Each month, MERGE (Vision San Diego's official newsletter) features the story of someone whose life has been changed through a Greater San Diego church or ministry.

Five years ago, when Elsita Urquilla (Elsa) moved from El Salvador to go to school in the United States, she had no idea that she would find her passion in ministry.

After a visit to San Diego, Elsa sensed God’s calling to move here, and the pieces fell into place, from her acceptance to the University of California in San Diego (UCSD) to the scholarships she received. This past August, Elsa moved to San Diego as a transfer student to UCSD, but this was just the beginning of her journey.

Right from the start, Elsa began to volunteer with InterVarsity, a ministry on campus. Ethnos Community Church, a four-year old church located near UCSD, contacted the ministry regarding an open position for a Children’s Ministry Director.

At the time, Elsa worked as an event planner at UCSD. Although this had been her ideal job throughout her life, she didn’t find any meaning in it.

“I wanted to find something that would give me purpose and mean something to me; not just working to work.”

Elsa decided to meet with Yucan Chiu, the pastor at Ethnos, and then decided to get involved to see if it was a good fit. In March 2008, Elsa began serving as the Children’s Ministry Director, overseeing the various components of the children’s events and Sunday School.

Elsa had never worked at a church before and has seen this opportunity as a time of self-discovery. While working at Ethnos, Elsa has grown in her faith while also discovering her passion for ministry. Formerly, she was driven by expectations placed on her by others, including her parents. Coming from a successful family, Elsa says it’s hard for them to understand why she works in the ministry, especially since they’re not yet Christians.

Although parts of the process have been challenging, Elsa says it’s also been a freeing experience. For anyone who may be seeking to take the next step spiritually, Elsa recommends being still before God and discovering who you are in Christ.

“You can’t serve or take the next step in any way, unless you find your identity in Christ. Often we want to be something we’re not called to be, and in the process of discovering who you are, we’re able to hear Him and understand His calling on our lives.”

This fall Elsa will take another step of faith as she starts seminary. When Elsa moved to San Diego in August she didn’t know what God had in store, but says, “We’re called to persevere and trust there’s a purpose.”