Rerouting Life After a Setback

At 10 years old, Sofia’s world turned upside down. Her mother — a strong, hardworking single parent — was in a serious car accident that left her in a coma. Sofia, who had grown up in El Salvador as the oldest of three kids, felt gripped with fear. Five years earlier, her father had left her, and now her mom was unconscious in a hospital bed. Sofia had never felt so hopeless and alone.

One of her mom’s co-workers decided to help Sofia and her siblings. This woman was a member of a church and gathered several other families from the church to help out. They rallied around the kids, visited them, brought them meals, and helped them with whatever they needed while their mom was incapacitated. Young Sofia was so touched by their genuine compassion toward her that she decided to attend church with them. The warmth and acceptance she received at this church led her to make the decision to put her trust in Jesus Christ.

Three days after Sofia became a Christian, and three months after the accident, her mother regained consciousness. Sofia was ecstatic. Her young faith grew exponentially as a result of her mom’s healing. And through that tumultuous experience, Sofia felt she understood her life’s calling — serving God through work in the medical field.

Armed with a plan, Sofia graduated from a medical program and got engaged. The couple decided to have their wedding in the U.S., where they wanted to start their new life together. After moving, Sofia also reconnected with her father, who was living in California. She moved in with him while she organized the upcoming wedding.

One month before her wedding, Sofia was hit with the second-biggest trial of her life. She had been checking off items on her life-goals list, but then, her fiancé announced he wanted to end the relationship — he had fallen in love with someone else. The setback completely shattered Sofia’s world. This time, she sunk into a very deep depression.

Sofia knew that the feelings she was experiencing were serious. But her heart continued to pull her away from seeking healing and help. A year later, her condition hadn’t improved, but a caring friend invited Sofia to an Easter service at Saddleback Church. A Christian community had helped her in the middle of her crisis as a young girl, and she thought this would be a safe place to turn now.

When she heard Pastor Rick speak, she felt like Jesus was talking to her directly. She finally saw a small glimpse of light at the end of her dark depression tunnel. She continued attending Saddleback church every week. She read through Purpose Driven Life and joined a mental health support group. Through the encouragement of her support group, she began medical treatment for the depression that was holding her back. Finally, willing to face her mental illness, Sofia decided she’d do whatever it took to get on the road to recovery.

As she recovered, Sofia got more involved at Saddleback, specifically with the HIV&AIDS Initiative. A staff member, noticing her enthusiasm and abilities, encouraged her to apply for an internship with the ministry.

Sofia used her medical background to help those in need through the HIV&AIDS Initiative. Her energy and enthusiasm were contagious as she reached out to help with HIV testing, encourage other volunteers, and organize events for the ministry. But she believed there was more she could do to help spread God’s love and his message globally. She also began helping with the Global PEACE team, where her Spanish-language skills positioned her to be able to reach even more for Jesus. Sofia feels an overwhelming sense of peace and fulfillment serving God with both her medical training and Spanish.

Sofia’s heart leaps as she thinks of taking God’s message to Latin America. She has seen the impact that it has had in Rwanda, and she knows that so many people are waiting for the help and hope that can only come through Jesus Christ. Sofia is currently working toward completing her medical license in the United States. Her life skills and passion are aligning in ways that she couldn’t have planned. Even through life’s setbacks, God has kept her on the right course to get her where she needs to go.

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Learn more about support groups at saddleback.com/supportgroups

Learn more about HIV&AIDS Initiative at saddleback.com/hivaids

Learn more about Global PEACE at saddleback.com/peace