When Liberty University students are challenged to be Champions for Christ, they are told to do so wherever their careers take them, whether at their workplace or in mission across the world. By serving others and being a Christian witness, they are serving God and His Kingdom.
Emily Gaitonde (’01) and her family have turned these philosophies she learned as a Liberty student into actions both locally in northern Virginia and in multiple countries. Her son, Evan, is now receiving that same charge as a freshman at Liberty.
Emily earned a Family & Consumer Sciences degree from Liberty and said she had always wanted to enter a field where she could impact lives. This led her to volunteer for three years at the Liberty Godparent Home, a program for young, single, pregnant women who may face emotional, financial, or relational challenges, while she was attending Liberty. She also completed an internship at the home’s Family Life Services adoption agency. She said the experiences revealed her desire to help mothers and children and led her to fulfilling roles in social work, pregnancy centers, and teaching.
“I think Liberty really helped me learn that you can serve people in a public environment but still serve Jesus first,” she said. “Some of the classes I took really prepared me for that. When you look at everything you do as a ministry, you are making it an opportunity to be able to reach others for Jesus, no matter what the setting is.”
At least once a year since Emily married her husband, Michael, the Gaitonde family has gone on an international mission trip together, even when Evan was as young as 2 years old. Over the years, they have visited England, Thailand, Mexico, and Honduras through their nonprofit, Lighthouse World Missions, based out of Michael’s chiropractic practice, Lighthouse Chiropractic in Gainesville, Va. Locally, they have worked with crisis pregnancy centers, Cru Military (the military ministry for Campus Crusade), a single mothers organization, a prison ministry, and more.
The Gaitonde family has made regular trips to Liberty’s campus over the years, often to see theatre productions and visit friends who live in Lynchburg. As Evan grew older, Emily said, he saw himself attending Liberty as well, and a visit during College For a Weekend (CFAW) confirmed that the university was where God wanted him to be. It was the only university he considered.
While Evan is now following in his mother’s footsteps at Liberty, he is also following his father’s as he pursues a degree in exercise science with the goal of practicing chiropractic care. Emily’s 15-year-old daughter, Caroline, was also inspired to attend Liberty after she helped Evan move into his residence hall in the fall.
Emily said she herself had the advantage of hearing Liberty’s late founder, Dr. Jerry Falwell, speak about his vision for the university during her time as a student, and she said that mission is alive and thriving today.
“Training men and women to serve the Lord was Jerry’s vision from day one, and that is still active today,” Emily said. “The legacy of Jerry Falwell is in every person who is serving the Lord, whether that’s on the mission field or in the mission field of their workplace. Liberty University is still seeking the Lord, even after all these years, and that is where we wanted our kids to go.”
The Gaitondes are one of many LU families who span generations. Share your family’s Liberty story at news@liberty.edu.
