GOD’S CALLS ON MY LIFE

By Rev. Socorro Delgado Pejendino

When I was 19 years old, God called me into a covenant relationship. By grace I received the forgiveness of my sins, salvation, and eternal life. Jesus Christ came into my life at a crucial time. I accepted His call, received salvation, and promised to give my life to Him, to love Him, and follow Him.

Six years later as I walked through the streets of Circassia in the department of Quindío in Colombia, God gave me a new call. This time through a little boy who was abandoned in the street. My heart became restless, the Holy Spirit was speaking to my life. God called me to serve Him, so strong was that call that I could not resist. I had to quit my job and dedicate myself completely to pastoral ministry together with my husband Fhanor Pejendino.

For more than 25 years we pastored together in Colombia taking care of our local church. I was ordained to the Ministry of the Word and Sacraments in the Presbytery of Cauca Valley in Colombia. God allowed us to work as a team with the elders of the local churches. It was a precious time and ministry that I remember with nostalgia and gratitude.

When we thought our work was accomplished, we received a new call from the Lord to be missionaries! We left our country for a place we did not know, another culture, and, although the same language was spoken, many words were unknown to us. Going out as missionaries meant giving up everything we had in Colombia: family, church, friends, homeland. It was a very big challenge. Before making the final decision, we prayed for a while, waiting for God to confirm through the church, family, and friends. So in 2014, we left for Guatemala with the firm conviction it was God’s will.

The pastoral call is different from the missionary call. The pastor takes care of the local church; while the missionary, in addition to pastoral functions, must cross cultural chasms and walk towards the unknown. The missionary, being a foreigner, must quickly learn to know and trust the nationals. In addition, missionaries need to fit into a new lifestyle with the pros and cons the new country represents. This adjustment takes time. During this period of adaptation the missionary is vulnerable and sometimes insecure. It can be a dark time of frustration and confusion where melancholy manifests. However, the missionary’s call from God persists. The missionary has a God given hunger to learn new things. And most importantly, the missionary finds strength by establishing meaningful relationships with nationals for the fulfillment of the purpose for which he or she was called.

I remember two months after being in Guatemala I became sick. I was afraid. I felt alone and vulnerable. We had to call a Guatemalan family for help. They supported us and helped us. Eight years later, the bonds of friendship with that family remain firm. We felt we were part of their lives, part of their family when they took care of us. Missionaries learn humility and dependence on those they serve. Such is the life and ministry of a missionary.

The work of a missionary is not easy, but it is an essential work. In addition to evangelizing, discipling, and training, we must also plant churches, develop leaders, guide community based social projects, receive missionary groups, address legal matters of immigration, help new church projects until they become organized churches, and advise and support the church session and councils of churches.

After the death of my husband Fhanor; God again spoke to my life to continue with the call as a missionary in Guatemala. It has not been easy, but I thank God for every call in my life. God has sustained me with the skills I needed to serve where called and peace that surpassed human understanding. I thank everyone for their support of global missions through their donations to the Stott-Wallace Missionary Offering. Your support allowed me to follow God’s call to the mission field. Acts 13:2-3