FROM MY TIMING TO HIS

Called to Serve: Kimberly Cruz

“My love for children began at a young age. I am the oldest of two, and my parents served as foster parents for several years in my early adolescence. I enjoyed having extra siblings, if only for a moment.

After high school, I took a year off before going to college because, unlike most young people fresh after graduation, I did not have any plans to pursue higher education. Many of my junior high and high school teachers only focused on areas of my academics where I was average or below average. They rarely highlighted areas where I excelled. The result was that I believed the lie that I just didn’t have the smarts to make it in college. Also, my dream was to be a wife and a mother, so I didn’t think college was necessary. However, with the guidance of some family members and friends, I was encouraged to pursue a degree.

Still, I struggled to find my niche because I had not received the necessary support I needed to find my foundation, identify other interests, or hone my skills and talents. I thought about being an early childhood development teacher or home-based pre-school teacher, but those paths were short-lived. Then, while completing my associate degree in medical transcribing, God impressed me to work at summer camp during my summer breaks. I instantly loved the idea! Horses and children? Yes, please!

As an adolescent, I had attended Cowboy Camp at Leoni Meadows in northern California, and I treasured those memories. It was my haven away from the chaos at home, and it was there that I was given a chance to learn what I was truly capable of, with the love and support I needed and craved. I thrived at camp, so the idea of returning as staff just made sense.

Summer of 2002 was my first summer working at Leoni Meadows as a girl’s counselor at Cowboy Camp. I had such a wonderful time bonding with my campers each week. My favorite part was sharing with my teen campers my testimony of coming from a tumultuous home and learning how to trust God amidst the uncertainty and pain. I also shared about my love for Jesus.

In 2004, I spent my third summer at Camp Wawona, this time as the assistant director of the Cowboy Outpost. While there, one of my teen campers from Leoni Meadows ended up coming to Wawona for wrangler-in-training week. All the spots at Leoni had filled up, so she was forced to switch. She arrived to Wawona very disappointed, but the moment she saw me, her face lit up, and she hooted with glee! It was my first experience seeing the impact I unknowingly had on a young life, and it was God’s way of showing me that my influence carried Kingdom weight.

Later that summer, she wrote to let me know that she had made the decision to be baptized, and it was all because of my testimony that I had shared with her and the rest of her wagon mates at Leoni Meadows during my first summer working there. I cried with joy and gratefulness for God’s power to save.

By the end of summer 2004, I was already in my early, almost mid-20s, and I was being pressured to get a “real” job. However, nothing lit up my heart the way that working with young people at camp had. I prayed, “Lord, how can I combine my love for children and my love for horses? Nothing else makes sense to me.”

Well, that prayer wouldn’t be answered for another 20 years…

From my early 20s to now in my mid 40s, God was healing me and preparing me for the next steps in my journey. Like many who have traveled this earth for any length of time, I had some baggage to unpack with God. Along the way, He has helped me overcome doubt and the lies I believed about myself. In 2018, I completed my master’s degree in social work from Andrews University. By the time I finished grad school, I knew that I did not want to work in a traditional social work setting as a therapist. None of my jobs leading up to social work succeeded in bringing me the joy and passion that working with the youth at camp had. I had a passion to share the insights that I have gleaned along the way and that have helped me overcome adversities of dysfunctional family dynamics, misconceptions about my abilities, etc. I worked in the obligatory “real jobs” most of my life, but I was ready to really work in my Kingdom purpose. I was tired of “just getting by” and having no joy in what I did.

In July of 2022, my friend—our current Head Girls Dean here at Holbrook Indian School (HIS)—reached out to me after her interview for the position. They had mentioned their need for a Director of Horsemanship and had asked if she knew of anyone who qualified. She replied, “As a matter of fact, I do!”

She phoned me and let me know of the opportunity. I couldn’t believe my ears. Horses and children, again? Yes, PLEASE! I contacted Mr. Ojeda, the Principal, and let him know how I learned of the position. He was scheduled to be out-of-town that week, so he referred me to speak with the accountant about the position. I thought, That’s odd. Talk to an accountant about the Director of Horsemanship program? Ok.

I reached out to the accountant at that time, one Allison Newhart. When I read the name that Mr. Ojeda gave me, I remember thinking, Wait a minute. I think I know this gal. In my email to her, I asked if she was the same Allison Newhart from Michigan that I’d participated in a riding instructor certification with. She was! We had a wonderful interview, and she gave a hearty thumbs up to Mr. Ojeda for them to seriously consider me for the position. I was so excited to finally have my dream job at my fingertips! Unfortunately, I soon learned that they changed the direction of where they wanted to take the horsemanship program, so the position was no longer available to me. I was very disappointed. About a month later, I tried to apply for another position at HIS, but that door closed, too. I figured, Well, Lord, if this isn’t where you want me, please open another door somewhere else. I just need a job with true kingdom purpose that utilizes my gifts and talents, and if it’s working with young people, even better.

In January of 2023, my friend called me again to let me know about another position on campus that had just opened up: Content Creator. I wasn’t too thrilled about the idea at first, because I really wanted to work with the horses and possibly as the assistant girl’s dean. However, I remembered to pray while she talked, and I asked God to help me stay open if this was where He truly wanted me. By the time she was finished telling me about the job, I heard the Holy Spirit say to me, “Remember that you prayed for a work environment that you can thrive in, and that utilized your creative skills?” I thought, Oh yeah – I did!

I called the Director of Development who immediately set up an informal online interview. The following day, a formal online interview was held with the Principal, Business Manager, and Director of Development together. Within the hour after the interview ended, I was extended an invitation to visit campus for the in-person interview. However, that part took a little longer to arrange. I was finally able to make it out to HIS at the end of February 2023. Ten minutes after the in-person interview I was offered the job.

My journey to HIS took over 20 years to become a reality, but I know that God’s hand was definitely leading me to be here. I’d even spent a year and a half on the Navajo Reservation in Monument Valley, Utah, as a little girl with my family. I have only been at HIS for seven months, but it has been the best seven months in a job that I have ever experienced. For the first time in over 20 years, I experience true joy in what I do. I still get to play with horses whenever I choose, and I am able to interact with students on a regular basis. God has also afforded me the opportunity to mentor a couple of our high school girls and give Bible studies to one of our junior high girls. I could not ask for a better job. I look forward to discovering what else God has for me while I am here. To Him be the honor and glory for His timing and His ways.”