Preface

Hey folks!

Today was another great day at the plant with a lot of exciting problems to overcome; not to mention the sickness that my team leaders suffered through. Of course I didn't get sick because Carlos says that I have a “Mexican” stomach. After work, we went to this beautiful beach and got to enjoy the pleasant seawater. It was definitely something from a vacation commercial or movie. I couldn't imagine it was real. 

I do feel obligated to preface these blogs for my readers that don't necessarily live near me. It is a great story of the Lord providing and I would love to share it. 

The past couple of years, I did a lot of crazy things like actually follow Jesus, change my major, added a different major, and allowed God to be the author of my future. All of these things were extremely frightening at the time, but I have been able to build faith in my God and His provisions for my life. After a year of deciding not to go to medical school but instead work with environmental issues, I pleaded for the Lord to show me His plans for my life. It wasn't until October 2011 that He made me realize that He really does provide.

I went to this conference, called World Mandate, that my church, Antioch Community Church, has once a year to excite people about changing the world by being the light in their local community or wherever God calls them. On one day, they had a workshop about how to advance the kingdom in business and establishing a kingdom-minded company. During the workshop, I heard Elisa Teipel speak about her company, Natural Composites Inc., and how they wanted to find innovative ways to use agricultural wastes and meet legitimate needs in developing countries using a cheaper product. On the kingdom side, they wanted to transform the communities around their facilities and place value in the nation they were located in. This nearly blew me away: a company that desires to see the kingdom advanced? This sounds completely fake. I decided to speak with her about this company and I became ecstatic about working with them when I graduate. We exchanged information and I knew that this was a possible opportunity for me.

Time went by and I almost forgot about the company until I decided to email Elisa around January 2012 about a possible internship in the summer. At this time, my pastor, Tyler Hardy, sent a few guys an email about this company that needed some help for this semester and I decided that I can work there while I wait for Elisa's reply. Little did I know, however, that the company was actually Natural Composites! It was amazing to see God just orchestrate this setup for me to work with NCI. We had a few laughs as Elisa finally emailed me a week after I started working with NCI and asked to set up an interview. 

I haven't had many jobs, but this is by far one of the most encouraging ones I've had! Every day is like working with friends that I've known for years. I receive encouragement when I come into work, while I’m working, and before I leave. I’ve never felt so appreciated in my life! I didn't care if I was grinding coconuts to make powder or working a sieve machine to separate different powder sizes. I felt honored and like a part of the team. The employees are extremely humble and really love Jesus a lot. After some time, I started praying for God to provide an internship. Edgar, my manager, tells me a week after I plead to God that they want me to intern at the Dominican Republic. At first I was excited, but then I felt so unworthy and unqualified that I really doubted they wanted me to handle such a big responsibility. It wasn't until the team really encouraged me that I started to feel like I was able. It nearly blew me away. They trust me? I've only been working here for 4 months and they trust me enough to send me to a foreign country and gather important data to improve their company? How is that possible? With God all things are possible of course. Completely in a state of euphoria, I began to see how this connected to God and His plans for me.

Sometimes I find myself wondering about how much God trusts me. How is it that from the moment I decided to follow Him, He entrusted me with advancing His kingdom? The day I said yes to Him and no to my old life, Jesus simply said to follow Him and He would make me a fisher of men. We as people tend to think that we can’t do anything for God because we aren’t pastors or some high and mighty evangelist. That just isn’t the case! The moment we receive Him, we are commanded to make disciples. He called us first to do great things. I began to read about Paul and how he started his ministry. It didn’t start by learning about the Word or status; it started by God calling him. Even when the apostle Ananias was afraid of bringing him to the church, God told him that He called him to do great and wonderful things for the kingdom! Talk about living in an upside-down kingdom! God doesn’t see the mess that we are; He sees the marvelous creation He intricately made in our mother’s womb. I can’t imagine anyone that would see a drug addict or murderer and put him in charge of a ministry to see millions of those same people find freedom.

After this trip, I can see how close-knitted every area of life is with God and His kingdom. I’ve always thought that in order to fully understand God, we need to fully immerse ourselves in all the good things that he created for us. Now, I’m actually seeing how that is very true. I can’t comprehend the magnitude of His plans as He consciously created all things for His glory. Such things are too wonderful for me to think about.

I can’t wait to go on my next trip and experience God in a whole new way! I’m really excited about seeing a new side of Him or look deeper in one I’ve seen! This blog cannot truly capture my excitement or joy for the Lord and His purposes! I hope to be able to express what I receive from Him. I will be writing my adventures in Gulu, Uganda in my other blog adventureswithmyking.blogspot.com so be sure to check it out every now and then!

God bless,

Pablo

Day 2 in the DR

Buena! or Greetings!

So today started out great! Last night, our electricity went off and the apartment was so hot, that we really needed to get out of there. Carlos, the plant manager, took us to this little hotel around the corner and stayed there for the night. I totally wish we were staying there all week because there’s AC, stable internet, and a more comfortable bed. I’m not complaining, but we were definitely spoiled last night!

This morning, we had breakfast at the hotel and I was able to meet the people that will be here in the apartment with me during my 2 week stay. I was so relieved because I thought that I was going to be living here on my own. Carlos’s assistant, Yasmin, is going to start working in this apartment/office in the coming weeks and Julio, the newly hired accountant, will also be working here. Hopefully, I can ask Yasmin and Julio to take me sight-seeing while here!After breakfast, we headed down to the plant that is near Sanchez and the route was absolutely gorgeous! The beach is all along the road and there were even some nice fishing spots! 

Once we arrived at the plant, I became aware of a whole new world that I have never stepped foot in: the business world.

Today is only the second day of our trip and we are already buried in so many problems that need to be solved. I had no idea just how many things need to be catered when starting a business. I knew about the problems that we discussed in various meetings back in College Station, but it doesn’t become real until you are in the midst of the problem. I’m nearly mortified thinking about how much time we took today to discuss our plans, strategies, conflicts, products, solutions, and anything else you can think of. My world view has most definitely expanded past its narrow perspective and I cannot go back to that mentality any more.

However, I can’t tell you how much fun it has been. This is nothing that I have ever experienced before. Although it is stressful, the moment you find a solution or resolve a conflict, it’s sweeter than any bitterness that may have come up during the hours of meetings. Sure I may have tried to work out a math problem and suddenly came out with the right answer, or maybe even received an “A” on a test after hours of studying, but it really doesn’t compare to discovering a way to bring unity to a team, make profits, or even find out what the real problem was in the first place.

I feel like that is so like my walk with Jesus. There are so many trials and tribulations that we go through that sometimes if feels like you just want to give up or even so many temptations that you want to give in. It’s stressful when you don’t know what your plans are for life and you are a couple of years from graduating. It’s stressful thinking about bills, expenses, roommates, classes, or anything else that comes to mind. However, God promises to be with us in the midst of all these troubles, frustrations, pains, and even when you’re at the lowest part of the pit with no hope of escape. Psalm 91 really paints a picture of God protecting us and you never really see Him being a protector until you are in the midst of the arrows or pestilence. He promises this:

“Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in TROUBLE; I will rescue and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation” v. 14-16

Isn’t that amazing? The God of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things, most powerful person to ever exist is Promising to be with us and protect us! What better way to describe this than love: all-powerful, crazy, relentless, furious love. I have a lot to learn about His love and I will take every chance I can get to receive a revelation of that love. 

Well, I'm off to bed because tomorrow is going to be a big day and rumor has it that we are going to go to the beach! That's gonna be sick!

Later days,

Pablo

Adventure in the DR

Howdy! So I have arrived at my apartment in the Dominican Republic after a short 5 hour flight, a 2 hour drive through some very beautiful scenery, and a "gourmet" dinner at a genuine DR restaurant. It has been a long day with my only food source being the delicious pizza at the "Italiano Restaurant Pizzeria" along with chicken wings and fried plantains which I have to say is not bad at all. Some pretty neat events included conversing with our flight attendant from Argentina named Pablo,

driving around the country side and seeing the beautiful landscape that I was unable to capture well on camera,

and eating at a non-american restaurant.

I don't feel like it has hit me yet that I am here in the DR. There's something in me that cannot believe that I am here on an internship with a company that really loves Jesus and desires to see His purposes fulfilled on the Earth. I hardly believe that I merit such an opportunity to be apart of setting the foundation in this plant and helping make business decisions from the work I have been assigned. Is it really that hard to believe that my God is so good that He would provide me with an internship I don't deserve after a year of wondering if I made the right decisions? How little faith it seems that I have that I can't even believe the things that are happening in front of my eyes. Thank you Lord for grace and mercy! Not only is it hard to believe that I'm here, but its hard to think that I'm actually doing work where a company is entrusting me to perform my duties well and take responsibilities for specific tasks. This change of scenery has been so different. Not only does my performance affect me in the form of grades and financial aid, but it affects my company as a whole. My company now has brought in another gear in its intricate clockwork that is part of the process of being successful.

Oh how this relates to the body of Christ where success is measured by the depth of our relationship with Christ and loving the people around us, and where our performance is the measure of faith, gifts, etc. that the Lord has given to us to advance His kingdom. In order for the body of Christ to do the job she was charged with is if every part loves God with all their soul, heart, mind, and strength, works together in building each other up, and loving the people around them. Through working with this company, I've learned that I don't know everything there is to know about business, engineering, or even science. However, they do want and need what I do have to offer in order to be successful. In the same way, I don't know everything there is to know about the Spirit, about evangelism, about prophesy, or even love. Although I may strive to learn more about it, I don't need to know everything to do the things I was created to do: love, walk in the Spirit, rejoice, honor, encourage, worship, etc. What I do need to know is that God has given me a specific set of "skills" in the kingdom and He is asking me, "Are you willing to risk everything to see My kingdom established?".

 Am I really willing to risk everything I have to see His kingdom established not only in College Station, Houston, the DR, and Uganda, but everywhere He will take me? Is it worth throwing my life away in exchange for His life? Am I willing to trade in comfort for discomfort, to leave the safety of my bubble and go up against the walls of the enemy and declare that My God is bigger? After counting the costs, there is only one conclusion that I have: I don't understand His ways, I don't understand trials and tribulations at times, but when I see His face, it will be worth it all!

I do have one request from all the readers out there: that you pray for me. I deeply need the Lord to pour into me these next couple of months as I travel, work, advance the kingdom, and experience Him. Please pray for rest in the Lord and that I may find it in the shadow of His wings! Thank you all for the love and support and I hope you find these blogs encouraging!

Peace, Pablo