An offering-funded organization in Southwest Bakersfield celebrates Taco Tuesday every week in a special way.
This free event feeds the community with more than a meal.
"A lot of people, they're not comfortable in a church setting. Especially if, you know, they're not right in their life or they feel they're not right or they're going to be judged," Pastor Roger Cruz said. "So I said 'let's just feed the people."
Breaking down the walls of the church was the mission of Pastor Cruz. What started out as a small bible study outside of his home about a year ago has grown into a weekly gathering at his ministry.
Now Pastor Cruz hosting nearly 90 people. This message of spiritual nourishment turned into a meal with a greater purpose.
Rest Ministry welcomes everyone for not your average Taco Tuesday. All Pastor Cruz asks is that "you come as you are. No perfect people allowed."
"That's the mission that we want. To reach the people that are on their last string, that feel that there's no other way but killing themselves or just disappearing."
Built on a platform of second chances and zero judgment Rest Ministry has helped people leave dark pasts behind. It's not uncommon to see people who used to be on drugs or in gangs come with their families for Pastor Cruz to feed their stomachs and their souls.
Johnny Magallon, one of the many people who felt they couldn't do it alone anymore and came to a place where they would be accepted, feels he's found his calling after a life full of violence.
"People look at you and they judge you... they judge all these tattoos they judge all this... Reaching all the people that don't want to go to church," Magallon said. "We're reaching the unreachable. That's what we're trying to do."
Rest Ministry is now looking forward to officially becoming a nonprofit within the next couple of weeks and continuing to grow.
