The Valley Catholic
diocese/world
June 10, 2014
5
Tijuana Ministry celebrates
10th year mission trip
By Joanna Thurmann
Putting faith into action often pushes
us beyond our comfort zones. On a
planning trip to Mexico last year, the
leadership team of the Tijuana Ministry
was interrupted by a woman whose
baby had just died. She was despondent,
because she couldn’t afford a coffin to
bury him.
Frank Fanger, an accomplished carpenter, offered to build one. He found
scrap lumber, built the small box, lined
it with cloth, and put a cross on the
top. The woman was grateful for the
generosity of strangers. They, in turn,
marveled at the great need in Tijuana.
Ten years ago, Father Jon Pedigo,
then pastor at St. Julie Billiart Parish,
San Jose, had an idea to create an immersion trip and ministry to help the
poor of Tijuana. He asked parish leader
Monica Rising to organize the effort by
partnering with a local Catholic parish.
She led a group of volunteers to Tijuana for a week that summer, built a
multigenerational home for a struggling
family, and started a program for local
kids who have no access to grassy fields
or parks, let alone summer camps and
amusement parks. The Tijuana Ministry became an instant success from its
first trip in 2005.
Fast-forward 10 years. The ministry
has grown to multiple parishes, including St. Simon and Resurrection, as well
as volunteers from Queen of Apostles,
St. Nicholas, St. Clare, and St. Martin of
Tours. It has grown from 25 volunteers
to almost 100 who will travel, July 12-19.
Sign-ups have exceeded expectations.
The children’s program in Tijuana
Young volunteers with Tijuana Ministry build
homes.
exploded to 250 kids and allows local
youth to explore concerns they face in
their own lives, and to laugh with each
other and their new American friends.
The group also gathers with 50 local
mothers to share their stories, learn new
skills, and build community with each
other and with mission volunteers. Lifelong friendships were forged and some
ministry members became godparents
of kids in Tijuana, and attended weddings and family celebrations.
The building effort grew. Six houses
are planned for this year alone, all with
countless improvements. The group
also completed the construction of two
classrooms at a school for children with
disabilities and expanded a Catholic
chapel and community center.
Volunteers build homes and hope in Tijuana Ministry projects.
They partnered with an AIDS clinic
and a medical clinic, with donations,
and families who had received a house
in previous years became involved and
began to build new homes for others.
Nourished by the Holy Spirit and
rich in experience, each year participants returned home full of passion
and became involved in other efforts
for the underprivileged or vulnerable
people here at home.
They served breakfast for the homeless, aided the elderly, marched for
immigration reform, and lobbied
government officials against deportation. They also helped build a utility
structure at Our Lady of Guadalupe
Parish. They became apostles of charity
and justice.
Rising says, “Seeing the poverty in
Tijuana shows us how our lives are the
same on both sides of the border. We
all work hard; we love our family, God
and our communities.”
Whether building coffins, shelters or
compassion, the Tijuana Ministry testifies to the exponential power of faith in
action. A visionary idea was planted 10
years ago at St. Julie’s and bore abundant fruit in the diocese and beyond.
The Tijuana Ministry welcomes
support through prayers, donations,
time and talent. Find our more at
www.TijuanaMinistry.org and see
the wish list of donations, including
materials for art and crafts, sewing,
knitting, soccer equipment, gift cards
and medical supplies.
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