transcript

Speaker 1:
[00:11] Well, hi, everyone, thanks for tuning in to The Proverbs 31 Podcast, where we share biblical truth for any girl in any season. I'm your host, Meredith Brock, and I'm joined by my co-host, Kaley Olson.

Speaker 2:
[00:22] Well, hey, Mayor, we just recorded an episode with Dr. Nujerling Vargas. And if you heard doctor, you heard right. This was the first time we've ever had a neurosurgeon to the show. Here, you and I are going about our regular Wednesday when we normally record this episode, and we're just like doing meetings, doing the Lord's work, I understand. But this lady did a surgery this morning at 5 a.m. She did a brain surgery and then recorded with us later in the afternoon, which is just wild. And we got to hear all about how the Lord has worked in her life. And if you heard the name Nujerling Vargas, you might be thinking, that name doesn't sound like a typical guest that the Proverbs podcast usually has on. And you're also right, she joined us from the Dominican Republic. So we are, you know, international ladies over here, country hopping. But if you have a hard time understanding, you might want to turn that volume up a little bit. She's a little soft spoken, but I wanted to tell you now, because you're absolutely going to want to hear every word that comes out of your mouth, out of her mouth, because it is really incredible.

Speaker 1:
[01:33] It's really worth it. So turn that volume up, lean in, ladies, because she has an incredible story of God's faithfulness in her life that I think is really going to encourage you. But before we let you have it, I wanted to take a moment to share about our sponsor for today's episode, and that is Compassion International. You've heard us share with almost every episode that Proverbs 31 vision here is to eradicate biblical poverty. And we are actively doing that. And I'm so grateful. In fact, we reach millions of women each day with free biblical resources and about 80,000 listeners each month on this very podcast you're listening to. God is really on the move in a powerful way through Proverbs 31. Just the fact that you're listening to this episode is evidence that he's working not just at Proverbs 31 but in your personal life, meeting you in your day with resources like this podcast and so many other things that Proverbs 31 provides. But that is a powerful ministry. I like to call it, it's the ministry of God's word. And we recognize there's a real issue of biblical poverty in the world, but legitimate physical and spiritual poverty in places are often unaware of in our lives here in the Western world, which is why we proudly support and uplift the mission of Compassion International, an organization who goes into the hard places and reaches the impoverished people, providing them with the resources they need in the name of Jesus. Just like our resources meet you, maybe on your drive to school where you are in the, maybe facing questions and issues that you don't have the answer for, God is equipping compassion to meet children, families and communities in the midst of some of their most desperate moments. If you currently sponsor a child, I personally want to say thank you. Me too. Yeah, our family sponsors too, kiddos. What a unique and fulfilling opportunity to know that each month, our sponsorship is reaching a specific child and to get to pray for him or her by name. If you don't currently sponsor a child, then I want to invite you to take that step today. I think after you hear Nujerling's story, you'll be pretty excited to be able to be a part of what compassion is doing. Because when you sponsor a child, you ensure access to quality education, medical checkups, healthy food, clean water and most importantly, the good news of Jesus Christ, all delivered through a church in their community. Compassion is really changing the lives of children all around the world, and it changes the lives of the sponsors too. You can sponsor a child today by visiting compassion.com/proverbs and then the number three and one. Now on to Nujerling's incredible story.

Speaker 2:
[04:25] Well, Meredith, we are so excited for today's episode because we get to welcome Dr. Nujerling Vargas to the show. Nujerling, you told me it was okay to call you that instead of Dr. Vargas. So thank you for being here. Will you please introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do?

Speaker 3:
[04:46] Hello. Thank you for the invitation. I feel very honored to be with you. I hope God helps us to give us our best. My name is Nujerling Vargas. I'm from the Dominican Republic. Actually, I'm a school-based surgeon and neurosurgeon. What I do every day is to do brain tumor, a recession of brain tumor in people in different ages, spatially, kids and also adults.

Speaker 2:
[05:16] Wow. That's crazy.

Speaker 1:
[05:18] For those who didn't catch that, she does brain surgery.

Speaker 2:
[05:23] She does brain surgery.

Speaker 1:
[05:24] I'm going to put it in the most basic terms. You're listening to someone who works on brains.

Speaker 2:
[05:30] I think before we even really get into talking with Dr. Vargas today, it's going to take me a while. I feel like if you're a brain surgeon, I'm not going to... It's hard for me to not call you doctor. Of course, she deserves...

Speaker 1:
[05:42] There's a lot of respect there.

Speaker 2:
[05:43] There's a lot of respect there. But can we just pause right now and acknowledge that you don't have to be a preacher for the Lord to use you. Look, he is using her right now. I'm so excited to get to talk with you. Thank you for joining us on the show today.

Speaker 1:
[05:58] Well, Nujerling, obviously, our listeners are hearing you right now. You have an accent. We're talking about how you're a brain surgeon. I think they need to hear a little bit more about your backstory. Can you tell us about your childhood and maybe where Compassion International came in to being part of your story because it's pretty remarkable.

Speaker 3:
[06:25] Yeah. Well, my parents and I used to be from the north of the country. But due to the lack of job, we have to move to the east where Sugarcane fills. So by that time, they don't have a real community. They just improved a community. So people came to call Sugarcane. And when I was a child, I remember perfectly that it was not real house. It were like an improved house. The floor was not real floor, it was wood. There was no bathroom inside our houses. And there was no sanitary system. So we have the bathroom outside the house in the jar. And also there was no clean water. We have to walk maybe 20 to 25 or an hour to get clean water. And I also remember when we used to go to school, we have to use bags in our fits. We don't have shoes. And also we used to share the notebook. I have three brothers. And my mother used to cut the notebook in three pieces and give it for us, for each one piece of the notebook and also the pencils. And everything I remember when I was younger, it was a lot of of darkness because that place was really, really dark. And one day, Compassion people came around the village. They were talking about Jesus and about how big and how miracle he was. At the beginning, our parents were not very interested because I think when you are younger and when you are very tired, I don't think you are not maybe very interesting in here about Jesus. And the next day, they came back and they said, okay, we want to talk about Jesus, but also we're going to provide to your kids school supplies. We're going to provide food for your kids, and we're going to take care of them. So it was like my parents were very interested and also they were in Paris, the village, and from that day, I can tell my life has started to change. When Compassion came to our life, everything changed. It was like to see a new life with colors and change to dream.

Speaker 2:
[08:58] Wow. I have a follow-up question to that. When you said, when you're worn out and overlooked, you said your parents were so tired, it was kind of like they didn't want to hear about a God who provided, maybe because they just felt like if he could have, maybe he would have. So can you tell us, like, what did you know about Jesus at that age? Did you even know who he was and what was that like?

Speaker 3:
[09:26] By that time, I have never heard about Jesus. Maybe I was seven years old or eight years old, but by that time, the only thing we were trying to survive, like, even day by day, my parents leave my house around 6 a.m. or 5 a.m. morning, and we stay alone in our houses, and they just provide one food for a whole day, and they say like, use very wisely the food, because if you eat it in the morning, and then you will not have food for lunch. So I can tell Jesus in that time was not like real important, even though of course Jesus is important, but by that time we were trying just to survive, so we didn't hear about Jesus before.

Speaker 2:
[10:22] Yeah, yeah, yeah. Wow, wow, that's so relatable even to today, when life feels like it's up to you, why would you?

Speaker 1:
[10:31] It's hard to think about your spiritual needs when your physical needs are going totally overlooked.

Speaker 2:
[10:37] That's such a good perspective, Meredith. So, oh, go ahead, Meredith.

Speaker 1:
[10:40] Well, I was going to say, I think it's really hard, Nujerling, for our listeners to even envision the childhood that you lived.

Speaker 2:
[10:50] Yeah.

Speaker 1:
[10:50] You know, like most of our listeners right now can't imagine having to go outside of their house to use a bathroom, and for that bathroom, like I've been to other countries and I can envision what it's like, but I think most of our listeners don't understand that this is not like a flushing toilet. This is not a place where there's usually running water for you to be able to wash your hands afterwards, and for that whole experience is very, so, so very different than the reality that we live in, that as you're talking, I mean, you started this episode by acknowledging that you now are a brain surgeon, you know, and now how, like, how God intervened in your life, and I couldn't help, but as I was sitting here, I was thinking of your mom. I mean, I try not to get emotional, but like I have four kids, and I can only imagine if I had my kids and I was bringing them to school, and I only had enough money to buy one notebook, you better believe I'd be cutting that thing apart just like your mama did. I'd be finding the pencils because I would look in my children's eyes and know the potential that they carried and trying to remove every barrier for them to be able to realize that. That's every mom's heart's desire is to clear the path for their children to become what God designed them to be. And I just wish I could look your mom in the eye and say, way to go, mom. Way to go, mama.

Speaker 2:
[12:27] Yeah, I agree. And I think that teases up well for the next question that we have is now that we've heard the situation that you came from, Nujerling, and how hard life was, you heard about compassion and then your parents thought maybe our kids can get the help that they need. I don't have to do it all myself, but take us into what were some of the significant changes you noticed once you became a part of the compassion program? What changed in your life? What changed physically for you? What changed spiritually for you? And then also, did you see a ripple effect in your family once y'all got some of those physical needs met through the compassion program?

Speaker 3:
[13:15] Yeah, I think one of the biggest thing I remember was like, I have an oldest brother. So most of the things I used to use, it's like he used a clothes and then I use it. The first thing I get, it was a Bible. It was my first Bible and it says my name. It was a small one called Gideon Bible. And I said like, the first thing that I have for my own, that I don't have to share with nobody. And also I start to go into a school with, with shoes instead of bags. I also learn to see the world differently because our teachers used to say like, if you believe in the Lord, he will give you the desire of your heart. And I was so interested like, okay, if I believe in this God, he's going to give me all the things I want in the future. So I start to see the life differently. And I also start to see my mom, she was less worried every day because every day we have our food at Compassion. So the first time I came to Compassion, I remember once they give me for lunch, a full a full leg of a chicken. And I was like, wow, this is a real leg for myself. And I can remember that it was one of the happiest day in my life because I have like a real food and I have like a whole piece of chicken for myself. And I also learned so much stuff in Compassion. And to see my mom more acquire and less worry about us every day, give us peace to all of us. And then we also start going to the church. So church became something important for us because Compassion, we like part of the program, we have to go to the church to listen to the pastor, to sing in song, to pray. At the beginning, it was like we're, but then we start living this moment at the chair with the people from the church, we start having like a new kind of life. And then also our community, Compassion Health Community, our community to build a sanitary system with the latrinas. I don't know if you hear that name before. And also Compassion Health, our community to get clean water with a clean water system for all the community. So I think, yeah, Compassion and Shame, our life and our neighborhood life in so many different ways.

Speaker 1:
[16:02] Gosh, I can't tell you how much this, like hearing this story personally blesses me so much, Nujerling, because my husband and I, we've been married for 20 years. And when we first got married, I remember us having this conversation about like, okay, if we're gonna like do this thing, that we are gonna live our whole lives for Jesus, and we are gonna keep our hands open, we're gonna, financially we are too. And so in the first year of our marriage, my husband and I sponsored a compassion child. Her name was Christina, she was from Tanzania. And I think it was two years ago, and we sponsored her all the way through elementary school into, there was like a college transition program in Tanzania that we sponsored her there too. But as she aged out of the program, we picked up another one, a sweet little girl named Christina. She is from, oh gosh, I wanna say Rwanda maybe, she's in Africa. We picked her up and then just last year, we picked up another little guy, because my oldest son wanted to sponsor a boy. And so we just picked up another little boy named Yvonne from El Salvador. And hearing your story of what compassion did practically in your life, like you guys, I just, I want you to hear this. I want our listeners to hear. She went from being a little girl who was walking to school, she said bags, she had bags on her feet, to a little girl showing up with shoes, that she owned her first Bible, it had her name on it. And that she got, like the fact that she had chicken, she had her own chicken leg for the first time. As a person who sponsors, who is a compassion sponsor, that just blesses my heart. Like, it makes me so grateful for what we have chosen to invest our money in. And honestly, as a mom now, it's trying to translate that down to my children, to say, I know we could spend this money on another toy for you every month. But instead, look at what we get to be a part of. We get to be a part of this child's life being transformed. And so, Nujerling, let's talk with, I'm gonna be a little selfish, okay? Can I be a little selfish for a minute?

Speaker 2:
[18:28] You can be selfish.

Speaker 1:
[18:29] Okay, and can I get you to talk about your relationship with your sponsor and what that looked like? Did they, like for us, I try really hard to get my kids to write to our kids. Sometimes I'm not great about it, guys. I'm just gonna be honest. It can slip through the cracks. But what did that look like for you as a child being sponsored through Compassion?

Speaker 3:
[18:51] I think, you know, my parents, I know they love me a lot because they worked so hard every day for us. But the first time I hear that I love you was from my sponsor. She was 16 years old. She was in the college or going to the high school, going to the college. She was a teenager. And she told me the first time I received a letter, she told me that, you know, Nujerling, I want to be your sponsor. And I want you to know that I even that I don't know you. I want you to know that I love you. And I will be praying for you, going to be praying for your studies, and going to be praying for your life and your family. And even though we don't know each other, we are family now. And it was so, I moved myself to that time. And I can tell it was, I think, something so warm to hear somebody love you, and somebody care for you, and somebody want the best for you. Because as I said before, my parents, you know, I know they love me, but maybe they don't have the enough time to tell us that, because they were so tired every time, and so worried about everything. And I think she became my best friend, because she was young as me, but I was youngest, of course. And she cried me every time. She sent me a sticker. She sent me Bible verses. And she was always so attention to what I have to say. She always asked me, like, tell me about your life. I want to know everything about you. I want to know how is your friends. I want to know how is your house, your family. And I can tell sponsors became to be one of the best, or maybe my big family, even though I have my family, but I used to feel those people, Yannifer, like she was a real family to me. So for you guys that are sponsor, know that all the things you write to your sponsor child is like refresh, is like cold water for the heart. Because life, it wasn't easy by that time, but sometime you're just reading the letter, make you move your mind to another place, where everything was by that time soft and nice, and just to know somebody love you, give your heart like fresh, fresh air.

Speaker 2:
[21:25] Yeah. It's definitely convicting to know that if it's not, if, because I have a compassion child too, that I sponsor, and you're right, Meredith, I don't think about it all the time to write him, but I'm like, what if I, what am I gonna leave today's conversation with? I'm gonna go home and find, I call him Louie, because he has a very long name, but find his picture and write to him, because I don't know the impact of my words. But Nujerling, from what I have heard about your specific story is that your sponsor relationship was very unique and it became much more than just an exchange of letters. Can you let us in a little bit as to how your sponsorship, your sponsored relationship really transformed your life and what God did through that?

Speaker 3:
[22:18] Yeah, well, when I finish high school, you know, there is a different program called LDP program, Literature Program, Literature Program Development. It's for Compassion Kids. They used to be leaders in their community, leader in their church, and leader in their life, used to say. So my first sponsor couldn't continue with the sponsorship. So when I get to LDP program, that was like a special program. So kids can go to university when you finish the first program of Compassion. I get a different sponsor, and their name is the Bolinski family. Sarah, Pete and their kids, they were absolutely awesome. So when I finish high school, I start to study to be a professor. Maybe you don't know that. So I start to study at the university because we couldn't afford college to be a doctor or a medical doctor. So my mom said, well, you need to start to study something. So why don't you maybe became a professor? It's a free university in my country that is easier to get in and is free, or the payment is very low. I was like, yeah, but I want to be a doctor. And she said, well, it is what it is. And so I start to study before I became a professor. It was a great time. But at the same time, I was applying for a Compassion scholarship. So I just start to become a professor. But then like six months later, I get a call from Compassion office saying that Nujerling, you get a full scholarship to study medicine at the university you asked for, and your sponsor will pay for your studies. So I was in the classes for becoming a professor and I just said like, Hi everybody, I'm just leaving to go and to be a medical doctor. Thank you a lot for everything. That was very funny because I just remember and my professor from the university was like, what are you talking about? Yes, yes, I understand. Don't worry. I'm leaving. And thank you for everything. The next thing I remember, I was doing my medical exam to start an university. My sponsors were absolutely amazing. They encouraged me every day. They give me a stretch. They help me to be a better Christian. She always was very carefully to tell me, Nujerling, I know you want to be a doctor, but the first thing you need to be is a good person. And the only way to become a good person is believing and trusting your life and your heart to God. When you give your path to God, He's going to put the things you need to do in the way. And it was like that. And I graduated from med school in five years. At the time was request. I guess the higher grade. And I gave the speech for my graduation. Because I guess the best score, they came over to my graduation. And she told me, you know, Nujerling, you see, you can do more of this if you believe in the Lord and you follow His path.

Speaker 2:
[26:03] Wow. Wow.

Speaker 1:
[26:05] Powerful.

Speaker 2:
[26:06] Well, Ann, I love that she had the conviction. She knew what she wanted to do. She very clearly knew that that was the path that she wanted to pursue. And look what God did.

Speaker 1:
[26:15] Yeah.

Speaker 2:
[26:15] I mean, it's amazing. OK, Nujerling, how is God still using compassion in your life today? Because you're not a child anymore. Now you're a neurosurgeon. But but but how do you still still see God using compassion today in your life?

Speaker 3:
[26:30] Well, I went to Japan to do a specialty. And I'm the third in my country doing a school based endoscopy surgery. So when I came back to the Dominican Republic, I asked the Lord to use me, not just, you know, to get money and to to become successful in that way. I want really to be used for people in need because not everybody have access to a neurosurgeon when they have like a very difficult pathology of brain tumor or a spine tumor. And there are so many people in my country that I don't have access to get this kind of specialty medicine. And now I'm doing so many surgeries in so many surgeries in Dominican people, also in Compassion kids, in Compassion people. I'm doing brain surgery for free. I work with a group of survivors, people from brain cancers, and I'm the leader of that. And I'm also the chief of a military hospital in neurosurgery. And every day when I can help somebody with a pathology of nervous system, I know I'm doing God's will because I'm helping one of his kids and his creatures.

Speaker 1:
[27:58] Wow.

Speaker 2:
[27:58] Oh my goodness.

Speaker 1:
[28:00] Do you sleep?

Speaker 2:
[28:02] That's actually a really valid question. You're like superwoman.

Speaker 1:
[28:07] Incredible. I mean, I just am blown away by what God has done in your life, Nujerling. And I love that you keep bringing it back to him. And I even think about how we started this episode just years such apparent humility. I just had a conversation with a friend of mine earlier today. And we were talking about when God does something incredible in your life and you happen to somehow be a part of it, we have to keep telling ourselves, don't touch his glory. Don't touch his glory. And I just see it so evident in you and in this conversation. And I am just so blessed to have been able to talk to you today. I want to ask you, this will be our final question, okay? If you could look in the eyes of all the ladies listening right now, what is one word of encouragement that you would share with them as they head into their day?

Speaker 3:
[28:59] I just want to say, give the chance to a kid to dream. Because compassion absolutely gives kids a new opportunity and became a sponsor by giving a person and kids the chance to dream.

Speaker 1:
[29:15] I love that. A chance to dream. You know, Kaley, this is not our first interaction with an adult who came through the Compassion program, and every single time, I'm blown away by what God can do in the life of a child if they're just given the chance to dream, and just given the chance to have a little bit of stability, you know, education and food and access to a Bible and a faith community. It's really remarkable. Honestly, it's why my family made the choice to continue to sponsor more Compassion children. And I just want to say, if you are listening right now, and you feel the tug, and you know it's time, it's time to go ahead and give up that little bit of money every month to make sure a child, maybe that I may never meet, but has the chance to dream. I want to encourage you, don't brush away that nudge. Act on it today. We're going to give you a chance to do that. You can sponsor a child today by visiting compassion.com/proverbs and then the number three and one. You can go in there. There is, you'll be, if you've never been to their website before, you will be astounded at how many children are waiting, waiting to be sponsored so that they have a chance to become the next Nujerling. It's pretty incredible.

Speaker 2:
[30:42] Yeah, it's incredible. I think too, whenever you go to Compassion's website, you see actual pictures of faces. That is something that I feel like I love so much about Compassion because it's such a beautiful picture to get to hear Nujerling's story because, like you said, I think about my child that I'm sponsoring, but I can go back and I don't necessarily know all of the details of his life, but I have like a face. And there's, when you choose to sponsor a child and you choose a face, you get to carry that and then go like, I know exactly who I'm impacting. And that's rare. That's rare, but what a special opportunity, because God can use anybody to bless a child's life, but the fact that you get to know exactly.

Speaker 1:
[31:30] Who they are is pretty special.

Speaker 2:
[31:31] You can look into their eyes and then they get to like, talk with you. It's just, it's beautiful and you just never know what your obedience today can do tomorrow. I love it, I love it. Well, Nujerling, thank you so much for taking time out of your very busy and full and just honestly crazy life to talk to these girls from Charlotte, North Carolina. Seriously, I feel like we're so blessed and honestly we're honored that we got the chance to spend a couple of minutes with you today. And we're thankful for God's faithfulness in your life. So really appreciate you taking the time and just sharing your story with us. And I pray that those who listen will be blessed. All right friends, this concludes our conversation today. Thank you so much for listening. When you know the truth and live the truth, it changes everything.