Building hope, leading change: Alex Perla Castillo S’29 prepares for ministry at Bethel Seminary

Alex Perla Castillo S’29 grew up in the rural mountain community of La Nueva Esperanza in Izabal, Guatemala—hours from any major city or hospital. Around age 12, a severe case of the mumps left him with side-effects he still lives with today. 

What he remembers most—besides the fear and physical pain of those dark days—is his mother, Reina, caring tirelessly for his needs and stopping throughout the day to pray for his health to be restored. In times of stress or trials, she modeled two things: the importance of a deep faith and simply doing what needed to be done, even if it was mundane or tiresome or scary. As he recovered from multiple related illness, he had to learn how to walk again. And that experience provided another valuable lesson: in life, in faith, it’s all about putting one foot in front of the other.

“I have come to realize that my childhood not only shaped what matters most to me, but also how I perceive opportunities—often in ways that differ from others," Perla Castillo says. "I don’t see myself as the owner of what I have, instead I see myself as a steward of what God has entrusted to me. That perspective guides how I make decisions in life. When opportunities come my way, I pause and ask, ‘Is this truly from God, or could it be a distraction from the purpose He has for my life?’”

When the road is rough

Growing up, the roads were rough or nonexistant in Izabal. A normal five-hour drive to the nearest metropolitan area, Guatemala City, might take eight hours during the rainy season, when the roads would wash out. In the community where Perla Castillo grew up, people lived in extreme poverty. He learned early in life the importance of community support: as an adolescent, he helped with the construction of a local school and church. Reina became pastor of that church, and she brought the light of Christ into their home. No matter the circumstances, the family maintained a rock-solid faith in God and a belief that education was important—that it was worth pursuing, no matter the cost.

So at age 15, Perla Castillo left everything he knew and immigrated to Perry, Iowa, to live with his aunt, learn English, and build a better life. Thousands of miles from his support system and without transportation, he’d walk to night classes at the local community college while working construction during the day. It was a grueling schedule, but he eventually developed strong conversational English and got his General Education Development (GED) high school equivalent education credential. This paved the way for pursuing higher education. 

Later Perla Castillo met and married his wife, Karen, and they had two sons. As they raised their children, Perla Castillo worked as a maintenance mechanic. With a lot of sacrifice, they purchased a piece of land in Guatemala—with the intention of returning to live there one day. 

A new hope

Even though education is important for many families in Guatemala, the lack of opportunities and location are obstacles for children who want to attend school. That was the case for Perla Castillo's nephew and others in the Nueva Esperanza community. Going to school meant a two-hour walk across a volatile river that would flood during the rainy season. For some, this was reason enough to stop sending their kids to school, but the Perla family believed strongly that all children should have access to education, no matter their background or location.

Perla Castillo did what he knew best: he prayed, and God answered. 

“After spending time in prayer, I got up, went into the living room, and saw my wife,” Perla Castillo says. “I said, ‘Karen, you know, I addressed God in my prayer concerning the children not attending school. I feel like God is telling me that we need to sell our small property that we have in Guatemala and invest the money in building a new school. What do you think?' Karen answered, ‘There's nothing to think about. I would say go ahead.’ Just like that.”

Within two weeks, they had liquidated their land in Guatemala, and planning began for La Escuela Nueva Esperanza (New Hope School) in Izabal. They used the funds from the sale to buy materials, a local farmer donated land, and with the help of local parents they were able to open a one-classroom school in 2012. 

Perla Castillo says that his wife, just like his mother, has an inspiring faith. “She is a very hands-on person when it comes to getting things done. I always say, I walk five steps behind God, and Karen walks in front of Him. That's how I describe my wife. She has such a beautiful heart, and she's always going in the right direction.”

When a storm wipes out everything

In 2015, a call came in from Biron, Perla Castillo's oldest brother, who still lived in Guatemala. New Hope School had been destroyed by a tropical storm. Biron asked if there was anything they could do. At the time, the family was attending Perry First United Methodist Church, and Perla Castillo shared with his pastors about what had happened with the school and that they wanted to help.

"And my pastor said, ‘Well, how much do you need?’ and I told him, 'as much as you can give.' A couple days later, there was a check in the mail from him," Perla Castillo says. "Then we heard from another pastor: another check. We had this small Latino service at the time, and the leaders urged us to tell everyone about the project. ‘God put us together in this mission for a reason,’ they said."

There were more donations and fundraisers, and the school was quickly rebuilt. When Perla Castillo and his family moved to Central United Methodist Church in Oskaloosa, Iowa, they spread the word about the school there, too. Central UMC became another important partner, the snowball continued to grow, and pretty soon they were expanding into a multi-purpose building with bathrooms and a kitchen. The self-contained design is a game-changer in a climate where weather can halt learning. It was completely finished by 2022, with a nonprofit K-6 program, a government-provided teacher, and school supplies and periodic baskets of food furnished for local families. 

“Neither of my grandmas knew how to read,” Perla Castillo says, describing the poverty and challenging environment in which he grew up. “And when I was a child, I helped to build our own school, and our church. Regardless of my illness, God's love has always been upon me. Looking back, all those steps were things I feel like God was already doing to motivate me to see the impact of education. I want to inspire kids and our new generations to pursue God and invest time in their education.” 

When God’s calling you

While helping build and support the school from afar, Perla Castillo returned to school himself, pursuing bachelor’s and master’s degrees through a scholarship at William Penn University before launching a construction company with another brother who had moved to Iowa. And while serving as a youth ministry volunteer at his church, Perla Castillo began taking lay speaking classes to get more comfortable in front of a crowd. 

Then his pastor invited him to preach at a weekend service, and as more invitations began to roll in, he realized God might have a bigger plan for him than casual volunteering. Then a friend, a local pastor and Bethel alumnus, mentioned Bethel Seminary at one of his son's basketball games. 

Though he had a full plate already, he emailed the admissions team the next day, curious about what seminary would entail. When he received a personalized video response from Enrollment Counselor Justin Aadland almost immediately, he thought to himself, “This must be a scam.”

It wasn’t. Aadland was a real person, another voice encouraging him to invest in education and step into his calling. That fall, he began his Master of Divinity (M.Div.) program at Bethel Seminary. It’s a fully online program covering biblical foundations like hermeneutics, church history, and Old and New Testament before diving into pastoral topics like preaching, evangelism, discipleship, and pastoral care. 

Now living in Minnesota, Perla Castillo is an intern at Cedarwood Church in Rosemount. He's being mentored by the pastoral staff there and started a successful youth group. As Perla Castillo addresses the fear he sees in the Latino community right now surrounding immigration, he’s feeling even more sure that God’s calling him to provide practical resources and spiritual guidance.

He’s loved the flexible format of the M.Div. program and the diversity of the student body in terms of age, gender, cultural backgrounds, and political and theological views. His professors understand what it means to be a scholar who’s working and ministering, often while raising a family—so they’re quick to adjust deadlines when a student communicates a need. Perla Castillo, for instance, had knee surgery that took him out of commission for a few weeks. His professors met him where he was at, allowing him to submit assignments when he could. 

“I think that is what I love most about Bethel,” Perla Castillo says. “Even though it's online, it feels like you are just one email away, you know? And not just that, but that your professors are constantly thinking about you and wanting the best for you.” - Alex Perla Castillo S’29

When you’re asked to share

This past spring, Perla Castillo was invited to share his unique story as a speaker at Bethel’s annual Scholarship Celebration. The event is an opportunity for students across Bethel’s programs to share a meal with the donors and families who’ve funded their scholarships. Last year at Bethel, students received 755 donor-funded scholarships totaling nearly $2 million. For students like Perla Castillo, that funding eliminates a practical barrier to the continuing education that’s equipping him for ministry. He calls it an honor to share with them and express his gratitude. 

“Becoming a student at Bethel University has equipped me to better serve my community, continue learning, grow, and deepen my spiritual journey. Your support has given me peace and encouraged me to continue to follow God’s calling in my life,” Perla Castillo told donors that night. “It’s another nudge from God reminding me He’s got my back—showing me that when I trust in God’s plan, He will always provide in one way or another. I’m excited to continue this journey.” 

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