October 2007 Trip - Kindergarten, Passports

I traveled to Juarez with a team of 14 from Menlo Park Presbyterian Church (MPPC), my home church. As always, it was a four-day trip to build houses and serve the poor in the Colonias outside of Juarez. We had a great team led by my friend Andrew Doolittle. A unique aspect of this trip was that in addition to building a house for a family, we would also be building the third of three kindergarten buildings in Kilometer 30 (K30). I also stayed an extra two days to visit with the children sponsored by our charity, the Juarez Children’s Education Program (JCEP). Another goal was to start the process of obtain passports for our 4 oldest girls, so they could come to the U.S. next summer for English Classes and immersion.

In Mexico, there are three years of kindergarten for children, starting at age three. They must attend the three years before they can go to first grade at age six. The government then provides school mostly for free through grade six. After that it costs about $700 per child per year to attend school through graduating grade 12. JCEP provides scholarships for children attending grades 7-12.

K30 is maybe the poorest of all the Colonias. People live in abandoned buses, shacks made of pallets and cardboard, cars, whatever they can find. Like all the Colonias, there is no running water and no sewer system. Unlike the others, most homes have no access to electricity. There is one main power line running into the Colonia. Our kindergarten was built close enough to this line that it will have power.

October 7, 2007

After flying into El Paso on Sunday the 7th, we took a bus over to the team center for Missions Ministries. They are the organization that makes it all happen in Juarez. They provide the lodging, transportation and food for the team. They also plan the houses, purchase and prepare the materials and with the help of a local pastor, select the family who will get the house. In this case, they also worked with local officials to secure land for the Kindergarten.

In K30 they have a primary school (grades 1 through 6) called “Primaria”. No middle school (grades 7-9), called “Secondaria” and no high school (grades 10-12) called “Baccileries”. It appears that kids that had attended kindergarten elsewhere are allowed to attend the Primaria. However, younger children, without the ability to go to kindergarten elsewhere, would miss out on Primaria and possibly on school completely.

October 8, 2007

Monday morning our team was up early for a fine breakfast and devotionals, then off to the sites of the house and the kindergarten. The family receiving the house was a wonderful couple that had fallen on hard time. Living with a relative, they had sent their kids away to live elsewhere, because there was no room for them. Now, they would be getting a house and the kids were to arrive Friday to their soon-to-be-completed new home. Eight of our team stayed to build that house and the remaining six us set off for the kindergarten site.

The weather was cool and windy with lots of blowing dust as we pulled into the site. To 12x36 foot buildings in rain-slicker yellow and green trim stood on either side of a slab of concrete of the same dimensions. Stacks of wood and other materials sat nearby. After the local pastor, Pastor Martin, blessed the site and the team, we pulled out our hammers and nail aprons and got to work.

The goal for the construction of a house, or in our case a similarly sized kindergarten, is to get the frame up with siding and a roof the first day. We also cut in windows and a door and put insulation in the walls and roof. The second day we drywall, and mud the inside as well as paint the outside.

Our team of five included the Dressler family, Don and Gail and their lovely 15-year-old daughter Sarah. Another member was Jack Marsal who I knew from Dads-Kids campouts with MPPC many years before. Greg Bowman, who I had met at the Café services at church, rounded out our crew. We received significant aid from the Mission Ministries construction team of 5 capable local men. Missions Ministries is a significant employer in the area with 36 employees including construction crews, kitchen and house cleaning staff. They also have three full-time missionaries in Juarez.

We pounded away at our 16-penny framing nails. It takes a while to get into the rhythm, but once we got going the walls came together fast. I managed to hit my thumb with my hammer, causing a fair amount of skin to peel off and blood to flow forth. None-the-less, we were tilting up walls in a few hours. With the help of the other house crew, we successfully fought the wind and had all four walls and the roof frame standing by noon or so. Later we installed the insulation, cut and mounted the windows. The local crew handled papering the roof. Day one ended with a great meal of chicken-fried steak and fajitas in fresh flour tortillas.

After dinner I headed over to the library that Missions Ministries provides for the children of Kilometer 27, near the team center. The library has three rooms, the largest of which JCEP funded last October 2006. A library room with stacks of books and reading tables is in the front. Behind is a computer room – sans internet – and a classroom. 9 of the children we sponsor in JCEP were there taking an English lesson from Joel. We recently installed Joel as the thirds in a series of tutors that JCEP pays for through Mission Ministries. Joel is by far the best so far. The kids like him and seem to be making steady progress. But nothing replaces immersion, which we hope to accomplish next summer.

October 9, 2007

Our crew rose again on Tuesday to do it again. Back at the sites the painting and dry walling began. A few local Moms joined us for painting. Around noon, more families of the kindergartners started arriving for the impending dedication. The second day building is always a little easier and more fun.

One of the crew found a small snake. They took turns scaring the local ladies with the snake. Don even elicited a squeal from Sarah. Their respective building crews had personalized the first two buildings. The Colorado crew had fashioned a rainbow out of children’s handprints. The Hawaii crew had done the same as a Palm tree. We decided to make a Golden Gate Bridge from handprints. We lined up the children. They dipped their hands in the paint and soon we had an orange bridge on the side of our yellow kindergarten.

The dedication followed. Maria Louisa was there. She had been responsible for helping us acquire the land for the kindergartens as well as another site. That site will house a library funded by JCEP and constructed by our MPPC team in January.

Our team then traveled back to the site of the now completed house. We joined the rest of the team for the dedication of the house. This ceremony is the high point of any team trip. The team speaks to the family and prays for them. Then the family expresses their thanks. Next the keys are handed over in the “Kodak Moment”. The mother was sobbing the entire ceremony. She said it was her hearts desire fulfilled. Many of our team was sobbing as well. The couple had helped build the house the entire time. Their gratitude to God was palpable. It was a very moving experience.

After a lunch we set off to a women’s shelter for a food outreach and craft time with mothers and kids at the shelter. The shelter was constructed with donations, but has no ongoing funding of any significance. Anita runs the place. Taking in mothers with small children who have been beaten, abused or kicked out of their homes. There were at least a dozen Mom’s and 30 kids sharing the eight rooms. Jeff Piner, the local Missions Ministries head, told me that he has taken food over, when their pantry in completely empty. Each week, they pray for food. Usually, their needs are met. Sometimes, they are not.

We grilled hot dogs on a portable grill. Each person got a dog, grapes, a bag of chips and a juice bag. There wasn’t much left at the end. We also brought staples like rice, beans, diapers and baby formula. The joy in the children in a place of such sorrow is astounding. I never cease to be amazed how children can put their misery aside and find joy in the moment. I held a little guy in diapers and a black t-shirt. (Being a black T-shirt guy myself how could I resist.) He was walking around with the base of his shirt in his mouth forming a kangaroo-pocket for three half-eaten bags of chips. He quietly sat on my lap for ten minutes or so without making a sound besides the occasional crunch of a chip. I saw him on other laps throughout the day.

The mothers have a lot more trouble looking joyous. I saw women who looked younger than my 14 year-old daughter. Many really have nowhere to go from here. If they are lucky, they reconcile with a reformed husband. But I doubt that is a common occurrence. I intend to find out more about the shelter on my next trip.

The craft fair was also a hit. The kids made tambourines, bracelets, and other crafts our team members had brought. Marina Clapp, who had packed it all in advance, expertly coordinated it all. Gaby Wolff, a German national and teacher at the German School in Menlo Park painted faces. The Mexican flag and flowers were two favorites. Normally, we do these craft outreaches at churches. Most of the kids have seen them before and seem to get board after a little while. These kids had not seen them before. They would have stayed way beyond our three hours if we could have let them.

We returned to the team center. I think everyone was moved by what we saw. We quickly ate another great meal and headed out to a church service with Pastor Martin. Pastor Martin is a very interesting fellow. He told me a story of how, before he became a Pastor, his appendix had ruptured. His family took him to the hospital where he was turned away, because they cold take no more patients. He went four days without treatment; finally an emergency room took him. But when they examined him the pronounced him dead. With his family praying the body bag was brought out and he was placed in it. Suddenly he came became conscious. He got his operation and a huge scare to show for it. It was then that he gave his life to God and became a Pastor.

The service was inspiring. Recently Martin’s church was broken into. His guitar, amplifier, drums and sound system were all stolen. Nonplussed, he put his foot on a chair, not having a guitar strap and thrashed away at an acoustic guitar. The whole congregation clapped furiously and one woman shook a tambourine. The joy in the singing is such as I have never heard. I could not help but get caught up, singing at the top of my lungs in my bad Spanish. Both Gaby Wolff and Duane Clapp spoke at the service. Their talks are inspiring. Gaby discovered the Christianity on her own growing up in Germany. Duane brings a grace and gratitude to Christianity that I hope to achieve some day.

October 10, 2007

On Wednesday morning the team returned to Menlo Park. I tagged along to the airport to rent a car, getting the last car at the last counter. I returned to the Colonias and picked up Leo Rios. Leo is a pastor and is lead builder for the Mission Ministries team in Juarez. Leo came to know Christ after years in the gangs of Juarez. He is probably the most servant-minded person I have ever met.

Leo agreed to head into Juarez with me. I wanted to find out how to get passports for the 4 girls we plan to bring to the U.S next summer. We found the office and waited our turn. Turns out we needed to bring the girls along. They must fill out the forms themselves. We found out what else we needed to do and headed back to the Colonia.

I went out with Suzie Pinara Rios to speak with the girls. Suzie is our shepherd for the children we sponsor with the JCEP. She also runs the library for Mission Ministries. We arranged to have the girls get their photos at school and return the next morning.

The hardest girl to find was Martha. She had just moved in with her sister in Kilometer 20, about 7 kilometers from the team center. Susie only knew she was in number 10, but not which street she lived on. There must be 150 identical government-built row houses on 10 identical streets. We knocked on every number 10 until Martha answered. Suzie’s daughter Estelle and I even made up a song in Spanish about our search.

Donde esta Martha
Donde esta Martha
Quiero Encantrarle.
Donde esta Martha.

October 11, 2007

On Thursday morning, Leo and I gathered up the 4 girls, Miriam (age 20), Anahi (18), Martha (18) and Blanca (16) and headed into Juarez back to the passport office. Blanca’s mother accompanied us, as she was a minor and needed parental consent to obtain a passport.

A passport is the first half of a requirement to go to the U.S. The girls will also need a Visa Laser to go. This is attained from the U.S. embassy after they get the passport.

The passport office is in a shopping mall. As we approached the office a security guard greeted Blanca with a smile and a hug. It turns out he is a neighbor in kilometer 27 where Blanca lives and the team center is located. He offered to help us speed things up by getting the forms we needed to fill out and skip the line. He also had some great advice.

He told us about a passport and visa consulting office upstairs. There, we could get passport photos, have copies of important documents made and consult with and expert on the process. We were assigned to Juliana - a lovely local woman who spoke very good English. I made a pointed out to the girls what a great job she had as a result of speaking English. Juliana organized each girl’s package, making sure that all the documents where in the correct order and that everything needed was present. She also made the copies so the girls could take their extra document back home. Three passport photos were taken. The whole service cost around $20.

Juliana also told us that when we came back to get the Visa Laser, that we should get visitor rather than student visas. They are easier to get.

Next we had to go to a bank to pay for the passports. We found a bank nearby and went inside, leaving the girls and Blanca’s Mom in the truck. The line was huge. There was one line for Bank customers and our line, which was for non-customers. We waited for 40 minutes while three women behind glass slowly serviced three or for bank customers to every non-bank customer. Finally making it to the front and paying our $153 (1630 pesos) per passport. We were given a certificate for each passport.

We proceeded back to the passport office. The girls waited in line while Leo and I took a seat. After twenty minutes or so they made it to the front. The passport official laboriously examined each packet of I.D.’s, Birth Certificates, school transcripts and other items. Only Martha’s passed muster. Anahi’s birth certificate cut off the A in her first name. Blanca’s Secondaria (middle school) diploma was missing a stamp. Miriam didn’t have her primary school certificate.

We had to head back out. The passport official had told us about a machine in another mall nearby where you could print out documents. It seemed unbelievable to me, but when we arrived, a brown machine stood there looking very official. We entered Anahi’s name, birth date and government ID number, put in 63 pesos and out popped a brand new replica of her birth certificate, in color and complete wit signatures.

We hoped we could get the other documents, but they were not listed. We were all hot and tired and decided to break for lunch at Wendy’s before heading back to the Colonia. Wendy’s in Mexico are cleaner and have as good or better food than those in the U.S. They are almost identical to U.S. Wendy’s except that they have sliced jalapeños at the ketchup bar.

After our feast, we headed back t the Colonia. The Secondaria was just getting out and Blanca ran inside to see if someone would stamp her graduation certificate. Our timing was good. Blanca got the stamp and the day was saved. We then dropped of Leo, Blanca’s Mon and Miriam and the remaining four of us retraced our path back to the passport office after picking up Miriam’s paperwork at her home.

The rest of the day was routine. We turned in the paperwork, paid the 120 peso processing fee and were told the passports would be ready the following Tuesday. Yes, three business days to get a passport - a far sight better than the current 4 to 6 months in the U.S.

That evening I had a great dinner with the kids at a local restaurant. David used my camera to take pictures of each kid.

After dinner, we walked back to the Biblioteca for English class with teacher Joel. Joel was delayed doing translation at the team center clinic, so I took on the role of maestro (teacher). I had a good time teaching the class mostly in English. The kids did better understanding me than I would have expected. We covered small talk like. “What is your father’s name?” and “How old is your sister?”. I had one child ask the questions in English then another would answer in English. They did better than I expected. Usually getting the hang of it after an example or two.

Next we did favorite colors and favorite animals. Finally, Joel arrived and liked what he saw, so I finished out the class talking about animals some more. They would tell me an animal in Spanish. I would write it on the board and then tell them the English word. I would have them repeat it. Then I covered up the board and had them tell me from memory the name of the animals.

When class was over, I took Miriam and Anahi home. One of my favorite moments on the trip was when I dropped Anahi off. In English, she told me, “Thank you for all you do for us. God Bless you.” I almost cried as I hugged her.

Other issues:

Both Juan Carlos and Nancy Margarita have left the area. No one knows where Juan Carlos went. Someone says he is at school, but I could not confirm. Nancy Margarita moved to Durango.

I asked Susie to look for two kids to replace them. Carlos, who runs the kitchen, told me that about two children of ladies who work in the kitchen. Angel 12 and Carla 13. Susie will check them out. She also has another child in mind.

Jeff Piner gave me information on Operation Amigo, a school run by a Canadian couple that might be a good partner for us in sponsoring other children.

While at the shelter, I met Anna and Kate. Two young ladies from New York that are living in Juarez for one year with a group called Youth Works. They were establishing a pre-school program two days per week at the shelter. They had very few materials to help them. I think this might be a good outreach for a team from the church in the January or February trip.

I met the team from Cherry Hills that came in after the MPPC team left. They had brought down mattresses for their family. They had also bought frames from a man in the Colonia who sells them for $29 each. We might want to do this for our families.

SK