Cecilia Díaz

San Diego, California

I was born and raised in … Bogota. Colombia and my family belonged to the Lutheran church there. I came to the US as a freshman at MLC in the fall of 2007. It was my first time being on my own or away from home. It was scary at first but a decision I have never regretted.

I chose MLC … after a group of Spanish students visited Colombia to get to know our church and school when I was finishing high school. I met some MLC professors as well and they told me about the option to attend, I decided to take a leap of faith and do it a few months later. I graduated in the spring of 2012.

I’m currently teaching at … Reformation Lutheran School in San Diego, California. I love it here! The city is beautiful and by the grace of God, our school is growing a lot and giving us a lot of new opportunities for ministry. It’s been a great experience and I even got to go back to school to get my Masters degree.

God has guided me … in so many amazing ways, more than I could have ever imagined or plan for myself. I met my best friends at MLC and learned so much in all aspects, academically my education was exceptional, and I also had opportunities to meet great people and live unforgettable experiences. I even had the chance to come visit and volunteer at my current school. MLC gave me the knowledge and the confidence I needed to do my job well. It also fueled my relationship with Jesus and my faith to be able to share it with my students and my community.

I think God is using me … to reach who can relate to my experiences in a very diverse city and immigrant community of Southern California. I love to be able to bring Jesus into the lives of people from all over the world. I believe God is using not only my education but also my background as an international student to reach more people for his kingdom. I’m humbled and thankful when I look back at what God has put in my life. I feel extremely blessed every day.