ABOUT

LAVIDA

WHO ARE WE?

We are a ministry network for Hispanics and non-Hispanics who have a heart to reach U.S Hispanics for Christ. The LaVida ministry reaches across all Navigator Missions to serve laborers and staff that are Hispanic.

WHAT DO WE DO?

The focus of LaVida is to help carry out our Navigator Calling among US Hispanics by contributing to the Navigator Missions’ ability to reach, disciple and train Hispanic laborers and leaders.
LaVida will provide encouragement, shepherding, coaching, relational connectivity and be an influence multiplier.
LaVida is positioned as an integral core network of the U.S. Navigators to partner and develop new culturally relevant ways of reaching Hispanics.
LaVida events will serve as a catalyst for recruitment, connecting laborers and leaders in helping create momentum, training, mission alignment and vision casting for Hispanics in the US Navigators
LaVida will assist Navigator Missions and ministries in and recruiting the next generation of Hispanics and non-Hispanics laborers who have a heart for reaching US Hispanics for Christ.

Meet Our Team

Armando Madrid

LA City Influencer

Armando Madrid and his wife Annabel have served with the Navigators for over 30 years. They have three adult daughters. Armando's ethnic roots are Mexican-American, and Annabel’s are New Mexican. They now serve in the Navigators Church Mission, located in the inner city of Los Angeles. Their focus is raising up disciples in the Latino communities of Los Angeles. Armando has served overseas in Argentina in a campus ministry, and has served as part of the initiating team that began LaVida in Albuquerque, NM in the 1980's.

He served with a team of laborers that opened up the LaVida work in Los Angeles in 1987. He served in national leadership as Director of LaVida in the 1990's. He led a campus ministry at Cal State Los Angeles for seven years. He left the Navigators for four years to serve as the Principal of an inner city Christian school.

Since returning to the Navigators in 2014, the Madrid family continues to pour themselves into the Latino community, with a heart for youth and the under-resourced in the city. Armando serves LaVida Network as the influencer for Navigators Church Ministries.

Alicia Garcia

Collegiate Influencer

When I arrived as a freshman at Arizona State University from Texas, I knew no one. I walked around seeking Christian fellowship. After visiting a few different groups, it became apparent to me that The Navigators, unlike some of the other groups, cared for me beyond being a number in their ministry.

The Navs quickly became not just an organization, but my family. Being far from home, it was this community I grew to cherish. The Navigators placed strong importance on discipleship and helping me grow closer to God.

I met one-on-one with a staff woman, and for the first time in my life, I was reading the Bible—hungry for what God had to tell me! Going to the desert of Arizona was a time God set aside to refine my life. He brought me through healing of past hurts, and brought core lies to light, that I was not even aware existed!

I see great value and opportunity in spreading God’s truth on the college campus. My passion now is to see others experience the same personal relationship and freedom in Christ that I have come to know. After 11 years on staff in Southern California, Penn State, and Oregon, I am pleased to continue laboring on the Collegiate Leadership Team.

I want to equip, engage, and empower students to know their identity in Christ and labor for the Gospel both where they are and into the nations. I cannot wait to see God’s transforming power in each of our lives used for his Glory!

Alex Mata

D4L Influencer

Disciplemakers for Life Influencer ( D4L)

Mexican-American Heritage-Southern California Native in Los Angeles, CA.

My Navigator heritage started with the military navigators in the USAF 1980's

I have been involved with The Navigators throughout my entire adult life, serving as volunteer, part-time and full time during the past 40 years.

My wife Diana Mata came to faith in Christ through the collegiate ministry in Albuquerque. She is an elementary bilingual school teacher in Pico Rivera.

I have served in many different roles and ministries throughout my time of service with the Navigators, such as the military, overseas missionary, founder of a non -profit with LA Sheriff department a Youth-at-Risk program,

also as an Elder of two different local churches, and currently as a certified life and leadership coach with the Navigators Church Ministries.

My life long passion is to see a gospel movement amongst the 60 million plus Latinos in the US that would impact the world for Christ through life on life discipleship.

I am here to serve for the glory of God! Blessings in Christ, Alex Mata

Jenifer Gonzalez

New Jersey City Influencer

Jennifer Gonzalez is a 1st generation Cuban-American who was born and raised in New Jersey in a primarily Hispanic community. Jen came to faith at the age of 16 and was discipled by the Navigators during her college years. Shortly after, she worked alongside JJ to disciple singles and and in that process found themselves to be such a good team they became a couple! They were married in 2007 and have two beautiful children, who are their joy-Jake and Sofia. They both work with the Navigators as Associate Staff and have full time jobs while continuing ministry in Northeast NJ. In 2015, Jen left her career in magazines to pursue her dream of owning her own Art Studio which gives her more flexibility for ministry and family. They are currently serving with Nav Neighbors and have always had a passion for ministering to those within arms reach of whatever stage of life they are in. Their love of Latin culture flows into all they do, especially when it comes to ministry!

Alex Mata

D4L Influencer

Staff

Armando Diaz

LaVida Director

Armando Diaz was born June 29th, 1969, in Cuba to a middle-class, atheist family. In 1990, at the age of 21 years old, he received Christ as His Lord and Savior, and started serving Him. In 1993, he was arrested by the Cuban government for preaching the Gospel and for being part of a Human Rights Organization. He spent ten days in prison and two years in house arrest. In 1995, he married Liset, and continued serving God by leading small groups and ministering to couples. In 2000, they went to Guatemala for six months to be trained in counseling and Biblical discipleship. They led a discipleship ministry in Cuba from 2000 to 2006. During those years, they had their daughters Amanda (2000) and Aniela (2003).

In 2006, God opened the door for them to come to the U.S, and they relocated to Miami. After a year, they came on board with the Navigators. They lived in Miami, Florida from 2006 to 2019, year they moved to Tampa, Florida. The serve with the Navigators Nations Within Mission. Both Armando and Liset have master’s degrees in Biblical Counseling. Armando leads LaVida Network, which is the Hispanic Ministry of the Navigators.

Josh Borunda

Collegiate

Josh Borunda is on staff with the collegiate mission of the Navigators. He was born and raised in El Paso, Texas, in a traditional Hispanic family. He left home for college and moved to Lubbock, Texas to pursue a business degree at Texas Tech University, thanks largely to receiving an academic scholarship. Being the first in his extended family to go to college, he was the first to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in business in 2010. He then pursued a master’s degree in Business Administration in 2012.

During his time at Texas Tech, several godly men invested their lives in him, and helped him grow in a biblical understanding of God’s grace, his own kingdom character, and a true understanding of biblical masculinity. Since then, he has gotten married and now is pioneering a new ministry at Texas State University.

This journey has been exciting and humbling as he has learned more about God, as well as how to raise a younger generation of college students wrestling with very real questions about life and God. Josh serves LaVida Network by being the influencer for Navigators Collegiate.

Sam Huxford

LaVida Conference Director

Sam Huxford was born in the Dominican Republic and lived there until he was 4, when he then moved to Miami. He became a believer at the age of 11 but it was when God introduced the Navigators to him in college at Florida State University where he wholeheartedly began to follow God. While studying finance, he felt the call to come on staff to reach students like him that came into college wanting to grow in their faith and also for the many students who don’t know Jesus.

He has been on staff with the Navigators in collegiate for 4 years. He was introduced to the LaVida Network several years ago which began his journey into embracing his ethnicity. Throughout this time, he has had the wonderful privilege of being married to his lovely wife Jennifer Huxford for 8 years, and they have three kids, Isabella, Aria, & Luca. They are pioneering a collegiate ministry at Florida International University in Miami, FL. They desire to see students and non-students in Miami know the one, true God. Sam serves LaVida Network as the Director for the LaVida Conference.