The Birth of an Ambassador

Ever since I was a young girl, I have loved to travel and explore the world.  Perhaps this is due to my cultural heritage, as my parents are both from Medellín, a city in Colombia whose people are known for their adventurous spirit.

While most American families took their kids on family vacations to the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone National Park, Disney World, or some other US attraction, my parents regularly packed up the family and headed south to Mexico.  In addition, I spent three years of my childhood in Costa Rica, where we spent most of our school breaks at our cousins' farm in Drake Bay.  What is today an amazing vacation spot with resorts covering the map was once a remote destination with no electricity, running water, or indoor toilets.  Let's just say it was no Club Med!

Our Beach in the Jungles of Costa Rica - Gorgeous but Primitive (in 1980!)

Upon our return to the States, I resumed my comfortable North American life, but I knew my experiences abroad had changed me.  In high school, I developed an interest in studying languages and traveling the world even more.  I dreamt of one day becoming an ambassador.  My parents had friends in the diplomatic core, and the idea of representing my country overseas sounded so exciting.

Around that same time, I began attending a youth group at an evangelical church near my home.  Pastor Doug taught the Word to us with such clarity and passion that I came to understand that:

1. Jesus died on the cross to take the punishment I deserved for my rebellion against a holy God.
2. If I repented and surrender my life to Him, He'd grant me eternal life and fill my life with more joy than anything the world had to offer (and the latter took some convincing, because it seemed that a lot of the popular kids in school were having a lot of fun, and I wanted in on some of that!).
3. Church was't about religion, but about growing in our relationship with Jesus Christ in community.

From that point on, my desires changed.  I still wanted to be an ambassador, but no longer for an earthly country.  The verse that defined my life became: "Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." (2 Corinthians 5:20)

Twenty years later, my dream is a reality, and I have the great privilege of serving Jesus Christ as His ambassador in Senegal, Africa.  In the posts to come, I will share more about the windy road God used to get me here.

In this blog, my desire is to explore how theology inspires life.  But, before I get started, I feel it's necessary to properly introduce myself. Thanks for checking out my new blog, and I look forward to chatting some more soon!