About ten years ago, Alma and Raul’s older daughter, Giovanna, 5, became very ill. She could not walk without a cane and was constantly weak. Throughout the difficulty, Alma did her best to make sure she and their two children went to church each Sunday. One week, her husband, Raul, who did not normally go to church, agreed to go himself so he could carry Giovanna around the church building.

While they were there, they saw a miracle. The people in the church prayed for Giovanna, and she was suddenly healed. She walked back to the car without assistance and her weakness never returned. From that moment on, Raul decided he ought to attend church.

Since that time, Raul and Alma had a relationship with God, but felt like they still lacked something. They switched churches so they could attend somewhere with a friend, Maria, and landed at a Mission Arlington^® congregation, Heritage church.

Since joining Heritage, Raul and Alma have been faithful. Alma sings in the praise team; Raul gives rides to church, reads scripture, and contributes to his Sunday School class. They have three children now, all active and participating every time the church doors are open.

Their faith extends past the church doors as well. Last year, Alma was in a bad car accident. For days she worried about how to repair the car. She called her insurance company daily to see what they had decided, to no avail. Finally, Giovanna told her, “Mom, just put it in God’s hands.” Alma stopped calling and two days later, the insurance company called to assure her that they would pay for the damage to her car.

Last month, Raul had some pain that sent him to the clinic at Mission Arlington^®. The preliminary tests suggested some type of cancer, and the family was concerned while the doctors ran more tests. In the end, it was not cancer, but a non-life threatening issue that would resolve with medication. Through the weeks of uncertainty, Raul and his family relied on God.

Throughout the concerns of life, this family has stayed committed to God and put their trust in him. Their heart is that others see God’s goodness, also. Giovanna’s heart aches when she talks about her lost friends at school, and the rest of the family shares their faith with neighbors and co-workers. What a blessing to have this family as part of the Mission Arlington^® family.