Ever since I was a teenager, the Lord has been cultivating in me a passion for justice and a deep belief that everyone deserves access to the kind of education that empowers them to make real choices for their lives. The more that I have witnessed injustice around the world, the deeper my soul has cried out the words of Isaiah 6:8,
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
On a trip to Ecuador in 2018, I met teachers from the remote region of the Onzole River who asked for support in their schools. They wanted to learn more about how to effectively teach their students. Shortly after, I moved to the city of Guayaquil to work as a teacher trainer while volunteering my spare time to a few ministry efforts. It was there that I met my spouse, Mauro. Both educators, we connected over our shared passion to see people stand fully in their identity as a child of God, radically loved by Jesus and transformed by the Spirit.
As we watched conditions that were already challenging continue to deteriorate in the neighborhood where Mauro grew up, we began to sense the Lord calling us deeper into service as His hands and feet in Ecuador. Jesus says in Luke 10:10 “The thief comes only to kill and steal and destroy, but I have come that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
We have seen the ways in which the enemy has tried to rob the coastal communities we serve. Corruption, injustice, and poverty abound, and yet, the image of God is reflected in resilient and creative people who call Ecuador home.
In joining the Navigators’ staff to serve with the Onzole River Project, I am responding to God’s call to follow Him deeper into full time ministry. The Onzole River Project strives to be faithfully present alongside historically marginalized communities. We partner with community members to develop initiatives that empower people to grow into all that the Father intends them to be and do. Some examples of these initiatives include:
a community library and computer lab - home to regular story hours for children and the area’s first Internet connection
teacher training that includes on-the-job coaching and access to professional resources
organizing support in response to community needs such as advocating for sustainable waste management solutions and addressing infrastructure challenges in schools.
As an experienced educator and teacher trainer, I am delighted to combine my professional skills and heart for Jesus to serve the community that first cultivated my call to Ecuador. (Visit onzole.org to learn more about the project and the communities along the Onzole River.)
While I work to strengthen the education programs of the Onzole River Project, Mauro and I will have dedicated time to serve additional communities the Lord has placed on our hearts, including Bastión Popular, where Mauro grew up and home to our local church.
Our ultimate goal is to know Christ, make Him known, and help others do the same. Through a combination of discipleship and education initiatives, we are following Jesus’ example of responding to people’s physical and spiritual needs. We believe the Kingdom of God multiplies as people hear about and experience the abundant life that Jesus came for each of us to have. Your support makes all this possible, and we are deeply grateful for your partnership in sending us to fulfill the Great Commission.
