January 20-23 Joni and I traveled with a team 54 friends, family and Menlo Park Presbyterian Church members to Juarez. This was more than our usual trip to build a house. In addition to building a house for a deserving family in the Colonias, we were to construct a new library with funds we raised through the Juarez Children’s Education Program (JCEP) at our fundraiser last May. A medical team also made the trip with two doctors, a nurse and an eye-doctor, the first ever at the Juarez clinic.
The library was in Kilometer 30 (K30), one of the poorest of the poor neighborhoods outside of Juarez. Unless they are lucky enough to have a house built by our partners Missions Ministries or one of several other groups serving the areas, families live in shacks made of cardboard, pallets, and blocks or just about anything they can scrounge. The area is only partially served with electricity. There is no sewer system or running water. Families have an outhouse and get their water from the trucks that make regular rounds, filling their 50-gallon drums with water.
Recently a primary school serving grades one through six was built in K30. Additionally, we had built kindergartens last October. Now that the kids in the neighborhood have a school, we decided a library for after school activities would be a huge boost. Our partners at Mission Ministries (MM) have run a similar library for a few years. See previous blog at (www.jcepbolg.blogspot.com).
MM recently was granted the land for this library on a plot next to the primary school. They have also recently erected a medical clinic there. When we arrived, they had poured the slab for a 48x24 library with three rooms including a computer room, a classroom and reading and study room.
After a good night’s sleep, we woke up to a sunny day. After breakfast and devotions, the building crews set out to the site at 8 am. The medical team stayed behind at the team center clinic. Seventeen of the team members split off to build the house and the rest of us began the process of building the library. We were happy to be joined by seven of our JCEP sponsored children and Susie Pinada, the MM librarian and shepherd for our JCEP kids.
Day one was one of the longest we have experienced. We erected the walls, put in the windows, insulated, put on the roof, which was tarred and papered and trimmed out the structure. The kids on the crew loved doing the roof work. Those of us blessed with height got to hang insulation on the ceiling. The house team finished before us and many of them came over to help us get things done. Special thanks to Beth Kawasaki and Chris Henshaw for pulling double-duty on the house and the library hanging insulation. My shoulders couldn’t have done it without them. With just a short break for lunch, we finished around 5:30.
The short bus trip back to the team center ended with a great meal thanks to Carlos and the staff. An exhausted team showered up and reconvened later for a slide show by Jeff Piner, the resident American leader at the team center. Jeff regaled us with stories of sadness and hope - stories of people traveling to Juarez and how they have helped the local people. One particular story involved a young girl with a clubfoot. She was cured with surgery paid for by a teenager from MPPC, who raised the money after hearing the story and returning home.
Up again early the next morning, the team split up again to their various tasks. This day required us to finish the dry wall and taping inside the structure and to paint and caulk the outside. Our large team was able to complete all but the taping before lunchtime. Amazing work!
We then all convened over at the house for the key ceremony. The family of six, was given the keys to a beautiful new 12x36, three-room structure. The family had worked side-by-side with our team the entire time. Many tears of joy from out team and the family testified to the community created in two days.
After lunch the build team split again. About fifteen of us returned to the library to complete work. The rest headed off to a local women’s shelter to prepare meals and do crafts for approximately 40 women and children. The women’s shelter was founded by a local woman, abused since age six who later escaped the specter of prostitution by running away and making a life for herself. She raised the money to lease a building and with no salary, now takes in abused women and their children. Often they run low on food and have little support. Jeff Piner has adopted their cause and we help any way we can. We left behind large quantities of extra food and diapers for the families.
In the late afternoon, we had finally finished the library. We had a sunset dedication, handing over the keys to Susie. One of my favorite moments of the trip was when Annaliese Yukawa and Virginia Girard, seventh graders from Menlo School, presented Susie with 207 Spanish language books for the school. The girls had raised these books in a book drive. Following the handing over of the keys, we all laid hands on Susie and prayed that the library would be used to give community and opportunity for the children of K30, and maybe do something to help break the cycle of poverty there.
In the evening we had attended a rousing church service at the church of Pastor Francisco who had sponsored the family who go the house. Judy Hobbs led us in songs and spoke to the church of our great privilege to be there.
I sit on the plane home as I write this and can’t thank everyone who helped, but sure would like to. I particularly want to thank everyone who gave the money, more than $15,000, to JCEP to pay for the construction. Also, our team was great, paying out of their own pockets to travel to Juarez to build. All the kids, with their spirit of happily giving in service to others. Kari Hansen and her son Caleb who had a blanket drive at their school that garnered 100 blankets. Susan Siegel for translating at the clinic, food outreach, morning testimonial and for arranging transportation to the airport when the New Mexico police impounded our bus. Kenny Ludwig, my friend and Zen-like roommate for keeping a positive and flexible attitude of love at all times. Joni Cropper, my partner and leader of our trip, and her fantastic family who all made huge contributions to the trip. And all of you reading this who continue to support our efforts in Juarez.
A lot of things happened on this trip that I didn’t get to see or know. I thank everyone who came and blessed us with their love, sweat and dedication. But most of all I thank God, without whom none of this would be possible.
May God Bless You All
SK
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