HYC Honolulu: Angelica Garcia
“Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. freely you have received; freely give.” –Matthew 10:8 NIV
My decision to ultimately come to Christ wasn’t an easy one. Let’s just say after a 4 year relationship with a guy, drugs, alcohol, and parties that ultimately led to self-harm and an overdose, God miraculously saved me. The doctors at the hospital couldn’t give an explanation as to why I was still alive. But because of God’s grace, on February 28th, 2016, I made the best decision of my life by making Jesus my Lord.
I came to HYC still kind of being a baby out of the waters, but I also came with the heart and desire to learn what it was really like to serve as Jesus did. I learned to get down on hands and knees and wash the feet of others. My prayer was that God would use me in any way even if it meant that I was uncomfortable. A memory I will never forget will be volunteering at Waimanalo Transitional Shelter. During the first week of HYC Hawaii, we had to say bye to all the little munchkins and that was the first real eye opener for me. Not only did I live on a completely different island as them but that would be the last time I would see them. That was all I could do. I had to walk away from there being contempt with the fact that I gave them all I could. Some asked, “You’re coming back next year, right?” and the reality was, I wasn’t. My time here was up and next year I was going to go where God took me next. Fluorina, was a little girl of few words but loved the swings and to be carried on your shoulders. The first two days were spent without a word, and on the last day, she felt secure in who we were as people and she had so much to say. Staff at the Waimanalo Shelter, told us that we came and we changed these children’s lives. But that’s the thing, as much as we changed those kid’s lives, they changed mine. Another memory that stuck with me was when we went to Pohai Nani and I met the sweetest little lady named Loti from Germany. I asked what brought her to Hawaii and she looked at me with the most overwhelming joy in her eyes and said, “love”.
In the verse listed above, Jesus leaves us with a command. He says “You have been treated generously, so live generously.” Matthew 10:8 MSG. I believe what Jesus is saying is, “You know me, so go out and help other people know me.” At the end of my 10 days on the island, I realized that maybe I could learn something from what Loti said that day. In order to help people know Jesus, they need to first see the aloha (in Hawaiian Culture that really means love) in you. It means showing aloha even when little Keanu wants a piggy back ride for the 100th time, getting up at 5:30 for morning a sunrise even if you didn’t get enough sleep the night before. That’s what it’s really all about. Keeping your eyes fixed on God so you can love like him and go out and help other people love with his love.
