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Pastor Rose Mary Sánchez-Guzmán, Senior Pastor

rosemaryandnando@msn.com

I am from Santa Cruz, Bolivia, born into a Christian family where both my parents are pastors. I graduated from a Baptist high school, and then I attended Universidad Evangélica Boliviana (Evangelical Bolivian University) for a year and a half. I played in a Christian music band for five years and those where some of the best years of my life. I graduated from Centro Boliviano Americano (Bolivian American Center) at the same time I graduated from high school. My certificate was in Proficiency in English.

 

I was called to be in ministry since I was 13 years old. There was a missionary from Indiana preaching at a youth event in Bolivia when I felt called to go to the altar and promised God I was going to serve Him. I told my father I wanted to come to the USA to study and become a pastor or a missionary.

 

Through my father’s connections with different denominations, we were able to find a school that offered scholarships in the USA. I attended the Lutheran Bible School in California where I studied for three years. After graduation I was offered a full scholarship at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, where I attended seminary for 4 years, graduating in 1996.

 

I came to El Paso as a Mission Developer for Cristo Rey Centro Luterano in 1997. I became their permanent pastor in 1998. Since then I have been learning about the Mexican culture and working with this community in central El Paso. I have learned more about ministry here at Cristo Rey than what I learned at seminary. I love working not only to serve the church but also to serve the community around Cristo Rey. I love the ministry of Cristo Rey and the work we do to help people with their spiritual and physical needs.

 

Staff

Doctora San Juana, Mission Doctor               

bruce.san-charles@juno.com

I, the oldest of nine children, was very young when I decided to become a doctor. Despite being discouraged by teachers because I was a woman, I went on to medical school through the support of scholarships that I won by being the top student in my class. I am a family physician, surgeon, and mid-wife, and work in two clinics in Juárez. Cristo Rey has been supporting the Juárez ministry for over 20 years. In 2009 Cristo Rey called me as a missionary of their church serving in Juárez. Along with the medical clinics, we have started a scholarship program, encouraging people to be educated so they can have a better life. My committment to the work that I do is for life, working with the most vulnerable people, the most disadvantaged population.  

 

Enrique Meléndez, Administrative Assistant & Spanish-Speaking Secretary

emelendez12@hotmail.com

I was born in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, México. I studied Civil Engineering at Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara and I studied at Universidad Autonoma de México to specialize in construction. After studying, I worked as a civil engineer at the Comisión Federal de Electricidad and at Acabados y Construcciones SAETA. Currently I am a math tutor at El Paso Community College and work part time as an administrative assistant at Cristo Rey. I like my work at Cristo Rey because we have a positive environment where we respect and support each other in our work and in our personal lives. I have two daughters and four beautiful granddaughters, with a fifth grandchild on the way. 
 

Pat Marruffo, Administrative Assistant & English-Speaking Secretary,

pmarruf1@elp.rr.com

I like working in this community, especially this church, because all the people here make you feel like a real family. I am a true Texas girl, born in Waco, Texas. I came to El Paso with my parents at the age of six months and I have been here ever since. I met Pastor Rose Mary in 1997 and told her I wanted to support this church. Shortly after this, I became a member and began my work here. My husband and I have found a calling in serving this church.

Nathan Mawhirter, Border Immersion Program & After School Program Coordinator

borderimmersion@gmail.com

My name is Nathan and I was born and raised in northern Ohio. Recently, I graduated from Wittenberg University with a degree in International Relations and Spanish, with a minor in religion. I have grown up in the lutheran church and I look forward to being a part of the Cristo Rey family! In my free time, I enjoy reading, working out, and going on adventures. I also like to learn more about Latin America and the cultures surrounding the border regions.

Megan Clayburn, After School Program Coordinator

lamansioncristorey@gmail.com

Hello! My name is Megan and I was born in El Paso but spent most of my life in Ohio. Recently my husband and I moved back to the area and after attending Cristo Rey's Sunday service I got involved with the After School Program. My husband and I also enjoy being a part of the music team at Cristo Rey. We love El Paso, the community and all of the outdoor activities here. 

Ceci Herrera, CEPCO Director

cecipherrera@aol.com

My name is Cecilia "Ceci" Herrera. I am a retired Social Worker, Licenced Chemical Dependency Counselor and a Certified Prevention Specialist, designations awarded through the Texas Certification Board of Addiction Professionals. Currently and thanks to the patronage of the Iglesia Luterana Cristo Rey, I am still serving as the Director on a volunteer basis to continue with the project that started as a dream, and as a result, I found it to be my life project. I still attend continuing education classes and annual conferences, the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) annual forum to keep abreast of trends in this subject, so we can provide better services by implementing science-based programs. This is the legacy that I want to leave behind me, so others can give back to this great community. I feel very proud about the results when youth come to us and we see them now as individuals fulfilling their full potential and as professionals with a purpose in life. Now, after 21 years of CEPCO's inception in the community, I can assure that partnerships in prevention work!

Concepción Pérez, Health Promoter

cperez1954@yahoo.com

My name is Concepción Pérez, and I am a health promoter. I work in the colonias and am a volunteer at Cristo Rey. My job is to help the communities have a better quality of life. I have partnered with various community organizations, such as CEPCO, to bring more resources into our community. I have also had years of experience as president of the Golden Hills Neighborhood Association. 

Juán de Dios López, Lay Pastor

juanitodedios72@gmail.com

I was born in Torreón, Coahuila, México. Since age ten, when I was helping with the catechism classes in my community, I felt called to serve in the Church. When I was 14 years old, I migrated to Juárez in search of job opportunities. While in Juárez I was very involved with several ministries of the Catholic Church, such as teaching the Catechism, pre-Baptismal classes, and assisting with liturgy. At that time, my parents and I felt a strong call to serve in the Church. In Juárez, I met my wife Adriana and got married. When I was 36 years old I immigrated to El Paso, Texas, in search of better opportunities for my family. Like many immigrants, I had a difficult time finding opportunities during my first year, and that led me to find a church where I could not only receive support but also serve. In this search I found Iglesia Luterana Cristo Rey and felt it was the right place for me. After serving in various ministries at Cristo Rey, I was called as Lay Pastor in 2009 and they supported me to go to Diaconal School in Los Angeles, California. I am currently in the process of starting seminary to become an ordained pastor of the ELCA. 

 

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