The Depth of God’s Love

IT IS AMAZING TO CONSIDER how a single decision can dramatically alter the course of someone’s life. It may seem trivial in that moment, but as life unfolds, one can reflect and recognize its true impact. For Cruz and Sophia, the decision was not theirs to make; rather, it was the choice of others to place them on the Boothe Campus in 2018. Little did they know, this moment would profoundly change their lives forever. 

When Sophia first moved to campus, she felt uncertain about her future. She quickly connected with her houseparents and those around her. She witnessed the daily outpouring of love, which allowed her and others to heal from past hurts. More than anything, she learned what a true relationship with Christ looked like. “I grew up thinking you believe Jesus died on the cross for your sins, you get baptized, and you’re saved,” Sophia shared. “It wasn’t until I went to Boothe Campus, where I was taught you need to have a relationship with Jesus.” This was a pivotal moment in Sophia’s life, one that would change her future. 

A few months after Sophia arrived on campus, Cruz was placed with his siblings. Much like Sophia, he felt anxious about his future and what his life would be like. With only a year left in high school, he did not know what to do after graduation. He quickly bonded with his houseparents and appreciated the love they shared and their relationships with the Lord. 

“The moment I came to the campus was the first time that I had been introduced to His love, and it was throughout everybody, the houseparents, the staff, they’re just filled with so much love,” Cruz shared. 

After six months on campus, Cruz had the opportunity to leave Boothe Campus with his siblings, but he decided to stay because he recognized the impact the people had already had on his life. 

During their time on the campus, Cruz and Sophia started dating. After graduating in 2019, Cruz began school at Coastal Bend College with the help of STCH Ministries. During COVID, he moved to Corpus Christi to be close to his family. While there, he decided to leave college and start a landscaping business. The distance did not keep Cruz and Sophia apart, and shortly after Sophia graduated in 2020, Cruz proposed. Later in 2020, they married in the chapel on the Boothe Campus with houseparents and staff surrounding them in support and love. 

After marrying, Cruz and Sophia started their little family. Sophia stayed home while Cruz worked on growing the landscaping business. They faced difficult moments in their marriage, as Cruz admitted that even though he was introduced to Christ while living on the campus and had gone through the motions, he was still living in sin. Through every dark moment, Sophia stayed by his side and supported him. She asked hard questions and encouraged him to seek a true relationship with the Lord and to stop living in the world. 

One night, after a tough conversation, Cruz felt a strong pull on his heart to truly surrender to God. He wanted to be the leader of his household and lead his family well. They started attending a new church where they instantly felt connected, started serving and spending time with the Lord daily. “I started seeing who God really is, what He can really do and the amount of compassion He has for sinners like me,” Cruz shared. 

“And when I stopped identifying with my sin and started identifying myself as a son of God, it was the biggest shift of my life.” 

Cruz started allowing God to move through his entire life, including looking at his business differently. “I realized it’s not just a business for the earth, it’s a business for the kingdom,” Cruz shared. He wanted people to see the Lord in him while he worked; he wanted his business to be set apart. This shift changed how he started every day. It made him love his work more, which led to a better atmosphere at work and home. 

After their two beautiful daughters, Amiah and Araceli, were born, Sophia decided she wanted to do more. She always found j o y i n c re a t ing floral arrangements and wanted to attend the Floral Design Institute. Unsure of how to move forward, they contacted Campus Ministries’ staff for guidance. Since Sophia graduated in care, she had the opportunity for support from STCH Ministries, not just financial, but someone to walk hand in hand with her as she maneuvered this new journey. 

The couple returned to Boothe Campus to talk with staff about college, and it allowed them to be reminded of what the campus meant to them. They stopped to see their houseparents and other staff and share about their lives. “I personally got to thank all the houseparents, just for everything that they’ve done,” Cruz shared. “When you’re a teenager, you don’t realize how much they do for you.” It also reminded him of the first time he was introduced to the Lord. He could see more clearly now how all the houseparents live out the fruits of the Spirit daily and the impact that had on him. 

Both Cruz and Sophia recognize how deeply STCH Ministries has changed their lives. 

“The biggest impact was being surrounded by godly people,” Sophia shared. “Always being encouraged and having someone there that you can talk to about anything, and they will lead you back to the Lord. Without STCH Ministries, I would still be living in the world and wouldn’t have the beautiful family that I do now.” 

She also recognizes that she has a safe place she can go back to and relationships that will last a lifetime. 

For Cruz, he admits his life would not be where it is today without the love and support he received on the campus. “STCH Ministries will always, always, it’s not even partially, it is always going to play a part in my testimony, because it is when I first encountered the Lord. I didn’t even realize it at the time because I was so naïve. What I didn’t realize was what God was doing right in front of me.” He prays often for the children being placed on the campus that their lives would be impacted the way his was. 

In the beginning, neither of them could understand why they were placed on the Boothe Campus. Now, as they look back, they see God’s plan for their lives as it unfolded. “Out of all the campuses there are in Texas, out of all the foster care placements I could have gone to, I ended up at STCH Ministries, Cruz shared. “I think it is cool to see the Lord’s sovereignty in that as well.” While they may not have understood, the Lord knew that this one decision would change their lives forever.