Paz’s career with ChoiceOne began as a volunteer. She started serving as a mentor at this women’s resource center in 2003, partly because her sister was a teen mom and she wanted to come alongside other women who were in similar positions and facing similar choices.
After her husband passed away from brain cancer in 2006, Paz felt the Lord calling her to serve him more fully, potentially as a missionary. She enrolled at the University the following fall—originally just for a Bible degree, but she later decided to continue her education in the MS in Counseling program. The more she learned about Christ, his Word, and the counseling profession, the more she was able to serve and mentor women at ChoiceOne.
Paz transitioned from volunteer to counselor after finishing the clinical third year of the counseling program in 2017. Her first language is Spanish, so she is able to uniquely contribute to the organization by taking a caseload of primarily Latina women who benefit from receiving counseling in their native language.
In addition to the measureless impact she has had on the lives of women, one of the most significant contributions Paz made to the organization was assisting in the launch of CO2, ChoiceOne’s professional counseling center. A play off of the organization’s name, CO2 is where women “exhale” and are able to talk with a professional counselor who can help them work through various issues. Because of the generosity of staff and donors, these sessions are offered at little to no cost for those who need it.
While ChoiceOne and CO2 meet very practical needs— from ultrasounds and prenatal mentoring to diapers, formula, and professional counseling—these are not simply pro-life services but vehicles to further the Kingdom of God. Paz has stayed at ChoiceOne for over 20 years because the gospel stays at the center of her work:
“I enjoy being able to bring hope to these clients who come from hopeless situations, letting them know that there is hope, and introducing them to our heavenly Father, who is the God of hope,” said Paz. “And I can do this with an empathetic heart. I’m still facing a great loss, but I know that God comforts me in that loss, and he can offer them the same comfort.”
This story was originially included in the Spring 2024 issue of Cairn magazine.
