Robert and Annette
We came across the original orphanage, and town, of Villa Juarez co-incidentally, or providentially, when on trip to Mexico mid-1989. At that time there were just 3 children. In early 1991, when we drove a car donated by a friend from Denver to Villa Juarez, the orphanage had grown to 20 kids. After staying for a week we decided we could be of use, and in early 1992 we went down to help. A year later the founder, a young Mexican teacher, quit and we inherited the beast.
Over the next few years we spent an average of 9 months each year in Villa Juarez, and in the remaining 3 summer months we worked to raise money to keep the orphanage going. The orphanage now has 32 kids, and we’d changed the layout of the original two buildings (built in 1992) so that they are less like dormitories and more like two “houses”. For many years we personally covered all the operating expenses beyond a small amount that we then received from a sponsor organisation in Ontario (CHER Canada). In those days we spent our summer weekends away speaking in churches, sometimes on Saturdays (our own Adventist) and on many Sundays, trying to raise interest. We set up booths at conferences in BC, in Alberta and in different towns in the States.
When in Mexico we ran the place and had four sets of Mexican house parents to look after the four houses; there was also a cook. We slowly built new buildings, these included an elementary school (one of the house fathers was the principal), chapel, guest house, storage building, and director’s house in 1998. We lived in trailer, and hired a Mexican pastor to be the director. Sine we started running the orphanage there have been four different directors.
In 1996 we incorporated the Mexican Children’s Relief Fund (MRCF), a registered charity, so we could issue tax receipts to the increasing number of people outside of churches that wanted to help. We slowly developed sponsorships and a core group of donors, and as the Canada Revenue agency wouldn’t let us be a “one off” group, we sought out other unincorporated projects in Mexico that we could help by receiving donations from Canadians, and issuing tax receipts.
Over the years all sorts of things weredonated, and through contacts with the Air Force numerous Hercules and Buffalo flights brought supplies down to Mexico; some for the orphanage itself, but mostly for hospitals, schools, fire departments etc.
When we had fully developed the old orphanage, we had visiting school/church groups stay with us and help with programmes for the kids and work projects in the community. They also built a church and a treatment centre for handicapped children. As we promoted the idea, Annette and I were made honorary citizens of Villa Juarez! Big deal, eh – but we don’t have to pay taxes.
We personally visited projects that the MCRF helped in Michoacan, Jalisco, Sinaloa and elsewhere in Sonora. Now can say we’ve seen some of the Mexican Schools Project works, both in Barra de Navidad and on Cabo Corriente.
Five years ago a hurricane destroyed the former orphanage and we re-built on donated land on the campus of University of Navojoa, about 40 miles from original location. Building essentially finished in 2008, and Reach International (US) took over management of the orphanage in March 2009. We resigned our involvement with MCRF in July 2009, and have little to do with the orphanage any more (thank the good Lord!)
Robert & Annette
