Blessed to bless others -Teacher Spotlight: Fernanda Barrios de Montania

Welcome back to our Teacher Spotlight. In this edition, we will introduce you to a special teacher who has been around ACA for 11 years now. She is sweet and very empathetic with others. She is our School Psychologists and mom of one of our first-grader. This is Mrs. Fernanda Barrios story:

What is your Higher Education Background?

Licensed Educational Psychologist

What was your Teaching/Work Experience before working at ACA?

ACA was my 1st work place. Afterwards I also worked as a professor in the National University, UNA.

What do you enjoy the most about working at ACA?

I enjoy listening to students, teachers, staff, families, trying to understand what are the good and the hard things they are going through. I like to give them words of encouragement when things get hard, as well as to pray with them, and to support them to reach God\’s plans for their life. Furthermore, I love to serve the Lord in every way I can in this wonderful place where He has given me the privilege of working for 11 years now.

Tell us about how you got to work here and how that influenced you today.

I got to ACA through a newspaper add my husband found saying that the school needed a Special Ed teacher aide. I was a 4th year psychology student back then, looking for a job, and the profile they were looking for was exactly who I was. Likewise, I wasn\’t sure if I would be the right fit, but he had faith and consistently encouraged me, so he convinced me and I gave it a try, and thanks to God\’s favor doors opened up. After this I was able to grow more and more professionally in the institution and I continue growing until now. 

Working at ACA has being a huge part of my walk with God. There have been very hard experiences where I learned persistence and faith, and times of overwhelming happiness and love. ACA became my family and I feel truly blessed in so many ways for being able to work here now.

I love to serve the Lord in every way I can in this wonderful place where He has given me the privilege of working for 11 years now.

My life without Christ was empty and dark – Profe Fernanda\’s testimony –

I grew up in a non-Christian home, with lots of love from my parents, but not knowing the word of God. My parents went through a very hard marriage crisis when I was 8, and I witnessed a lot of negative things. For this reason, I got to the point of having child depression. People around me did not notice this since I was a good student at school and did not speak about what was going on inside me. I saw no meaning in life, but I did not know what would expect me after death. 

Because of God\’s love and mercy both my parents decided at one point to see a Christian counselor, and he guided them towards an evangelical church. When I went to church for the first time, I was scared holding my little sister\’s hand. They took me to this class filled with children and  for the first time in my life I heard from God\’s Word. 

I got my inspiration to work at a Christian school because I also wanted to make a difference in a child\’s life, just like my church and school teachers did with me.

We continued attending as a family and I felt this empty dark place in my heart beginning to shine and get filled with so much life. For the first time I felt that I could breathe, spiritually, and when a Sunday teacher invited us to accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, I did it with all my heart. After this my parents moved me to a Christian school where I met wonderful teachers that inspired me and changed my life. 

I got my inspiration to work at a Christian school because I also wanted to make a difference in a child\’s life, just like my church and school teachers did with me. God is my inspiration, my strength and the first love in my life. I praise Him for what he has done in me in the past, what He is doing in the present and what He will do for the rest of my life. My goal is to put my eyes on Jesus even in the middle of storms so that His purposes and plans are fulfilled in my life, and in the lives of those around me.