People of Inspiration

Papa Ramon

Background and Description

My Grandpa, Ramon Garcia, or as we call him, Papa Ramon, was born on February 17th, 1944. He is a wise older gentleman with brown eyes, gray hair, and a fantastic mustache.

My Grandpa is hilarious and carries much respect wherever he goes. He used to be a leading pastor at a church in Bakersfield, and at another church in Mexico. He carries much wisdom, knowledge, and passion in his life for his family and for the Lord.

His STORY

My Grandpa was born in Zacatecas to my great grandmother, Sixta Garcia, whom I had the privelage to meet before she passed away. My grandpa married my grandma, Mama Rosa, in his late twenties. They had 12 children together, all who are my current Tios and Tias. My grandpa did not have an easy childhood. Although I have not been told the entirity of his background, what I have been told I can infer that my grandpa had to grow up with responsibilities a child should not have until he is an adult. When my Grandpa married my Grandma, he left for the states in order to work to provide a home and life for his family.

After years of working, my grandpa and his family moved to the United States to settle there until they moved back after most of their children had their own lives. During their time in the States, my grandpa became a pastor at a local church in which converted the entire family to christianity. After such, my Grandpa instilled the foundation of the church in my family, instillinf valuable morals, values, beliefs, and traditions that are still present in my family today and allow us to remain as close as we are today.

Now, my grandpa is still an important part in my family's life, especially when we are his favorite grandchildren!

Lessons, Takeaways, and Connection

My Grandpa is a strong man, and I am grateful to have a relationship with him. He is extremely funny and a knowledgeable man. I've learned many lessons and much value from his life story.

I have learned resiliance and faith from my Grandpa. An example being when the Garcia family went through a harsh car accident that affected the entire family physically and mentally. My grandpa and family went through a season of pain, healing, and dry faith. However, in these circumstances, my family continued to have faith and trust and pushed through, especially my Grandpa as he was able to use this incident as a testimony of Gods faithfulness and goodness, which at the time would be completely ironic given the circumstances. However, his and my family's story was a story of encouragment and resiliance that was able to create a pathway for people to believe and have faith in difficult circumstances.

Quotes and Wisdom

1. "Estoy tocando el piano con las manos al revés."
• Although this quote is not exactly inspiring, it always made me laugh whenever he said it. In english, it means 'I am playing the piano with my hands backwards/upside down', which in Mexico is a saying for 'I am being lazy!'. It is a funny saying that I use now to make my parents and my grandparents laugh whenever they ask what I am doing. It is a special little saying that I think is very fun to use. Not exactly wisdom, but it makes the people I love laugh.