Lutheran Women in Mexico Series: Vicky

Welcome to the first installment of my Lutheran women in Mexico series. We're going to start with the story of one of the steadiest, most confident women I've met here: Vicky.

Vicky spent her early years growing up in the Sierra Norte, a mountainous region located in southern Mexico. Her hometown has a claim to fame: it's where Benito Juarez, Mexico's most famous president, was born. Juarez was zapoteco, just like Vicky's family. (The Zapotec people are one of Mexico's largest indigenous groups.)

When she was eight years old, Vicky's family moved to the nearby city of Oaxaca. There they opened a tienda de abarrotes (snack shop) to support themselves.

When Vicky was in her early twenties, she got a job at a movie theater. Her boss, Carlos, was a great guy, and the two of them hit it off. Soon, however, Carlos had to leave. He moved to Torreon, a city in northern Mexico, to be with his family.

While in Torreon, Carlos found out about one of our Lutheran churches. He checked it out and soon became a member. Then he enrolled in the Mexican Lutheran Seminary.

Even though they were separated by more than 24 hours' worth of travel by bus, Carlos and Vicky kept in touch. He was excited about what he learned at the seminary. He sent Vicky self-study books that dealt with the Law and Gospel, what Lutherans believe, and other biblical topics.

The courtship of correspondence quickly led to wedding vows. In the summer of 2008, Carlos went down to Oaxaca to take Vicky's hand in marriage. Mike preached for the service. The outdoor setting, with the mountains as a backdrop, was simply beautiful.

After the wedding, the couple returned to Torreon so Carlos could finish his studies at the seminary. Then in January 2009, they headed to Puebla, a city in central Mexico, for Carlos's vicar year. He is now serving the congregation Solo Cristo Salva (Christ Alone Saves).

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As you can see, Vicky has moved around a lot since her wedding! If you look at a map of Mexico, you'll find that Oaxaca is in the south, Torreon is in the north, and Puebla is in the center of the country. What's more, in January 2010 Carlos and Vicky will head up to Sonora, which borders Arizona. Talk about getting to see the country!

When I asked Vicky about her new role as a future pastor's wife, she said she's really enjoyed two things: the church and travel. "Growing up," she says, "we went to a church that didn't really teach us anything about the Bible. We sang songs and heard Bible readings, but nothing was ever explained to us." In the Lutheran church, she loves digging into the Scriptures and learning more about God's Word each week.

"I've also enjoyed the traveling," she says. "You get to meet a lot of people and see new places." Even though she's far from her family, she's able to keep in touch with them regularly. "You get used to being away pretty quickly, and my parents are Christians too. It's a comfort to me to know that we're all headed to the same place."

In summer 2009, Vicky and Carlos welcomed a boy to their family. In addition to taking care of baby Ezra, Vicky helps Carlos with Sunday School and activities for the women in their congregation.

"Being married to a future pastor is a huge blessing," says Vicky. "It's been simply wonderful - each day brings a new, exciting experience."

I love Vicky's attitude and her courage to take on this new role. She sends greetings to all other Lutheran women reading this. Keep her in your thoughts and prayers, too.

Thanks for sharing your story, Vicky, and keep up the great work.