Inquiry Orientation

1. TIJUANA MINISTRY July 7-14, 2012 Inquiry Orientation

2. 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

3. 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

4. Introductions

5. 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.

6. 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

7. 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.

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. Building Program • 2 experienced construction leads per site • 12-18 total volunteers per site • No experience necessary • Safety is paramount

14. Home Site | Cook Team • Prepares breakfast & lunches • Works with local cook team to prepare dinner • Helps Mother’s & Children’s teams • Shopping, coordination, logistics

15. 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

16. 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.

17. 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.”

18. 2012 Build Site – Semillas de Dios - Seeds of God School 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.

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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

25. Come as a family | Become a family

26. Find Out More www.TijuanaMinistry.org tjmissions@gmail.com

27. Q & A Thank you for your interest in the program