By JONATHAN CRUZ Staff Writer

For anyone who has entered onto the property of La Posada Providencia shelter in the past 13 years, the first person they have seen has usually been Monica Peña-Rusmussen.

In 2001, Monica responded to an ad in the local San Benito paper for a part-time position at La Posada, a shelter that assists immigrants. She was working for an afterschool program at the time and was searching for another part-time job.

Soon after, she received a phone call from Sister Margaret Mertens. Sister Margaret had called to tell her that she was looking to fill the outside maintenance position but was actually hoping to hire a man.

“She said that because most of the clients of the shelter were men, they might not take direction from a woman,” Monica said. “I told her that I led by example and nothing was beneath me, so I would do whatever the job.”

A few months later, Monica was offered full-time positions at both the afterschool program and La Posada.

“I was good at what I did at the afterschool program, but I had always felt that I was meant to help people,” she said, “so I left the decision up to fate and became the client coordinator for La Posada.” … Click here to read the full story on the Valley Morning Star’s website.