Jennifer Garcia of Mitchell has faced lots of adversity in her life, including losing her dad and oldest brother in a car accident when she was 2 years old. Then when she was 13, she lost her mom after a battle with kidney cancer. Jennifer then suffered through years of being physically, sexually, and emotionally abused in foster homes. Despite going through all of that adversity, however, the 27-year-old Garcia said she’s always wanted to fulfill her mom’s wish – to do something with her life that helps others. Therefore, she got involved in mission trips a few years ago, and a couple years ago she dedicated her effort to specifically helping people in the poverty-stricken community of Jicapala, El Salvador. She’s in the process now of raising funds to help build homes, schools and churches and to develop food programs there, and her ultimate dream is to use her skills as a nurse to someday open a medical clinic in Jicapala that offers free services to both children and adults.
JEFF FIELDER Editor
MITCHELL – Not a day goes by when Jennifer Garcia of Mitchell doesn’t think about her mom, Teresa, who passed away from kidney cancer when Jennifer was only 13 years old.
“She was the most loving person I’ve ever met,” she said. “When I was little, she inspired me to do anything that involved being generous or caring to someone else. She always talked about doing whatever we could to help the less fortunate.”
Jennifer, who’s 27 now, admired the way her mom stayed positive and God-loving even after a tragic car accident took the life of Jennifer’s dad, Ascension, and oldest brother, Chon, when Jennifer was just 2 years old.
“My mom lost her husband and oldest son in that car accident, but I never saw her turn away from God or stop wanting to help people,” Jennifer said. “I thought that was pretty incredible. I wanted to be just like her.”
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