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Purpose

by melanie nesteruk
Lilia Ochoa and her daughter, Milca Gomez-Ochoa, stand together during a church service on a Friday night as Lilia's husband, Pastor Fred Gomez, leads the congregation.

“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.

Lilia and her husband, Fredy, pray for their children Milca and Lemuel before the children go to bed. The family does every night, and Lemuel and Milca won't go to sleep until they pray together.
Milca prays while kneeling next to her father at Monte Sion.
On a rainy Friday afternoon, Lilia Ochoa walks up her street after picking up Milca and Lemuel from the school bus stop.
Lilia Ochoa works on a patient, putting bands on her braces, as afternoon light filters through the window of the dentist's office.
Lilia Ochoa meets with Dr. Richard Henry (from left), Haley Schultz, Mary Prayer and Diane Hill as they gather before the first patient of the day comes into the dentist's office.
Lilia and Richard talk together during a work day at Dr. Richard Henry's dentist office. Richard gave Lilia her job at the dentist office after she came in as a patient. Lilia currently works as a dental assistant with him in Mt. Sterling.
While cooking a meal for her family, Lilia looks towards the living room where her two children, Milca and Lemuel are watching a movie on Netflix after getting home from school.
Milca Gomez-Ochoa and her younger brother, Lemuel Gomez-Ochoa work through homework and coloring books on the living room table. Their father, Fredy, is dressed up for the church service they are all attending later that night at Monte Sion.
The Monte Sion church community hugs and greets one another after the end of a church service on Friday night. After each meeting, members of the church bless each other before they go home for the night.