Texas Evangelist Ministry exist to give hope by doing good. Most of you know that Rick Vasquez recieved hope in a Texas prison while in solitary confinement over 24 years ago while hearing music from a known heavy metal rock group, Metallica. You can hear Rick's story click here. Rick was a leader of the most notorious prison gang in Texas, his reputation earned him the nick name "Demon". Rick persecuted Christians in prison, renounced his life and family, all in order to lead with vengeance a cause that would somehow ease the pain of having to grow up without a father in a single parent home. If Rick could not have a hero to look up to, Rick would be his own hero, and that journey led him to a life of crime, destruction and pain. In his alone in cell the song " The Unforgiven" vibrated through his headset, Rick thoughts turned to his dire reality. The next song was titled "Nothing Else Matters".

Rick now overwhelmed by the awakening within, of knowing the cause he was so desperate to represent, that ultimately before God, it would not matter. What really matters is the will and purpose of God. Something Rick was far from. Suddenly Rick realized, if he was going to live and die for a cause, it must matter beyond himself and that the ultimate Hero, was Jesus Christ who demonstrated the love and courage to give His life and raise it back up for redemption of messy people, sinful people like Rick.

Now Rick understood his true purpose, his cause and that the true Hero lives within through the Spirit of God. Fast forward 2 decades later, Rick looks back how the Angel Tree Program would every year faithfully provide gifts and a Bible for his daughter ( Picture of her & Rick's grandson shown above ) Rick could not step out of his prison cell and take his place as a father in that single parent home, but through the Angel Tree Program, volunteers and donors would give generously so that the Hero within could one day be the Hero of his daughter, who at age 16 was born again and made Christ her Hero. Today, partners of Texas Evangelist are the hands and feet of those children touched by Angel Tree Program, not just in Christmas, but year-round.

Rick now leads as Hispanic campus Pastor and staff Evangelist at West University Baptist Church/Crosspoint Church Bellaire, and God has allowed Texas Evangelist Ministry to now adopt over 700 Angel Tree children who have a loved one in prison. The goal is not only for each child to recieve a gift, but for volunteers to share hope in Christ as Hero of thier lives.

Will you join this cause? Just like Rick's daughter was influenced and impacted by the Angel Tree Program in her community, so you too can insure that throughout the state of Texas many other children will have thier lives transformed. It starts with a gift, but it doesn't end there. Its a year-round cause that you can support. Giving hope by doing good.