My testimony seems uneventful in comparison to those before me. I was raised by my natural parents, the oldest of two girls and two boys. We attended church regularly, my parents were very involved in the leadership of our attended church, and grew up knowing what we were “supposed” to be. We lived in a remote mountain area in California, without much exposure to other cultures or people unlike ourselves. I learned to appreciate the outdoors, and a simpler way of life.

   However, at about age ten I started having this one dream repeatedly. It was like watching myself in the third person. I was grown up, mid 30’s/40’s, and dressed in these wrap around type garments. I was speaking to a large group of people who looked nothing like me. They were darker skinned, smaller in stature, and were dressed in these same “wrap around” garments. The womens’ garments covered parts of their head and the men were dressed in tunics, most of their clothing was white or light colored. The people in my dream were listening closely to what I had to say , but I had no idea, after waking, what I might have been speaking about. In this dream I was standing part way up a light colored cement tower, the platform I was using to speak. There was a man there with me, but I did not know who he was. Walking down a staircase, after speaking, I came to a door and opened it. The man with me would reach across and pull it closed, saying “You do not need to go in there, better that you stay away from this.” I would insist and open the door to find a dark lower level with heavy vines, spiders, snakes, and all the things to me (as a child) that represented evil and scary things. The man with me would again shut the door and we would continue to leave the tower stairs. That was the end of my dream.

  I would have this dream several times a week, over several years. It did not scare me, I felt safe in the dream. Yet I didn’t understand what this dream was about or why I would continue to have it repeatedly. I did not know any people who dressed or looked like those in my dream, and had no experience or education about other cultures. More than anything it left me puzzled.

  As I got older the dream occurred less often. Despite my Christian upbringing I didn’t make a conscious decision accept Jesus as my Savior until about age 13. During high school I thought I would like to become a doctor and maybe go the mission field. I somehow felt I was called or driven to pursue bringing help to others less fortunate than myself and those I knew. I began to financially support a Leprosy Mission at 18 yrs old, but knew that was not enough for me. I did that for a few years while attending college to pursue nursing, a medical degree seemed beyond my reach. I was a very shy child and adult, and couldn‘t imagine myself doing anything “large“ for God. How could God use someone like me? I was a person who lived very conservative in every way, really afraid of the world and what life could bring, …of being out of control of my life.

   My life has since had many ups and downs, and I have learned, often the hard way, that God is always in control, I am not. I am the mother of two teenagers, who bless me daily. I became a nurse at age 36, finally. Still in the back of my mind, a never ending pull, I felt there was more of a plan than what I had been obedient too. This dream that never went away and meant something. I am now blessed with a husband who is very open to letting me follow that “call“. He has believed that he was “the man” in my dream, there to help steer me away from those things that I fear or are evil in an unknown environment. He says “You are the woman with a mission, I am here to carry your suitcase and protect you.” Needless to say, he did much more than carry a suitcase. I have been blessed in so many ways. I have always felt the best way to show Jesus love was to meet peoples needs , physically first, then spiritually. God has given me a freedom from fear and reservation, hard times have provided much growth. I can now speak and share without inhibition, and have a compassion for those that want what I am happy to give. I have found the people in my dream, and am so blessed to be a part of their lives.

  Our involvement with the India Orphan project has blessed me more than anything we have contributed. They welcomed us as family, with love and generosity,… love for strangers only God could instill. I think the fulfillment of my dream has just begun. Our trip allowed me to visually witness these darker skinned, sari wrapped children of the same God in person, eager for the hope that can be offered to them. I feel so blessed to be able to give them anything I can offer, through medical education, supplies, love, and most of all, …hope. I am amazed at their joy, resilience, and courage in everything. My children are anxious to join us on our next trip and I am eager for them to see that the need is something that can be met. “Only” one person at a time does make a difference.

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