Good to be Small

(AP) Nearly nine months after the earthquake, more than a million Haitians still live on the streets between piles of rubble. One reason: Not a cent of the $1.15 billion the U.S. promised for rebuilding has arrived. At fault: bureaucracy, disorganization and a lack of urgency.

Because Paper Houses Across the Border remains a small charity, we remain efficient, effective and direct. Typically, we spend donations within 5-days of being received. We drive directly to the homes of the people, personally assess each situation and take immediate emergency action.

Our actions often include long-term plans and we often seek partnership with a Mexican business, charity or group. We form these partnerships on the spot. We either bring the family with long-term or high-dollar needs to a business, charity, church in Mexico or we take someone from these places with us when we visit a family. Everyone knows that we expect an immediate answer and that we 'do not fool-around' when it comes to taking action.

"A hungry person does not get excited when you form a committee to discuss his problem. He gets excited about a sandwich!"

It is gratifying to tell Juan Pedro's parents to take him on the next bus to Monterrey where he will be immediately fitted with a prosthetic leg. We know this means that we must immediately raise $4,350, but our experience has always been that Americans will jump in to help when they see that every penny of their money is used to help children like Juan Pedro.

Many of the children we help benefit from very small donations. Our school lunch program only costs us 12 cents per day to provide a hot and nutritious meal for a child. We have an army pf volunteer cooks in Mexico and the ingredients for these meals is subsidized by the Mexican government.

Today, FOX News reported on a scandal about the lunch programs in the U.S. school cafeterias. The reporter spoke about the lack of inspections, the poor quality of the food and said that many of these meals were less nutritious than meals at a fast food restaurant. The way these meals were described convinced me that if my children were in school they would pack their lunch!

But this is not the case in our lunch program. Because the cooks are volunteer parents, trained and certified by the state in meal preparation and health laws,the ingredients are carefully inspected when delivered. The volunteers prepare the meals and carefully clean the kitchen and cafeteria every day.

We visit these cafeterias without notice and conduct our own inspections. We also have a meal with the children and interview parents, the teacher, students and the volunteer cooks every month. Because we remain small, we are able to see everything, first hand.

It is good to be small.

Frustrations

We are often frustrated by the 24/7 news cycle of economic worries, border security, unemployment,deficit spending,and the catastrophe du jour. We are frustrated because we feel helpless. It is as if we should just sit in front of the TV and wait for the end of the world.

At Paper Houses Across the Border, the feeling of helplessness ends. We see a problem. We fix a problem. It is really that simple and it is amazingly satisfying.

A friend of mine, like many people, goes out with friends, goes to a movie, or goes to the gym to forget about the world's problems. While I enjoy a night out, I know that the world and its problems are waiting for me when I return. I minimize my exposure to news - but the real sense of relief is when I dive into the work of Paper Houses.

There is huge satisfaction in this 'work' because I meet such wonderful people. Not only are the people of the colonias inspirational, but the many supporters are also inspiring! Children selling lemonade, people living on social security, attorneys, priests, ministers, police officers, fire fighters and even a survivor from the Nazi death-camps are among our supporters.

Many people in the colonias sum up how amazed I am at so many people that willingly help. "Why will total strangers help my son? They do not even know us. Why do the Americans help?"

Why indeed. As a police officer I was exposed to the worst in our society. With Paper Houses Across the Border, I am exposed to the very best.

Back to the Future

A policeman got lost in the colonias. He found hundreds and hundreds of people surviving on the edge of Mexico and on the edge of poverty. He was surrounded by people living in shacks made of cardboard. No water, no plumbing, dirt roads and a monotonous diet of beans, rice and tortillas. He was also surrounded with smiles, invitations to share a meal and hope.

Gospel stories suddenly made complete sense. These are the outcasts, the forgotten people, the people nobody wants. They live minutes from the richest country on earth and barely survive. Not only did the Gospel stories make sense, the policeman's life made sense. I am that policeman.

With the help of St. Joseph's Church and the Houston Police Officer's Union, Paper Houses Across the Border was founded. Bill Staney, David and Evelyn Diaz, Jennifer, George, and Ms. Christine Wiegman were our founding board members. The Badge and Gun, Houston Chronicle, People Magazine and many other media outlets helped to tell our story.

Since that time, the colonias have changed. The drug cartels are at war with each other and with the Mexican Army for control of the Mexican cities along our border. Even the ladies that sell used clothing are reportedly paying protection money to the cartels to stay in business. Tourism has ceased. Factory owners canceled expansion plans and closely monitor the situation. Most church groups and charities have shifted their operations to other countries.

It is now 2010 and the hard working families remaining in the colonias need our help more than ever. Many have told me that it seems that the church groups that preached faith and trust in God, no longer have enough faith to send help to the colonias.

Consequently, there is more need than we can meet. I will not choose to limit our help. Instead, I will increase our ability to help.

So, we will begin again. I will reach out to every person that helped and ask them to help even more. I will speak to groups, churches, and businesses. None of this is easy. It is not supposed to be easy. Many will remark that 'charity starts at home' and I will reply that this is not what Jesus said. In fact, almost every thing Jesus said and did suggested the exact opposite. He unequivocally directed us to go forth to all nations. He defined our 'neighbor' as the foreigner (Samaritan)and constantly ignored the priests and holy people to be with the outcasts.

I do not expect to change hardened hearts. When I talk about what Jesus did and what He experienced, it is to help me to remember that this is not supposed to be easy. And, at the end of the day, many people will help and they will feel so much better for the act of faith.

As for the policeman, he does not hesitate to walk his 'beat' in the colonias. He still has many friends to visit and new friends to make.

Vision and Perspective

Our charity is more than the number of people we helped, the number of children we fed and the accounting we provide for every dollar we spend as a charity. Paper Houses is an advanced charity. It is a grown-up and it is a difficult charity.

Although we list our many accomplishments and account for every dollar, Paper Houses Across the Border is serving more than those lists. Our charity is a commitment and a sacred trust. Our help is not conditional and is certainly not affected by the dangers of the cartels in Acuna or the impact of the economy on our personal lives. Our commitment to sacrifice and service to the poor of the colonias is not based upon the shifting sands of safety and the economy. Changing conditions only means that we work harder to keep our sacred promises and commitments.

We do not honor Paper Houses Across the Border, but we honor the people Paper Houses serves. We strive to be worthy of the example of the people we serve. We strive to be worthy of Juan Pedro and Ambar - both very young children who smile, laugh and play in spite of the fact that they each lost a leg before their 10th birthday. We strive to be worthy of every working family that remain living in terrible poverty and who are surrounded by violence.

We are all broken and living lives of imperfection. With all of our great wealth, and we have all been blessed with great wealth, we still feel lacking in some ways. We honor the people of the colonias who give us time to reflect and to put our own difficulties into perspective. They give us opportunities to fill the voids in our lives. We honor these people as they give us many opportunities to fix something - right now! We feel frustrated because we cannot fix the economy, the unemployment, the mounting national debt and we cannot end hunger or prevent the injustice of amputations and poor health. The children and people of the colonias give us some things we can fix - right now. We can provide medicine that heals a few children and they do not need to undergo amputations. We can provide prosthetic limbs, surgery that prevent blindness and we can feed a child. We can walk into a child's life and say, "Here! I can buy you a good meal every day at school. It only cost me $3 a month!" Although we may fill their little bellies, they fill our souls!

Our time and our money are blessings entrusted to us and we are expected to invest both wisely. We honor the children of the colonias for the opportunity they provide for us to do so in an awareness of our physical mortality and our spiritual immortality.

Juanita - Surgery and Cancer in the colonias

Paper Houses Across the Border assists families in the impoverished colonias of Mexico and that assistance includes helping children with cancer. The children of the poor in Mexico have little chance for help when cancer strikes.

Many of the poor in Mexico are illiterate. Many accept the belief that they were born poor for a reason and that they will remain poor. Many are superstitious and many believe that when a child is stricken with cancer it is God's punishment for the family. There is often a stigma attached to having a child with cancer and some families are reluctant to admit their child has cancer.

Many seek help.

Hospitals that offer chemotherapy, radiation therapy and cancer surgery are concentrated in large cities. Travel to those hospitals is expensive and not covered by the public health insurance available to the poor. Travel expenses from Acuña, Mexico to Monterrey - the closest large city offering cancer treatments, is about $300. The average family that we help has a monthly take-home pay of $200. To put it another way, although health insurance greatly reduces the cost of treatment, most children are doomed because their families cannot even afford to travel to the cancer hospitals.

If a family can get to a large treatment hospital, they would still not be able to pay their portion of the costs for cancer treatments. Our experience has been that the co-pay for each treatment is 10 times the amount of monthly income for the poor.

However, the real health problems of many children in Mexico have some underlying factors. They begin at birth.

First, there are the maquilas. These foreign owned factories employ millions of Mexicans and produce everything from seat-belts to electronics. Corporations admit that they outsource jobs to these factories because labor is inexpensive. (We recognize that the slave wages are so low that many factory workers live in squalor. Families squat on unoccupied land, build houses from scraps of lumber and cardboard, and lack access to water, electricity, plumbing, roads and health care). Although these factories contribute money to shelters, parks, and charities they pay little or no taxes.

There are no scientific studies and there seems to be nothing in writing but another reason the companies relocate may be that they are not prosecuted for the pollution of the air and water in these communities. In some cases, their acts of pollution are not even illegal. Put another way, they are 'just doing what everyone else is doing' so that makes it OK. It is far too easy for us to walk the streets and find children with birth defects.

So the children of the poor begin with polluted water and air. They also begin with a substandard diet that lacks sufficient vitamins. Again, we cannot find scientific research. However, our experiences in the colonias certainly suggest significant nutritional problems among the poor children.

For example, in 2002 when we interviewed individual teachers at primary schools, every teacher said that their number one need was help to provide the children with nutritious meals. We expected the teachers to ask for school materials, computers, new classrooms, or building repairs. We were stunned when every teacher said that their number one need was for the children to have at least one nutritious meal. Teachers told stories about little girls and boys who fainted during class because of poor nutrition.

Then, we began hearing about nutrition at the private hospital.

A little boy named Sergio stepped on a nail. He was treated at the public hospital, where the poor must go if they have no insurance. The mother returned to the hospital with the child because the wound on the foot was swelling and turning dark. The doctor prescribed pain medication. (We later learned that doctors often do not prescribe the powerful antibiotics needed to halt infection because the poor cannot afford such medicine). When we found the little boy he was in bed because it was too painful for him to stand. The foot was swollen and the wound smelled of infection. We feared gangrene. The doctors at the public hospital said that the foot needed to be amputated. The good news was that amputations is covered by the public health insurance.

At the private hospital, Dr. De la Fuentes said that he could save the foot, but we would need to act quickly. "First, we must admit him to the hospital for a week so we can give him vitamins and build up his strength to withstand the operation." During the following years we've heard this many times. Before a surgery we need to build up their systems by providing vitamins and wholesome meals.
Mexican doctors are very aware of the problem as is the government. According to their own studies as many as 1/3 of the children being treated for cancer suffer from severe nutritional deficiencies .

It is easy to say that this is Mexico's problem and that the Mexican government, the Mexican churches and the Mexican people must help these children. Although the people, government, churches and charities of Mexico help thousands and thousands of children and are working to improve nutrition and health - the scope of the problem exceeds their capacity to keep little boys like Sergio from having a foot amputated and little girls like Juanita from dying from cancer on her liver.

The argument that we can't help these children because we must help Americans first is only true if we've given so much to charities and hospitals in America that we are without money to go to the movies, enjoy cable TV, and can never afford a nice meal in a restaurant. Most people that hide behind "America first" when it comes to charity seldom have done without a single luxury because they are helping American children. We know this because almost all of our supporters also help with charities that are focused on the Untied States.

Furthermore, the argument that we must only help at home is not with me or Paper Houses. It is with the son of a carpenter. He was often criticized for helping the untouchables and foreigners. Why did He heal a child of a tax collector, a servant of a hated Roman Centurion, a foreigner at a well? It is often said that He taught by example.

The argument is with Sergio who can now walk. It is with Juanita as she lays on the operating table, today.

Now it is Car-Jackings

July 21, 2010
The Del Rio Herald published a story about four Americans that were car-jacked in Acuna. Sources in Acuna tell us that 13-people have been car-jacked. Some were at traffic lights and others stopped because the street was blocked by a truck. Usually, two men approach the vehicle, point guns at the occupants and demand they get out and leave the keys in the vehicle.

Late model pick-ups and SUVs are targeted by the armed thieves. Many Americans and wealthy Mexicans are switching to old used cars while driving around town.

This is a further sign of the spreading violence. The indirect impact on the colonias is severe. The few church groups and charities that are still operating across the border are evaluating this new development and it is reasonable to believe many will stop their visits. The fact that these robberies occur in broad daylight and that Mexican victims do not trust the police enough to file a report tells us that law and order is close to a complete break-down.

NONE OF THIS CHANGES THE NEEDS OF THE CHILDREN AND ELDERLY. The poor families living a hand to mouth existence still need our help. As other U.S. charities and as churches abandon these people, our help becomes more critical.

We are searching for a used vehicle to use so we can continue our work in Acuna. We are also reaching out to increase the number of supporters so we can broaden our work in Acuna.

Working at the neighborhood level, we hope to organize small neighborhood meetings in the fall to discuss solutions to many of Acuna's problems and the problems in each neighborhood.

The Reality

Four bodies were found late Thursday night on the banks of the Rio Grande near Ciudad Acuña, where one person is still missing, according to the Coahuila state Attorney General’s Office.

Photos of the damage caused by the flood cannot do justice to the situation. Many cardboard homes were simply washed away. Many cinder block homes were destroyed. Here, there is no home owner's insurance and the property loss is easier to describe as 'every thing they owned'.

Imagine that you live in a two room cinder block house and the walls collapse. All of your furniture, food, clothes, photographs, medicine, - everything is gone! Hundreds of houses were on the river. Lorena, our long-time translator, lived with here children in a house on the river. We've not been able to locate her. The roads to her home and her mother's home are still inaccessible.

Imagine that you live in a house that you built from scraps of cardboard and discarded lumber. You are at work when the flood strikes. Your home disappears with all of your meager possessions. However, this worry is small because your children were at school. Was there any damage at the school? Did the school dismiss the children early because of the pending flood? There is no way to telephone someone. The phones and electricity are out! The people boarding the buses are in a state of panic. Many roads quickly become inaccessible.

This is the reality.

Flooding and Why We Help Mexico

As hundreds of people in Acuna flee the flood waters and as an estimated 10,000 families (AP story) saw their homes damaged, I think of the people in these cardboard ruins. They had little and lost everything.

It seems it was only a few short years ago when these same people, living in cardboard shacks and working 50 hours to earn $40 to $60, sent $1,500 to help the victims of Katrina. I love helping these people and wonder if the people in New Orleans are collecting money to return the favor.


In the colonias I see genuine gratitude and sharing with neighbors.

Drug Cartel and Elections

While we stay clear of helping political parties in any country, we monitor politics that affect the border. During the last few weeks, every pundit opined that the PRI would probably win in landslides and that this would demonstrate that the people are fed up with the current war on drugs in Mexico. Many said that the people are looking for a return to the old days of deals with the cartels that allow them to ship tons of drugs into the U.S. as long as they stop the violence. This just in from the AP!

(AP) — President Felipe Calderon's allies held back a resurgence by Mexico's old ruling party, according to results Monday from state elections marred by drug gang violence so severe a large majority of citizens stayed home in two of the most dangerous border states.

There will NOT be stories or many editorials that report that the defeat of the opponents to the president demonstrate that the people want the cartels crushed and are not trading their safety in exchange for what is right. The U.S. media seem determined to hurt Mexico's fight against the cartels as they overlook the fact that our law enforcement efforts should be focused like a laser on drug smugglers instead of a shotgun approach where we grab as many illegal immigrants as possible. Our media report Mexican victories as defeats.

Please make a few notes as you read past the headlines and you will quickly see that almost every headline should reflect victories by the Mexican Army. Then, send a note to the editor.

Also, it would be nice if the media would ask a hard question when politicians say that x number of Mexican citizens have been murder victims. Here is the hard question: How many of these CITIZENS would more accurately be described as cartel members, murderers, assassins and thugs?

It is estimated that 90 to 95 percent of the dead are cartel members or fighting in the drug war. Few are innocent citizens.

Casa Hogar del Nino Closed

Last year there was a terrible fire at a shelter for children in Mexico. The subsequent investigation resulted in the state being found libel because of inadequate regulations regarding shelters for children. Every state examined their own policies and as a result the shelters in Acuna were recently given a copy of the new 16-page book of regulations regarding shelters for children.

There are requirements concerning smoke detectors, entrances and exits, food preparation and regarding the number of staff. The staffing requirement is a ratio of adults per maximum capacity. Antonio and Hermalinda have been considering closing their shelter for some time and these new requirements that they cannot meet seems to be an indication that it is time to close.

I met with Antonio and Hermalinda about the closing and other issues and they seem relieved now that the decision has been made. Hermalinda has experienced health problems during the past few years and both Antonio and Hermalinda seem content with their decision.

They promised to forward a list of the children and their new locations in the near future. We will continue to visit our friends and wish them well.

Mexico and Elections

Paper Houses strives to remain free of association with political parties, but is concerned about this weekend's elections. The drug cartels are working hard to intimidate and bribe the populace. Candidates have been assassinated. Also, the cartels are working to influence opinions. They are coming to realize that as innocent people, especially children, are killed during the drug wars, the people are likely to demand that the government reach an accommodation with the cartels.

The results of the elections will be closely watched for more signs that Mexico is indeed being hammered into submission by the cartels.

We will be walking the streets, distributing food and witnessing things first-hand as they unfold in Acuna and Piedras.

Less Kindness for Strangers

Nothing surprising here: A paper presented in May at the annual meeting of the Association for Psychological Science in Boston (“Changes in Dispositional Empathy in American College Students Over Time: A Meta-Analysis,” by Sara Konrath, a researcher at the University of Michigan), found that college students today are 40 percent less empathetic than those of 30 years ago, with the numbers plunging primarily after 2000.

Although I am certainly aware of students that are engaged in charity work, I've often found myself in discussions with college professors about the lack of interest seen in most of the students. Compared with the 60's activism, college students seem to have a 'what is the point?' response to significant problems and needs around the world.

Many (if not most) of the people I know are more absorbed in the fate of actors on reality TV shows that with helping people with real needs. It seems common the hear people using terms like "love", "hate" and "angry" while talking about these shows.

Few TV shows have any moral lesson. In fact, most TV shows applaud and champion behaviors that would have been banned from TV in earlier times. I am not advocating a return to the rules that required the actors on "I Love Lucy" and other shows to use separate beds when the bedroom was filmed, but I pose this question: What was gained by trashy language, trashy behaviors and suggestions that moral decisions were no different than deciding what color shirt to wear?

The most common reply to that question is "It gave us freedom!" Sorry, that is just silly. We are free to eat rat poison. Freedom to portray outrageous behavior is not an accomplishment for the entertainment media. TV does influence opinions, attitudes, and behaviors. Stating that 'you do not have to watch' and 'it is up to parents to supervise' are shallow responses.

When families included stay at home moms who could monitor what their children were watching on TV, there were stronger TV standards than today, when most moms and dads are working and not with the kids.

Freedom from rules always sounds great to those that do not follow rules. That is why so many people 'church shop' until they can find a group that believes in 'their god' - you know - the one that doesn't have 10 commandments, rules, or consequences.

The New York Times published an article about the college study and that article ended with this statement. The implications are hardly superficial. Low empathy is associated with criminal behavior, violence, sexual offenses, aggression when drunk and other antisocial behaviors. Depressing news.

Take Care in our Thoughts

Happiness is a state of mind. Be careful what we fill our minds with and be happy.

Being informed is a good thing and knowledge helps us make sound decisions. However, I find myself filtering what I am willing to read, listen to, look at and think about. The filtering process is simple. As I scan a story, I consider how the information is useful to me and what I will do about the situation. Some news is simply fun. I like to follow some of the sports teams. It is 'useful' to me because I am entertained. Some of the news helps to shape my opinion about politicians and world views. I use this information when I vote or e-mail politicians and news outlets. Some information, like Hatti's tragedy, is good because I sent money to help.

However, most of the news is trash and all of the exploitative photographs and some of the real-life situations are things I can live without.

One reason we live in fear and anxiety is because we consume 24-hours of news about violence that is halfway around the world. I am not talking about our military. I am talking about murders, rapes and carjackings in China, Cleveland, Detroit and Miami and everywhere else I never visit. By the end of the week, I see danger everywhere.

The reality is that in my community there is very little crime and it is all petty crime. Even in the colonias of Acuna, where I often walk, there is relatively little crime.

I like to avoid bad and worrisome thoughts. Either I do something to improve the situation or I leave it in God's hands. There is very little to be upset about. Being depressed and worried can often be avoided if we work at it.

This past week I lost my new iPad. Absolute carelessness on my part! It may have been stolen from my unlocked car. This iPad was a substantial investment and contained all of my personal information. No problem. I changed all of the passwords on my accounts and now do not have an iPad. I will monitor my credit report. Other than feeling careless and foolish, I am not really all that concerned.

You see, I lost the iPad while in the colonias learning about an 8-year old girl named Carmen. I met her a few weeks ago and began helping her family because this child has cancer. On the day I lost my iPad, I was back at Carmen's house and learned that she will lose her eye. The doctor said that the entire eye and eye socket will be removed because the cancer is spreading. Carmen is 8-years old. Her mother and Carmen have real problems. I only did something stupid and lost an iPad.

Today, I worked in my flowerbed for an hour and considered ways to raise more funding to help more children like Carmen. The flowers are doing great and the weeds are now gone. I hope I can keep weeds out of my mind.

Want to do a little weeding of your own? Check out my website at paperhouses.org

Another Day Without Problems

Carmen is eight years old. Carmen has cancer. Her mother is crying. The doctor said that the treatments are not working and that Carmen's eye must be removed. A glass eye is not an option. Because of he cancer, the entire eye socket will be removed. Carmen is eight years old.

I have no problems. Not a damn one.

All is Well in Acuna - June 8, 2010

All remains quiet in Acuna. We have another little boy in need of help. He arrived at the hospital for acute appendicitis, but was also found to have leukemia. It seems that there is either a high incidence of cancer in this area or that I am simply stumbling across every case.

In an odd twist of fate, a woman came up to ask if Elias remembered her. Several years ago she came to us for help because her child suffered from leukemia. She said that when she met us the first time, she thought the world was over. "I was desperate. We could not afford treatments. We thought our child was certain to die."

Paper Houses provided help and as the situation seemed to be improving, we moved on to other children in need.

The lady said she was not able to phone us because our number changed. She said that she kept praying she would see us again so she could thank us. Her child is completely recovered! Her child is doing great in school and she invited us to visit her family. We will stop by in July.

June 5, 2010 Paper Houses Continues to work in the border cities

While other blogs post rumors and news that falsely portrays the border cities of Mexico as nothing more than Dodge City, we continue to walk the streets in Acuna and Piedras without a hint of a problem.

Readers be ware! When blog cites jump thousands of miles in order to 'report' about the violence in Mexico - consider the reality. Every U.S. border city has very low crime rates, compared to the rest of the U.S.A. In order to keep blogging about 'Mexico's border violence' some sites jumped to violence in Jamaica! Send these people an Atlas and stop reading their hyped up trash.

We remain on the border. We walk the streets and we see the situation with our own eyes. Although the Zeta Cartel has been present in Acuna for two years, we've only seen four verifiable crimes and NONE against Americans. After 30 years in law enforcement I acquired a skeptical attitude and always look for the 'bad' in situations, places and people. Occupational hazard. I am not naive. There are unreported kidnappings and other crimes against Mexicans in Acuna. Also, I would like to see the Zetas run back into the sewers. However, Acuna remains peaceful and I remain vigilant as I walk the streets.

June 3, 2010 Acuna Remains Quiet -

Another very quiet and peaceful weekend in Acuna. Piedras also remains quiet, although it appears that the burned remains of three young women, said to be closely associated with drug dealers, were found.

The Borderland Beat continues to exaggerate the violence in Piedras in today's blog when they write about 'daily street shootings' in Piedras. I am in Piedras and cannot find anyone that even heard about 'daily' street shootings. The real violence is news. Borderland Beat should stick to the real violence or perhaps they could report on, well, the border as it really is: no violence this weekend.

Although Piedras and many border cities remain dangerous, I am much more likely to be injured while driving to and from the border cities than actually being injured in the border-cities.

Over 200,000 people live in Piedras that are in no way involved with the drug cartels, politics, the army or the police. Guess how many of them were killed this year? That's right - none. Hmmmmmm. Hard to believe a blog or news service would exaggerate a situation.

Casa Hogar del Nino Closes

Antonio's Casa Hogar del Nino shelter for children closed its doors. We received an e-mail from the family of Antonio that explained the shelter was closed because the shelter cannot meet the 'new requirements' for shelters in the area.

The children are being placed in nearby shelters.

Another Quiet Week

Received photos from the school administrator in Acuna: photos are of last weeks flooded roads. I think it is telling that she did not forward photos of people afraid to go outdoors because of potential violence, as reported on some blog sites. It seems that the authors of those blogs are a wee bit out of touch.

The other big news in Acuna is the expansion of the Bendix plant. Think about it! A company is expanding their operations, sending in more American managers, and investing in Acuna while the know-it-alls are talking about the constant fear and danger. The sky is not falling.

Yes, the cartels certainly present a potential for sudden violence. However, after the losses they took in nearby Piedras Negras from the Mexican army, maybe they will think a little more carefully.

Another Tranquil Week in Acuna

No horrible news in Acuna and that means nobody will share the fact that things remained peaceful this week. For those that do not know, I search the Internet for stories about Acuna, Mexico, drug cartels, etc. and telephone at least two people in Acuna every week to keep up to speed. It is always interesting to read posts on news agency and blog sites. Sometimes, the screen-names tell me a lot about the people.

One,who uses the screen name of 'anonymous' wrote that Mexicans are cowards and should stand up to the cartels. This guy is so afraid he will not even post a real name or some name that might give a clue to his identity. Yes, he should know all about cowardice.

Then there is 'confused', a highly opinionated writer that is certain the world should follow his/her ideas about immigration. Wouldn't it be great if politicians has to use names like 'confused'? Some people would STILL vote for confused!

Anyway, things are quiet in Acuna. There were ferocious gun battles in Piedras during the past week. Although I was in town, I missed the gunfights. These will not be overly reported. The Mexican Army won and they keep winning. (Based on the news reports, I bet you thought they were losing).

There is at least one mission group still operating and planning missions in Acuna. I hope to talk with them next week and then do some thinking about Paper Houses.

I just received another phone call, from Acuna. My friend Dennis said that all remains tranquil.

Overly Focused

All of the news should be reported, without bias. The reality is that almost every news story has some type of a slant. When it come to news about Mexico, the slant is negative

The reporting about the violent deaths in Mexico is part of the story about Mexico's realistic and winning approach to stem the flow of narcotics into the United States and to fight the corruption embedded in the country after 70-years of one party rule.

Instead, the media makes the story about violence. For those that think this is the story, consider this fact.

In the United States, there are 91-people killed in vehicle accidents every month. Suppose all of the news media ran a story about each death on the day it occurs? Think about the psychological impact of bloody photos of 3 fatal accidents every single day. The impression would be that speed and red light cameras should be at every intersection. Police resources should be pulled away from burglaries, thefts, and even sexual assaults! No crime can compare with auto accidents when it comes to the number of people injured, the number of people killed or the amount of monetary loss.

The media has great influence on how we perceive the news that is reported or even what news is reported. Reports about actions to stem the flow of illegal drugs into the United States is an important story that deserves constructive stories that rally support, not derision.

Reporting in a Constructive Tone

We read the news and blogs about the violent battles between the government of Mexico and the drug cartels that are responsible for keeping the pipeline of drugs flowing through the United States faster the oil pumps out of BP's collapsed rig with the hope that 'the good guys' will win. I'll take any win that means the power of the cartels to bring drugs into my country is weakened.

However, every story and blog focuses upon the shock value of violence instead of the consistent good news that the cartels are suffering constant losses and could end up being crushed. Every corrupt politician that is arrested is a victory. The suspension and five step testing of major city police departments is a victory. Weapons seized that were destined for the cartels is a victory. Somehow, after reading the stories, I feel depressed. The consistent theme in every story is not that Mexico is winning, but that Mexico is a violent, corrupt and evil place.

Perspective

The news about the Mexican Government's war on drugs should reflect the successes as successes. All news about this war has a negative bias in the way the stories are presented. If the press had reported D-Day in with the same bias against our military, we would have concluded that the loss was too much, with no end in sight!

Today there were major victories in Piedras Negras, a city of 200,000 that is on the Rio Grand, across from Eagle Pass, Texas. The Mexican Army was assessing neighborhoods that are prone to flooding because of the recent rains and street flooding when members of a drug cartel ambushed the soldiers. The soldiers fought back. One soldier was killed and another wounded. The soldiers fought the gunmen to a standstill and the gunmen surrendered. The soldiers seized 12 guns, including 10 assault rifles, and unknown quantity of ammunition and bulletproof vests.

This week, there should (but will not) be a news report that outlines the many recent arrests, deportations and successful investigations related to the drug cartels. Police departments are being investigated and cleaned up. High ranking politicians are being investigated, regardless of party affiliations. While all of these stories are buried, the public is left thinking that Mexico is a narco-country.

There was also a shootout involving cartel members outside of a popular restaurant in Piedras.

News - Can There Be Too Much?

May 26, 2010

Another peaceful day in Acuna, Mexico. Rumors about cartel violence continue, but known facts are not very exciting. Perhaps that is why, in this soap opera world of gossip that we've created, the rumors persist.

Blogs about "Violence in Mexico" such as the Borderland Beat, are reduced to editorializing about recent violence in Jamaica. I never knew we shared a border with Jamaica!

The truth is that stories can be over-reported. Too many people are running around like Chicken Little shouting, "The sky is falling!"

We hope that news agencies report legitimate news stories, without agendas. Sadly, there often is an agenda. Most blogs, on the other-hand, exist with an open agenda. Many blogs are simply manifestations of a need to 'be an instant authority' and know all there is to know about a topic.

Rumors are helpful for these bloggers. After-all, it is impossible to disprove most rumors. These bloggers are easy to spot. They mention 'secret' sources that only they are privy too, because (wait for it . . .) the blogger is SPECIAL.

Let's stick to the facts. Honest sources with information that frightens the public should either stand up and be counted or shut up and stop causing alarm. When raising an alarm, there must be a purpose beyond attracting attention to one's self.

Several people have visited the colonias of Mexico at my urging and after reading my website. I've recently confirmed an unacceptable level of violence in Acuna and Piedras. For that reason, I have an affirmative obligation to publish the fact that the violent struggle for control of Mexican cities by drug cartels has reached a point where Paper Houses Across the Border suspended mission trips into the colonias. I continue to visit the colonias to deliver help to the poor and to assure them of our commitment to helping them. I cannot, at this time, take responsibility for encouraging others to join me in the colonias.

Beyond reporting facts I know to be true, I will not do more. I am not an expert, although my decade of experience in building, assessing, and implementing processes that gathered, assessed and developed strategies to use information about crime in Houston, does give me some insight into evaluating information and putting it to use.

If the lack of violent activity continues, the bloggers may consider posting on other blogs. Elvis lives. Extraterrestrials live among us.

Or the Mexican bloggers can find the people with super-secret information about Mexico and the sources that risked their lives by letting them in on the big secrets. They can also wait a little while. In a country as large as Mexico, something is bound to happen.

Schools Close in Acuna

May 21, 2010

After the bomb threat at a private school in Del Rio, there are rumors of threats to blow up a school in Acuna.The schools have sent children home until Monday.

Army patrols seem to be everywhere during the night. People are frightened and everyone has a rumor to share. It is frustrating that the media does not provide solid information, but their reluctance to report specifics is understandable. Reporters in other Mexican cities were killed for reporting the facts.

Rumors of kidnappings and car-jackings are the most common rumor I hear. If nothing occurs this weekend it is another victory for the Mexican government. The show of military force may intimidate the cartels. Just like last weekend, many predict this will be a violent weekend. Last weeks predictions were wrong. Now, the city waits for nightfall.

Live from Acuna, Mexico

May 18, 2010
Rumors abound, here in Acuna. First, a few facts.

Yesterday there was a bomb scare at the Catholic School in Del Rio, Texas. A suspicious object was found and a bomb ordinance unit from Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio responded. The object was not a bomb. This hoax is being investigated by the Del Rio Police Department.

FYI --Some Mexican children, at a high cost to their parents, send their students to Del Rio. All have the appropriate paperwork to enter the United States for school and the parents pay the cost. (I repeated this fact, to curtail some of the usual hate mail I receive).

Another few facts - then the rumors.

Ambar, our four year old angel that lost her leg in an accident, received her artificial meg yesterday and excitedly showed me how well she can walk. She was full of laughter. We made a commitment to cover an additional surgery on the leg. This is scheduled for June 8th in Monterrey. Both of her parents were laid off. Today, her father found a few days work painting a house.

Juanita is receiving another chemo treatment today and will receive another in two weeks. Then the doctors will examine her tumor and hope that it will be small enough to be operable.

Sadly, we have one other child that continues to receive chemo without any effect. Her cancer has spread up her leg and hip and into her stomach. She is in Monterrey and we hope to learn more when she returns.

I distributed two SUV's full of groceries door to door and also reviewed additional medical cases. As always, there are more needs and we need more help. (Many good people express concern about my own safety. I appreciate the concern, but we need more donors so I do not have to turn children away. That is my only fear-that I will have to say no to one of these kids. I am very careful and always aware of my surroundings. Let God be God and lets all just do what we can).

Rumors about kidnappings, and fights among the cartels are everywhere. What is lacking is a witness or a person willing to talk about what they've seen.

After I paid the tool to cross the International Bridge to enter Mexico, the U.S. Homeland Security Officers searched my vehicle for weapons and contraband and questioned me about my purpose for visiting Mexico. The officers were professional and there were plenty of them. The officers confirmed that they've not seen 'tourists' in a week. They said that the Americans crossing are working in Acuna or have business meetings in Acuna.

The complete absence of tourists was expected. I observed that some shops are closed and padlocked, however many were open. There were no customers in the morning, in the afternoon when I had lunch, and none in the evening.

Nowhere did I see any grand graffiti, posters, notices or fliers. During the past two days I've spoken with businessmen, clergy, ordinary residents, doctors, nurses, school teachers, cashiers at two grocery stores, road repair crews, and drug addicts. Nobody has seen or heard of fliers or other printed warning as reported in some blogs. In fact, this was not even rumored in Acuna. (The one exception was the printed warning on the murdered police officer's body found last week). I am not disagreeing with what other bloggers may have seen or heard. I am just telling you what I saw and heard during the past few days.

Every school, including kinders, primary, private schools and the college were open. We visited two teachers at different schools and were told that there was no increased absenteeism. I observed that the factories were open and Elias said that the factories remain very busy.

It is rumored that some cartel members have killed each other, but there are no bodies. Given the cartels' history of displaying bodies, tossing severed heads into nightclubs and seeking to terrorize by displaying their violence in other parts of Mexico, this seems odd. It is possible that for an unknown reason the three cartels fighting for control of Acuna changed this long standing tactic and are concealing bodies, but it is odd.

A witness told me about a popular nightclub that had a few patrons on Saturday when a half dozen armed men entered the club and told the customers to leave because they were using the club. That club is now closed.

I walked the area around the Mexican Army Base and observed no additional guards posted and I was not stopped or questioned. I also walked the streets and colonias near Maria Braulia Primary School, distributing sacks of food. Other walks included the area near Antonio's Casa Hogar and the private schools downtown.

The biggest inconvenience I encountered was that many streets were flooded during a violent thunderstorm yesterday. I purchased clothing from one of the many used clothing spots on the street and distributed them to families trying to repair their cardboard houses (damaged in the storm).

A common belief is that the ordinary criminals are emboldened by the cartel activities and rumors. People worry about their few possessions being stolen. Another frequently heard rumor is that some people are being forced from their vehicles while at red lights or parking lots and the thugs are stealing vehicles. Nobody knows if these are cartel members or just common thieves. Part of this rumor is that the victims do not report the vehicle theft because the insurance requires a police report and it is commonly believed that the police immediately inform the cartels. (Nobody wants the cartel to come to their house to ask why they informed the police about the car theft).

Again, the rumors are not easily confirmed. Most of the people I spoke with said that they believe the reporters know what rumors are true, but are in fear of their lives so they cannot file their reports.

One fact is apparent. This fragile democracy is trying to survive and obey the country's constitution and laws. The very underpaid, under-educated, under-trained and outgunned police force is believed to be corrupt. The police that are honest, do not have a chance against the highly trained cartel members, their superior weapons and technology.

Perhaps when the media makes a concerted effort to report the extent that these organized criminals already are killing, kidnapping, and extorting money in the United States - not to mention drug smuggling, the United States will reach an agreement with Mexico and our military will exterminate this clear and present danger to the United States.

At the local level, American law enforcement depends upon information from the Mexican-American communities to effectively deal with the Mexican gangs in our major cities. But that is a topic for another post.

It is night and Acuna seems quiet. However, this city is deceptively large with close to 200,000 people. Let's say it is quiet downtown.

Rumors Substitute News

May 17, 2010
A bomb threat at the Sacred Heart Catholic School in Del Rio was received today. The area was cordoned off and a suspicious package was found.

Rumors included one that said the San Antonio Police Department sent the bomb squad because a bomb was found. I telephoned the San Antonio Police Department and was told that they did not respond to Del Rio. The state police, federal law enforcement and the military also denied making any response and several agencies said that it was their understanding that no bomb was found.

However, the rumors ran wild. One rumor was that a cartel member sends his child to the school and that 'this bomb was a message' to that cartel member. The Del Rio News-Herald reported this incident quickly and helped quell the rumors. However, the paper remains silent, as all U.S. media remains silent about hard facts in Acuna, the sister-city of Del Rio.

Is Something About to Happen?

May 14, 2010
Five black SUVs. drove in line down the business areas in Acuna. Merchants, already on edge because of the constant rumors, said they will not open in the morning. Workers who live in Del Rio say they will not go to work on Saturday.

The news blackout, the FALSE stories and photo-shopped photos on the Internet, and the lack of confidence in the police force all contribute to the growing fear.

House parents at the shelters said that they remain at the shelters and pray that the situation will end and that the children remain safe.

I will return on Tuesday.

Understanding the Situation

The drug cartels use helicopters, rocket-propelled grenades, automatic weapons, .50 caliber machine guns, semi-automatic weapons, grenades, full body armor, and often uniform themselves and their vehicles as federal and state troops. They have sophisticated wire tapping equipment and human surveillance teams that track police, government officials, rival gangs, and journalists. They watch the points of entry into cities at border check-points, bus terminals, and airports. Police, journalists and politicians are often given a simple choice of death (or death to family members) or accepting a bribe and doing what you are told.

Members of the Mexican media, government officials and law enforcement have been routinely tortured and murdered. Because of the virtual news blackout and false stories, the people cannot trust the news. Because of corrupted and terrorized officials, the people cannot trust government officials or the police. Many people seem willing to accept drug trafficking if the violence will stop.

The drug cartels profit from drugs, kidnappings, extortion, human smuggling, prostitution, and money laundering. These Mexican drug cartels have operations in many, if not most, large American cities. They also 'subcontract' to gangs in the United States, like M13. The cartels main sources of income are dependent on their web of subordinates, partners and cells throughout the United States. If it chose to do so, the United States could send a crushing blow to the Mexican cartels by destroying their operations in the United States.

Violence in Acuna

Acuña is now caught in the middle of a drug war that involves multiple cartels and the Mexican Military. We are able to pay the bills at every shelter and program we support through the banks without traveling into Acuña. However, there are still little kids and parents waiting to see me about getting treatment for their children. Some of these children have cancer. Others need surgery. Many need bus tickets to the big hospitals in Monterrey and those must be purchased.

My presence in the colonias continues to give the people hope. I am their friend. They need to see me on the street and at the hospital. I will not travel after dark and will not remain in Acuña overnight. I know where the military installation is at and can easily avoid driving near that facility. There is no reason for any cartel to have an interest in the colonias where I will travel. I know many of the places where drugs are sold and where people connected with drugs reside. Naturally, I will avoid these places.

More than ever, there will be needs among the poor. Church groups and charities from the U.S. will cease their activities. The people they were helping will now need our help. We need to get the word out to everyone we know to provide support.
At the end of the day, the children still need to eat. They still need medicine. The children in the shelters need someone to help pay the bills or the power gets turned off and the food and water can't be purchased. The shelters we normally support are fine. I am writing about the other shelters that depended on visiting groups from America for help. They are going to need our help.

Welcome to Paper Houses Across the Border

We are frequently in the colonias of Mexico on the border of the United States. Seeing the impact of the cartels, immigration decisions, news reports of drug violence, the exploitation of the poor and working with the people trying to remain in Mexico as they struggle to survive places us in a unique situation to comment about many issues. The issues are complex and fair solutions are difficult.

We are a nonprofit organization of loyal Americans from various backgrounds. The founding of this charity was paid for by the Houston Police Officers Union. Sergeant Bob Decker (now retired) founded Paper Houses in 2002. He is a politically conservative and dedicated 35-years of his life to law enforcement.

This blog affords Paper Houses the opportunity to learn many views about charity, the border, immigration and to use this information as our organization continues to evolve.

On this blog, there is no room for discourteous or racism. Nor is any view automatically deemed to be racist because of genuine concerns about the  changing culture of the United States.