow emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually; a place where they can dream of a future for themselves. I wanted to build a self sustaining home for them.
By the time I graduated and went to college it grew to incorporating a school and health center for them and the rest of the community. During this time I started to think of what type of programs I would offer the community; programs like the arts, sports, therapy, discipleship, trade/ business classes, and other classes that are needed to help the community become stronger.
By my second and third year I knew that my dream had grown and developed to building community centers on top of the orphanages. I also knew that I not only wanted to build this but build up the people who I serve and have them lead these programs. I refuse to be a western “savior”. I don’t want to go into these places and make and impose on them a western idea but rather yet I want to go in and work alongside them to not only build them up as individuals but as a community. I want to supply them with what they need to grow and work with them to achieve their goals. My senior project ended up building what this dream would look like, places, caretakers, programs, finances etc and presenting it.
This dream is still growing and developing. The latest addition is adding an agricultural aspect to it. My goal in this is to share the gospel holistically. I don’t just dream of sharing with them the gospel hoping that they encounter Christ. I want to do more, I need to do more.
God didn’t just call us to share the gospel with people he called us to take care of the widows and orphans. To treasure and take care of the earth and the animals. To fight for justice when it is lacking. The gospel is so much more than just words it’s action. It’s dying to self and serving others.
I know that this step towards the World Race is just one step closer to realizing this dream that was entrusted to me. The World Race is a place where I can grow and heal. It’s a place where I can learn and make connections. It’s a place where this dream can keep on growing.
