Meet Sara Hernandez
“You have searched me, Lord, and you know me.” You may or may not have heard these words before, the opening verse of Psalm 139.
For Sara Hernandez, these words have been a source of truth, encouragement, and direction. She has found them comforting, knowing God sees her as she truly is. And at other times, these words have led her to open new doors, like moving to Costa Rica and becoming a full-time missionary with Faithful Servant Missions.
Sara was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida and began to believe in the Lord who knows her at 13 years old. As she continued to pray the words of Psalm 139:2, “You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar,” she sensed God was inviting her to serve in ministry when she was 16.
This invitation became more clear and absolute at the age of 19 while serving in Haiti. Sara remembers, “I was praying and felt God saying ‘Serve my people,’ and I knew it wouldn’t be in a typical American church setting.” As a mixed woman who is half Puerto Rican, Sara felt drawn to serve in Spanish-speaking communities. So when the opportunity came to visit Costa Rica, she took it! Her first trip was with Radical Life Ministries to Jaco in 2019, and she has returned to Costa Rica three times with FSM in October 2023, July 2024, and January 2025.
The words of Psalm 139:3-4 became a valuable direction yet again when Sara was at FSM last summer: “You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely.” While visiting San Ramón, she was interviewing for another job back home. But God had already invited her to move to Costa Rica on her first trip there. Before the words were on her tongue, God had already said she was called to serve Faithful Servant Missions in a greater capacity.
With a newly realized calling, Sara began to prepare for the possibility of leaving Jacksonville. She has led a small group Bible study of the same teenage girls for seven years and didn’t want to leave them behind. But God’s timing can be trusted; they are graduating high school and heading off to college this summer. Her next step became clear–”I’m moving to Costa Rica!”
Sara has begun fundraising full-time and continues to lean into the promise of God in Psalm 139:7-10, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.” As she prepares to move to San Ramón in June, she is praying these verses over her new colleagues. “I’m most excited to work alongside the staff and see them flourish in their callings,” Sara said.
The commitment of the local Costa Rican staff is inspiring! Anyone who has visited the mission could notice how compassionate and loving the entire staff is toward the kids of Bajo Tejares. Sara’s goal is to support the staff and develop programs for the mission that allows them to use their gifts, and to build partnerships locally so the mission can grow into a financially stable endeavor. A few of her objectives will be helping to implement discipleship programs, set strategic goals for the staff, and host short-term mission teams.
We can hardly contain our excitement for Sara to move to the mission! As she prepares over the next few months, we invite you to support Sara in a variety of ways. You can partner by giving online with a one-time or recurring donation to help cover the cost of flights, room and board, salary, and miscellaneous expenses. You can pray for her and the staff as they begin working and serving together.
And you can meet Sara in-person in the Jacksonville area (use the contact button for more information), or at Buncombe Street Methodist Church for their Mission Impact Weekend in April. Sara also plans to make a stop at Chapin Christian Community Church before she moves–stay tuned for more info! She would love to visit FSM family and friends, small groups, Sunday School classes, or Bible Studies to share more. Send us an email to get connected and learn more specific ways to partner.
We invite you to pray the words of Psalm 139:23-24 over Sara and the entire FSM staff as we move into this exciting chapter of mission and ministry!
“Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Amen.
Get to Know Sara
Bachelor's degree in Ministerial Leadership
Master’s degree in International Community Development
Served an 11 month missions internship
Served on short-term missions teams in Haiti, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Uganda, Panama, and domestically and locally
Worked at Sponsored by Grace, Boys & Girls Club, and in various roles and organizations with children and teens
Loves to swim, surf, and spend time at the beach
Is a huge Jaguars fan–DUUUVAL!
Adopted dog Zeke in July 2021