I came to Paraguay bursting with confidence.
Confidence in my health, my teaching abilities, my go-with-the-flow attitude, and my independence.
Yet since I've gotten here those have all been tested.
Concussion. Bruises. Sickness. Mosquito bites. Exhaustion.
Organic chemistry. Rowdy students. Punching. Not listening.
Busy schedule. Different meal times. Power outages.
Language barriers. Lost iPhone. Malfunctioning computer.
The confidence I had in myself and my abilities has been tested to the limits every day since I've been here.
I've gotten discouraged and beat up mentally and emotionally too many times in the last two months.
But that's not what I'm here for.
I'm here to be obedient to the Lord.
I'm here to shine His light on everyone I meet.
I'm here to show myself and the world that He is all we need.
I'm here to proclaim His goodness through my actions and my words.
I'm not here to be upset.
I'm not here to be sad.
I'm not here to be discouraged.
I'm here to do what God has called me to do.
Despite all of these trials and tests. I'm determined to come out victorious.
I'm not going to let homesickness, ridiculous amounts of itchy mosquito bites, uncooperative students, organic chemistry in my second language, or anything else steal my joy.
I am determined to remain encouraged that I am exactly where I'm meant to be and no lost iPhone, power outage, or exhausting day can tear me away from the plan God has brought me here for.
So, here I am. 4,000 miles away from home. Bites on my legs and bags under my eyes. Ready to be who God needs me to be.
I came here with a purpose, now I'm ready to fulfill it!
Friday, March 21, 2014
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Somos Paraguayas
Natalie and I have been here in Paraguay for about four weeks now and we are well on our way to becoming Paraguayan!
We've been learning a lot about the culture of Paraguay and have been enjoying speaking Spanish everyday and learning some words here and there in Guarani.
Here are a few of our mini adventures in becoming Paraguayan:
She handed us a very antique looking key and told us you must fit the key into the lock until it's right in the middle of the door and then you'll be able to turn it around. It sure sounded easy, but after many tries Natalie nor I could figure it out. We were locked out for a while and I told mamá "It's okay mamá, I'm just going to live out here now. I have a chair here and I'll make friends..." She laughed at me and unlocked it from the inside to give us more tips. Eventually I figured it out, but not until I continually joked that it was "la prueba más difícil de mi vida" - the most difficult test of my life. :)
The good news is, I can now successfully lock and unlock the door on the first try every time! ;)
As the newest daughters in the Prieto household, mamá has started teaching us how to cook Paraguayan food. Our first week here she told us that by the time we leave her house in December we will definitely know how to cook, because "how can we be excellent wives if we don't know how to cook?"
Our kitchen adventures started by mamá teaching us how to make "jugo de limón" - lemonade!
Apparently in Paraguay there are two different types of lemons available, both of which look like limes to me, which confused me for a while.
The Tahitian lemon is very small, seedless, and green on the outside and inside. To use these ones to make juice we use a knife to cut off the entire peel , which is easier said then done, and then throw the whole fruit into a blender. About six of these plus some water and a little sweetener and you've got yourself some delicious juice!
The Paraguayan lemon is bit larger, not quite as big as lemons in the US though, has seeds, and is green on the outside and a yellow-orange color on the inside. These we cut in half and use a juicer with a strainer to make sure the seeds get separated from the juice. From there we add water and sweetener to the juice, and voila, another delicious lemonade!
The two types of lemons have a slightly different flavor, but they are both really good! And a little different from the lemonade we are used to at home. The flavor is closer to the limes I've had in Florida, which is why I was confused for a while why they used the word "limón." I heard that there are "limas" here that are very small and green, but they're not as common. Both types of lemons I've seen are very round and don't have that classic tapered lemon shape, another reason for confusion.
But whatever you call them, limes or lemons, they are tan rico - so good! :)
If you ever plan on coming to Paraguay, you need to know about tereré.
Some of you may be familiar with the concept of yerba mate, a traditional tea drink in South America typically shared among friends. Here in Paraguay they use the Guarani word tereré to refer to the type severed with cold water.
Tereré is composed of loose mate leaves served in a cup (guampa) with a straw (bombilla) with a strainer at the end to keep the leaves from going up the straw. Water is poured from a thermos into the guampa to soak down into the leaves.
The process of drinking tereré goes like this... One person is typically the designated water pourer (the youngest in the group) and is in charge of filling the guampa with water and passing it to whoever wants a drink of tereré. The water pourer will fill the guampa and pass it to the first person, who drinks the tereré until the water is gone and then they'll pass it back to the filler who refills the guampa and passes it to the next person who wants to drink. When you do not want to drink anymore, you say "gracias" when you pass it back to the filler to indicate that you are finished. This process typically continues until the thermos runs out of water or some other unwritten rule that Natalie and I have yet to figure out.
Paraguayans carry their tereré EVERYWHERE with them, which I found funny the last time I visited Paraguay and now that I'm here in the hot summer heat, it makes a whole lot more sense! It is definitely refreshing to drink some cold tereré when it gets this hot! Though it's still kind of funny to me to see people carrying their thermos everywhere they go.
Many people were surprised that Natalie and I like tereré and that we drink it so often. Apparently people from the US are usually afraid to drink it and don't like the taste so they don't usually participate or it takes a while for them to get accustomed to drinking it. It didn't take Natalie or I very long! We really enjoy it!
A couple weeks ago Natalie and I went with Andy and Vicente, our host sister and her friend, to the big mercado in Asunción to buy our own termo and guampa set. We went to a store that had a HUGE selection and got them for less than usual. Typically they sell for around 100 mil, but we got ours for only 85 mil! (About $18)
We've been learning a lot about the culture of Paraguay and have been enjoying speaking Spanish everyday and learning some words here and there in Guarani.
Here are a few of our mini adventures in becoming Paraguayan:
La prueba más difícil de mi vida
The first day we were here mamá called us downstairs and over to the front door. She told us that she needed to teach us how to use the key to unlock and lock the door. It sounded like a simple task, but it proved to be much more complicated than I first thought. |
The good news is, I can now successfully lock and unlock the door on the first try every time! ;)
Jugo de limón
Our kitchen adventures started by mamá teaching us how to make "jugo de limón" - lemonade!
 |
| Our dinner one night, including our jugo de limón! Caldo de frijoles y sopa paraguaya. |
The Tahitian lemon is very small, seedless, and green on the outside and inside. To use these ones to make juice we use a knife to cut off the entire peel , which is easier said then done, and then throw the whole fruit into a blender. About six of these plus some water and a little sweetener and you've got yourself some delicious juice!
The Paraguayan lemon is bit larger, not quite as big as lemons in the US though, has seeds, and is green on the outside and a yellow-orange color on the inside. These we cut in half and use a juicer with a strainer to make sure the seeds get separated from the juice. From there we add water and sweetener to the juice, and voila, another delicious lemonade!
 |
| Limones Paraguayos |
But whatever you call them, limes or lemons, they are tan rico - so good! :)
Tereré
If you ever plan on coming to Paraguay, you need to know about tereré.
Some of you may be familiar with the concept of yerba mate, a traditional tea drink in South America typically shared among friends. Here in Paraguay they use the Guarani word tereré to refer to the type severed with cold water.
Tereré is composed of loose mate leaves served in a cup (guampa) with a straw (bombilla) with a strainer at the end to keep the leaves from going up the straw. Water is poured from a thermos into the guampa to soak down into the leaves.
The process of drinking tereré goes like this... One person is typically the designated water pourer (the youngest in the group) and is in charge of filling the guampa with water and passing it to whoever wants a drink of tereré. The water pourer will fill the guampa and pass it to the first person, who drinks the tereré until the water is gone and then they'll pass it back to the filler who refills the guampa and passes it to the next person who wants to drink. When you do not want to drink anymore, you say "gracias" when you pass it back to the filler to indicate that you are finished. This process typically continues until the thermos runs out of water or some other unwritten rule that Natalie and I have yet to figure out.
Paraguayans carry their tereré EVERYWHERE with them, which I found funny the last time I visited Paraguay and now that I'm here in the hot summer heat, it makes a whole lot more sense! It is definitely refreshing to drink some cold tereré when it gets this hot! Though it's still kind of funny to me to see people carrying their thermos everywhere they go.
 |
| Practicing being Paraguayan |
Many people were surprised that Natalie and I like tereré and that we drink it so often. Apparently people from the US are usually afraid to drink it and don't like the taste so they don't usually participate or it takes a while for them to get accustomed to drinking it. It didn't take Natalie or I very long! We really enjoy it!
A couple weeks ago Natalie and I went with Andy and Vicente, our host sister and her friend, to the big mercado in Asunción to buy our own termo and guampa set. We went to a store that had a HUGE selection and got them for less than usual. Typically they sell for around 100 mil, but we got ours for only 85 mil! (About $18)
 |
| One side of the termo store |
 |
| View of part of the other side of the termo store |
 |
| Our termos! :) |
Now we are officially Paraguayan! ;)
Sunday, January 26, 2014
On My Way
January 21st.
For over a YEAR I had been anticipating the event that happened that day.
And for MONTHS I had been waiting for that specific date.
January 21st, the day that I, at 22 years old,
would MOVE all the way to Paraguay.
would MOVE all the way to Paraguay.
Finally that day had come.
On January 19th and 20th, I spent most of the day frantically packing up my whole life, sending some things to my storage unit and the others, the things necessary for a teacher in Paraguay for a year, were thrown haphazardly into two large duffel bags, a small red duffel, and a rolling backpack.
I stayed up all night on Monday the 20th, and at 4:00am it was time to start heading to the airport. Mom drove us through a thick fog all the way to Tampa as I sat in the passenger seat addressing some envelopes that never got mailed and writing my information on luggage tags, in true procrasinator fashion. ;)
As we arrived, I figured all my stresses would be left at the curb and I would walk confidently to my plane, excited for my adventure... instead more stress tests awaited me, along with a guardian angel.
After saying goodbye to my mom, I got to the ticket counter to check-in. The lady at the counter asked if I had my return ticket home. I got nervous and told her I didn't... That I hadn't bought it yet, but I plan to later. The airline required that I buy a roundtrip ticket so there was evidence I'd be leaving the country before my visa expires in 90 days. After many silent prayers asking God to work this out because I was not expecting to pay $940 that morning, the ladies came back from talking to a supervisor and were able to offer me a return ticket for just $218.35! They just added it on to my existing ticket and all I had to pay was the difference in price between the one way and the roundtrip, and I can assure you God was the one holding the calculator on that one. ;)
I was so nervous then that Natalie would be asked to do the same when she checked in for her flight, though I later found out that she didn't. Weird, right?
After the ticket fiasco happened, I was told my two checked bags were too heavy... but luckily, the kind lady (Ms. Guardian Angel) who helped me get the $218 ticket instead of the $940 one told me it was okay and that she wouldn't charge me.
THEN she told me my carry on bags were too big for the cabin, even though I had taken a tape measure to WalMart with me along with the baggage regulations to make sure I purchased the correct sizes, and told me I'd have to check one. Again, she said she wouldn't charge me for it! Praise the Lord! I could finally be on my way!
At this point my plane was boarding and I was nervous I wasn't going to make my flight if I had to stand in the long security line. In walks Ms. Guardian Angel on her way to the gate... "Copa Airlines? Anyone flying Copa Airlines?" Me and an elderly couple raised our hands and she escorted us to the front of the security line so we could pass through quickly and make it to our flight on time.
At this point I was tired, hungry, a little stressed, but overwhelmed with how good God was taking care of me through all of these little problems along the way. I sent my last goodbye text messages and at last I was heading south!
When I finally made it to Panama about four hours later, I was so glad to have all the problems in Tampa behind me. It still felt a little strange knowing I had a ticket home for April 19th since I had mentally prepared to be away until December, but I knew I could go online and pay some fees to change that later. (Natalie and I plan to visit Brazil and Argentina this year to renew our visas, and then return home in December.)
Being at the Panama airport brought back some fun memories of my last trip to Paraguay. Getting to know everyone before we got to Paraguay, sleeping on the benches during our 12 hour layover on the way back, Jenny sharing her Disney Princess coloring book, getting Dunkin Donuts with Rachel and Lauren. It was nice to be in a familiar place, but weird being there all alone.
I was able to get two hours of free wifi after I ate lunch so I could check in with family and friends, but unfortunately it expired right before I could tell them I was getting ready to board the plane to Paraguay and remind them I might not have wifi to contact them once I got to Paraguay.
As it got closer to our boarding time, I realized they started calling people to board a flight to Montevideo... I quickly realized my gate number must have changed because everyone at Gate 32 was holding boarding passes for "Montevideo - Gate 26" I asked a girl next to me and she said to go check and see if my plane was at 26. Once I got there they told me it had actually changed to Gate 16 which was at the complete opposite side of the airport! So I practically ran all the way there (thankful I had checked that second carry-on in Tampa) and luckily made it just in time to board the correct flight.
I stayed up all night on Monday the 20th, and at 4:00am it was time to start heading to the airport. Mom drove us through a thick fog all the way to Tampa as I sat in the passenger seat addressing some envelopes that never got mailed and writing my information on luggage tags, in true procrasinator fashion. ;)
As we arrived, I figured all my stresses would be left at the curb and I would walk confidently to my plane, excited for my adventure... instead more stress tests awaited me, along with a guardian angel.
After saying goodbye to my mom, I got to the ticket counter to check-in. The lady at the counter asked if I had my return ticket home. I got nervous and told her I didn't... That I hadn't bought it yet, but I plan to later. The airline required that I buy a roundtrip ticket so there was evidence I'd be leaving the country before my visa expires in 90 days. After many silent prayers asking God to work this out because I was not expecting to pay $940 that morning, the ladies came back from talking to a supervisor and were able to offer me a return ticket for just $218.35! They just added it on to my existing ticket and all I had to pay was the difference in price between the one way and the roundtrip, and I can assure you God was the one holding the calculator on that one. ;)
I was so nervous then that Natalie would be asked to do the same when she checked in for her flight, though I later found out that she didn't. Weird, right?
After the ticket fiasco happened, I was told my two checked bags were too heavy... but luckily, the kind lady (Ms. Guardian Angel) who helped me get the $218 ticket instead of the $940 one told me it was okay and that she wouldn't charge me.
THEN she told me my carry on bags were too big for the cabin, even though I had taken a tape measure to WalMart with me along with the baggage regulations to make sure I purchased the correct sizes, and told me I'd have to check one. Again, she said she wouldn't charge me for it! Praise the Lord! I could finally be on my way!
At this point my plane was boarding and I was nervous I wasn't going to make my flight if I had to stand in the long security line. In walks Ms. Guardian Angel on her way to the gate... "Copa Airlines? Anyone flying Copa Airlines?" Me and an elderly couple raised our hands and she escorted us to the front of the security line so we could pass through quickly and make it to our flight on time.
At this point I was tired, hungry, a little stressed, but overwhelmed with how good God was taking care of me through all of these little problems along the way. I sent my last goodbye text messages and at last I was heading south!
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| Scriptures and truths that got me through the day! |
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| View on my way to Panama |
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| Breakfast on the flight to Panama |
When I finally made it to Panama about four hours later, I was so glad to have all the problems in Tampa behind me. It still felt a little strange knowing I had a ticket home for April 19th since I had mentally prepared to be away until December, but I knew I could go online and pay some fees to change that later. (Natalie and I plan to visit Brazil and Argentina this year to renew our visas, and then return home in December.)
Being at the Panama airport brought back some fun memories of my last trip to Paraguay. Getting to know everyone before we got to Paraguay, sleeping on the benches during our 12 hour layover on the way back, Jenny sharing her Disney Princess coloring book, getting Dunkin Donuts with Rachel and Lauren. It was nice to be in a familiar place, but weird being there all alone.
 |
| Lunch in Panama :) |
 |
| In the Panama airport (Picture I sent to my mom to show her I made it safely to Panama) |
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| Panama City to Asunción! |
FINALLY I was headed straight to Asunción.
After a six hour flight, most of which I was sleeping, I had made it to Paraguay and was greeted by Tim and Margarita Revett, LAM missionaries who I've been in contact with for months. We loaded up my bags and headed to my host family's house. I was so excited to be back in Paraguay and felt like I was right where I belonged. After arriving at my new home, we brought my bags up to my room and I stayed up for a little while talking with my host mom, Felicia. It was a great end to a very crazy day!
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| FINALLY in Paraguay! :D Me in my new room |
The next morning my roommate, Natalie, arrived and after finally connecting to wifi, I found out my mom thought I might have gotten kidnapped in Panama or something because I never contacted her... oops. At least I was able to finally contact everyone and let them know I made it safely!
Natalie and I spent our first day unpacking, organizing our room, and getting to know our host family. It was a great first day of our Paraguay Adventure! :)
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Pennies for Paraguay Update!
As many of you already know, though I'm not sure how much I've said about it on this blog, I will be heading to Lambare, Paraguay in January to teach ESL at New Horizon Methodist School.
I am going as a missionary through Latin America Mission and will not be receiving any salary, which means I will need to raise funds for my plane ticket, housing, and living expenses. I have not received the actual numbers yet, but I have made a rough estimate of $10,000 for the entire year, including airfare.
One of the ways I have started fundraising has been collecting loose change from friends, as well as saving all of my own change. I ending up putting all of my pennies in a separate piggy bank to help me keep my vision in focus: Pennies for Paraguay.
I recently filled up said piggy bank, and posted this picture on Facebook and Instagram for my friends to guess how many pennies were inside. Apparently no one on Instagram took me seriously, because they all just "liked" my photo instead of guessing, I did however get a few guesses on Facebook. :)
So, without further ado, the grand total of pennies in the Pennies for Paraguay Pig was.... 763! :D
The winner of the Penny Guess was my good friend Tara Olinger, who guessed 775!
Her guess would not have been possible without the mad math skills of Buddy Stark, who came in second place at 888.
Her guess would not have been possible without the mad math skills of Buddy Stark, who came in second place at 888.
Honorable Mentions:
Sierra Navarro 1,286
Josh Griffes 1,991
A big thanks to Jessica Manning who donated 338 of those pennies along with other change. :)
This brings my fundraising grand total to:
Plane Ticket: $361.93
Mission Support: $225
TOTAL: $586.93
If you are interested in donating any Pennies for Paraguay, you may do so online in two different ways!
For donations directly towards my support raising go to my LAM missionary page and click "Support this Missionary."
For donations directly towards my support raising go to my LAM missionary page and click "Support this Missionary."
For donations towards my airfare you may visit PayPal* and send money to me using my email address: clancast@olivet.edu
(*Using PayPal may cost you a small fee in addition to a donation. You will also not get a tax deductible receipt.)
If you are interested in donating by other means, please contact me or stay tuned for an upcoming blog post with more details!
(*Using PayPal may cost you a small fee in addition to a donation. You will also not get a tax deductible receipt.)
If you are interested in donating by other means, please contact me or stay tuned for an upcoming blog post with more details!
Thank you all for your prayers and support! I will keep you updated as I continue this journey!
Hasta luego!
Cassidy :)
Saturday, June 1, 2013
The Good Things
Today was one of those days, you know, the one where...
...you wake up 8 minutes after you should leave for work and 7 minutes before you must leave for work...
...you make good time on I-4 until hitting bumper-to-bumper traffic for miles and call work to say you don't know when you'll be there...
...your gas light comes on while at a standstill on the interstate, with who knows how long until you can exit...
...you stare out your window after in hour in traffic, contemplating if it's socially acceptable to pee in the median on the interstate, because you drank a whole bottle of water thinking you'd be at work already...
...your whole body starts quivering in physical pain as you try not to pee your pants after finally making it to the exit...
...you arrive at work an hour and a half late after spending two and a half hours getting to work when it should have taken an hour...
...you arrive at your location at work only to find out half of your cashiering technology doesn't work...
...your day finally gets better until it starts pouring while walking to your car...
...you drive home, soaking wet, for an hour in the rain...
you know, that kind of day.
But you know what? I've been doing a really great job at thinking more positively lately and being thankful for the little things every day.
I'm thankful I woke up today in my own bed.
I'm thankful my car started.
I'm thankful I have a job.
I'm thankful for bladder muscles that work.
I'm thankful for gas station bathrooms.
I'm thankful I have a cell phone.
I'm thankful I have a job that allows me to make people smile every day.
I'm thankful for warm showers.
I'm thankful I serve a God who cares enough about me to help me not pee in my car and who gets me to and from work safely.
I'm thankful for today.
This song came on the radio twice while I was on my way home tonight (88.3 in Orlando and 106.1 in Lakeland) and I think it went well with my day today...
Every good thing comes from the Lord. We shouldn't take these little things for granted!
...you wake up 8 minutes after you should leave for work and 7 minutes before you must leave for work...
...you make good time on I-4 until hitting bumper-to-bumper traffic for miles and call work to say you don't know when you'll be there...
...your gas light comes on while at a standstill on the interstate, with who knows how long until you can exit...
...you stare out your window after in hour in traffic, contemplating if it's socially acceptable to pee in the median on the interstate, because you drank a whole bottle of water thinking you'd be at work already...
...your whole body starts quivering in physical pain as you try not to pee your pants after finally making it to the exit...
...you arrive at work an hour and a half late after spending two and a half hours getting to work when it should have taken an hour...
...you arrive at your location at work only to find out half of your cashiering technology doesn't work...
...your day finally gets better until it starts pouring while walking to your car...
...you drive home, soaking wet, for an hour in the rain...
you know, that kind of day.
But you know what? I've been doing a really great job at thinking more positively lately and being thankful for the little things every day.
I'm thankful I woke up today in my own bed.
I'm thankful my car started.
I'm thankful I have a job.
I'm thankful for bladder muscles that work.
I'm thankful for gas station bathrooms.
I'm thankful I have a cell phone.
I'm thankful I have a job that allows me to make people smile every day.
I'm thankful for warm showers.
I'm thankful I serve a God who cares enough about me to help me not pee in my car and who gets me to and from work safely.
I'm thankful for today.
This song came on the radio twice while I was on my way home tonight (88.3 in Orlando and 106.1 in Lakeland) and I think it went well with my day today...
Every good thing comes from the Lord. We shouldn't take these little things for granted!
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Broken Heart in Training
They warned me.
They said I might cry...and they were right.
They said I would pray for them....and I sure do.
Student teaching is hard, and I'm not talking about the lesson planning or even the teaching.
I go to school each morning and walk down the halls past such precious children.
Some don't have loving homes.
Some don't own warm clothes.
Some can't afford Valentine's cards.
Some misbehave to get attention.
Each one a life I can make an impact on and that's what keeps me going.
This week has been hard as some of these realities really sink in.
I have one homeless student who I love dearly, but who my heart breaks for. The fact that my kindergarteners are worried about not having Valentine's cards because "mom doesn't have money" makes me so sad. If only teachers were allowed to adopt kids...my apartment has plenty of room to spare!
I just want to cry because I love them all so much. My heart just breaks when I hear of other students in my building bringing drug wrappers, knives, and other things to school. Or those who have trouble listening or misbehave for attention. If only I could spend a few minutes with each and every student and show them all the love of God through my actions.
Last week I was able to spend some time working one-on-one with a student from another class. One whose name is known around the building because of his bad behavior. He didn't want to do our 100th day painting activity while the other teachers were around, but once they left and we were doing 100 exercises together, he listened so well and he was so funny telling me he was working on his "packs." By the end of our exercises he told me he had "two pack" abs. :) Then I let him pick a Spiderman video to watch until he was picked up by his teacher and that made him so happy, he sat in SILENCE until it was over. Just that short time made me so happy that I could really impact a student by giving him some positive attention.
Seeing kids from other classes in the hallway start to recognize me and give me hugs just makes my day! I even have a second grade friend in a regular ed classroom who thinks it's fun to tell me "Hola" and "Gracias" because I'm a bilingual teacher. :)
I know God is preparing me for the lives I will impact the rest of my life. This is just a taste of what my life will be like as I get a new set of students each year to love on and pray for. I know God made me with this heart for a reason, and I couldn't be happier.
So I may sit here in my apartment by myself, crying over and praying for my students, but that's what I was made for and I wouldn't have it any other way.
:,-)
Isaiah 1:17
New International Version (NIV)
17 Learn to do right; seek justice.
Defend the oppressed.
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
plead the case of the widow.
Defend the oppressed.
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
plead the case of the widow.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Life Saver
This year I have been to two different countries, met many new people, experienced new cultures, foods, and languages.
I made a difference in the lives of others... but it didn't stop there.
Today I got an email that could change someone's life forever.
Sophomore year a team from the National Marrow Donor Program came to Olivet to sign people up for the registry. I was thinking about joining, but I ended up chickening out.
Lest year they came back to Olivet and I thought about it even more and decided there was no reason for me NOT to sign up. If I am a healthy individual who is capable of giving someone LIFE, why would I say no?
I've received several emails over the last few months, reminding me to keep my contact information up to date and some news about the Registry. So when I see a new email in my inbox from "Marrow Registry" I usually don't think much of it.
Today the subject line read "You are a possible marrow match."
At first I thought it was a simple marketing email to keep me interested in staying on the registry or for new people to join, instead... It MEANT it.
Somewhere in the US someone might need ME to give them a chance at LIFE.
At first I was kinda nervous, but throughout the day I've been getting more excited. Maybe God put me on this earth not only to travel the world and impact lives with my actions and my words, but maybe God put me on this earth to save someone's life with the body and cells that He gave me.
So I've completed the first steps. I told them I was still interested in donating and I filled out the health questionnaire. Now the waiting game begins.
Will I be the one this person needs? For now, only God knows the answer, but pretty soon I may receive a YES!
If you aren't on the Be The Match Registry, I encourage you to go to marrow.org and find out more information on how YOU could save a life!
I made a difference in the lives of others... but it didn't stop there.
Today I got an email that could change someone's life forever.
Sophomore year a team from the National Marrow Donor Program came to Olivet to sign people up for the registry. I was thinking about joining, but I ended up chickening out.
Lest year they came back to Olivet and I thought about it even more and decided there was no reason for me NOT to sign up. If I am a healthy individual who is capable of giving someone LIFE, why would I say no?
I've received several emails over the last few months, reminding me to keep my contact information up to date and some news about the Registry. So when I see a new email in my inbox from "Marrow Registry" I usually don't think much of it.
Today the subject line read "You are a possible marrow match."
At first I thought it was a simple marketing email to keep me interested in staying on the registry or for new people to join, instead... It MEANT it.
Somewhere in the US someone might need ME to give them a chance at LIFE.
At first I was kinda nervous, but throughout the day I've been getting more excited. Maybe God put me on this earth not only to travel the world and impact lives with my actions and my words, but maybe God put me on this earth to save someone's life with the body and cells that He gave me.
So I've completed the first steps. I told them I was still interested in donating and I filled out the health questionnaire. Now the waiting game begins.
Will I be the one this person needs? For now, only God knows the answer, but pretty soon I may receive a YES!
If you aren't on the Be The Match Registry, I encourage you to go to marrow.org and find out more information on how YOU could save a life!
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