Venezuela to Victory: Baseball and Belief

With Victor Diaz, a Venezuelan baseball star and now coach, explores his remarkable journey from Venezuela to the United States. Victor shares his struggles with the economic crisis in Venezuela, the challenges of obtaining asylum in the U.S., and the impact of faith on his life. The episode delves into his experiences at Concordia University, the influence of his faith community, and his personal growth through the RCIA program. Victor also reflects on his time playing for the Portland Mavericks, his coaching achievements, and the importance of staying positive and helping others amidst personal trials. This is a story of resilience, faith, and the power of supportive communities.

00:00 Introduction and Host Welcome
01:03 Meet Victor Diaz
01:22 Victor's Journey to the United States
01:41 Life in Michigan and Softball Experiences
02:23 Family and Faith in Venezuela
03:31 Supporting His Sister's Education
04:51 College Life at Concordia University
05:51 Finding Faith and Community
07:23 Meeting His Fiancée
12:10 Post-College Challenges and Asylum Process
15:04 Navigating the Asylum Process
15:35 Faith and Patience in Difficult Times
17:21 Positivity and Helping Others
18:48 Challenges and Renewals in Immigration
19:35 Baseball Memories and Coaching
22:41 Future Aspirations and Faith
23:37 Powerful Moments of Faith
28:39 Words of Wisdom and Gratitude

This is a podcast of Holy Family Parish, located in Adrian MI. We are a Catholic people, not a place, striving to Live Jesus through celebrating the sacraments and forming disciples in Adrian and beyond.

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Open Seat es un podcast Parroquia de la Sagrada Familia ubicada en Adrian, Michigan. Somos un pueblo católico, no un lugar, que se esfuerza por vivir a Jesús celebrando los sacramentos y formando discípulos en Adrian y más allá.

Chapters

• 1:03 Meet Victor Diaz: From Venezuela to the USA
• 2:23 Victor's Early Life and Family in Venezuela
• 3:31 Challenges and Triumphs in the USA
• 4:50 Faith and Community at Concordia University
• 7:17 Finding Love and Building a New Life
• 12:10 12:10 Navigating Legal Challenges and Seeking Asylum
• 15:04 Navigating the Asylum Process
• 15:35 Faith and Patience in Difficult Times
• 16:55 Positivity and Helping Others
• 19:29 Baseball Memories and Coaching
• 22:41 Future Aspirations and Faith
• 23:37 Powerful Spiritual Experiences
• 28:37 Words of Wisdom and Gratitude

Transcript

0:00

My plan wasn't going back to Venezuela, that wasn't my plan. I didn't want to go back because of the situation and everything is going on over there. The economy is so bad you can't even find food, you don't find like medicine for babies, like people are dying because they are not eating. Welcome to Open Seat, the podcast where we create a space for authentic conversations about faith, unfiltered and unapologetic. Here, we believe that every story matters and in the open seat, there's room for honesty, vulnerability, and community. Whether you're questioning, seeking, or steadfast in your beliefs, you'll find something relatable. In these heartfelt discussions, so grab your seat, get comfortable, and let's dive into today's story here at OpenSeat. Okay. so today we are joined in the Open seat by Victor Diaz. And, I'd just like to show everyone your baseball card as the Portland Mavericks All Star that you are. and we're going to hear about that time. I can't wait. But, Victor, why don't you tell us where you're from? First of all, thank you for having me, Miss Katie. I'm from Venezuela. I came to the United States in 2016. I came for school. Obviously for baseball too. I went to Concordia University in Ann Arbor. yeah, that's why I got here to Michigan. And we are so glad you are here in Michigan and especially at Holy Family. I know, the softball team is especially glad because there was a rumor floating around the Christian Family Center that they were all scared of you. Oh, I guess. I don't know. But we had so much fun. We did have lot fun this summer. Yeah, I'm grateful to that team. Me too. And by the way, I just want to recall, you said it was much easier to play softball than it was to play baseball. I think, that's a lie. I think, playing softball I realized that it's hard. Super hard. Different than baseball, So, yeah, it was so hard for me. Why don't you tell us about how early childhood, how your family life in Venezuela was. So, I grew up as a Catholic, going to church every Sunday. Well, not every Sunday, because sometimes, we didn't have, church on Sundays. So, well, for basically every Christmas, every New Year's, my parents, they always took my sisters and I go to church. When I was a kid, for every kid, it's like, oh, we're going to church? Oh, man, like, why? Why we have to go? When you are growing up, you realize, oh, we need to get time for Jesus, And that's something that I've been learning, and I'm still learning. So, in your family, you have, who? I got my two sisters. I'm the oldest one, so I got two sisters. One, is like, 25, yeah, and the other one is 19, so I'm the oldest one. I have a little family, so that was just my parents and my two sisters. that we usually go to church, that was something that my parents, Get us involved. Put Jesus first, and the rest is on you Your sister is currently here studying English, right? Yeah, she is. And how has that been for you? Uh, you know, It's been good. It's like a challenge for me. I'm the oldest one, she's the youngest one. I need to be Like, taking care of her, make her feel here, she has someone, like care about her, I'm trying to know her a little little more since I haven't seen her, for a long time. So, we're taking it little by little. That's, great. I, have been blessed to see that relationship. And, you are a wonderful big brother and have worked very hard to see that she has every opportunity possible to learn english. And she's coming along really well. Mm-Hmm..Yeah, No, Like I told her, I don't know how she did it. I. think for me, it was easy, since I came from Miami, so people from Miami, they talk Spanish, and you can communicate better. And I feel like, she was a warrior, because she came from New York, and you're not going to find a lot of people talking in Spanish. And I think it, was a big, a big test for her doing that, and I'm proud of her. That's beautiful, And I think it's a testament to how much you want her to succeed too. okay, so you came over in 2016, Mm hmm. And why don't you tell us about your time at Concordia. My time at Concordia, you you know, I can't complain. they treat me good, whatever I need, they were always there. I remember my first year when I got here, I didn't know anything about snow, about cold weather. Man, it was hard time for me because I came with basically with no clothes. You know, like sweater, jacket, but thank god I met people like, Oh, you need clothes, you need jackets, you know, they care about me. My baseball coach, he was like, you know, I always thank God for put me that person in my life because I feel like he was like an angel for me because he was there for me every time that I need I need something, he was there, and I always thank God because that was like an angel for me. But my time in Concordia I was there for like for five years because COVID hit. So they gave us another year. I met a wonderful people. You know, I think that was another step to get into more, into Jesus Christ. Because in our program in baseball, our coach, it was mandatory for us to go to chapel. Concordia is a Lutheran school. So, it was mandatory for us go to chapel one day a week. And a lot of my teammates, they were like, oh, why we have to go? Why, you know, why we have to do this? I was like that too. But then, in time, passing time, I was going listening music, worships, hillsong songs, you know, It was something that basically not open my heart, but it was kind of like opening, little by little. And since then, I started listening like Hillsongs Like worships, if I go to the gym, am I going to hear like listen Hillsong If I'm working and listening Hillsongs, because I feel like it's something that got me like Communicate with God or be more close to him Because I like it, it's coming from my heart and I like those songs. And then, when we were in chapel we listen the pastor, then they were singing all the stuff and it was good. I love that. Like I say, same thing, I start listening those musics. Even my fiance, she was like, oh, you listen, those music in the gym? Yeah. Oh, that, that fire you up? Yeah, I think so. That makes me relax. That makes me be in my environment. Well, then I graduated in 2021 After COVID. I met my, fiancé. no, I met my fiancé 2017, I'm glad you clarified what year,'cause she probably wouldn't be too happy if you would've got that year wrong, you know? Hopefully she doesn't see this. But yeah, I met my fiancé. in 2017. And I think that was another thing from God, because I feel like he sent me that person in my life, Because it was my first Christmas here in United States. So, I didn't go because of the situation in my country, you know, Venezuela. And the tickets, they were so expensive. So, I spent my first Christmas here by myself, went with one of my roommates. It was hard for me because being Christmas away from your family, this is like time to spend with your family. So, it was hard for me, and then I remember one night one of my roomates, they asked me, Victor you want to go out? I was like, man, I don't want to go, you know, I just want to be with my family. I just I don't want to do anything. And They were like, oh, let's go out. Let's go out so you can you know clear your mind, have fun you're not gonna be here, like. Okay, I went and That was when I met my fiancée, so I danced with her and everything happened. And I always tell her, that was God He sent you to me. This guy, he's by himself here, I think he needs someone, to like, how you say, like, To feel like he's home. And I feel like that was God that he sent me my fiancé because now, after that I met her family, now her, family is like, my family. I always spend time with them. It's something that I always thank God for that because I feel like if I didn't, if it wasn't for him and he didn't send my fiancé, I feel like I don't know what I was gonna do during those times. I'm grateful for that and I always, I always thank God for everything he's been doing for me here. So during your time at Concordia you chose to make a Sacrament in the Cathoilc Church right? Yeah. so tell us about that. okay, during dating my fiancé, all those stuff. So, I didn't have my confirmation so I decide to make it because I feel like it was something that I was missing. So, My fiancée and my mother in law, they were like, oh, you haven't do your sacrament? We know a program at church. They have classes at the, It's called like the RCIA and you can get your sacrament and you can show it. And that was another problem. I was like, who should I choose for a sponsor? Because, I don't have no one here. it was hard for me choosing oh, so who can, who can I choose? So, I went to those RCIA classes. My fiancé, she used to go with me. She was there supporting me every single class. I'm thankful for that because she's always there for me in the good and bad times. But yeah, she was always with me in those classes. Like, she said that, oh, I think I need that too because I learned a lot. So, we both learned. So I think that was another step getting close to God, getting my confirmation. It was good. We, I, think, met during that time. But then I think we, really got to know each other when you decided after your confirmation to actually help with the RCIA classes on Zoom. Do you remember those? Yeah, because after that, I think my fiancé and I, we decided to help, I think at that time it was Mama María. We decided to help her and helping the other people they were getting their sacrament, their confirmation, their first communion. And my fiancé and I, we were helping them. And it was good too, helping them because you were learning too. Whatever you were teaching them, you were learning something new every single class. So, I feel like it was good, doing that. Yeah I think it was before you I think we meet you maybe two years after that or maybe later. Yeah, I think what we met when you made your sacrament because I was still helping a little bit behind the scenes at that time, but then, we were doing the Zoom classes during COVID with RCIA. So, yeah, Ma Maria is amazing at uniting people. She has such a gift and love of the Lord, and she shares everybody. María Jimez is an amazing woman. So, after you, were done with Concordia, then what happens? So, after I get done with Concordia, I move here to Adrian with my fiancé. So I came with my student visa, So after getting done with Concordia, that student visa, it's not working anymore. So, I spent some I, let's put it clear, I was illegal. Because I I didn't have any legal paperwork, to be here. But after getting done with Concordia, I applied for this asylum for stay here. Because, my plan wasn't going back to Venezuela. That wasn't my plan. I didn't want to go back because of the situation and everything is going on over there. So, can you briefly describe the situation in Venezuela so we have an idea of what it's like? Right now it's like a dictatorship it's going on over there. And the economy is so bad it's you don't, you can't even find food. You don't find like medicine for babies. Like people are dying because they are not eating, So, that was my plan after Concordia, I was like if I go to Venezuela, I'm not going to have a future over there. So I feel like if I stay here, it is going to be better for me. And now that I met my fiance. So I was like, okay, I think, maybe that's God's plan. Maybe you should stay here you already find your soulmate who are people that they care about you, But also, having my family over there is like another thing. You don't know if they're good Because they always tell me no, we're good. Don't worry about us. But sometimes I don't feel like it's like that. I feel like something is happening over there. But, like I was telling you, after Concordia, I applied for the asylum That was through the help of Sister Attracta Kelly, right? In the immigration office? Dominican sisters, yeah. Thank God, my fiance and her her mother in law they know them and you know, they were, oh, you should talk to them, so let's see if they can help you. Applying for the asylum, it was like a something, like another challenge for me because it It's taking forever, you know, I'm being illegal here, I'm trying to do the right thing, get better every day. Do you remember how long the process was for asylum? Oh, It was a long. Like years. Like maybe, yeah, maybe a year. And how much did, how much money did you have to pay for asylum? So you have to pay because you got your asylum and you got your permit, like your work authorization for you to be able to work legal here. So you cannot work, unless they give you authorization to work. That's another thing that you have to pay for. Maybe like$500, $600. Well the funny thing when I got my first work authorization. They just gave it to me for one month. And I paid those$500. For one month? For one month. And then I didn't know that I have to pay another $500 more to renew it. So, it was something that I was like, wow. And asylum difficult to get because you have to prove that you're in danger to your country. Or in your country, right? So, it's the U.S. saying, we're here to help you, but please pay us a lot of money to to do this. Basically. Yeah, basically. And also you have to have a clean record. So if you don't have a clean record, they're gonna be like no, you're dangerous to the society here. So, yeah, I feel like it was a challenge for me and hard moment to get the asylum because it took forever. I was so desperate, because I want to work, I want to make money I want to get everything everything together. But I feel like it was something that God put in front of me, like a wall. Say, I know you can do it. I know you can be patient. I know He basically taught me I got you. you just have to be patient. And whatever am I gonna do I know you're gonna be happy. Because, man there were moments that I I was crying. Moments that I was depressed. I was like, what should I do? Should I come back to Venezuela? Or, just tell me, God. What do you want me to do? Because I feel like i'm a good guy. I always do the right things. I don't do anything bad and I feel like I deserve to be good. I don't deserve to be suffering. But, you know. I'm a truly faith guy, and I always believe that God has a plan for everybody. And I truly believe that God's time is perfect. So I think that was something that helped me a lot. Just like, okay God, if you want me to keep waiting, okay, I will be keep waiting, well, you know, hurry up. Well, as who's someone who's walked with you through most of this journey it has been incredibly powerful to see how deep your faith really in moments where I don't think a lot of people would hang on. There have been some real trying times, and you have always told me, you know what? We gotta be positive, Miss Katie. We gotta be positive. And I am so grateful for that, because it has helped me get through some times myself. Yeah, like you like you say, I'm a positive guy. I like to be positive every day I like to be happy every day. If you see me sad, or you see me serious, If it go, bang, something happening but I like to be positive, joking with people, smiling to people, talk to people. And I think it's something that, how my parents taught me, you know, like be humble. And one of the things that's happened during this time when you were working to obtain money through other ways, 'cause you didn't have an ability to work, was that you were helping other people. You would let me know that so-and-so had a problem. In fact, most recently someone's house burned down. And you're like, this guy really needs help, Miss Katie. And so we, helped him as much as we really could. And so you're going through your own struggles and you're still concerned about other people. And these aren't people that are your close friends. It's just people at work, people you meet. Yeah, that's what I like to do. I like to help people. If somebody need help, 100 percent I'm going to be there for that person, because I don't like to see people like suffering or having bad time or bad days. If you're having a bad day I'm going to make an effort to make you have a good day because it's something that my parents taught me to do. You know, be humble Help people and the most important, just have faith in God. So going back to your immigration status a little bit, you're now, on asylum for an extended period of time. But it required three applications to get that, right? Your initial one, then the one where they gave you a month, then they gave you, how much time after that next one? Like two years. So next year is gonna be another renew. Well, it just depend how everything is gonna be. You know, with the next president. It's pretty scary time for I'm just waiting for that and waiting for the news that if they're gonna renew it or what are they gonna do. So, hopefully, we got like a good news, so I can renew my asylum next year. I really hope so too. so Victor I'm just going to hold this in the camera. And, This is your all star baseball card. This is his all star baseball card and Victor played on a minor league baseball team. He's so humble. he played on a minor league baseball team out in Portland, Oregon. Right? Yeah, you're correct. And so why don't you tell us a little bit about your days playing in Portland? It was good, It was a good, experience, playing baseball. That is something that I loved to do growing up, watching my dad playing. I've been playing baseball all my life, so since I was six years old. And there are some people in the major leagues that you are friends with, right? Yeah, I got some friends in the Major leagues that sometimes I talk to them, if they are in town, I reach out to them, and they They invite me to some games so I can go watch them talk to them. But yeah, my time in Portland, it was a good experience. I spent two summers over there playing for the Mavericks, Portland Mavericks. It was like a new experience for me because like, okay, playing college baseball, you don't get too many people watching you. But playing over there there is like a lot of, not a lot of people, but there is a good amount of people watching you. and and cheering for you and oh, asking you for baseballs or asking you for bats or for batting glove, the little kids, you know and I was this kind of player that I didn't care about that. I just give baseball to kids because I wanted to make kids happy. I like that. Just make kids happy because that's the next future. They want to be there and I trying to help them to reach at their goals. But it was a good time in Portland. Playing, have fun, enjoy the moment over there. Making the All- Star team those two years. Gaining the gold glove. Something that I miss and something that I'm gonna love forever, playing baseball. Yeah. And you're wearing a Madison conference shirt, a Madison conference champ shirt from 2023 and, you were helping coach, weren't you? That was another good experience for me, coaching. It was something new for me because I never done it before. But I like it to do it I've been helping their coaches these two past years. And our first year over there, they got, a conference championship. And that's something that makes me happy because I feel like, oh, not me, but all the coaching staff did something for those guys that they got the championship conference. and something that I I like just teach, kids, whatever I'm been learning. From all my baseball career playing college baseball and then playing Portland something that I like to do teach them. They did the right thing, how to play baseball. It's not only about baseball boys, only how to be people outside of the field. How to be like good guys, don't do stupid things. That's something that I like to do. and maybe keep doing it, helping people, helping the kids. Yeah. So, what does the future look like for Victor Diaz? Future? Be happy. Enjoy my life with my fiancée. Have a family with her be a happy. family. And be like a God person. Just keep following his steps, and you know, do the right thing. And you're currently working with the Movimiento Familiar, right? Like the Family Movement program? Yeah, we're start the, next, two days. And do you know anything about it? Can you tell us a little bit about it? To be honest, they keep it like, in secret, because they want to like to, not surprise, but they want to not to think too much about that. But hopefully, we get something about that. And you also have done Cursillo, right? Yes. I did it last year. Did it make an impact on your life? Can you tell us a little about it? Yeah, 100%. It was powerful. I 100 percent recommend for whoever haven't go to the Coursillo, you guys better go because you guys are not going to regret it. It was everything start like for my fiancé uncle. He always was like inviting me, always, always. And I was like, no, next time, no, next time, no, next time. And the last time I was like, okay, this is gonna be like baseball. He throw me my first strike. And I didn't swing. So he told me the second strike and I didn't swing. And then he throw me a fastball right in the middle and I swing that one. So I took that one. And to be honest, I don't regret it to go because it was powerful. And I think that was something that opened my heart, completely like opened my heart because I learned something I learned a lot of things that I wasn't doing it, you know. I feel sometimes like God is there for us and we don't how you call this, like we take advantage, and sometimes how bad we are with God. And knowing that he always there, he's always there for us. And how bad we are with him. And and after that Cursillo was like, okay, man, it's time to be with him, keep believing in Him and keep following him because it made a good impact on my life. Like going to Cursillo. Are, are you comfortable sharing the adoration story?'Cause I think this is one of the most powerful stories I've ever heard in my lifetime. So there is a day that the person that he's in charge to take you to adoration. So, it was like a three, four, yeah, it was four in my group. We went, they took us to a small room. We didn't know about that. You didn't know that Jesus was going to be in that room? No. I didn't know. They just told us like, close your eyes, don't open your eyes keep follow me, but don't open your eyes. And then we walk we walk we walk but they didn't tell us like where we were going. And they were like, okay, keep going. Keep going. Keep going. Don't open your eyes. Don't open your eyes, I was like, okay Where are we going. I was like wondering like, okay, where are they taking us? So they put us in this little room. And After that, that guy told us, okay, you guys can open, you guys can open your eyes. And then we open our eyes. He closed the door. And my first time when I opened my eye. It was Jesus over there in front of me. And then we took a knee. And then I start talking to him. And then the thing that impact me more, I saw Jesus over there. He was smiling to me. I was like, okay, I can't even believe it. Like, he was smiling to me. I saw his face. He was like perfect, right there in front of me. I saw his face. He smiled to me. He basically, he talked to me. He was like, I'm seeing you, for whatever you, you are having in your life, I'm being there for you. And I'm going to be there for you. Don't worry about any problem that you have been having in your life. I'm always with you. Don't forget that. I'm next to you. But it was something that, man, at that time I start crying because I was like, Oh, man, something like, how, how, how I'm being like, you know. Every time you tell me this story I get goose bumbps. Yeah, I got a goosebump too. Because it was, no, it was powerful. It was something that I'm not gonna forget. It's something that I'm gonna keep. If you ask me, of course I'm gonna tell you whatever happened in that room. Because it's something that, It was something powerful that, happened in my life, so. Basically it was like talking with my best friend talking, talking, talking. I didn't want to leave that room. And then, then since that every time in the, in mass, the Eucharistic part, I always see him. He's always there smiling to me, basically, I got you. You do your thing that I'm going to be with you. It's something I don't take for regret, So before finish up, Victor what is something that you would tell a younger Victor Diaz? Or, what's something that you tell the high school boys that you coach? Man, I would, like, my dad always tell me, you put God first because he's the one who's gonna open the door for you. Then your family. But always keep God first, And work hard. Because life is not easy. You have to work hard to get whatever you want. And be humble, because if you are not humble, you're not gonna get hear whatever you want to be. Be helpful too, help people. Because whenever you help people, you're helping yourself too. But, in conclusion, everything is like, Put God first, because He's gonna be your best friend, He's gonna be your coach, He's gonna be He's everything, Yeah, He's everything, It's something that I learned, and I'm still learning. And I think I'm gonna be learning more, more, and more. I just want to thank you Victor'cause you have shared so much wisdom with us today. Thank you, Thank you for having Miss katie. I thank you for sharing your wisdom today. I especially thank you for being such a great friend to me. Oh, and thank you for having you in my life. And thank you so much for everything that you have been doing for me. So I appreciate that. Well, I mean, it's easy to help people like you, Victor. I, also want to say one Pride Baby, because he's the biggest Lions fan. Oh yeah, One Pride. go blue. Everyone who's on the softball team knows that any message that was ever to the softball team said One Pride baby. One pride baby. So a shout out to the Holy Family softball team on that one. But I I want to thank you Victor for joining us today, and I hope that wherever anybody listening to this finds an open seat in life, that they invite someone to sit down, because You never know what you're going to learn or find in that person. A hundred percent. For whoever needs to talk or need help or need someone, to have a good time I'm open, because that's what I like to do, help, and help and keep helping. Mm