Alana Martinez - California - Generate Hope Inc.

I have truly learned, in just the two weeks I have been here, how God will use the things and experiences in our lives to pave the way and prepare us for future things.

Last week, I was invited to the the San Diego Action (Against Child Trafficking and Prostitution of Teens in our Neighborhood) Network meeting. The funny thing is that while researching the law article I wrote for Professor Kohm's Juvenile Law course, I saw a youtube clip of an interview right after their first meeting in November. It was a short clip and I really couldn't find much information about the organization, what they did, or what exactly they were doing at the time. I had a stirring within me to want to be part of such a "task force"/network, but in finding nothing at the time, put it aside. When I sat in on the meeting, they ended up needing someone to research how to pull some cases under the Freedom for Information Act and asked if I would be willing to help at all, find whatever I could. Nothing formal, just any information. When I realized that this was the exact organization I had found on youtube, of all places and not exactly the most scholarly, I realized that God sees those small desires to help and put that on my radar so that when I was asked to attend with another on behalf of GenerateHope, it was God placing me in the right place.

I was also invited to attend a sub-committee meeting that afternoon (Human Trafficking/CSEC Victim Services Committee) and in that meeting, the first item on the agenda was discussing California legislation. They had read a bill, did not know anything about it, and asked if anyone at the table did. Well, I had done a lot of research regarding previous bills, spoken to my state senator's office and could provide feedback about it as well as send them the information about the bill that I had found. They were so appreciative for the information because they didn't know about the bill that I had researched or the background information that I had obtained while working on my article. It was awesome to see that God used all of my work on my article to prepare me for this position to be of help to this committee that will work so hard to help these girls/women.

I also attended a grant-writing meeting last week and helped edit a grant. I saw how God used my English degree and my experience writing my law article to help with editing the grant being sent out. I was able look at the grammar and sentence structure as Professor Kohm had with my paper, and my many English papers in Undergrad, to help with this article to send a grant to hopefully get funding for this organization.

All of this to say, that God has shown me that He never wastes anything. Not my major in Undergrad or my research and writing my law article. What I thought was done and completed in life has resurfaced with the skills to do what He has called me to do. I had always known this, but walking through it and knowing that God prepared my way to get here is pretty incredible. And I am thankful to the Center for placing me here. Is it what I thought I would be doing exactly, not really. But I have learned and am seeing that My ways are not His ways, to trust Him and honestly, I have to live day to day right now as there is not a set schedule, I get emails short notice, opportunities come up and I jump at them. But that is walking in Faith with God's plan, and not my Type A, schedule my whole life plan!