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LEO ROBERT LAVINKA WAS BORN IN 1934. HE WAS RAISED IN MONTICELLO, FLORIDA, BUT NOT IN A CHRISTIAN HOME. AFTER HIGH SCHOOL AND ONE TOUR IN THE AIR FORCE, HE ATTENDED FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY BEFORE TRANSFERRING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA WHERE HE GRADUATED WITH A BACHELOR OF CIVIL ENGINEERING DEGREE. HE WORKED FOR THE U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS IN THE JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA, DISTRICT BEFORE TRANSFERRING TO THE DIVISION OFFICE IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA IN 1969. HE BEGAN HIS CAREER IN CONSTRUCTION AND HAD OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN MANY DIFFERENT MILITARY AND CIVIL ENGINEERING PROJECTS IN THE SOUTHEAST UNITED STATES, PUERTO RICO, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS, PANAMA CANAL ZONE, AND SOMETIMES IN OTHER CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA COUNTRIES. IN 1973 HE TRANSFERRED FROM CON-STRUCTION TO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT WHERE HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR PLANNING, COORDINATING, TRAINING, AND EXECUTION OF THE CORPS' MISSIONS TO SUPPORT THE MILITARY, AND NATURAL DISASTERS RECOVERY EFFORTS. HIS RESPONSIBILITY EXPANDED TO THE MIDDLE EAST BEFORE AND DURING DESERT SHIELD, DESERT STORM, AND KUWAIT RECOVERY. HE IS THE RECIPIENT OF SEVERAL AWARDS FOR HIS SERVICE AND RETIRED IN 1999 AFTER 39 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE U.S. GOVERNMENT. HE WAS SAVED IN 1969 WHILE ATTENDING FORREST HILLS BAPTIST CHURCH IN DECATUR, GEORGIA, UNDER THE MINISTRY OF DR. CURTIS HUTSON AND THE WITNESSING OF A COWORKER. HE WAS ORDAINED AS A DEACON BY PASTOR HUTSON IN 1970. HE ALSO SERVED AS A DEACON AT CORINTH BAPTIST CHURCH, LOGANVILLE, GEORGIA UNDER PASTOR DON RICHARDS; RETURN BAPTIST CHURCH, DEMOREST, GEORGIA UNDER PASTOR WALTER BURRELL; AND IS CURRENTLY A DEACON, TREASURER, AND SECRETARY AT ZION HILL BAPTIST CHURCH, CLEVELAND, GEORGIA UNDER PASTOR NATHAN NIX, (ALL INDEPENDENT, FUNDAMENTAL BAPTIST CHURCHES). HE HAS TAUGHT SUNDAY SCHOOL FROM ELEMENTARY TO ADULTS IN SEVERAL CHURCHES AND SERVED IN THE BUS MINISTRY AT FORREST HILLS BAPTIST CHURCH. HE HAS ALSO BEEN A JANITOR, YARD KEEPER, AND A TEACHER AT A SATELLITE CHURCH. HE HAS BEEN ACTIVE IN VISITATION PROGRAMS FROM 1970 TO THE PRESENT.