In a few hours, my sister and I will be joining our new church family in membership, Ferguson Avenue Baptist Church in Savannah, GA. This church is a great blessing and answer to prayer. We are both very excited to be here and to see what the Lord has in store for us here.
In October of 2016, I was really tired of living in Roswell, New Mexico. The new year brought hopes of a life in a new location. At the time, I was thinking I was going to Arizona, but God had other plans. In the beginning of January, I was laid off from my job, a development I didn't expect. I always said that one of the many things that I enjoy about working aviation is its international nature; that I can go anywhere in the world and have a job. Here was my opportunity to actually do what I've been saying I wanted. I started applying for various jobs in the Southeast of the country, a major shift from my previous location.
Through all this, I knew that God had a plan for me. He was going to lead me to where He wanted me to be. I knew that that He was sovereign and I only had to trust in Him. I was applying for avionics (aviation electronics) contract positions just because it would make relocating and getting a job easier and faster. I knew that I didn’t want to 'be' a contractor. Aviation contractors are known for moving often, never puting done any roots or making any connections. Finding a new church and serving were incredibly important to me. I went into aviation to serve my God, and I saw this move as an extension of that. Going to the Southeast United States wasn’t Colombia or South America like I had envisioned for many years, but I knew the Lord had something for me to do there.
I applied to several positions in several states through the area. The only one that I ever received much of any response to was the position I now have in Savannah, Georgia.
It was different coming here. I had never really been in the south, let alone in Georgia. I was excited for the adventure, though. The Lord provided a job that I could have never imagined, working for a company that I really enjoy. When I was preparing to leave New Mexico, I was thinking 'certainly I won't have a chance to use my Spanish in Georgia. There aren’t going to be very many Spanish-speakers in the South'. Boy was I wrong!
Coming to Savannah, my priority was to find a church. We were looking for a church that loved, preached and honored the Word of God. We also wanted a church that was a strong loving community and was welcoming to new comers. A church that enjoyed being with each other and made a point to spend time with each other. And out of that, endeavored to serve its community and the world. We had checked out a couple churches online before moving and had a list of options to try.
We tried three churches before finding this one, although after moving on from the second church, we had thrown out our list. The church where we will soon be members was not even on the initial list. My dad found it online and recommended that we try it. We have found all that were seeking and more with this local body. We were able to integrate and connect with the body well. Even before the service started our first Sunday, we had an invitation to lunch. That lunch lasted all afternoon lol. Since then, the fellowship has been overwhelming and a great delight.
I have quickly learned that the Savannah metro area is very ethnically diverse. I have seen various Asian, Indian, Middle Eastern, and Latin people. Apparently, there are several pockets of Spanish speaking people, primarily Mexicans I assume, through this area. I see them often as I go about certain areas of the city. During lunch my first Sunday at Ferguson, I was told that the church has been praying for someone bilingual who can come in and help carry out their plans and hopes to reach the neighborhood around them. There are several trailer parks consisting mostly of Spanish-speakers surrounding the church.
The church is actively conducting an Awana club on Wednesdays through the schoolyear to reach the kids. In conjunction, they are doing other outreach to the community, but being that a large portion of the community is Spanish-speaking, accomplishing their ambition has been a challenge. It will be great to see what they have planned and how I can help. Apparently, some of the leaders have been scheming of how they could use my unique talents.
My dad describes me as the only anglo-mexican he's ever seen lol. I love Spanish. I love Latin culture. The people, culture, language, food… have become a large part of who I am. I’ve always thought that this joy and love have been given to me by the Lord. As such, I always enjoy every opportunity that I get to serve the Lord in this way. I’m thankful that the Lord, through calling me to Georgia of all places, has given me this opportunity and privilege of service. It seemed very clear to me that it was the Lord's will and direction for this move to Savannah. I really enjoy seeing some of the things that He had prepared.
Life in Georgia is certainly not without its challenges. Some challenges are just like what I experienced in New Mexico, and some are new. All things considered though, I’m incredibly thankful for where the Lord has placed me. I have great hope in Him as I continue to serve Him and walk with Him here in the Savannah area.
