Oscar and Alice Garcia received their Bachelor of Arts in Theology degrees at Bethel Seminary in Kenedy, Texas on Saturday, July 22, 2023.

TESTIMONY: On November 5, 2017, tragedy struck our town of Sutherland Springs - a church shooting that claimed the lives of 26 innocent people. It was the deadliest mass shooting in the history of Texas. This unimaginable event awakened something within my wife and me - a calling we had long felt to serve in disaster relief. Little did we know that the disaster would hit so close to home. 

But when our community needed us the most, we couldn't ignore the fire that God ignited in our hearts. The love that poured out from us in those early days was beyond our understanding, a power greater than ourselves. It was in that outpouring that God revealed His purpose for our lives. And so, less than a month later, our ministry was born. 

This journey we are on is not of our making, but we are grateful to serve the God who calls us. Our degrees and titles hold little significance - we are continuously learning and growing under the guidance of wise mentors. We understand that this work is on God's timetable, not our own. 

The lives lost on that tragic day gave rise to new life and faith within us. From the darkness, God awakened our calling to be a light. The deepest sorrow of our community became the origin of our ministry. It is a story of redemption, of beauty emerging from ashes, and joy born out of mourning. This is the story that God is writing through our lives and the lives of all who love Him.  

With love, Oscar and Alice Garcia