Inquiry Orientation

TIJUANA MINISTRY July 7-14, 2012

Prayer

Lord Jesus, Carpenter and Healer, we ask that you look upon those multitudes in Tijuana who have too little to eat, have too little shelter and struggle each day to find work and ways to care for their family.  We pray for the sick who have little resources to be healed.  We ask you to guide us and open our eyes and hearts to their plight. Help us to hear their voices and learn from their faith and wisdom. Show us how we can help.  In your name we pray. Amen.

‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25:39-41

Agenda

Introductions Our Purpose Why Tijuana? Program Overview & Detail Build Sites for 2012 Requirements & Cost Fundraising Registration & Paperwork Safety/Security Help Us | Join Us Q & A

Introductions

Bob Malone, Director 408.640.0206

Joanna Thurmann, Co-director 408.568.2559

Monica Rising, Director Emeritus 408.307.4871

Jesse Perez, Team Leader | Español 408.690.6672

Joan Mibach, St Simon Parish Lead 650.279.0450

Our Purpose

We foster friendships and spiritual growth by reaching across borders to bring God’s people together. By putting our faith into action, we build lasting and vibrant communities in collaboration with San Eugenio Parish in Tijuana. We provide opportunities for education, immersion, and commitment to promote human dignity.

Why Tijuana?

Tijuana, Mexico, Eastern suburbs One of poorest locales in North America 400,000 people living in poverty Melting pot of nationalities Minimal government support for the

poor

Why Tijuana? Because we can & because we are called Overwhelming need for our help Tijuana gives us an up close experience of the global issues

faced by the poor We do not get a global perspective for solving issues of justice

for the poor if we only address our local community needs.

Program Overview

Mother's Outreach Program Children's Outreach Program Building Program Immersion & Education Established at St Julie’s in 2005

Everyone is invited to volunteer– not limited to parishioners but traditionally we have many participants from St Julie & St Simon Parish and beyond

Program Overview

Stay on one team or rotate throughout the week Evening reflections & sharing Transformative experience - “Conversion through immersion” Post trip: testimony and spreading the news

“When Jesus was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked

each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” Luke 24: 30-32

Mother’s Outreach Program

Building community among families. Often families do not know each other very well

Respect the value of community, working together – empowerment

Activities include: Group discussions on nutrition, financial

planning, health, family, faith Doing crafts, skill based activities

Children’s Outreach Program Continuation of building community among

families Respect children’s desire to be included & learn Activities include:

Coloring books, crafts, reading Sports and physical activities Catechism

Lunches and snacks Gift at end of program on last day

Building Program Families for build sites selected in

cooperation with St. Eugenio parish Some pre-build done in San Jose

Yerba Buena High School students help to construct walls

Community invited to participate in two pre-build days ~ May/June

Completed sections transported across border on trailers

Assembly & construction finished in TJ Doors, windows, electrical, insulation,

sheet rock, roofing, plumbing, painting Some material donated here. Most

purchased in Tijuana

Building Program

2 experienced construction leads per site 12-18 total volunteers per site No experience necessary Safety is paramount

Home Site | Cook Team

Prepares breakfast & lunches Works with local cook team to prepare dinner Helps Mother’s & Children’s teams Shopping, coordination, logistics

Immersion & Education

Mass with community Visits to Casa del Migrante – men’s

shelter for recently deported from US Visit to the Border Wall – La Frontera Evening visits with the community Evening Reflections & Sharing

2012 Build Site – Case de Jose

Dad “Julio Cesar” works as a repairman in a machine shop, earning ~ 75/week.   Mom “Yaritza Cruz Mora” lost her leg due to complications with cancer.  She  now wears a prosthetic leg and is unable to hold a job.  She is challenged by needing to carry water from the outside faucet into the house for cooking and cleaning.  They have a 3-year-old daughter named Yuliana. Their current home has lots of mold, especially in the bedroom, and countless leaks, which they trap with buckets and makeshift tubes, so it doesn’t flood their furniture and belongings. They first came to Tijuana looking for work. Their wish is to have a safer house for their daughter.

2012 Build Site – Case de Maria

Leticia Ruiz Morales is a single mother who works in a restaurant, earning ~ $60/week. She has two children; 10-year-old daughter in 6th grade also named Leticia and 8-year-old son Kevin in 4th grade. To make ends meet, they are renting a small provisional room at one end of their property to a nephew, Pablo. The site needs a retaining wall and fill dirt to reroute the rain water away from the house and into the street. The house has an uneven pitted cement floor that is impossible to keep clean. It has lots of mold and severe roof problems, with gaping holes that let in the wind and rain. Their current toilet is outside and in bad condition, with no shower. The family is originally from Sinaloa and came to Tijuana to find work. Leticia dreams of a new home “so the kids have a warm and secure place to live.”

2012 Build Site – Semillas de Dios - Seeds of GodSchool for Children with Special Needs

In Tijuana, children with special needs lack access to schools and programs to assist in their development.  They are an under-served population.   The local parish of San Eugenio received a papal grant to begin building a school for children with disabilities. The school is called “Semillas de Dios” (seeds of God). The grant only covers a portion of the total funds required to complete the project, and the school currently stands unfinished and unusable. The parish hopes to continue to build piece by piece with the help of external partners and donations. During our 2012 trip, the Tijuana Ministry will continue working on the site, finishing electrical work and other items to be able to start using a portion of the facilities.

Requirements

Age Youth must be 14+ years old (or entering high school) and

approved by the organizing team Youth 13 and younger must be accompanied by adult All participants should be in good health

Cost $275 total Travel Fees, includes food, lodging, transport $75 due on June 1 Scholarships available on a needs basis Goal: Fundraise additional $500 from personal sources Must participate in group fundraising events

US passport or green card valid for 6 months after return Age 18 and older Fingerprinting (background check) by

Diocese of San Jose Age 18 and older Complete a 90-minute online course ‘Shield

the Vulnerable’ from Diocese of San Jose

Fees & Fundraising

Personal Fundraising $275 travel fees Letter-writing campaign Company matching Goal: $500 additional

Group Fundraising Carwash Parish-wide garage sale Taco sales Donut & coffee sale Movie nights Other

Individual Fundraising - Suggestions

Ask everyone, friends, family, neighbors, teachers, co-workers Facebook/Twitter/MySpace Direct them to website for donation info Find donors for garage sale Match dollar-for-dollar donations Ask employer if they have donation / grant programs Ask your favorite place of business Just ask, ask, ask

Registration & Paperwork

Submit Online Application Pay Travel Fees Get Passport - Everyone needs a current US passport which

expires October 2012 or later Visa not required if US Citizen Some resident aliens must apply for visas ASAP

Fill-out Medical Information & Release forms Fingerprinting (LiveScan) from Diocese of San Jose for age 18+ Online Course (90-min) from Diocese of San Jose for age 18+ Driver's insurance (drivers only) Code of Conduct (minors only) See website under > 2012 Trip > Apply

Safety / Security

We do not leave the compound except for scheduled events and programs

We stay in groups when outside the compound We use the buddy system The compound is enclosed and gated; 24-hr security provided.

Cars also stay within the secure compound. Communication via radios and cell phones between sites,

compound Site has a local parish leader No 1-on-1 with teens | “Shield the Vulnerable” class Men and Women sleep separately in 2-story building The surrounding area is relatively safe. No other groups who

go to TJ have experienced any incidents of crime or violence

Help Wanted

builders teachers drivers cooks Spanish-speakers helpers with the children’s & mother's programs organizers fundraisers financial support donations of building supplies & tools help at pre-build days anyone will a willing heart and willing hands prayers

Come as a family | Become a family

Find Out More

www.TijuanaMinistry.orgtjmissions@gmail.com

Thank you for your interestin the program

Q & A