
I was born in El Salvador on April 21, 1979. My grandparents along with our 11 aunts and uncles raised me and my brother, then my parents after being able to save up enough, brought us to the United States in 1985. I was born into Christianity, so when we moved to California and immediately started attending church it was an easy transfer. I accepted God as my Lord and Savior at the age of 13 and got baptized. At that time I felt the music ministry was my calling, and so I worshiped God with my voice for years to come. In 1993 we moved to Maryland and I continued in the worship ministry in the new church we attended. After graduation I started working with my dad at our family business and I’ve worked as an office manager for the past 15 years building my management skills as I go along. Working for the family business I was able to put my bilingual skills to work, those same skills have helped me not only at work but in the church.
Sometimes translate for our English-speaking members and our visitors into Spanish, as well as other jobs I’ve taken over the years like doing taxes for Liberty Tax, and working in a women’s clothing store, and my latest venture, trying to get my real estate license. I have taken a few computer courses at the George Washington University adult center, and took courses in our local community college. In my mid-twenties I started attending the Women’s ministry meetings and loved it and God called me to serve as the women’s ministry president for 2 years. When we joined the Seventh Day Baptist Denomination, I learned about many different ministries and events. I was blessed to meet Bethany Chroniger and we have become good friends. We attended events like NABWU and got the opportunity to attend the Baptist World Alliance in Hawaii in 2010 with the help of Robert Appel. We were able to help out with a presentation for the young women’s ministries and we had a blat.
I have also attended “The Women of Faith” events for the past 4 years. Through these events I have been able to get closer to other women and it has changed me, and I’ve learned to love being a woman and learned about our roles in Christ. My last calling so far came as our churches program secretary. I also served as recording secretary for our Eastern Association in 2010. I’ve been serving as a secretary for 4 years while always helping as a children’s ministry teacher also recently a youth ministry teacher as well as helping the music ministry with projecting the music slides in our church services with the help of my faithful helper Keila Velasquez. I thank God for the opportunities he’s given me in the different ministries I’ve served in so far. I have served in the church from a young age and cannot imagine not serving God or my church with the skills He has given me to help and do my part.