Juarez, Mexico is one of the fastest growing, most dangerous cities in the world. As its population climbs higher each year, so does its poverty and crime rate. Children are left homeless on the street. Boys are brought into gangs, and girls are often led to lives of prostitution.
Although the news portrays all the bad and ugly of Juarez, life still goes on. There are good days and bad days, just as there are in every other impoverished city.
Pastor Joel Cortez Ramirez is a religious man who has lived in Juarez for more than 20 years. He has a beautiful family and is the founder of Centro Victoria, a ministry of God for the people of Mexico. Centro Victoria fills a crucial gap in a country where the government is broken and overburdened. Many children who came off the street are now receiving education in their own schools that make up the elementary and junior high classes of Centro Victoria.
All Saints Church in Peterborough, N.H., has sponsored a group of 22 youths (one of them my grandson) and four adults to spend a week in the desert heat to lend hard-working hands to Pastor Joel in building cement walls for a dormitory to house these homeless children. This is the fifth year the church has sponsored a group to volunteer their time and labor.
In addition to housing these children, Centro Victoria provides medical attention, clothing, food, counseling and education for drug prevention. Here, children discover what moves them spiritually, leaving room to heal, live, love and find security in a chance at a better life focused on community, social and family integration. Pastor Joel encourages trust and faith in God, as well as instills personal confidence, good character and integrity.
Each child given shelter at Centro Victoria costs Pastor Joel nearly $2,500 a year. Unfortunately, his mission is not supported much by outside sources. Small churches such as All Saints in Peterborough send financial support and youth groups to lend a hand, but this is not enough.
Through the years, the All Saints Church group has helped construct houses, schools and community centers for the children. The volunteers mix cement for walls, dig foundations, mortar cinder blocks—all without the aid of machinery.
Children as young as 4 years of age work side-by-side with the youth groups. When they cannot carry the cinder blocks, they roll them from side to side until they get them where they want them. They are very proud—if offered help by the volunteers, they will say, “I can do it! I can do it!”…and they do. These children are determined. They do not complain.
While the volunteer group was there this year, much was accomplished. They built the outer shell of a boys’ dorm with two inner walls and an addition for a bathroom. They dug a hole for a septic system. They also demolished an existing building to make room for a playground for the children.
They worked at hard manual labor from very early morning hours until late in the day. The heat was oppressive. Yet, when the day was done, all felt a huge sense of accomplishment. Seeing the smiles on the faces of the young children was worth it all. Many are planning to return next year, my grandson Colin among them.
Thank God for young people like this youth group who give of themselves, their time, their labor and their caring for the less fortunate.
As my grandson said, “Nothing feels better than helping to make a change.”
Before he left for Mexico, Colin held a benefit cookout and musical get-together at our home. He invited all his friends, our relatives and neighbors—a good time was had by all. Everyone donated to this wonderful cause, and Colin was able to bring a check with him for more than $700 when he left form Mexico. Needless to say, it was very much appreciated by Pastor Joel.
On the last night, Eucharist was shared outside where everyone was staying. Tortillas and grape juice were served. Everyone shared their stories. It was a happy time because they had accomplished much, but it was also sad as they were leaving their many new friends, especially the children whom they had come to love. Still, they left with the feeling that they would return, thankful for an experience that made them all a little bit better than before they came.
More recently, right before Christmas, Pastor Joel added two more precious children to his house of love and God, bringing him one step closer to his goal of renewing nourishment to the badly abused children of Juarez. Pastor Joel fights desperately to bring education to each one of the children under his care. They deserve more than what they have received from those they have known as parents.
If you should feel this in your heart and want to give the gift of hope and help, the children need it now more than ever. It would be incredibly timely if more and more citizens of the United States would help out financially. Checks can be made out to All Saints’ Church with Juarez scripted on the memo line. They can be mailed to All Saints’ Church, 51 Concord St., Peterborough, NH 03458 and will be mailed immediately to Pastor Joel in Juarez. No matter how large or small the donation is, it will help change the lives and educate the young children of Centro Victora in this incredibly desperate time.
