make room for what matters

 

I am extremely attracted to the idea of minimalism.

 

I absolutely love thinking about what I would take with me if I was told I could only leave my house with a suitcase packed with my most essential belongings. I also happen to love reading blogs about people who strive to narrow down their belongings (or closet) to only 37 things per say.

 

Only the essentials... No room for clutter or unnecessary junk...

 

Minimalism reminds me of the time when I took an 18 day hike through the Gila Wilderness where all we had was the essentials, tightly stuffed into our 60 lb trekking backpacks. We didn't even carry deodorant (or toilet paper for that matter). It was an amazing trip. No extra stuff to weigh us down and hold us back from the wild adventure ahead. No extra stuff to distract us from our beautiful surroundings. (if you're wondering how we managed to do without TP, ask me later).

 

Minimalism also reminds me of the time when I had to fit all of my belongings in the back of my pickup as I moved from California to Texas for residency. The game of tetris is a great analogy as to how I crammed everything in so snugly. I did this to ensure I had all that I needed for my new life in the great city of Houston.

 

More recently this past Sunday, minimalism reminds me of how I strategically chose the 7 articles of clothing I would be wearing for the 2015 Los Angeles marathon. Ditch the fanny pack, ditch the hat and the phone and the keys. Just 7 specific articles of clothing to succeed and get the job done (shoes, socks, underwear, shorts, and shirt).

 

What makes minimalism so attractive? Why does this way of living seem like that fresh air I have been holding my breath for?

 

The truth is I am the king of spreading myself too thin, of double booking my schedule and being late, of living distracted because of all the junk, of overcommitting, of accumulating unnecessary baggage, and you can only do that for so long before you go insane.

 

So why not ditch the clutter in my life? Less clutter means less distractions, less competing priorities, less weight to carry, less stuff to worry about. All this means more room and energy to spend on what truly matters in life. And extra junk in our lives comes in all shapes and sizes, your baggage may not only be boxes of physical stuff, but may also be emotional baggage. Just think of all those grudges and insecurities you've been lugging around for ages.

 

I strive to get rid of the unnecessary to make room for what truly matters (God and people). This permeates everything I do (even in what I choose to speak up about).

 

Pack only the essentials.

 

You may think that your life cannot be further simplified or further decluttered: "it's just too complicated." That may be true to a certain extent as life is not perfect and we are not perfect people, but reality is we can still strive to make room for what truly matters by tossing what isn't necessary in our life.

 

The most essential thing we should pack with us is from God. He LOVES us so much that we can then in turn overflow in love towards others. So if you try to live in one simple principle, live in love. Jesus also said "all the commandments and rules and regulations found in the bible can be summed up into loving God and others." Everything else doesn't matter.

 

And when every once in a while I manage to pick up some extra clutter I had already purposefully left behind, once I realize it, I turn again to toss it, no big deal, because there is always grace in abundance.

 

And I finish with this: Jesus said "Come to me all you who are tired and heavy-burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke instead and learn from me and you will find rest for your souls."



overcoming passivity

I am so excited to share what is on my heart and mind these days. It has alot to do with where I feel God is calling me (and you).

Recently I saw a video that was raising awareness: it said that every so many seconds another woman suffered as a victim of domestic violence. It reminded me of similar videos that I have watched in the past that address worldwide catastrophes or social injustices. Typically, these are all preventable tragedies like children dying from hunger or from lack of access to clean water. Each video ends by compelling the viewer to do something about the situation.

The crazy thing about these videos is that the tragedy addressed is preventable to a certain degree (like if somehow people had access to clean water, they wouldn't die of diarrhea and dehydration). And although it isn't that simple, the video seems to suggest that maybe if we all did something about it, we could end world hunger or erradicate human trafficking.

I tell you what used to happen to me when I watched these videos: I would get overwhelmed because it felt like the weight of the world was on my shoulders, then I would eventually forget about the video (very soon after watching it) and then I would go on with my life as if nothing had ever happened.

Sometimes I would rationalize the situation by thinking: "I mean, even if I did donate $5 to the cause, the problem will still be there." Or, "even if I went on a trip abroad to serve the needy, it probably won't change a thing." True and true.

After watching enough of these videos I sort of became numb and would completely ignore them even when they somehow snuck their way into my daily routine.

And it's the same with the homeless guy at the stoplight that wants to wash your windshield or is asking for money. "No, please don't, I don't need you to wash my windshield." The classic move is checking my phone for texts as I'm waiting there just to avoid eye contact with the guy in the wheelchair.

And it gets so awkward, you can just feel the tension rise in your shoulders. You roll up the window, turn up the stereo, strike up a superficial conversation with your co-passenger: anything to avoid being asked for another penny.

At least the awareness videos don't stare back at you. You can at least ignore them while enjoying the comfort of your plush couch.

Then I got fed up by the whole situation.

 I got fed up with doing nothing, but yet I knew that I wouldn't be able to solve the problem either even if I did give away all my hard earned money and went bankrupt for the cause. So what was I supposed to do?

I went to a very close and wise friend and asked him how he dealt with situations like these. His answer was simpler than I expected: ask God what He thinks you should do.

Sooo simple but yet true.

Ultimately the problems of world hunger or extreme poverty are not my burden to carry, they're God's. And how could I be so arrogant to think that I can change a God-sized problem?

But yet God can use us. And that's where we don't get off the hook either. So the answer remains: I need to ask God what I should do about the situation and pray for those that are in those situations.

For example, whenever it comes to deciding whether to give money to a homeless person, I ask God about it. Sometimes I feel I should buy them coffee, sometimes I feel I should not give them anything, other times I feel like I should give them a couple bucks. Lately, I have found God nudging me instead to donate to a local homeless shelter whose purpose is to give people a chance to get back on their feet (job training, rehab, etc).

On the larger scale, when facing the huge disparities and injustices in the world, as I asked God for guidance he answered me by giving me a passion to serve the poor through medicine. Whenever I think of those without access to a doctor because they barely have enough money to put food on the table, my heart leaps out of my chest. And I find peace in dedicating my life to following this passion, even though it may not address all of the world's problems.

And even when God calls you to help out somehow, there is freedom. Because the problem lies in God's healing hands, not ours. When thinking about serving the poor as a doctor abroad, to think that I will solve this problem of access to health care is a bit conceited. The truth is that only God can fix these issues. Therefore I can stop pretending that the world needs me and I can step off the "savior platform" and let God be God.

Don't get me wrong, I do hope to make a difference in my lifetime (by helping expand and run a locally sustained health care organization in an under-resourced area of the world). But I also understand that after I die my footprints of hard work will most likely fade as quickly as I left them. And that's okay. Because God is good and he will still be in the business of healing the world. And when it is all said and done at least I can say that I had an amazing time on earth following the passion that God has called me to pursue.

Ultimately my life-goal then becomes no longer to "change the world" but to do my best at loving the people I come in contact with. Isn't that essentially what Jesus taught us?

Back to the case of the homeless person at the stoplight, if loving them is the answer, then ignoring them is definitely not. So even though I may want to look the other way, I still acknowledge their presence by nodding or a casual wave, and then I ask God for guidance.

As I end this blog, I hope that when faced with the overwhelming issues of the world, we would turn to God instead of pretending that we can save ourselves. There is freedom and peace in knowing that God takes care of every person, and it is not our job to carry that weight. However we should be open to not looking away when someone is asking us for help, but to face them head on with God's love.

life to the fullest

Have you ever wondered what percentage of your smiles on a daily basis were fake? Or how much of your daily routine is not enjoyable because you are not living in the present? I think about these things all the time.

In my case, I would admit that I frequently am trying to please the people around me instead of being who I was made to be. I also will admit that I usually rush through the day just so go back to sleep and then wake up and rush through the next day and so on.

Well, I am tired of it, and I am ready for a change.

Jesus said in John 10:10 "A thief comes to steal and kill and destroy, but I came to give life—life in all its fullness."

I am pretty sure when Jesus brought up life to the fullest, he did not mean the kind of life I am living now. I think the reason behind this is because somehow I have let my God-given passions fall off the wagon. Somewhere in the hustle and bustle of life, we can get so focused on our "hamster wheel" routine or pleasing the people around us that we lose sight of the bigger picture. The last time I checked, the 2 most important things in my life were God and people, but lately this has not been reflected in the way I carry myself.

Live is meant to be enjoyed and lived with passion! We are meant to live life in the present, not worrying about the future or dwelling on things of the past. We seem to ignore and then shut out the voice of our heart's deepest desires. Instead of living life on purpose, we sort of let life just happen to us and become a victim of its ups and downs. The victim mentality is seen for instance when I complain to others about how tired I am, or how I couldn't help but hit the snooze button 15 times that morning just dreading the day of work ahead of me. What kind of life is that?

Another issue that will suck the passion out of life is if you are constantly worried about meeting the expectations of those around you. This is represented in my life as the fake smile. Many times throughout the day I smile out of obligation rather than out of joy. This is the product of being a people-pleaser, and what ends up happening is that you get so caught up in pleasing others that you become a phony people-pleasing robot and you forget who God has made you to be. This is no way to enjoy the life God has given us.

I think about my line of work as a doctor (my dream job!!!) and how much I want to love and help my patients find health and deeper meaning in life through my interactions with them. But how in the world can I help them if I am constantly rushed and not even pausing to listen to them? Or if I am wearing a smiley-face mask all the time?

I also think about the church and how we need less fake interactions and more people that are willing to wrestle and support each other through the deep issues of life (especially the sad ones). There's no way I will be able to reflect Jesus if I am wasting all my time trying to appear like I have it all together. And I am definitely to blame on this one.

What is your God-given passion? Have you thought lately about picking it up off the floor, dusting it off and reestablishing its importance in your life?

As I start off this year and with all the above in mind, I propose 4 goals for myself:
1: Get closer to God (a constant struggle to make time, but I know it is my #1 reason to be alive)
2: Ditch the mask and be honest with the people that I care about (this has not been easy so far, but it has definitely been worth it)
3: Live in the present with heart over everything (including at work!!)
4: Cut back on my Coca-Cola consumption (physical health is important too, you know)

I am privileged to rub shoulders with a few brave people that have decided to risk it to pursue their dreams in life. This is so encouraging. I am excited and can't wait to go abroad to serve as a doctor after residency, but the future starts today, risking one day at a time. Will you ditch your hamster wheel and your mask in exchange for a life full of real love, passion, and purpose?

Immanuel - God with us.

 

I heard the preacher on Christmas Eve speak about how all of Christmas could be summed up into the word: Immanuel (meaning God with us). I couldn't help myself, even though I had already something lined up to blog about, I found myself reflecting over and over about this and what it means that God came down in human form to be with us. Isn't that what Christians celebrate on Christmas, the birth of Jesus, God in human form?

He quoted this verse regarding Jesus:

"Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means 'God is with us.'" Matthew 1:23

Whoa, wait a minute, what? Put yourself for a second in the context of that day.

The fact that God was coming to earth could be terrifying if you believe in a God that is a punishing God, a God that is just waiting for you to make a mistake so he can give you the spanking you deserve. Maybe he was just coming bring down fire from heaven on those of us that didn't go to church or those that didn't pray before every meal.

Maybe your view of God is somewhat similar to Santa Claus and you hope maybe that you did enough good things to be on the "Nice" list instead of the "Naughty" list. Maybe he was coming to distribute blessings to those who were "worthy humans."

It could mean nothing, if you believe that God is a distant entity that doesn't care much to get involved in the human affairs of Earth. Maybe he just was coming as a tourist? To people watch? Get a closer look?

Isn't that crazy to think about? What is God like? He is coming to earth! How can I prepare for Him? What will I say to Him? How can I undo my past mess-ups, erase my ugliness, get my act together?

The good news is that the one thing God was coming to earth to accomplish was to show us His unfailing love. No hidden agenda, not to preach yet another condemning message, or remind us how we are all going to hell, but to show us how much He loves us. The kind of love a Father or Mother has for her children. Actually, an even bigger and depper love than that.

Amidst the mess of a selfish humanity, despite our hate for one another, while people were killing one another in anger, God came down. He didn't wait for things to be perfect because he just couldn't deal with our mess, instead he came down amidst the mess. He came to show us his love, a love so big that He died on the cross to carry all of our dirt away, as far as the east is from the west. No matter what the size of your selfish nature is, he forgave it all. He personally paid for it all. All my mistakes, gone.

Incredible.

And it all started at Christmas.

I am so glad you came down - Immanuel, God with us. Thank you God. Mold me to be better reflection of you, teach me to put down my weapons, show me how to love. Thank you for forgiving my mess-ups and mistakes.

my story



I wanted to start by sharing my story and how I ended up headed towards medical missions.

Let me mention that there was nothing fancy about it. At a young age I knew I wanted to help people out.

God really spoke to me through his word in the part of the gospels where he decides to wash his disciples' feet. Every time I read this passage, I felt like something was about to jump out of my chest. There he is, the Son of God, God in person, and he decides he is going to be the one to stoop down to wash his disciples feet before dinnertime. And the crazy thing about it is that the disciples let him, I mean would you let the president wash your feet? I think not, I would probably be like "Mr President, your highness, how about I wash my own feet, I can do it, you don't have to wash my feet, if you want I can wash yours (because this would feel more appropriate than him washin my stinky feet)."

Peter felt somewhat the same way as I do and protested when Jesus was about to wash his feet. I realize that serving is not only about serving: if you really want to be Jesus' disciple, you have to humble yourself to be served. I think Peter learned this lesson when Jesus corrected him, "if you won't let me wash your feet, then you have no part of me." True humility in serving is NOT a one-way street, you have to be humble enough to serve and to be served. In the end, Jesus insisted and Peter responded, "well if you have to, then wash all of me, not just my feet."

As I mentioned before, this story just really makes me feel uncomfortable and yet so much more passionate about the way Jesus would serve his disciples. One time when the disciples were arguing about who was the best disciple, Jesus said "whoever wants to be first must be servant of all." And that really resonates with me.

So my passion in life is to serve others, and since God also put a passion on my heart to become a doctor, that is how I plan to carry it out. As I said, nothing fancy.

One last thing: Ever since I remember I felt a strong sense that every person I came in contact with was an equal, and it was important to serve at an eye-to-eye level instead of from a perspective of superiority. Get rid of that "savior complex" that does no one any good. Practical ways of doing this include sustainibility (serve in a way that doesn't crash when you aren't there), empowering the local community as much as you can to do what you do (as the saying goes: teach a man to fish), and go there with the perspective that things should only change as much as the local community is willing it to.

How I see this playing out: Given my latin background having grown up in Chile, the plan is after residency is to serve in a latino community that has limited medical resources and plug into that community in the biggest sense of the word, to serve and be served.