Called in a Dream
Sandra Osorio was a Microbiology student at Montreal University in the Fall of 2010 when her world suddenly changed. She had just emerged from a serious relationship when God chose to get her attention.
“I wasn’t walking with the Lord at that time. One day I read the words, ‘Is God using a breakup to speak to you?’ He wanted my attention. So I opened my heart and said, ‘I need God’.”
From that point on, Power to Change staff came alongside Sandra, encouraging her in the difficult months that would follow. And in classic Power to Change fashion, encouragement was followed by a challenge. “Power to Change staff always challenge people,” laughs Sandra at the memory.
Her challenge was to join a four-week missions trip to Paris, France. Sandra remembers feeling very unsure. “I knew I was being called to be apart of this project, but at the same time, I didn’t feel like I was good enough.”
Sandra’s application process was marked by many difficulties: a late application; a late acceptance; reduced time to fundraise. To make matters worse, Sandra had severe stomach pains that brought her to the hospital. “My appendix was about to burst, so they had to operate on me.” Sandra recalls wanting to leave the hospital during the days in recovery so she could fundraise for her trip.
Some of those closest to Sandra suggested that perhaps her illness was a “sign from God” that she shouldn’t go. But Sandra refused to believe that, remembering her initial calling. “I knew God wanted me in Paris to share the Word in French. I prayed that if He wanted me to go He would provide the money.”
And miraculously, He did. “Money came from everywhere, and not necessarily places I had asked from either. God provided and I had no doubt it was Him.”
Sandra and team, led by Andy Smits, left on May 5th for Paris. The following weeks were agonizing for Sandra as she recovered from surgery, but her excitement overwhelmed even the pain. “It was like a dream come true. I had never shared the complete gospel before.” Sandra’s Quebecois accent actually opened doors for ministry. “People thought I was completely hilarious, and because of that I was able to make friendships.”
Sandra was able to share her faith with Muslims and Atheists and people who had never heard the gospel.“People were amazed. We hosted discussion times and invited them to have coffee to discuss love and other popular topics.”
Two weeks went by like this, until Sandra’s pain returned, followed by a fever. Doctors said she would be fine and that only 1% of people get an infection after their appendix is removed. “I was exiting the hospital when an intern called my name. They wanted to do blood tests just to be sure.”
Sandra learned that she did in fact have an infection and that she would need another surgery.
“I was so mad at God. Why would he let me go on a missions trip to the other side of the world only to bring me back to the hospital? I didn’t understand.”
Sandra’s team sought to encourage her. “When they asked me ‘What is God teaching you?’ I would say ‘Patience’ but I wasn’t really feeling that at all.”
However, after surgery, Sandra remained positive, having one more day to share God on campus. As she set out, her fever began to climb; it reached 39.5 degrees.
Upon returning to the hospital for a third time in less than a month, a blood test revealed that an infection had spread all throughout her organs. “It was too much. The doctor did not understand how I was still alive after five days of this infection. People usually die. I started crying because I knew God was keeping me alive.”
Sandra says that was the moment everything “broke into pieces.” She went into surgery yet again and said goodbye to friends she thought she might never see again. Sandra awoke to tubes: a morphine pump, a feeding tube, oxygen, and multiple drains coming out of her body. It was then she realized the operation was quite severe and complex. “I surrendered. I asked God to show me what He wanted me to do.”
Then something incredible happened. In a dream, God revealed His calling on Sandra’s life. “I fell asleep, and in my dream I was working for Power to Change on a missions trip. There was a girl beside me and she was sick and I was telling her how God changed my life through my sickness.”
Sandra awoke this time to tears. Her plans to get a Masters in Microbiology were about to change. “I didn’t want to believe the dream – [I] blamed it on medication.”
Two slow weeks passed and Sandra read the book of Job until she realized God was testing her faith. “He was removing all the things that I put before Him.”
Sandra’s struggle continued back in Canada. “God kept reminding me he had a better plan for me. But I didn’t want to listen to it. I asked people to pray for me, but I already knew what I had to do.”
Sandra made the decision to join Power to Change on December 29th, 2011.
To support Sandra in her ministry with Power to Change, click here.
4 Responses to “Called in a Dream”
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I completely agree that this is an amazing testimony, and I am so thankful to Sandra for sharing how God works through our trials to lead us even closer to Him. Today, it is so easy for people to turn away from God, rather than running to Him, in times of hardship and suffering, believing the lie that a good God would never allow painful things to happen to us if He truly loves us and truly is in control. However, this false belief completely ignores the Truth of God’s Word in the Sciptures, including Romans 5:1-5:
1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us [English Standard Version].
Thank you so much, Sandra, for sharing your story of suffering, and the endurance, character, and hope in Christ that your suffering produced in you. May God richly bless you as you now serve Him daily. Thank you, also, to each one who has commented on Sandra’s wonderful testimony. Your words are very much appreciated here at Power to Change, and so are you!
God is SO amazing in the way he can make His glory known even in the midst of our struggles and circumstances.
Cool what an cool story good story i loved it
Wow, what an inspiring story!