27 January 2021
We are delighted to announce that Natali Alonso Hernández will become part of our International Board in April 2021. She takes over as the member for Latin America from Bob Genock who has served as Board Chair for six years and will be greatly missed.
Natali was born and grew up in Colombia where her parents are pastors. She always had a heart for mission, completing Youth With A Mission's Discipleship Training School in her teens and volunteering in Cuba, Panama, and Trinidad and Tobago. She gained a psychology degree from Santo Tomas University, Bogotá and went on to work as a missionary with indigenous communities in the Amazon region.
In 2009 she moved to Brazil, trained in family and couples therapy, and worked in a youth ministry at her church. She went on to work in business as a Human Resources analyst and then as Research Psychologist for Brazil's National Research Center. In 2018 she was ordained as a pastor and co-ordinated a Counselor Training Center for Aaron & Hur International Ministries, and in 2019 she became Pastor Coordinator of Agape Pastoral Counseling Center in Campo Grande, Brazil, which is based at the church led by Freedom In Christ's Representatives in Brazil. She is married to Taylor, a Brazilian, who is a psychologist and Christian counselor, and they have a 7-year-old daughter, Sophie.
She says, "I did the Freedom In Christ Course in June 2019 and I was enchanted by the depth of God's Word and truth in the course. I then did the Freed To Lead course and after several difficult stories in my own leadership history - as a pastor`s daughter, as a leader, now as a pastor myself - I have experienced freedom like never before. I was able to understand my pain and forgive from the heart. This was the best leadership course I have ever experienced." She serves as a facilitator for Freedom In Christ's courses in her church and is currently going through our "Transform" equipping for leaders as part of the first ever Latin American cohort.
Steve Goss. International Director, says, "I'm delighted to welcome Natali to the Board. She brings her own story of personal transformation, a heart for helping others take hold of the truth of God's Word, and a great deal of experience. My delight is tempered by the sadness of saying goodbye to Bob who has been such an encouragement as he has guided our Board forward. I know that he will remain very much connected to our work in Latin America that is growing so quickly and will continue to be a great encouragement to us all."
Bob (pictured below) says, "It has been a special journey with Freedom In Christ. My wife and I started sharing the Steps To Freedom In Christ with people in the Netherlands in 1999. After returning to the USA in 2001 and after the passing of my wife to be with the Lord, I had the privilege of traveling with Neil Anderson on several trips to Latin America, then being given the responsibility to oversee the region for a period of time where the Lord led to me two special pastors, Pastor Juan Ovando and Pastor Jaime Perez, to represent Argentina and Venezuela respectively. It was also a privilege for me to work with William and Lourdes Gallardo in Mexico who were the first official country representatives in Latin America and who have worked tirelessly and fruitfully as the official Mexico Freedom In Christ Representatives for more than eleven years. Then, six years ago, I was honored to join the International Board and asked to be the Chairman with a very special group of Board members working in conjunction with Steve and Zoe Goss. Now, as I will be 82 next month, I sensed that the Lord was indicating that it was time to bring on the Board someone of an age closer to the average population in Latin America. It was a delight and answer to prayer when I found out that Natali had been put forward as my replacement and may the Lord bless her and may the ministry in Latin America flourish with her presence and perspective on the Board."
We are so grateful to Bob for his outstanding service to us, wish him a very happy 82nd birthday, and are excited to see what God does through Natali!
