March 11, 2005

Every other week we are excited to bring you a personal story from someone within our own community who shares our passion about what StoneBridge School is and does. We hope you will find these words encouraging and inspiring. If you have something you'd like to share, please e-mail us.

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StoneBridge School
P.O. Box 9247
Chesapeake, VA 23321

(757) 488-7586
Primary school

(757) 488-2214
Upper school

Monica Olaya with son David

Political Refugees Find "Asylum" at StoneBridge

Genaro and Monica Olaya and their children, Daniela and David, came to the United States in 2002 to escape a dangerous situation in their home country of Colombia, South America.

In Colombia, Monica was a federal prosecutor for human rights, and threats were made against her life and the lives of her children. Monica’s body guard received information that Monica and her children’s lives were in danger and told her that they should leave Colombia. Monica resisted this information.

“I did not want to leave my country, my home, and the culture I knew, and I did not want to leave my extended family,” she said. Monica and her husband Genaro—a judge in Colombia—had been reconciled in their marriage for only three months after having been divorced for six years.

At the insistence of her body guards, and after the assassination of her co-prosecutor and the investigators of a crime case, Monica and Genaro made plans to leave their homeland. They had only two weeks to prepare themselves and their children before leaving Colombia.

The Olayas left their home and all that they knew to come to America for political asylum. They knew nothing about the life and culture of America. They had no idea where they were going to live, go to church, or send their children to school.

Providentially, the Olayas were brought to live in Virginia. They began attending Kempsville Presbyterian Church, where their pastor, Randy McMillan (Kempsville Presbyterian Church missionary in Cali, Colombia), suggested that they contact José Gonzalez (StoneBridge alumni parent and Emeritus Founding Board Member), who told them about StoneBridge School. Through him, the Lord opened doors for the Olaya children to study at StoneBridge.

Monica and Genaro felt led by the Lord to come to StoneBridge. “We like seeing how our children learn from teachers about academics founded in Biblical principles," said Monica. "We know that our children are growing in Christian character. The StoneBridge School community has completely embraced our family as part of the community here. We are so grateful for the love and acceptance we have felt from the StoneBridge family from the beginning of our arrival."

The Olaya Family Left to Right: David (5th grade), Genaro, Monica, and Daniela (6th grade)