Victoria’s Journey to Faith

Victoria’s story is one of hardship, endurance, and redemption. It is the story of a woman who endured homelessness, abuse, and despair, yet continued searching for hope until she found a home in Christ at Baptist Temple.

Her connection to the church began when her children Dominic and Isabel were attending the BT Early Learning Center. One day, they noticed a sign advertising Vacation Bible School. The construction theme was colorful and caught the children’s attention. Curious, they decided to come. That small moment became the doorway into a new spiritual life.

Victoria had lived through years of instability. In 2017, shortly after the birth of her daughter Isabel, she became homeless amid family turmoil and personal betrayal. She lost her apartment, moved into the home of a friend, and endured an increasingly dangerous environment marked by alcohol abuse. One night, she was chased through the house by her intoxicated friend. The following morning, she went into labor.

She had nowhere safe to go after her daughter was born. With two small children and no support system, she reached out to the Salvation Army. A single room was available, and that opening became her refuge. She later transitioned into Haven for Hope, where she remained for an extended period while attempting to rebuild her life.

One biblical passage became especially meaningful to her during that season. While searching television channels one morning, she heard a sermon on Genesis 8:22, on “seedtime and harvest” after the flood. She believed God was telling her to continue planting seeds of prayer and faith, trusting that a harvest would eventually come. 

Her spiritual search, however, had begun years earlier. As a teenager, Victoria endured abuse at home. She recalled nights of violence and hopelessness so overwhelming that she thought about ending her life. During one of those moments of despair, her appendix ruptured. Doctors later told her that she nearly died during emergency surgery. That experience haunted her. She awoke wondering why she had not seen heaven, light, or God. Questions about death and eternity began consuming her thoughts.

For years she searched in many directions. Raised loosely within Catholicism, she experimented with different spiritual ideas, searching for truth. It was not until her time at the Salvation Army, where church volunteers regularly ministered to residents, that she began hearing a clearer presentation of the gospel. 

Victoria’s search led to Baptist Temple, where, she was baptized. Baptism, for her, symbolized far more than joining a church. She described it as accepting the Holy Spirit fully into her life and leaving behind the guilt, fear, and brokenness that had defined so much of her past. Though she understood that she would continue struggling with sin and hardship, baptism marked her public declaration that she belonged to Christ.

Now the faith journey has begun extending into the lives of her children, Isabel and Dominic. One of the most moving moments in Victoria’s testimony came when she described her son unexpectedly expressing a desire to be baptized. No pressure had been placed upon him. After learning about John the Baptist in church, he simply announced that he loved Jesus and wanted to follow Him. Isabel, though younger, expressed a similar desire. Victoria spoke emotionally about watching her children grow from restless toddlers unable to sit through worship into children eager to attend church, participate in Sunday school, and talk about Bible stories at home.

Throughout her testimony, the theme of redemption emerged repeatedly. Victoria frequently found herself in situations where survival seemed uncertain. Yet each time, another door opened—a room at a shelter, a church invitation, a new spiritual family, a renewed sense of purpose. Her story is not tidy or triumphant. The wounds remain visible. But her testimony reflects the conviction that God never abandoned her.

Victoria’s journey is a testimony to human endurance and God’s grace. From homelessness, fear, and despair, to worship and faith. She has come to believe that God was guiding her long before she understood His presence. Now, as she watches her children take their own first steps of faith, she sees survival behind her and hope ahead.

Dominic and Isabel were baptized on May 24, 2026.

When the Church Becomes the Community

The Brunnemann Building at Baptist Temple carries more than a name. It carries a story. 

Kay Richardson remembers why it matters.

The building was named for her father, Max—someone who grew up in the church and spent his life helping it search for ways to connect with the surrounding neighborhood.

Once a store owned by her grandfather, the structure went through numerous changes before becoming a center of activity where food and fellowship, clothing and care, and haircuts and hugs are shared.

By the time Richardson’s father was honored with the building that bears his name, he was already deep into his illness. He never lived to see what would finally emerge there.

“I think about how thrilled he would be to see what’s happening now,” Richardson said. “The thrift store. The food pantry. The Tuesday night meals. They’re bringing in the community the way it always should have been.”

On Tuesday evenings, the church cafeteria is filled with people enjoying a free meal. For some it’s the only hot meal they get all week, for others it is a chance to sit with their family. For one working mother with five small children, it ‘s a welcome break. Volunteers bring the meals and help with the kids.

Volunteers prepare food and greet guests, but the room itself belongs to the community. On a recent Tuesday night, Richardson looked around the room and noticed something striking.

“Almost everyone there was from the community,” she said. “Not church members—except the volunteers. Just people. Some homeless. Some not. But all enjoying the food, the fellowship, and the space.”

And sometimes, something deeper happens.

That same night, a man who had suffered a stroke—unable to speak—kept pointing across the room. Richardson followed his gaze and approached the other man.

“I think this man knows you,” she said.

The recognition was immediate. The two men had been patients in the same rehabilitation facility, both recovering from strokes. They were reunited unexpectedly over a shared meal.

“These little connections keep happening,” Richardson said. “That’s when you realize what this space really is.”

The question of whether these relationships lead people to church—or to faith—is never far from the surface. Richardson speaks about it candidly.

“Yes, it matters,” Richardson said. “But we also know this is a slow process.”

The priority, she explained, is trust. For now, the work is simple and steady: Listening, trust-building, and offering unconditional love.

“We ask how we can pray for them. We read a short scripture. We invite them to services,” she said. “Sometimes they come. Some people from the community have even joined the church this year. But mostly, we’re focused on showing love—one week at a time.”

Vernon Liverette sees it from another angle. People may not realize how many hands it takes to make the ministry work: unloading food trucks, organizing shelves, sorting clothes, helping families shop, brewing coffee, welcoming strangers.
“It takes all of us,” he said. “And when we work together, that’s when we make an impact.”

For many who come through the pantry doors, Baptist Temple is not simply a church—it is the church.

“Some of them tell us, ‘You’re the only ones who care. You’re like my family,’” Liverette said. “And for some, we may be the only church they have contact with at all.”

Those served include grandparents raising grandchildren, families under financial strain, and people just needing a place to sit for a while. Everyone is met the same way—with dignity, food, and presence.

“That doesn’t happen without volunteers. No matter your role, your contribution matters. It makes a real difference,” said Liverette addressing a group at the annual volunteer Christmas party.

He paused, then smiled.

“And you should all give yourselves a round of applause.”
After years of uncertainty, Baptist Temple did not reinvent itself through strategy alone. It changed by showing up consistently—feeding people, learning names, listening to stories, and allowing the church to become part of the community it had long hoped to serve.

And in the Brunnemann Building, a legacy finally found its fulfillment.

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A holiday lament

"…whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." Matthew 25:40

Two members of our extended family were found dead, along with their two dogs, due to carbon monoxide poisoning, earlier this month. Paul and Rinessa were living in a tent across the interstate from the Baptist Temple campus. They had been homeless for four days and had been among the folks who join us for our community meals on Tuesdays. They were well known among our folks who work in our Highland Park CAN ministry. The tragic deaths hit hard. Although we were unable to rehouse them, nor fix the issues that led to their eviction, we were able to give them a cup of cold water in Jesus’ name (in this case a hot meal).

Baptist Temple has a long history of working with the homeless in our city dating back to the Great Depression. During that era, we had a homeless encampment a mile to the east of our campus. Our folks would bring blankets, clothes, and food to the residents of “tent city.” A mile to our north, we operated a soup kitchen on Walters and Vine.

Today, homelessness and poverty have moved closer to the church, and we provide food and clothing through our Highland Park CAN (community assistance network) ministry located on our campus. Both physical and spiritual needs are met by our team of caring ministers. On Tuesday nights we provide a free hot meal to everyone.

The 2024 San Antonio homeless count revealed 3372 homeless people, 75% were sheltered, leaving 882 on the streets. In 2023, 332 homeless people died, including a former member who was found dead in the apartment that had been provided for him. The issue is complex and there are many smart people working on it from different angles. For our part, we will feed the hungry, clothe the naked, invite the stranger, and, of course, offer a cup of cold water in Jesus’ name.

“For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’” Deuteronomy 15: 11

Click here to donate now to support our ministry to the poor in our community.

After hours blessings

Guest blog by Vernon Liverett

On a recent Thursday l stopped by the Brunnemann building, home to Baptist Temple’s outreach ministries. It was just before one pm and we were in the process of closing, when a young woman in her twenties, looking very frazzled, came to the door looking for help.

She was dressed in only a light jacket and her underwear, looking as though she had just woken up. Someone had stolen all her clothes. She picked some that would fit her from the thrift store racks and dressed in the restroom to change. She left a few minutes later dressed and smiling.

Within a few minutes another woman came to the door asking about the food pantry. She was looking for a place where she could get food for her family as they were struggling financially. Daniel, Minister of Outreach, gave her a tour of the pantry and went over the system, and helped to set up an appointment.

A third woman rode up on a bicycle, needing some food because she had not eaten all day. She was given one of the lunch bags that we put together for homeless people. 

Before we left a fourth woman came to the door with a bag of clothes to donate. Daniel said that her donations would be very useful to people in need and offered to pick up household items that she said were no longer needed.

It was indeed a blessing for me to witness these interactions after closing time. None of these people were turned away and they all received what they needed at that time. Whether it was an immediate physical need, a future need, or a place to help and contribute to something greater than themselves, their needs were met. They were all treated with love and respect, and they all know that this is a place that cares and shares the love of Jesus Christ. This goes on every time the doors are open. I am thankful for the generosity of our members and so many others that allows our ministers and volunteers to serve as the hands and feet of Jesus.

Click here to donate now to support our fight against generational poverty.

Ben finds a home

“We have a bum sleeping on our porch,” said a thrift store volunteer early one morning as the manager walked through the door.

“His name is Ben, and God sent him as a guardian angel to watch over our store at night,” said the thrift store manager.

Ben* had been sleeping under the awning by the front door, next to a shopping cart filled with everything he owned. He had come to the Baptist Temple Food Pantry seeking food. He sat down with a pantry minister who asked questions designed to help get to the roots of why he needed help and help him to develop a plan towards greater independence. It turns out Ben, a veteran, was living on the streets and has disabilities. He probably had benefits available.

Everyone who comes into the pantry sits with a minister to fill out the needed paperwork and match the needs of the client to available resources. More importantly, they offer a listening ear, words of comfort, and prayer in an unhurried atmosphere. Often people who find themselves in grim circumstances feel unwanted and unheard.

After a little research, the minister determined that Ben did have benefits available. But for Ben to receive his benefits, he needed a bank account in which to deposit funds. That required an ID card. Another hurdle.

Once the ID card was acquired, the next hurdle was a mailing address to receive his debit card. So, Baptist Temple became his mailing address, and we diligently awaited the arrival of the plastic card that would lead to housing for Ben. Meanwhile, he slept under the awning.

It took a lot of steps to find housing for Ben. This would have been an overwhelming task to tackle alone. People living on the streets lack the connection of friends and family to help them through tough times. Life can be challenging to navigate alone as problems and setbacks snowball into catastrophe.

Networking is a key element in business success, but it is essential for survival. Baptist Temple stepped in, becoming that network for Ben. Of course, the issue of homelessness is complex, especially when addiction and mental illness come into play, but there are some things we can do to help. Jesus taught us, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (MT 25:40)

God, grant me the serenity to

Accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.
Reinhold Niebuhr

*Not his real name.

Click here to donate now to support 

our fight against generational poverty.