Today I’m en route to visit the A21 Campaign shelter in Greece. An 19-hour flight has me dreading boarding a plane, but knowing I get to meet and talk to trafficked girls in our care makes the flight enjoyable!
Here’s the truth:
When I accepted the position at A21, I thought my life would be one big shining day of saving the world goodness. The reality is that I’m behind a desk five days a week and send 927,287,130 emails a day. I sit in meeting to meeting, campaign planning to campaign launching, and still eat my lunch out of a paper bag. But there’s something different in my daily life.
I received an email today that there is a alleged victim in a detention center in Greece who they suspect has been trafficked. The email was pressing and urgent, asking when I would land in Greece because—get this—they want ME to translate and speak to the woman about her story?! She only speaks Spanish and our A21 lawyer knows I’m Hispanic so she told the local officials a TRANSLATOR will be coming from America to help this case.
[Side note: I almost barfed while writing that. I’m so nervous, I’m sick.]
Please pray for me. Please pray for this young woman. Please pray that those years of watching novelas with my Puerto Rican grandmother will pay off when trying to speak my broken Spanish. Please pray I can share her words with the pain she feels, the hope she needs, and the will to fight.
Adios!
Praying!! What an opportunity God presented =)
Katy, your comment made my day! Thanks for your prayers!!!
What an opportunity! Will definitely be praying for her, you & your Spanish skills:)
Thanks, Brit! I need it 😉
Oh girl, praying for you. I have to share that our deaf ministry went to Mexico, one of our guys who is Asian and completely deaf went witnessing to a Mexican police officer and there in Mexico the police guy accepted the Lord through him.
Imagine that an An Asian deaf man was able to share the gospel to a mexican man who didn’t know sign or English, because what our friend did have was love for the people.
I have confidence that this meeting will be perfectly fine because of the love you have for these girls. Remember, love cast out all fears! So OPA and Adios my friend!
Now I have an urge to watch big fat Greek wedding! Haha xoxoxox
You totally inspired me! Thanks a million for everything you’ve done and what you are!
Sounds like an adventure!
I will pray that your linguistics are perfect in translation! 🙂
God bless you and your quest to save the world! 😉
Hahahaha! One of my biggest learnings over the past four months has been that Jesus has saved the world already. I simply need to love like He did and share in the redemption story. 🙂
You’re prayers are SO appreciated! xoxo
Oh Bianca! You’ll do great. with Him at your right hand, you will never be shaken! Psalm 16 is always comforting to me in a nerve-wracking situation.
Such a good word! Thanks for all you have done and said for me. 🙂
Praying for safe travels and for the conversations that await you in Greece – that hope will be clearly communicated and received.
From your lips to God’s ears!!! Thanks Emily.
Praying for you B! You got this!!! Praying for the young woman as well. Blessings to you! 🙂
You always have my back. I love it!
Bianca, I am lifting you up in prayer right now. I have the chills as I write this.
What an amazing opportunity to help these poor victims and LITERALLY give them a voice. GO GET EM’ GURRRL!
don’t worry…God is Latino and will help you…afterall, his name is JESUS! 😀
Hahahaha! You’re a dork. But I love you.
Praying you will help her share her story!
Thanks Dawn. 🙂 I appreciate it.
I read your blog quite often, but wanted to encourage you that God has got this one! 🙂 He is going to use you and it will be a great testimony of Him and His glory. Walk in the confidence of our Lord Jesus and know He knew that He would be with you when you translate 🙂 before you were born and has prepared you for it in more ways than you know. 🙂
THANK YOU! I feel so loved and I pray I’ll be ready.
What Jasmine said! LOL
Seriously, praying for your safe travels, and those you are going to help. You will do great!
Thanks Leola!
Bianca,
I’m praying for you. May you talk to Jesus exactly at the same time as talking with her. May she know/see/hear/touch His compassion, His love, His comfort and His plan for her. May your burdens be light. May HE amaze you with His faithfulness, power over darkness and goodness throughout this trip. Love and blessings,
Dawn
Oh Dawn, thank YOU for the wonderful words of encouragement! I appreciate it. 🙂 xoxo
Tell her, “Cristo te Ama!”.
Praying for you amiga.
I’m not sure I can get spiritual, but if I can I will!
God only speaks one language.. Love
God will be glorified
Thanks Norma!!!
Jesus will help you! To Him be the Glory!
Amen!!! Thanks for the reminder 🙂
I have all the confidence that HE will give you the words! I’m like you with my Spanish skills. (i’m a “meek” 1/2 Mexican, 1/2 Greek). I once shared with an elderly woman at a convalescent home – in Spanish. I actually left there a little shaken and in tears – God totally gave me the words in Spanish to share Jesus with her! You go girl! S’ agapo para poli!! (Greek for I love you very much)
Oh my Greek friend! Thank you SO much! 🙂
oh my gosh! YES, I AM PRAYING FOR YOU!!
Lord Jesus, be with my sister and use her mightily for Your glory. Give her humility and make her sensitive to Your Spirit.
Can’t wait to hear all about it!!
WoOHOo!!! 🙂
Wow, Bianca, sounds like God sent you for “such a time as this” (Esth 4:13,14). You are in my prayers.
Yes! Thank you SO much for your prayers.
Praying for you – how encouraging that one of the main manifestations of the Holy Spirit’s power in the book of Acts was to enable believers to speak in a language that wasn’t their own. x
Thank you so much, Lacey! It means so much to me to know that there are people that are praying.
Tell us … Tell us …
How did it go?
What a powerful opportunity!
So totally jealous that you got a trip to Greece. That is our dream trip, as Jim’s grandparents immigrated from Greece about 80 years ago, He has relatives there that we want to visit.
Hmmm … maybe for our 30th anniv. next summer?
Can’t wait to hear about your trip.