This testimony of Jorgia is the one I am most thankful for so far. It reminded me that I don't KNOW everyone's story. And that everyone, EVERYONE, is facing a battle that I know nothing about. Grace.
As I've worked hard to build a relationship with Jorgia throughout the year, it has not been as easy as it has been with others. She is incredibly intelligent and talented and sweet-natured, but very guarded. Even getting her testimony from her started out as a lot of work, pulling for information.
But when we arrived in the Dominican in her story, and she started sharing about the day they drug her to the front of the church and she was so prepared for the same persecution she'd received so many times before...we were there together.
So much of Jorgia, from her fluency in Spanish, French, English and Creole....to her hesitancy at letting others in--comes together when you hear her story.
His story, in Jorgia's life.
So excited to be a part of His story through Jorgia...and we need you to be, too.
"I was born in Cap-Haitian to a Catholic family with five children. When I was five years old, my mom had a chance to go to America, and took it. She moved to Florida, and I have not seen my mother since then. It has been 22 years.
My father stayed with us, but when I was 10 years old, he unexpectedly died. I moved in with my sister, who was married and had kids, and that is where I grew up.
Today, all my brothers and sisters live in Florida, too, near my mom. It is just me, and I have lived with my aunt since my sister left for America.
As soon as my dad died and I started living with my sister and then my aunt, I have been in church. They are both Christians, and always took me with them. I loved being with people in the church, and was in several singing groups and then youth group and Sunday school. And at the church we were attending, the Evangelical Church of Cap-Haitian, they were always emphasizing that even if we are in church or live with Christians, we still have to make a personal decision for Christ.
In 2001, the youth group elected me to be a member, and asked, “Do you personally have a relationship with Jesus?”
I didn’t, but I sure wanted to. I converted then, and have been in this same church ever since.
After I finished high school, I didn’t know what to do, but my mom sent word that she wanted me in Port-au-Prince studying something that could make money. So, I went to P-a-Prince to study economics, but during my first year there, the great earthquake shook Haiti, and my family sent me back to Cap-Haitian.
Then, they decided to send me to a university in Santo Domingo, in the Dominican Republic. Before you could do that university program, you had to do a four month intensive program in Spanish, so I started to study Spanish.
I felt so lonely in the Dominican, and there were hardly any other Haitians around me, and the Dominican people did not treat Haitian people like me very well. So when I finally made a Haitian friend, I stuck with her, and one Sunday she took me to her church.
When we went in I was very shy, because there were only four Haitian people with very dark skin like me, and everyone else was Dominican and very light skinned. I was worried they would also treat me very badly like everyone else had. I didn’t want to be there at all. When it was time to introduce visitors, my friend jumped up and pulled me up beside her.
I wanted to disappear into the floor, not stand out even more. Then, to make it even worse, the pastor greeted me warmly, and told me to come down front. I was sure they wanted me in the front to make me ashamed, and I did NOT want to go. But my friend pulled me along, and when I got there I stared at the floor and wished to disappear.
But then the pastor came to me, and talked to me, and then with his wife they held my hands, and prayed for me. He told me that he felt that God had a plan for my life, and wanted to use me. I didn’t understand what that was, but when I said to him, “What plan?” the pastor said, “I don’t know. But God loves you and loves Haiti and has a plan to use you in Haiti.”
I was shocked and surprised. I was surprised God loved me. I was surprised this man did. I was surprised God wanted me in Haiti. I was surprised that GOD had a plan for me...not just my mom from afar. And that day changed everything.
“Don’t waste you time and money,” my friend told me later at home, “Studying Spanish and studying economics or nursing or all the things your mom wants you to do from America is now a waste if God's got something else. Don’t waste yourself on what other people want. God has a plan for your life. Make it His.”
I called my mom, and I told her I was done. I told her that God had a plan for my life, and she was very unhappy. She only wanted me to pursue a plan that had money involved, but I told her I was sorry and that I was listening to new direction.
So, I came back to Cap, went right to my pastor, and asked him how I could study the Bible so that God could use me in Haiti. I always thought I would leave Haiti, like my family, but now, I felt like I was right where God wanted me to be. I am called, like a missionary, to Haiti.
I knew about a school named Limbay, but he told me instead about a place called Emmaus.
Now, I call Emmaus my family.
It is true that I am learning a lot about God and the Bible and ministry through my classes at Emmaus. But most, I am learning about God through the community at Emmaus.
The way the Bible is telling me to carry myself, to live, to love, to make choices, to treat people...that is how I SEE life being lived at Emmaus. And I am a part of that community.
I want to work with youth. I have a great burden for discipleship. God put me in Haiti and brought me back again for a reason. My future is His."
Pray with us for Jorgia, and if you feel led to join her Emmaus, please do! We need your help!
(with 365687 JORGIA as your project)
Email me and let me know if you or your family or church have committed to aligning with Jorgia...and we'll move on to the next student! Praise the Lord!
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