By Carla Garcia, Partner Engagement Director
As we step into 2026, we do so in a time that feels increasingly divided. It has become normal to close ourselves off, to stay within what feels familiar, and to hesitate when it comes to welcoming others. In the midst of this, Mission Adelante has been a place that lives differently, a community committed to radical welcome, even when it would be easier not to.
Mission Adelante has been that place for me. A community that welcomed me before I had a role, before I knew how I could serve, before I had words for what I was carrying. I was met with presence, patience, and care. And in that, I caught a glimpse of what Scripture means when it says, “You are no longer strangers and foreigners, but members of God’s household” (Ephesians 2:19). Belonging came first. Everything else came later.


















