Mainland's Danielle Hernandez is on a greater mission, worldwide

Ormond Beach Observer
Sports

Pull quote: “It’s really humbling to go and serve other people, to see them so grateful, and you end up getting more out of it than you give them.” Danielle Hernandez

For her sweet 16, Mainland junior Danielle Hernandez was ready to go on her dream vacation to New York with her mom, Barbara, and her best friend Ashlyn Dolich. They were going to go shopping and sightseeing to all of the famous places, but Hernandez ended up changing her mind. She wanted to go somewhere different, less desirable. She ended up going on a mission trip to Guatemala.

“It felt like God kept pushing the Guatemala trip in my way and sending me signs,” she said. “I knew there was a reason for me to go on that trip, so I agreed to go, but, at first, I was really bummed I wasn't going to go to New York. It wasn't until I saw that Katherin and I shared the same birthday until I got excited. I knew I was destined to meet her and hopefully change her life.”

Katherin Cortez is a 13-year-old girl Hernandez sponsors through her church, Tomoka Christian Church, and, the two met for the first time during her trip.

Danielle Hernandez got to meet Katherin Cortez, a girl she sponsors, on their Nov. 5 birthday last year.

“It was so sad to see where she lives, and we’re so close in age but live so differently,” Hernandez said. “Seeing people live in trash is something I could never imagine happening here; it just tore my heart and made me want to go back there, which I will be in February.” Hernandez has also inspired her friends to go on trips with her, like Jahred Cramer, who will be accompanying her on the Guatemala trip in February before he leaves for the military.

Along with her mother, Hernandez has gone on many other trips, including El Salvador, and she’s done work in Alabama, Tennessee and Ft. Lauderdale.

“I was super proud of Danielle, when she first came to me and asked if she could go on a mission trip,” Barbara said. It just sealed it for me, when she gave up a pleasure trip to New York to spend her 16th birthday in the dumps of Guatemala. I knew then that she had a heart for it. I couldn’t be more proud of the work she does in the community and the church.”

Hernandez hopes to become an interior designer and study architecture, so she can be able to go to foreign countries and provide them with more eco-friendly churches and other resources.

“It’s really humbling to go and serve other people, to see them so grateful, and you end up getting more out of it than you give them,” she said.