“Everyone has a purpose” Lilia Ochoa says, as she sits next to her husband, Fredy Gomez, at their kitchen table on a typical Wednesday evening for her family.
Their two children have gone to bed after an evening service at Monte Sion, a nondenominational church in downtown Mt. Sterling where Fredy is the pastor. Lilia and Fredy have been working nearly nonstop all day.
“Yes, Wednesdays are busy,” says Lilia, laughing, but she never complains about work. Her family and her faith are central to who she is as a person.
Lilia describes her purpose in life as serving the lord, helping other people to learn about the lord and taking care of her family.
Lilia moved from Mexico to the United States about 11 years ago. The couple are raising their two children, Milca, 9, and Lemuel, 6, in Mt. Sterling. The entire family is bilingual, fluent in both Spanish and English.
Fredy, also from Mexico, works in construction while Lilia is a dental assistant. Their work days usually begin early in the morning and end after their children get out of school. Both Milca and Lemuel do well in school and sometimes help their parents with English.
Lilia’s job as a dental assistant came after she was injured in a car accident that left her unemployed because of the time it took her to recover. As she searched for a new job, she prayed to find something so she could help to provide for her family.
Despite her own search, her current job came about as a surprise during a routine dental check-up when her dentist, Dr. Richard Henry, asked her if she wanted to work at the dental office. Though her faith didn’t waiver, she said there were times during the first week when she felt the job was not the right fit for her. Language was her biggest challenge, she said. But she stayed and, eventually, moved up to her current position.
Looking forward, Lilia and Fredy are hoping to help the Monte Sion congregation grow over the next few years. They are also saving to buy a house in Mt. Sterling in which to raise their children and put down deeper roots in their community.