Lucia has been an associate with Esperanza for 7 years in Batey Palo Bonito outside of La Romana. She sells accessories, undergarments, lotions, deodorant, and sandals. She began with a small loan of $8,000 pesos (about $175 US dollars)  and has grown that amount to her current loan of RD $40,000 (nearly $900 US). She is the mother of 6 children ranging in ages from 23 to 6 years old. Her dream is to have her own house and a physical location for her business where she can support each one of her children in their dreams of going to college.
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“What if today is the day you were born for?”

Lucia expectantly poses this question in the devotional portion of her Esperanza bank meeting. She urges the other 44 Esperanza associates, the loan officer, and a couple visitors to really think about her question.

With a wry smile on her face, she looks squarely at the group and says, ¨Because it is.¨

Referencing the bible passage in Esther she had just read, Lucia says, “Esther left her humble and resource-poor family and was able to arrive at the palace of the king. And the reason the Lord put Esther in the palace of the King was to free her people.”

The biblical story of Esther weaves a tale that ends exactly at Lucia’s point. Esther came from nothing (Esther 2:7). Her beauty and intelligence made her a queen, and she humbly used her influence to save the Jewish people from the evil plans of Haman (Esther 7:6).

Lucia restates the question, ¨What if today is the day you were born for?¨

Is she trying to say that today someone in her bank meeting will save all of God´s people? Is today a significant moment in history that will be remembered for thousands of years that everyone else somehow forgot?

Of course not.

Lucia’s point is simply this – today is the day you were born for because today is a part of God’s purpose for your life.

This isn’t just a message for a Bank of Esperanza in a rural batey outside of La Romana. It’s not just a message for a loan officer, a visitor, a Dominican or an American, it’s Lucia’s message for all of God’s people. She says, “If we believe in our God-given purpose, no matter how great and scary it may be, we too can arrive at the palace of the King, because our God has that kind of power… If we believe, truly, that God is with us, there is no distance or struggle that we cannot overcome.”

Today is the day you were born for. Amen? Amen!

Psalm 118:24

“This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!”