Mamá Peñate, un amor sin fronteras… /Mamá Peñate, a love without frontiers... (Esp/Eng)
Hello I am Gladys, I am 48 years old, 30 years married, I am mother of two beautiful sons, one of 29 years old that sadly for the economic situation of my country emigrated to Peru, although we are always in contact it is not the same, not being able to hug or kiss him, attend him before any health problems, but I trust that one day I will have him in my arms again and the youngest of 25 years old, my dreamer and refuge, he as the male version of me, loves photography which is his passion, the outdoors, contemplate nature. This is my family.
Como nace Mamá Peñate, hacen casi 13 años encontré respuestas a muchas preguntas del alma que siempre estuvieron en mi corazón más por más que indague no conseguía las respuestas, hasta ese mes de febrero del año 2007, esas misma preguntas se las hicieron a mi madre y así fue como mi deseo de conocer las respuestas a esas preguntas, me hicieron dar un giro en mi vida. Empecé a servirle al Señor, como Él quería que lo hiciera.
Comencé a servir ayudando a los niños a conocerle y darle de ese amor que Él me daba cada día y esa protección que solo una madre sabe dar, al principio fui la Hermana Peñate más al correr los meses ese cariño fue creciendo entre ellos y yo, y comenzaron a llamarme Mamá Peñate, eran niños de entre 10 y 12 años, al compartir con ellos las enseñanzas del Salvador me acercaban a Él cada vez más, agradezco el tiempo que compartí con ellos, ese amor sigue ahí hoy día.
As Mamá Peñate was born, almost 13 years ago I found answers to many questions of the soul that were always in my heart but no matter how much I searched I could not get the answers, until February 2007, those same questions were asked to my mother and that was how my desire to know the answers to those questions, made me take a turn in my life. I began to serve the Lord, as He wanted me to do.
I began to serve helping the children to know Him and to give Him that love that He gave me every day and that protection that only a mother knows how to give, at the beginning I was Sister Peñate but as the months went by that love grew between them and me, and they began to call me Mama Peñate, they were children between 10 and 12 years old, when I shared with them the teachings of the Savior they brought me closer and closer to Him, I am grateful for the time that I shared with them, that love is still there today.
Seis años después, tanto mí esposo y yo fuimos llamados a servir como Lideres de Jóvenes Solteros (entre 18 y 30 años de edad), era otra la labor que teníamos que cumplir, nos tocaba ayudar a fortalecer su testimonio del Salvador, ayudarles a fortalecer sus familias y prepararse a formar su futuro hogar, hay habían jóvenes que habían crecido en la Iglesia, algunos que estaban volviendo después de años de estar alejados y otros que recién estaban conociendo la Iglesia, a todos los acogimos como si fueran nuestros propios hijos, por lo que más que sus líderes sentían que éramos sus padres.
Muchos domingo recuerdo que en vez de 5 personas a la mesa porque mi mamá vivía con nosotros, llegamos a ser casi 20 personas compartiendo los alimentos y disfrutando de momentos agradables, recuerdo tardes de juegos, noches de lecturas o de tertulias, los recuerdo componiendo canciones y cantando karaoke, fueron tiempos hermosos, habían chicos desde 14 años hasta jóvenes de 30 años.
En los días de actividades ellos rodaban con nosotros llevando a cada uno a sus hogares, la confianza de sus padres hacia nosotros se la agradezco al Señor, hoy muchos de ellos se han casado y están en otros países o ciudades, otros están estudiando y haciendo metas para su futuro, aunque solo fuimos sus líderes por un año, siempre seremos sus padres espirituales ese amor que nació bajo el servicio del Señor hoy día ellos siguen compartiendo con nosotros, sus metas logradas, sus momentos felices y de tristeza, nos llaman para pedir consejo y compartir anécdotas, comentar de sus estudios y sus nuevas amistades. A pesar del tiempo y la distancia seguimos siendo mamá y papá Peñate.
Six years later, my husband and I were called to serve as Leaders of Single Youth (between 18 and 30 years of age), it was another task we had to fulfill, we had to help strengthen their testimony of the Savior, help them to strengthen their families and prepare to form their future home, there were young people who had grown up in the Church, some who were returning after years of being away and others who were just getting to know the Church, we welcomed them all as if they were our own children, so more than their leaders they felt that we were their parents.
Many Sundays I remember that instead of 5 people at the table because my mother lived with us, we became almost 20 people sharing food and enjoying pleasant moments, I remember afternoons of games, nights of readings or gatherings, I remember them composing songs and singing karaoke, they were beautiful times, there were kids from 14 years old to young people of 30 years old. In the days of activities they would roll with us taking each one to their homes, I thank the Lord for their parents' trust in us, today many of them are married and are in other countries or cities, others are studying and making goals for their future, although we were only their leaders for a year, we will always be their spiritual parents that love that was born under the service of the Lord, today they continue sharing with us, their achieved goals, their happy and sad moments, they call us to ask for advice and share anecdotes, comment on their studies and their new friendships. Despite time and distance we are still mom and dad Peñate.
Nunca pensé que se podría amar tanto jóvenes que no nacieran de tu vientre, más el Señor me enseño a través de esos jóvenes que si se puede, y eso no es todo, hacen 6 años el Señor me puso a otra prueba de nuevo, más esa es otra historia, que espero contarles más adelante, solo les digo que Su amor por cada uno de Sus hijos es inmensamente grande.
I never thought that you could love so much young people who were not born from your womb, but the Lord taught me through these young people that you can, and that's not all, 6 years ago the Lord put me to another test again, but that is another story, I hope to tell you later, I just tell you that His love for each of His children is immensely great.
