Corazón Ministries: Recent Episodes
Corazón Ministries
Men of all ages, backgrounds, and cultures gathered their camping and fishing gear and headed to the White Mountains of Arizona for the 28th Annual Men’s Retreat. This year, 107 men attended from May 16th – 18th. After much prayer and seeking God’s wisdom, Mike and the retreat committee were confident of this year’s theme: “Men of the Word.”
Our desire is to equip and challenge men with biblical principles about what it means to be a man who knows, studies, and applies God’s Word in his daily life. We were able to do this through the preparation of our teaching team. Five men faithfully responded to the call to teach and preach at the retreat.
Through prayer and planning, we were ready to teach the Word to both believers and non-believers. Each speaker shared a unique perspective on the importance and power of God’s Word. The men were encouraged to see that everything centers on Jesus and His Word to us. Hearing the testimonies and conversations throughout the retreat confirmed that God was at work. After the retreat, one young man shared this reflection on social media:
“I wanna thank everyone who was there this weekend on this camping and Bible study trip to get closer to God and build a better relationship with Him. I’ve never been the closest person to God, but after this weekend, I felt more connected and close to Him than ever before. That’s thanks to all the amazing scriptures and people who helped me see that God is there for everyone and will always be there to listen. All you have to do is just talk to Him. God loves all of us, and I’m proud to say I am a servant of God.”
At the end of the retreat, we invited every man to join or start a Bible study. We assured them that Corazón Ministries will always be there to offer encouragement and support as they go out to be Men of the Word.
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A highlight of the Corazón Ministries anniversary year was the 2024 Until He Returns Bilingual missions conference. Friends from Tucson, the Southwest region of the United States, and Northern Mexico joined us last October 18-19th to celebrate missions. Over two hundred and forty believers came together to learn about the movement of God.
After the conference, the only “complaint” we received was that not enough time was allowed for the workshop presenters. Our guests left with a hunger for more. Mike and our staff began to pray. Mike called church and ministry leaders to pray. The 2025 Until He Returns workshops are the answer to those prayers.
On Saturday, March 22nd, we held the first of four Until He Returns workshop dates throughout the year. Enrique Garcia started the day by sharing the Corazón Ministries story and method to reach Hispanics and Latinos for Christ. After lunch, Huron Claus, the Director of Chief Ministries, spoke about their mission to reach Native and First Nation people. When Huron stood up and sang a hymn in his native language, you could feel the emotion as we worshiped the God of every nation, tribe and tongue. (Rev. 7:9 ) As I fought back tears, I wished the Corazón training room was full so others could experience the power of missions.
I invite you to join us for our next Until He Returns workshop on June 14th. The morning session will feature Bruce Beikman from Gospel Rescue Missions, who will lead a training on Ministering to the Brokenhearted. In the afternoon session, Moses Saldivar, from Frontiers, will teach about Developing Relationships to Share the Gospel with your Muslim neighbors. Click the button below to register and secure your spot. You won’t want to miss this. We hope to see you there.
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At Corazón Ministries, we are committed to reaching Hispanic and Latinos—one heart at a time—and equipping the Body of Christ through evangelism and discipleship trainings. In February, Enrique Garcia led an evangelism workshop where 19 believers, representing different churches and age groups, gathered to learn biblical principles of evangelism and practical tools for sharing their faith in Christ.
Throughout the workshop, participants were challenged to be firmly grounded in the gospel and to step out in faith, sharing the Good News with those around them while implementing the valuable tools they received.
At the conclusion of the training, a Hispanic woman shared a powerful testimony. She expressed how God had been stirring her heart to grow in evangelism and reach more people for Christ. When she received a text message from a friend inviting her to the workshop, she immediately recognized it as a divine confirmation that God was answering her prayer. Her testimony deeply encouraged everyone present.
Each believer left the workshop with enthusiasm and more equipped with resources, ready to engage their spheres of influence with the gospel. As Jesus declared, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few” (Matthew 9:37). Now is the time to go forth, for the fields are ready for harvest.
Enrique will be offering additional training sessions for Hispanic churches throughout the year, primarily for the Spanish-speaking community, covering various topics including Christian apologetics, studying the Bible in context, evangelism, cross-cultural marriage workshops, and more. We are deeply grateful for the continued support of believers who partner with us in our mission at Corazón Ministries.
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| Fun. That was the word our guests used most to describe their day at the first Corazón Ministries Cross-cultural Marriage workshop of the new year. On Saturday, February 1st, believers came to discover God’s design for marriage and learn what a relationship based on Biblical principles looks like. There were newlyweds adjusting to married life and mature couples married over twenty years. Soon-to-be-engaged couples and single believers attended, too. We cover the common issues faced in marriage, such as communication, finance, romance, parenting, and extended family. We address these and additional topics from a cultural perspective to understand how our backgrounds influence our marital relationships. The workshop is interactive and informal. Questions and conversations help make connections. Each person’s unique point of view and experience contributes value to the group.A single Hispanic woman shared that she appreciated how difficult subjects were presented in simple terms. She told Mike she now realizes how God’s design for marriage demonstrates His love for us. She also told me that she didn’t expect to have so much fun at a marriage workshop.The cross-cultural marriage workshop is one of many trainings offered through Corazón Ministries. This year, there are opportunities for evangelism, apologetics, Bible study leadership, global missions workshops, and more. Most of our training is offered in Spanish as well. Visit us at corazonministries.org to get information and involved.-Claire Alameda |
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Recently, a young Christian woman visited Corazón Ministries to learn about the equipping we do for the body of Christ in Tucson. She was part of a group of women interested in studying Christian apologetics to enhance evangelism efforts. When we asked her how she discovered Corazón, she replied, “I just Googled it.”
After searching for “apologetics training in Tucson,” Corazón Ministries appeared in the top results, and the rest is history. This encounter led to a couple of training sessions. The first was an “Introduction to Christian Apologetics” workshop, followed by another titled “Tactics: The Art of Asking Good Questions.” Both were held at the Corazón Ministries training center.
Believers from various churches and denominations came together to explore Biblical principles about what we believe and why we believe it. We discussed our Christian duty to both proclaim and defend the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Later in the week, we followed up with the “Tactics” workshop. The second workshop gave attendees practical tools for engaging in meaningful conversations. Participants learned to ask insightful questions, discern what others believe, and present the Gospel. At the end of the class, each participant received a book, ensuring everyone left with resources that equipped them to defend the Gospel. Several attendees mentioned that this type of teaching was new to them and expressed a desire to be equipped in evangelism as well.
We look forward to offering evangelism training soon as we continue to encourage and equip the saints for the work of service. We thank God for using a “Google search” to provide us with the opportunity to establish new relationships. Connecting with these believers for unity in the body of Christ for the sake of the Gospel is a wonderful thing.
– Enrique Garcia, Director of Spanish Ministries
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Corazón Ministries has continued to provide short-term summer missions for those who desire to develop their understanding of the impact God can have through service-based outreach. During our week-long missions program, we try to enhance and develop a young believer’s faith in God’s command to go out and make disciples of nations. In particular, we focus on serving the Hispanic communities both locally and nationally through the summer mission teams.
This year we had Christ Community Church youth come in and work with us for a week at Iglesia Centro de Sanidad, on Tucson’s far south side. The sweltering heat and stifling weather conditions presented an immediate challenge to the youth but they embraced the Lord’s work and dove in happily. Throughout the week they were able to help renovate the church grounds with sod and upkeep, as well as paint and clean buildings that were near the church. They had a daily opportunity to pour into the lives of the neighborhood kids through a sports camp and a fun snack held at Iglesia Roca De Salvación. Worship and time together built a sense of God’s love for his children.
The summer mission team also spent time every day in God’s word, so as to encourage their hearts. By the end of the mission’s week–filled with grueling labor, exciting songs, and fantastic sports camp events–the Christ Community Church youth were tired but thankful for the chance to serve the community.
Please pray that the short-term mission team can continue their walk with Christ in a fruitful and spirit-led way. It can be hard to come down the spiritual mountaintop during a mission week, so we want to be mindful of these young hearts as they continue to foster the beautiful things of God.
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’ll never forget when my oldest daughter was born. It was a beautiful moment of rejoicing and giving thanks to God. I also remember being at the hospital as a new dad, thinking: “Why did I choose to begin a master’s degree right when I was becoming a dad?” It seemed like an extraordinarily difficult thing to do.
I started school with a sense of excitement and adventure. After all, I enjoyed learning God’s word. I eventually found myself struggling to enjoy my journey, though. There were several instances where education felt more like a chore than anything. I questioned myself as to why I was going through the process. Why was I sacrificing time with the family? Then, I remember the conviction of my heart. I had to remember I was doing this because I believed God was guiding me not only to complete my schooling but to finish it well. God gave me the strength to continue trusting in Him.
By God’s grace, after seven years, I finally graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary with a Master of Arts in Christian Studies. I look back at my journey now, and all I see is God’s faithfulness, goodness, and provision. Everything I learned, the relationships I gained, how I was applying what I was learning at the ministry every day, and the people who prayed for me and supported me financially all displayed God’s love for me and my family. I wouldn’t have done it without the support of my family or God. This accomplishment is theirs.
I had the opportunity to attend the graduation ceremony in the company of my family and friends. It was a beautiful moment that I will cherish for the rest of my life. I was in awe as I looked around the room and saw all the men and women who took a step of faith and trusted God with their studies. As I meditate in the past and look forward to the future, I am excited to see how God might continue to use this for His Glory and His Kingdom.
-Enrique Garcia, Director of Spanish Ministries
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Men of Faith Retreat – Three Generations
Men from all parts of the United States and Mexico gathered to enjoy the great outdoors in the Arizona White Mountains during the Corazón Ministries Men of Faith 2024 retreat. It was our 23rd year. There was fishing (along with fishing contests), fantastic food that was made there on the banks of Hawley Lake, and fellowship as the men conversed for hours. Most importantly, the teaching team delivered the Gospel and devotional messages about the truth in Scripture. The retreat was designed to share what it takes to become a man of faith–one who obeys and understands what God can do in a man’s life and subsequently in the lives of those he influences. Over one hundred and ten men journeyed to discover the blessing the Lord had for them.
Three men revealed the powerful generational impact the retreat can have for the glory of God. Three generations of “Rubens” made the trip. The elder Ruben has returned for many years. He is part of the crew that arrives a day early to set up the tents and the kitchen, ensuring the grounds are ready for the men who come a day later. His son, also Ruben, came to help set up this year. He attended at his father’s invitation and made the trip several times. Finally, the youngest, Ruben, attended his first retreat and enjoyed time with his dad and his grandfather. The Lord has touched each of their lives–they got to hear God’s Word and saw a witness in others who came and rejoiced that lives were being saved. This generational influence shows God’s faithfulness and draw toward Him.
Every year, the men who attend the retreat talk about their transformative experiences. One man was moved to share how everyone was different at the retreat. They are all friendly, and it feels as though they all care about him. It’s simply another testament to how God works among the lives of the doctors, attorneys, craftsmen, laborers, and those searching for the God who loves them. All are welcome at the mountaintop lake retreat. All know that God is waiting for the every year to rejuvenate their faith or bring them to saving grace for the very first time.
As we return from the retreat and resume our daily routines, I carry the hope that the men who attended or those who heard about the trip can be inspired by the faith, obedience, and truth that can be found everywhere God is. We praise God for the generations that attend and are blessed. Please join me in prayer, lifting up every man so that he might be a testimony to other generations of men he encounters for God’s glory.
Mike Alameda
Missionary and Executive Director, Corazón Ministries
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An overhead voice said, “This is your captain speaking.” After a few hours of sitting on the tarmac at Tucson International Airport, the captain instructed us to deboard the plane until further notice. As we waited, I reflected on our 2024 travels. Since February, we have flown to Florida, Texas, New Hampshire, and Georgia to encourage pastors, equip congregations, and train Christian leaders. These opportunities have given us a front-row seat to see the Church in action across cities and communities and allowed us to witness the profound impact of our collective efforts on these local communities and churches, a testament to the power of our shared mission.
Mike, Enrique, and I presented the Corazón Ministries cross-cultural marriage training in Spanish for Iglesia de la Alabanza in Boca Raton, Florida. Mike was introduced to pastor Hazeal and his wife over six years ago. At the time, the Church was newly planted and experiencing growing pains. Mike offered encouragement through Corazón. There was standing room only at the marriage conference weekend, with over one hundred people in attendance. The ever-growing Church has made an impact on its Hispanic neighbors, and its success story is one of many that continue to inspire us.
The Blessing Church, a testament to the impact of our missionary work, celebrated its one-year anniversary in February. Mike and I were there for the grand opening in 2023 and traveled back to Dallas to join in the festivities. Pastor Yoon and his wife brought a predominantly Korean youth team from Los Angeles, California, to work a summer missions week with Corazón over fifteen years ago. Since then, we have collaborated in ministry in California, Arizona, and Texas. Pastor Yoon’s dedication to missions and to the Hispanic and Latino communities has led to significant growth and progress.
Latino communities grow in the Northeastern United States. The recent Franklin Graham, God Loves You, La Frontera tour brought Pastor Juan from Manchester, New Hampshire, to Tucson. He and Mike became acquainted, resulting in an invitation to Lifeway church. In March, Mike and I braved the cold temperatures, spent a blessed time with the Lifeway staff, and presented the Corazón Ministries cross-cultural training. Mike preached on Sunday morning. Praise God, a young man who came to the Church for the first-time accepted Christ as his Savior and Lord during the sermon.
Our most recent trip to Atlanta flipped our typical travel script. Rather than going to equip the Church, we attended the first American Association of Christian Counselors Next Gen Youth Mental Health conference to become better equipped to minister to Gen Z and Gen Alpha. The Conference brought together mental health professionals and ministry leaders who are passionate about young men and women with the growing mental health crisis amongst emerging generations with the hope of the Gospel.
We are deeply grateful for your continued support and encouragement, and we ask you to continue prayer and support as we strive to make a difference in these communities. The Apostle Paul reminds believers in Ephesians 4:3-5 that one Spirit unites us in one body and one faith. We have witnessed the truth of this scripture firsthand. God’s people reach out, make disciples, and expand the kingdom. It’s thrilling to be a part of the movement of God today as it was when we began Corazón Ministries thirty years ago. Mike and I have several more trips scheduled in 2024. If you see us at an airport, please stop and say hello.
-Claire Alameda
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As I stepped up onto the platform and looked out over the room full of beautiful women, my heart was filled with great joy. I cleared the lump of emotion from my throat and welcomed the 150 women gathered for the 2024 Unexplainable Jesus Retreat. Although I’ve experienced Retreat day openings for many years before, this felt different.
I nicknamed this event the “Come Back” retreat because it was the first Corazón Ministries women’s retreat since 2019. There were familiar faces, and it was good to reconnect with friends who had been with us for years. However, more women were attending a spiritually focused retreat for the first time. Many of these women came to Corazón for ministry during the pandemic. Most were new to studying the Bible and applying the Scriptures to their daily lives. The anticipation and excitement for the day could be seen in the smiles, heard in the laughter and happy conversations that echoed through the Arizona History Museum’s auditorium.
The day began as the hostess warmly greeted the women at beautifully decorated tables that set the stage for the day. Gifts, giveaways, and time to mix and mingle fostered fun and a sense of connection. Then, the worship team took the lead. Their music centered our hearts and spirits toward God and set the spiritual tone for the day. Erica Wiggenhorn, our guest speaker, author, and Bible teacher, then shared her insights into Jesus’ encounters with four women from the Gospels of Luke and John. Her message of Christ’s loving call to come to Him no matter your heart condition, your past, or your doubts resonated with all of us. After her final teaching, Erica led us through a reflection time where the women were asked to write their response to Jesus’ call to come. There was a holy silence in the room as the women opened their gifted journals and penned their thoughts. Joyful tears filled my eyes for the second time that day.
Praise God. Eight women shared that they came to salvation through faith in Christ for the first time at the Retreat. Many dozens of women reported they recommitted their lives to follow Jesus. More than forty women requested additional Bible study and want to connect with Corazón Ministries. Join me in prayer for these women as they grow and walk with our Lord, the Unexplainable Jesus. – Claire Alameda
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A telephone number from Los Angeles came up on Mike’s phone one day. He thought it might be a spam call so he almost didn’t answer. However, he felt a tug at his spirit and was led to respond to the call. A man introduced himself and said a mutual friend had given him Mike’s number.
Finally, it clicked. Mike and Claire had led premarital counseling for his friend, and even today, they continue to mentor the couple from Los Angeles. The caller reminded Mike that he had been the best man at their mutual friend’s wedding. Ultimately, he shared that he was having problems in his relationship with his girlfriend – the two share young children and have separated. The man told Mike he “just wanted someone to talk to”. Mike listened to his difficult past and painful circumstances. Then Mike offered the hope of the Gospel. The man accepted Christ as his savior with joy.
A few days later, the man called Mike again. He asked if Mike was willing to speak with his girlfriend. A phone call was arranged. The woman shared that she had some church background but was uncomfortable with religion. “Besides,” she told Mike, she was “a bad person who had done bad things” and felt that God would not want her back. During the call with the woman, Mike asked if he could show her a diagram to demonstrate why she felt separated from God. They switched to FaceTime and Mike shared John 14:6 and explained that Jesus was “the way, the truth, and the life.” She told Mike she wanted a way back to the Lord. Praise God that she, too, accepted Christ as Lord and Savior. – Claire Alameda
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As we begin the new year at Corazón, we continue to share the truth of His Gospel, His passion for the lost and the saved, all for His Glory.
At times, I observe believers without discipleship and mentoring who know they are saved but are so entrenched with living in the flesh that they don’t fully grasp their eternal position in Christ. Often, there is a lack of discipleship and knowledge of the eternal King of Kings that causes them to struggle as they try to live out faith. These are the people that the ministry seeks to minister to.
I also meet mature believers who walk by faith and not by sight and are confident in the divine and eternal work that comes from their savior, Jesus Christ. It is refreshing and encouraging to see believers committed to building up His kingdom. This type of Christ-follower often gives and serves faithfully at Corazón Ministries. All of us who serve at Corazón also encounter those who came to faith through the ministry. We watch believers embrace the truth – that everyone is saved by faith and grace alone.
In the end, I am encouraged because together, we rejoice that God has chosen all of us to co-labor in sharing the Gospel and in His eternal plan at this time in history. I look to the lost and those young in the faith, and I know our joy in His presence can be theirs someday. This is why we continue what we do at the ministry. We desire everyone to have Christ in their everyday lives, month to month, year to year. 2024 marks the 30th anniversary of Corazón Ministries.] We will continue to work together as eternal kingdom-minded believers until He returns.
– Mike Alameda, Missionary and Executive Director
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Twenty-five men and women gathered at Maranatha Ministries on February 11 for a Corazón Ministries Cross-cultural Marriage workshop. Single, engaged, and married couples learned how to have a healthy marriage based on Biblical principles. The interactive style, sharing, and conversation encouraged reflection and laughter. One man in a cross-cultural marriage made an appointment with Mike for the following week. The man told Mike that after the marriage workshop, he recognized he was not the man God called him to be. Mike shared that God’s design for marriage was only possible through a relationship with Jesus. After Mike shared the hope of the Gospel, the man bowed his head and prayed to receive Christ as the Lord of his life and marriage.
The pastor who opened his church to host the workshop stayed for the day. He has invited Mike and I to come and present the cross-cultural marriage workshop in Spanish to his congregation. Another single woman who attended is also arranging a later time for us to share our Leadership Training with her bilingual church, fellowship group. After our recent trips to churches in Los Angles and Dallas, our plans to return for cross-cultural marriage workshops, training, and ministry to couples are underway.
-Claire Alameda
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The Corazón Ministries Annual Prayer Meeting is a significant and long-standing tradition. This is a day set aside to ask God’s favor over our work and mission at the onset of a new year. On Sunday, January 8, a group of committed prayer warriors joined Mike to pray over Corazón and our ministry vision and hope for 2023. Friends who could not pray with us in person joined from their homes around the country. We were blessed as one faithful couple has prayed with us for the past 26 years.
Mike shared a quote from Henry Blackaby: “If society as a whole seems to be getting darker and darker, it is not the problem of the darkness; the darkness is just acting like its nature. But it is that the light no longer dispels the darkness, and the salt no longer preserves. It is time for the light to say, ‘if things are darker, the problem is with us.”
We desire to maintain our current ministry activities and to develop new and effective strategies to reach the lost and disciple the saved. Through the powerful prayers of faithful brothers and sisters, Corazón Ministries continues its mission to share the gospel and offer the light of Jesus in the Hispanic and Latino community.
The 2023 Corazón Ministries prayer guide is attached below. It includes prayer needs and requests from our missionaries and staff for the new year. Please take a look, and as the Lord leads, we ask you to bless us with your prayers. Thank you. -Claire Alameda
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This month, our missionaries took to the skies, traveling across the country to encourage and equip believers. The first weekend in November, Mike and I departed from Tucson International Airport on the same day, in opposite directions. Mike went south to Houston, Texas, for the sixthannual Corazón Ministries Houston men’s outreach retreat. This year’s theme was Men of Transformation. The men camped, fished, and had a time of fellowship where the Gospel was shared. One thing that stood out to Mike was that the core group of Hispanic men who started in the first retreat, came to faith, learned, and are now ready and willing to lead the retreat.
Meanwhile, I traveled north to the cold country of Spokane and Cusick, Washington. I was the speaker at the Moody Aviation School Women’s RISE retreat. I shared about living out our identity in Christ. One woman said, “It was a short but beautiful time as we dove into what it means to leave behind the identity, we have built ourselves, and take up the identity God has given us in [Christ].” I was blessed to spend time and be able to pour into young missionary women who are committed to taking the Gospel around the globe.
The following weekend Mike and Enrique traveled to Palm Beach and Boca Raton, Florida. They came alongside Spanish speaking churches to provide Corazón Ministries training. Enrique presented an apologetics class, they both taught a cross- cultural evangelism and outreach workshop, and Mike had the privilege of preaching on the Legacy of Faith at Iglesia de La Alabanza SFL. Mike, Enrique, and I returned to Tucson encouraged by the people we met and experienced the joy ministry of during our travels. – Claire Alameda
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Preparation is key in understanding that safety is first in aviation. Similarly, what do you do in your spiritual safety checklist every day? Do you pray or spend time praising God? What does your spiritual safety checklist look like?
Pastors and ministry leaders gather at Corazón to pray and plan events to encourage unity in the Spanish-speaking church. A woman serving on the committee for the city-wide Gano La Vida, a celebration of life event, shared her interest in missions with Mike. As a result, Mike offered to take her through our Corazón Ministries Missionary and Ministry training. For three Wednesday evenings in October, she and several friends participated in the training. Topics included […]
The heartbeat of Trinity Church in Walla, Walla, Washington is that there are two languages but one body in the church. Mike, Enrique, and I traveled to beautiful Washington state to facilitate a cross-cultural training for the congregation at Trinity in late April. The church has thriving English and Spanish ministries. They hold services each Sunday in both languages. The pastors and church leaders are committed to unity and fellowship in the body. Recognizing the […]
A large of our role as missionaries locally and across the United States is to equip the Hispanic and Latino church in all areas of evangelism. I was invited by a Spanish-speaking church in Tucson to teach an evangelism workshop where Biblical principles and practical tools were shared. The workshop was designed to encourage believers from all ages to share the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The attendees were engaged and participated […]