My little brother, sisters and I were born into a Catholic family, but we were never set on one path. We attended a Jehovah’s Witness school, always teaching me one set of truths, and on Sunday, the Catholic Church would teach us a different set.
When I was only seven, our father died, and one of his friends, who was a Seventh Day Adventist, starting helping us. I was grateful for his help, but as he shared his faith with us, I had even MORE questions.
Despite his help, we were struggling greatly, and finally, we were put out of out home and we all went to live with my mom’s sister. She was a Christian. Here with her, I started to get hungry.
She had a Bible, just like everybody else, but she used it. She had a culture in her house I had never experienced, altogether different, and it was obvious that her culture was driven by her faith.
When I was nine, in order to continue as a student at our Catholic School, I had my first communion one afternoon…and that same night I was at a crusade in a Christian church.
I was confused, and all over the place.
When I was in fifth grade, I heard Pastor Storly (of Radio 4VEH) reading Mark 12, the story of the man who left his land to the care of his servants, and yet they abused his trust and friends, and in the end, killed his own son. When Pastor Storly read that story, I had SO many questions. Somehow in my spirit, I KNEW that Jesus was talking about ME. I knew that I hadn’t received him. Even when He sent His son, I didn’t accept him. Were those murderers, those thieves, were they ME?
In my heart, that moment, I started praying a different way. I stopped listening to everyone else and started looking for God myself. I didn’t want to be one of the people throwing Him out.
When I was still a child, I met Gayel, one of God’s servants that He clearly sent to orient, help and teach me. She was from a Christian family and had a stable faith…not all the confusion that I had. As she walked with me, I came to meet Jesus. I knew I needed a redeemer.
I grew quickly to LOVE the Bible. I had SO many questions, and the answers were are IN there. Who am I? How does this work? What does God think?
I had so many questions in my heart, and I started finding them in my Bible. I am SUCH a curious person, and I started to realize, each day, that God was changing me. We would all read a passage at church, and everyone would see something, and I was always way off in left field seeing something else.
People started saying, “You should study the Bible more! You always have a unique perspective.”
I would have liked that, but I had to figure out what to do with my life, and I had to work. I started in school to study economics, to help support my siblings. Every day I begged the Lord to just help me get through the DAY. It was awful. I was not in the right place and I knew it. Everyone was impressed and interested and marveling about our classes, and I hated every minute of it.
In my third year, I met a leader of YWAM in Haiti who talked about a discipleship training school, and I wanted to do that! But it took money, American money. I asked God to find me a way if this was what He wanted me to do.
Someone called me in July and offered me a job, out of the blue. They were looking for a finance person and had contacted my church, and they told them about me. I praised the Lord and I worked hard, but after a year, the work was done. I was paying all my own schooling and all the schooling for my little brother, so I had nothing saved.
Months later, those same people came and offered me another job, and the same exact day, my good friend Pedro came to me and said he was praying for me.
“Wonderful,” I said. “Pray for me NOW. I need it!”
“Lord,” he prayed right then and there, “make Waldine understand that she should have been at Emmaus already, and don’t bring her to the point where you have to break her foot to get her there.”
The next day, I came to Emmaus, and I asked God for a sign.
I was supposed to start the new job in January. And now I was supposed to study the Bible in January.
I needed the work. I needed the study.
Don’t speak in parables, God. If you want me to work, you know I need it, I’ll go to work. If you want me to go to Emmaus, I’ll go to Emmaus. Just tell me straight!
That very Sunday at church, Pastor Guenson (new Emmaus University President) was preaching, and he literally said: “Do you prefer to work? Or do you prefer to study God’s Word?”
I started bawling right there, because our God is not a God of confusion, and He was asking me to trust Him.
It was SO hard to give up the chance at work, but it felt clear.
I came to Emmaus the next day, and He is helping me big time. He truly equips us when He calls.
I have felt so edified in my classes since coming to Emmaus, that there are times in class that I feel like I could lift the building.
And there is a HUGE Library! It is my favorite place on campus…suddenly I have access to a million answers to my million questions, and if I am not in class, I am in the library.
Pray for me for courage. I am aware that I can’t do anything…any good is in Him. I pray that He will continue to show me what I need to do, and to grow and shape my heart for evangelism, and then give m the courage to do it!
To be a part of a continuing story like Waldine’s, please give online here now or send checks payable to Emmaus University to 3170 Airmans Drive Unit 1153-EUH Fort Pierce, FL 34946. We need your help providing student scholarships in ANY amount to help men and women like these live and study at Emmaus!