Thoughts About My Mother and My Christian Faith


by Efrain Hernandez

I have a special memory about my mom. I love the way she cooks. I have not found anyone who can cook rice like her. Even me, I can not cook like her, though she tried to teach me how. She left this country to go back to Mexico about six weeks ago. I miss her and her food. Maybe I will never find someone else who can cook like her.

photo of EfrainI have five brothers, and my mom worked very hard to raise us alone--she had to, because my father left us when I was six years old. My mom worked in a restaurant from 6 a.m. until 1 a.m. the following morning. She was very strict, but now I am glad.

My mom converted to Christianity when I was nine years old. She made me and my younger brother attend Church four days a week from that time on, but my older brothers were too old to force, so they didn't go with us. For the first few years, I hated Church; I fell asleep, or looked at my watch all the time because I was bored. But by the time I was twelve I enjoyed Church, and when I was seventeen, attending a Church camp, I took Jesus into my heart. When my mom noticed that I wasn't talking about God with my friends, she'd ask me questions about my spiritual life. She always reminded me to stay on God's path.

I remember every Sunday morning us children recited by memory a new verse from the Bible. It was a competition, and for a long time the pastor's daughter always won. Then one day my brother won, and the pastor's daughter cried and cried. After that sometimes she won, sometimes my brother, and sometimes me. My brother is still a part of that congregation, and teaches religion to the young people in Jalapa Vera Cruz. I, too, am a church youth leader. I work at the Salvation Army in Arlington.

The most important thing my mother taught me was about knowing God's love. I can see how people lose their life without God. There are too many people who drink alcohol and use drugs. They lose respect for God and for their family. For example, one of my brothers died from drug and alcohol abuse. This caused my mom great sadness; for a long time afterwards she just sat in her chair, reading passages from the Bible. If I could ask for anything, it would be to help my father and older brothers and anyone else who is lost to let Jesus Christ into their hearts. When I talk to them, I feel sad because I sense a hardness in their hearts. But I know that difficult times come for a reason, to teach us something important. The Bible gies us hope that we will all meet each other again after we die.

 

My Dreams for the Future


My dream for the next few years is to get married and I am praying about this. I don't care about her physical appearance, but what's in her heart. I want her heart to be humble, for her to respect and trust me, and for her to worship the Lord. In this way, I hope to God to have a nice family that can worship God together.

I know I am in God's hands. I do not yet know His plans for me. But my hope is to stay here and live. I would like to have two children and raise them to speak both English and Spanish.

Also I would like to be a pastor and serve the Loard. I love to preach and teach other people. I rejoice when I do that. I hope to become a pastor to give my life and time to the Lord. I would like to be a disciple of Jesus to respoct and obey His Holy word. I wish to be faithful until He comes again or until He calls me. I desire to follow Jesus in each area of my life. I would like to give Him everything I have. He is my hope: the Lord is everything to me. Withough the Lord I am nothing.

 


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Last Updated By Gail Matthews-DeNatale: 10/08/96