Virginia Episcopalian Magazine Winter 2012 Issue | Page 23

MONICA VEGA AND HEIDI SCHMIDT
St. Stephen’s, Richmond
Monica and Heidi are appointed
missionaries of the Episcopal Church,
currently serving in the Diocese of
Grahamstown, South Africa. Both
have worked extensively on health
and community projects across Africa,
and today support a ministry for HIV/
AIDS orphans.

What drew you to involvement in
mission work?
Heidi: I was born in New York City of
German immigrants and grew up in
a home with parents of deep faith,
which were the rich seeds that bore
the fruit in my own life. I trained as a

a lay missionary, and made private
vows to serve God, the poor, and to
live the Gospel with my life. I felt drawn
to Africa, and have been a missionary
there since 1995, the majority of the
time in South Africa, living out my call
to serve God and His people, being
a presence and accompanying those
most marginalized. First and foremost, I
consider my life a ministry of presence,
and what I do follows from there.
Monica: