Our tenth year of working with the poor in the colonias is an ideal time to consider what we've accomplished, how we've grown and what is next.
Ten years ago, things were easy for us. There was no dramatic outcry against Mexico because of immigrants. There was no mass media blitz focused upon every cartel crime in Mexico. The media had not yet destroyed the tourist industry in every border-town. Many other charities and even the Catholic churches in America sent groups to help in the colonias.
Today, much has changed. We seek fresh volunteers to work from their homes to help us. We are primarily focused upon helping children with severe medical needs. We continue to walk the streets of the colonias.
The first step in helping us is to recognize that there will never be a perfect time to begin. Simply start helping. The person you will help the most is the person you will see in the mirror each day.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Christmastime
Paper Houses cannot bring Americans into the colonias this Christmas because of the recent violence in Acuna. Consequently, we must do more to help the poor in the colonias. Bob will be in Acuna every week and will provide as much medical care for the children as possible. He will also deliver food door to door and help churches and charities with Christmas Fiestas for the children.
The weather is already rainy and cold. By Tuesday, the temp will dip into the 20's. Pajamas, blankets and socks are the order of the day.
We need your support, today. For the price of a trip to the movie theater, we can help three children in real need.
As always, we have no paid employees and every dollar actually helps these wonderful children and their families.
The weather is already rainy and cold. By Tuesday, the temp will dip into the 20's. Pajamas, blankets and socks are the order of the day.
We need your support, today. For the price of a trip to the movie theater, we can help three children in real need.
As always, we have no paid employees and every dollar actually helps these wonderful children and their families.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Border Violence
Recently over a ton of drugs was seized at the Del Rio/Acuna checkpoint. Recently a counterfeit Border Patrol Vehicle, painted to look exactly like an official Border Patrol van, was followed after it entered Del Rio and the driver was arrested. The vehicle contained uniforms, guns and drugs.
Both of these incidents suggest that drug activity in Acuña is increasing. The level of sophistication in duplicating a U.S. Government van suggests big money and cartel involvement.
There have been no reports or evidence of violence in Acuña for over a year. A few mission groups have recently been seen in Acuña, but it is difficult to gauge real safety issues.
This week I will meet with a large group of families that live in the colonias and I will spend a day walking the streets to get a better feel for the safety issues as it pertains to mission groups.
Both of these incidents suggest that drug activity in Acuña is increasing. The level of sophistication in duplicating a U.S. Government van suggests big money and cartel involvement.
There have been no reports or evidence of violence in Acuña for over a year. A few mission groups have recently been seen in Acuña, but it is difficult to gauge real safety issues.
This week I will meet with a large group of families that live in the colonias and I will spend a day walking the streets to get a better feel for the safety issues as it pertains to mission groups.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Response to Cartel
The road less traveled . . .
Our Response to the Violence in Mexico
Paper Houses Across the Border continues to work in the streets of the colonias in Mexico, along the Texas border. We research news stories about the violence along the border and urge everyone to read these stories carefully and check the facts.
Every day, according to FOX News, they report about the violence in Mexico. As you listen, watch and read these stories note that almost every story includes a rehash of a previous story or stories about the violence in Mexico. Even a story about citizens protesting in Mexico City in favor of stricter drug laws and more enforcement included 19-paragraphs of previously run stories about the violence in Mexico. (After reading that story, one can easily forget that the new story was about the citizens support of the government crackdowns).
It seems that the media is so focused on proving that Mexico is a bad place and that the government is losing the drug war, that they are incapable of simply reporting the news. Although two horrible ambushes recently occurred where police were killed, almost every other encounter between the police/military and the drug-cartels resulted in overwhelming victories by law enforcement.
How Do We Respond?
Like most Mexican problems, we believe that a Mexican solution is required. We also believe that we are called to continue our direct one-on-one support of the working poor and the institutions that help the working poor to succeed. Our observation is that the cartels control every Mexican border-city. The violence is primarily among cartel members, although many businesses pay protection money to a cartel that is nothing more than a shakedown. The city police are not charged with investigating crime and are ill trained and armed.
Reliable Information is Rare
It is commonly believed that any report to the police is given to the cartel by the police. The cartel then deals with those making police reports. Reporters are intimidated. Even the U.S. reporters are seldom found in Mexico. Rumors abound about kidnappings and extortion.
We respond by being with the people. We walk the streets and help with food, clothing and family needs. We help with medical situation. We help by supporting shelters for children, feeding thousands of school children every school day and by supporting a drug rehabilitation shelter. We support a migrant shelter that is overwhelmed with returning migrants that entered the U.S. from Arizona and were deported to Acuña. (The shelter provides medicine, food, clothing and helps migrants return to their villages). We help by walking door-to-door so that the people know we are still with them to help them in their effort to climb out of poverty.
We also help by talking with fellow Americans. We are all concerned about illegal immigration. A fair bit of hand-wringing, high minded rhetoric and ideas about addressing the symptoms of overwhelming poverty (illegal immigration) abound. We offer real help to the Mexican people by helping them to help themselves. We also point out the facts about the news stories related to the violence along the border.
It has been one-year since any murder took place in Ciudad Acuña. Long before that murder and before the Zeta arrived in Acuña, the U.S. media destroyed the entire tourist industry in Acuña.
If the media needs to focus on a daily story we wish they would report every day, the real story of our time. “Yesterday, an estimated 20,000 children died worldwide from preventable diseases.” Think what a constant focus on that daily fact could accomplish!
Our Response to the Violence in Mexico
Paper Houses Across the Border continues to work in the streets of the colonias in Mexico, along the Texas border. We research news stories about the violence along the border and urge everyone to read these stories carefully and check the facts.
Every day, according to FOX News, they report about the violence in Mexico. As you listen, watch and read these stories note that almost every story includes a rehash of a previous story or stories about the violence in Mexico. Even a story about citizens protesting in Mexico City in favor of stricter drug laws and more enforcement included 19-paragraphs of previously run stories about the violence in Mexico. (After reading that story, one can easily forget that the new story was about the citizens support of the government crackdowns).
It seems that the media is so focused on proving that Mexico is a bad place and that the government is losing the drug war, that they are incapable of simply reporting the news. Although two horrible ambushes recently occurred where police were killed, almost every other encounter between the police/military and the drug-cartels resulted in overwhelming victories by law enforcement.
How Do We Respond?
Like most Mexican problems, we believe that a Mexican solution is required. We also believe that we are called to continue our direct one-on-one support of the working poor and the institutions that help the working poor to succeed. Our observation is that the cartels control every Mexican border-city. The violence is primarily among cartel members, although many businesses pay protection money to a cartel that is nothing more than a shakedown. The city police are not charged with investigating crime and are ill trained and armed.
Reliable Information is Rare
It is commonly believed that any report to the police is given to the cartel by the police. The cartel then deals with those making police reports. Reporters are intimidated. Even the U.S. reporters are seldom found in Mexico. Rumors abound about kidnappings and extortion.
We respond by being with the people. We walk the streets and help with food, clothing and family needs. We help with medical situation. We help by supporting shelters for children, feeding thousands of school children every school day and by supporting a drug rehabilitation shelter. We support a migrant shelter that is overwhelmed with returning migrants that entered the U.S. from Arizona and were deported to Acuña. (The shelter provides medicine, food, clothing and helps migrants return to their villages). We help by walking door-to-door so that the people know we are still with them to help them in their effort to climb out of poverty.
We also help by talking with fellow Americans. We are all concerned about illegal immigration. A fair bit of hand-wringing, high minded rhetoric and ideas about addressing the symptoms of overwhelming poverty (illegal immigration) abound. We offer real help to the Mexican people by helping them to help themselves. We also point out the facts about the news stories related to the violence along the border.
It has been one-year since any murder took place in Ciudad Acuña. Long before that murder and before the Zeta arrived in Acuña, the U.S. media destroyed the entire tourist industry in Acuña.
If the media needs to focus on a daily story we wish they would report every day, the real story of our time. “Yesterday, an estimated 20,000 children died worldwide from preventable diseases.” Think what a constant focus on that daily fact could accomplish!
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
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.
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.
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!"
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!
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.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
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.
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.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
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.
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.
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