On River Time

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I was sexually abused multiple times as a six-year-old child. As a young boy, I was confused, shameful and guilt ridden. I didn't say anything to anyone. Even as an 11 year old kid, I recalled standing at the doorway of my mom and dad's room, determined to say something, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I was overcome by shame, guilt, and a fear that often comes with abuse. I bottled it up. For decades. But as an adult, I kept having the same recurring nightmare and finally got myself into counseling. For the first time, I broke down and those painful memories were finally verbalized.

What people might not understand about abuse victims is that believing it wasn't your fault does not come easily or quickly; it's a process of forgiveness and self-reflection that usually happens in silence. For me, that happened on a river as I was fly fishing at age 38. I loved the serenity of fly fishing and found it to be the perfect place to talk to God. And it was on that river where He and I finally worked out all my demons....

My Calling Became Clear

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Frustration filled my heart. I was already in my second year at the University and still didn’t know what I wanted to study. I had tried accounting, but knew that working with numbers would never fulfill me. I wanted to do something to help children in need. Specifically, kids like me.

My younger siblings and I had grown up in Costa Rica. Because of abuse and neglect, we’d be put under the protection of child services. Then, when our birth mother had showed a bit of improvement, we'd be sent back to live with her. This cycle happened several times before she eventually stopped making any effort for us.

In the children’s home where we were placed, our path crossed with a missionary who became the mom we’d never had. She fought for us, eventually starting her own orphanage, so that sibling groups like ours wouldn’t be separated when they aged out at 12 years old....

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