I was born in Bogotá, Colombia in a Catholic home, and although my parents were nominal Catholics, they taught us, my sister, my brother and I, very high moral values and love for God. I studied in a Catholic missionary school all of my life. I learned to bring not only physical help, but the message, to those in need. At the age of 11 I had my first major experience with Jesus. That day in a religion class, I really understood who Jesus was. For two weeks I felt like I was walking on clouds. I felt his power, his love and closeness. But after I graduated I went far from the church and wrapped myself in the rush of this world. I studied fashion design, got married, had two children and for safety reasons had to leave my country and my family to live in the United States.
From one moment to another, I found myself raising my children alone in a place where I felt I didn’t belong. I started looking for God again, but I could not find that warm church, where the needy ones were helped, where we all were a family. It seemed that place no longer existed. I couldn’t find it, it became a mirage. After several disappointments, running from church to church, friends of ours invited my husband, my children, and I to The Salvation Army, and from the moment I entered that door I felt at home again. I was so thirsty that I attended all the discipleship courses they offered and my family and I got involved in every activity at that Corps. Shortly after, I was appointed as the Secretary of the Home League, where I felt that I grew tremendously. I just felt like I wanted to serve the Lord, but I hadn’t felt a pastoral call yet.
In 2004, we came to Canada looking for permanent immigration status, because the United States didn’t answer our request. The first thing we did, after we arrived in Canada, was look for our church and even though it was wonderful, there was no Hispanic ministry and my English skills were not the best. Then I made an agreement with God: I will serve you with no questions and you will teach me English.
My husband is a passionate evangelist, and that is how after three weeks of being in Yorkminster Citadel, Hispanics started coming to church, but they came and went because they did not understand the language. Then God, through the Corps Officers, challenged me to put into practice what he had taught me, and my ministry as a translator began. At first I was very nervous and I did not sound very natural because I was reading directly from a translation I prepared of the sermon that the pastor sent me days before the service. But one day the sermon never arrived, and despite my anxiety there were some families expecting a service’s translation to them. I do not know how long the message was that day, but it was like hours for me and I was soaked in sweat. At a time when I opened my eyes I had my hands up, I was preaching and some people were crying and giving their lives to Christ. Until then, I had never experienced the power of Christ as that day. It wasn’t me talking, my skills are not that good, but God turned his eyes and decided to use me and bless me.
Then, more translations came full of blessings, but still I couldn’t hear the pastoral calling, until one day I was sent on behalf of the Corps to a symposium, and before I went, Commissioner Marilyn Francis came to the Mercy Seat with me and she read me a Bible verse in which I felt that God was sending me to be the voice of those who could not speak. Something began to change in me. Then, wonderful things happened at the symposium and the Lord spoke to my life in a very strong way, through the lives of others. I also had the blessing of sharing time with Commissioner William Francis, who heard me and answered many of my questions, because there were countless obstacles, from my point of view, that impeded my husband and I from being able to become officers. He told me that the Lord would open the way but the things that God does, can only bring peace and blessings. A few days after, I felt in my heart that I was ready, and I accepted his call to be an Auxiliary Captain with great joy. The training has given me confidence, but furthermore, it has confirmed to me what the Lord was trying to say to me through my husband; God doesn’t call someone who is already prepared; He prepares the ones He calls.
