Hello to all! I want to share with you all my amazing week that I had last week!
It all started on Monday February 14, 2011. As some of you all know February 14 is my daddy’s birthday. This was a very special year for him because it would have been his big 50th birthday. Unfortunately my father passed away two years ago and wasn’t able to celebrate this big day. I in the other hand I was ready to celebrate on his name. I know I have talked about my dad before and have mentioned how amazing he was and how his words of wisdom have been coming up in my journey. He has influenced me to do so much.
Growing up my father would always tell us, "Todo en la vida se puede lograr mientras deveras quieras acerlo” which translates to “Everything in life is possible, if you want to do it!” and he would always tell us that the words “NO Puedo” could not be part of my vocabulary. By the way “NO Puedo” translates to “I can’t” Well one thing that I am terrified of is HEIGHTS!!!!!!
It all started on Monday February 14, 2011. As some of you all know February 14 is my daddy’s birthday. This was a very special year for him because it would have been his big 50th birthday. Unfortunately my father passed away two years ago and wasn’t able to celebrate this big day. I in the other hand I was ready to celebrate on his name. I know I have talked about my dad before and have mentioned how amazing he was and how his words of wisdom have been coming up in my journey. He has influenced me to do so much.
Growing up my father would always tell us, "Todo en la vida se puede lograr mientras deveras quieras acerlo” which translates to “Everything in life is possible, if you want to do it!” and he would always tell us that the words “NO Puedo” could not be part of my vocabulary. By the way “NO Puedo” translates to “I can’t” Well one thing that I am terrified of is HEIGHTS!!!!!!
I always wanted to do something crazy for my father 50th birthday, something outside my dad’s comfort zone. Well since he is now in Heaven I wanted to do something that represented him and something that if he found out I was doing, he would say “estas loca (you are crazy)”
Since the day I got to Ecuador I wanted to bungee jump, so in December I decided that for my daddy’s birthday I would jump of a bridge in his honor. I needed time to mentally prepare myself to do this. Remember I am terrified of heights I think this was a great idea because I would always tell my sisters that I would love to do it but I just wouldn’t be able to “ es que No Puedo”. What a better way to show off my dad’s great words than by doing something he taught me, which was to not be scared and take the “bull by the horns.” So bungee jumping was the one thing that fitted the picture.
On Monday February 14 I took the day off of work. I had to stop at the office and cash a check but first I made a quick stop at the ophthalmologist office to say hello to my fav, ophthalmologist. Stan Pletcher (which I work for). He quickly suggested that I took his video camera and recorded this. Also he was seeing a patient that had lost vision in both eyes and that day God had worked his magic and our patient was seeing. Praise the Lord! What a better day to start my day! So Stan finished with the patient and we went to his house to pick his video camera.
Right before I left his house his wife Shelley was wishing me good luck but Stan said something that made me not want to jump. “Let me give you a hug just in case I don’t see you again” talk about jinxing me. He actually had a bright idea of me jumping of the bridge holding his camera. Sure like that was going to happen. Then my friend Kim asked if I was to die if she was to delete the videos. Well I actually wanted her to show to my lovely sisters. After all that I left and went to the city of Baños with my friend Kim. In my purse I took a picture of blueberries (because we have a farm and we grow blueberries and my dad loved his farm) a picture of a Violin and a family picture and I wore a black bow on my shirt!
Once in Baños I got in line to do this jump. It took some time for me to take it in and actually get in line. After two hours I finally got the courage to do it and I Ibet Saucedo jumped off a bridged that was 100 meters tall!!!! As I was ready to jump off I prayed, and then I tried to convince myself it was all a dream. Yeah sure like that helped. Finally I jumped and as I was falling I thought to myself, shouldn’t you be screaming? So I screamed for a few seconds then I told myself “don’t be silly and just enjoy this” so I did.
The video is below. I hope you enjoy it, because I did! Once again Happy Birthday to the greatest man that I ever met, my father Mario Saucedo! A father who would give anything up for his “4 mujeres and un violin.” (four girls and his violin)(Oh yeah my dad had 4 daughters and plenty of violins) There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t remember him and his words. He would always encourage us to be someone in this world! And for him I want to become someone in this world! I wish he could be here so that I could thank him for all the great things he taught me and courage me to do! I couldn’t be Ibet Saucedo if it wasn’t for him, the man that showed me Faith, Compassion, Love and Courage! Thanks daddy, I LOVE YOU!
On Saturday February 19 2011 a group of young people and myself decided to read all night. We decided to read the New Testament. Our schedule was to start at 7pm and eventually we would finish at 5am on Sunday morning. Due to automotive problems our Korean friend Joe didn’t get to Shell till 8 pm. He was the one that lead our bible reading. Soon after he arrived we stared the reading. Krista, Joe, Kristin, Alaina and I. After a few minutes my friend Monica came with her father. He is a Christian but doesn’t really go to church. I let him borrow my dad’s bible, since it’s a big print and it is very clear to read. As we were reading Monica’s dad come up to me and asked me where he could find a bible like the one he was holding in his hands. He was interested and wanted one. That made me feel great because he actually wanted to read the bible!!! What a blessing!!!
After reading the first book my roommate Alaina had to leave. So it was just 6 of us. My friend Monica and Krista are known for sleeping early but Monica stayed until 2am. To my surprise Krista stayed with us all the way! We took turns to read. I forgot to mention that some more people joined us but left after one hour. We did the reading both in Spanish and English, and we praised the Lord in Spanish, English and Korean! Can you guys imagine how great this was! We had plenty of coffee (since the reading was in my house and I love coffee) and snacks. Hour after hour passed and I was more and more into this reading. But as the hours went by my brain and body were not working as they should.
At the end of the reading Krista, Kristen, Joe and me deiced to read the last 3 chapter out loud, we were so tired and sleepy that we thought this would be the best way to keep us awake. Right before we finished the last book our fiend Kim came and read with us. By the way this is at like 8:29 am. Almost 12 hours since we started. Finally we were finished, Sunday February 20 at 8:53 am. All these emotions and amazing this happened burring this reading. I felt connected to this great power. We close up the reading with a group prayer. We actually didn’t go to sleep right after that. We ate breakfast and then we chatted for a while. It was very interesting because we were so tired that our conversation made no sense! It was like 3pm when we decided we needed sleep. Krista decided to stay at my house and she fell asleep, she was tooooo tired to function, I did the same thing. After a long 2 hour nap we got up and sat in my living room talking about the great night we had had. These two events that I have lived I will never forget. I never in a million years would have thought that I would be reading the NT in one night! What a truly a neat thing God loves us and he wanted us to experience this all together.
I hope you all enjoy my entry! God is working in some amazing ways and I love it. Well take care you all. Can't thank you all for all the prayers and help I have received. Thank you all. Please keep me in your prayers! I need them!
Your friend,
Ibet Saucedo!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UjnlUJznbM (link to my video)
