End to a Beginning

Today was my last day working for State Farm. I quit my job of almost 3 years - the job with security, good benefits, and bountiful opportunities to advance - to work for an NGO with no promises of any of those things. Never in my life have I ever taken such a big leap of faith.

The dream of this started seven years ago on my first mission trip. I worked side-by-side with rural Nicaraguans, building a community center that is now being used for a school, health clinic, feeding center, and other community events. Each of the people I worked with would soon be moving into their newly built 20'x20' cinder block homes that would be a safe haven. No longer would these families be worrying about whether their house would blow over with the next gust of wind, melt away with the next drop of rain, or allow varmints to enter as they please to eat what little the family had saved up for meals. There was no sense of competition among the workers- only a camaraderie to help each other overcome their impoverished conditions. As I worked along side Erving, Jose, Ricardo, and Daniel that week, I wondered where each of them found it in themselves to work as a team to help each other when they had a starving family depending on them. I had never seen such selfless acts.

The selflessness continued throughout my week and has continued over these past seven years. Whether it be the dedicated staff, countless volunteers, or hard-working community members, there is always a team attitude and it is making a positive difference in rural Nicaragua.

I finally get to fulfill my dream and partner with these blessed people full-time. I will be working as a Development Director for Rainbow Network (www.rainbownetwork.org), sharing the miracles first-hand with groups traveling to Nicaragua. With this I will be granting people the chance to partner with high school students and special medical needs patients to make their dreams of earning an education or overcoming an illness a reality.

Many people have questioned my decision to leave my life pursuing the "American dream" to a life of faith. To them I ask why not? How can I meet and build relationships with people that are stuck in the vicious cycle of poverty and not be willing to dedicate my life to helping them? Where's the joy in making a lot of money, having a stable roof over my head, and never going hungry if it's all for myself?

There are many stories I have had and soon forgotten and many more I remember and want to share. I started this blog to share those that I remember and the many more that are soon to come. There is not a step in this life-change that I want to forget.