Dear Friends and Family,
It's been a very long time since I have written any sort of update but I feel that this is a perfect opportunity for me to do so. Why? Because I am in a period of transition and I have plenty of time. Soon, I will be very busy. In fact, this coming Friday, I am going to go to the Mississippi/Louisiana area to help with the relief effort and I need your prayers. When I come back, I will be going to my cousin Salvador's wedding and two days later I leave for Morocco. In the mean time, I have a little bit of time to write a recap on the last year or so.
Several unfortunate events took place this year in my family. One of my Uncles, Steve Martin, passed away. Also, my Grandmother, Janice Dias, passed away. Although these were hard times, It was nice to come together with the family and celebrate the lives of our loved ones now departed. Another bit of sad news is that my Grandfather, Antonio Rodriguez, has been very ill with complications of diabetes and old age. He has had several close calls at the intensive care unit and hasn't been stable for any long periods of time. Thank you for praying for my Grandfather Antonio while he is alive and for the Rodriguez family, especially my mother who is far away from him.
Concerning my mother, some of you know that she had surgery for gallstones last year around Christmas time. It was pretty scary for a while because the doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong with my mother and she had been experiencing increasing pain for over a year. She described it as if she were in labor except that there was no child and no end to the attacks. Thankfully, she is now fully recovered although the operation left a nasty scar.
My dad continues to do an amazing job as Director at
George Washington Academy. Even though there have been setbacks and lots of red-tape, I admire his determination to provide the best education he can to the students at George Washington Academy. From what I have heard, the new permanent school facilities that are being built will be among the largest in all of Morocco and perhaps even the continent of Africa.
Jeremiah, my youngest brother, is my only sibling living with Mom and Dad. He is doing very well in school and is on track to go to a top name university if he so chooses. He has the brains and he gets his homework done. (No pressure Jeremiah, but I know that you could go to MIT or CalTech if you wanted to).
Personally, I have had an intense year. I lived with Jorge(my brother in-law), Clara, Esteban, and Omayra, at my Father's house in East San Jose. From October 2004 until June 2005, I spent my day-time working as a security guard for
Silver Shield Security. I was making pretty good money and I am glad I had that opportunity. While working as a guard wasn't intense, the things I chose to do aside from that kept my life very interesting.
Besides the security detail, I had various side projects and commitments. I volunteered with
Camp MayMac doing planning for Winter Camp and Summer Camp. I also completed a paid Video project for Camp. I continued to volunteer as a Sunday School teacher at the Cryy. I even volunteered for a very interesting event called the Sulha Peace Project (it is not affiliated with my church). Along the way, I chose to finally get serious about going to college.
For some time now, I have convinced myself that I wanted to pursue Art as a career. So I took on the arduous task of writing acceptance essays to a school called the
Art Center. The main essay question asked me to describe a risk that I have taken in my life. Writing this essay took an extraordinarily long time. I typed up several different and very disappointing drafts before I finally had something decent (translation, about 4 months of writhing, I mean, writing). Then, I began gather artwork and put together a portfolio.
In June, after my last day of work as a security guard, I drove to Los Angeles with my two brothers Esteban and Jeremiah (Jeremiah was here to work for the summer). I spoke with an admissions counselor at the art school and after going through my portfolio, he told me that I needed to develop my art some more before I could be accepted. He did like some of my art but I did not have enough examples of what the school looks for in an illustration student (meaning figure drawings and studies of the human form).
So, the next day, after hanging out and having some fun in Los Angeles with my brothers, we drove home to San Jose. I had gotten the answer I expected and in a way, I was glad.
See, my first love has always been music not drawing. In fact, I spend much more time playing and making music than I do drawing. That doesn't mean that I am going to study music, but I am pretty sure that I was 'rejected' by the Art Center because I am not currently passionate about drawing. I do draw and I have fun doing so but not at the level required for Art School.
After coming back from Los Angeles, I began moving out of my house to be where I am currently living, Camp MayMac. I worked as a summer staff on the Leadership team and experienced one of the most challenging and rewarding summers I have had yet. Christine Bowers and myself were in charge of planning and running the program for 9-11 year olds and 12-14 year olds. God blessed me with many new relationships and friendships with the staff (who were my primary focus) and I also was able to connect with a few campers.
I was able to use my gifts quite a bit this summer like leading music, being in skits, counseling, spray-painting graffiti art (not the illegal stuff mind you) and being up in front of people. I was also challenged in areas of weakness such as being organized, remembering details, taking time to rest and being well prepared for events and games.
There were 24 staff total, not including volunteer counselors, and together, we made this the best summer of camp I have experienced (out of four summers that I have served). Many young people were blessed and our prayer is that these children's lives would be changed and that they would grow strong in the Lord during the year through help from local believers.
While at MayMac, about halfway through the summer, I received a phone message from my father asking me what my plans were for the fall and if I wanted to go to Morocco and work at the school. My dad gave me no other details but I was overjoyed at knowing that my dad wanted me to work for him!
The implications were huge to me. It meant that my dad didn't care if I had finished college or not (I mean, I know he does, but he loves me anyway). It meant that if I did go to college, it was my choice and not a burden or expectation set by my parents.
So I chose to apply at
Biola University and
Bethany College to begin in the Spring. I am also going to go to Morocco from October until January so I can help my dad in whatever way he needs assistance. Assuming that I am accepted at both schools, I will choose one and study full time to pursue a teaching degree. (Even though I can work at my dad's school now, I can not be a teacher unless I have a degree).
So, to make a long story short, I am no longer pursuing an art degree, instead I look forward to becoming a teacher in a few years.
Now that brings me to the Mississippi/Louisiana part.
After summer camp ended a few weeks ago, I continued to live here at Camp MayMac as a volunteer. It has been nice because I have a small room in the health lodge where I can make music and be as loud as I want at almost any time of the day or night.
Two weeks ago, the director of MayMac, John Scott, was giving us daily updates on Hurricane Katrina and the disaster that has struck the gulf coast. I wasn't fully aware of what was going on because there isn't any television here at camp and I wasn't really keeping up with the news.
Anyway, once the hurricane passed and as news from the area seemed to become more desperate, John Scott was sent to the area along with other CityTeam staff to see how
CityTeam could become involved.
CityTeam has now organized an
effort and I have been confirmed as a volunteer to fly out this coming weeking and return two weeks later. I don't know exactly how I will be serving but I'll either be in Louisiana or Mississippi (probably Mississippi).
After I come back from the Gulf Coast, God willing, I will travel to Morocco on October 3rd where I will be staying with my parents and youngest brother until January.
Please pray for me on both these trips, that God will protect my flights. Also pray that I will be a willing servant with the Katrina effort and that God would use me in whatever way he wants.
May God guide my path and yours,
Blessings,
-Tony
