Posts Tagged ‘homeless’

Crisis on the Border!

Posted: December 10, 2014 in Christianity, Ministry, Ministry Partners, Missions, Prayer, San Diego, Tijuana
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The Plight of El Bordo
pastor Leo leading us in prayer

Pastor Leo leading us in prayer during an outreach event at El Bordo

I read an interesting article today that highlights the plight on border caused by all the deportations. No matter where you stand on immigration issues, it’s important to see the condition that people are living in on the border. They are horrific!

The article was featured in the Huffington Post: Crisis in El Bordo.

All the deportations have led to an influx of people living right at the border fence in Tijuana, where the Tijuana canal passes through. Approximately 2,000,000 people have been deported since 2009, which is the most ever by a U.S. president. 40% of the people have been deported at the San Ysidro-Tijuana border and now 4,000 of them are stuck and live in El Bordo.

A man washing his clothes in the Tijuana River in El Bordo

A man washing his clothes in the Tijuana River in El Bordo Photo by Cyrus Saatsaz from Huffington Post

It is sad to see the conditions they are living in, and many of them are stuck there. They have no place to go, and they don’t have the money or resources to find a way out.

The church must follow Jesus’ lead, and minister to the broken and downtrodden. I’m thankful that some of the churches that we’ve helped establish, and that we partner with minister to the people in El Bordo.

Join us in Prayer

I pray that these ministries will continue to flourish as they feed and care for so many hurting people. Lord, bring your peace, and I pray the gospel will bring lasting change to the border.

Join us in prayer for these hurting people. They have physical and spiritual needs.

O Lord, hear our prayer!

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

 

A Heart for the Homeless

Posted: March 30, 2013 in Bright Spots on the Border, Christianity, Ministry, Missions, Tijuana, Video
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Pastor Leo & Gloria meeting with Janet Lambert at the YWAM center

Pastor Leo & Gloria meeting with Janet Lambert at the YWAM center

This week I introduced Christian and Liz Castro to Janet Lambert in Rosarito Mexico. While there we learned of a great story of redemption, a wonderful testimony of God’s mercy.

Homes of Hope

Janet shared more about their ministry called, Homes of Hope. Janet and her husband Sean head up the YWAM ministry in Tijuana. They have a burning passion for the poor.

While we were with Janet she shared through tears about one of the families that they built a home for. Eric & Josephina Ochoa not only were homeless, but they had to scrounge for food. They were digging through the garbage to find food, clothing and other items of value.

Can you imagine the humiliation and desperation of having to dig through garbage to live?

A Story of Redemption

The Ochoa family connected with Janet and the YWAM staff, and they put them on the Homes of Hope list. Eric and Josephina’s story was heartbreaking, and it touch those with YWAM. The Lord moved and now the family has a home. Janet said the last time she saw the family they were so happy and grateful for all that YWAM had done for them.

Eric & Josephina share their story in this video:

Paying it Forward

The Ochoa family are paying forward the blessing given to them.

After they got their new home they didn’t forget the families and children who were looking through the garbage with them. They wanted to care for them, and reach out with the love of Christ.

In a future post I will write about when the family actually received their home, and more about their response.

A Side Note: Leo & Gloria’s Ministry with YWAM

Since we introduced our friends, Leo and Gloria Nevarez to Janet last summer they have been ministering together. Every time I’m with them I come away encouraged by the ongoing story. Leo and Gloria go out each week with the YWAM staff to reach out to drug addicts and those caught in sex trafficking. The testimonies I hear from them are amazing. God is so good!

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

Jesus & Birria, A Good Combo

Posted: October 5, 2012 in Christianity, Church Planting, Ministry, Ministry Partners, Missions, San Diego, Tijuana, Video
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We went into Rosarito and Tijuana yesterday and had a wonderful time. Leo and Gloria Nevarez shared how God is blessing their work. They already have forty people coming on Sundays. The church is growing!

Gloria expressed concern for the needs of the children in the church. The building they meet in is small and it only has one room, so they have a need for more space for classes for children.

In a recent post I shared about how a woman in Oxnard saw my post on the homeless. She found pastor Leo’s number and called him. Since then she came down and donated 200 backpacks for children in the community. She also donated some land that they are planning on using for a drug rehab center. That is a huge need in the community. There are many people addicted to drugs in the neighborhoods surrounding the church. Leo and Gloria have a vision to minister to these needs.

Recently one of our interns, Lindsay Anne Dransfield shot some video of our work here. The video features the testimony of pastor Leo, and how the Lord used Birria to bring him to Jesus. I think you will find it encouraging!

The main ministry we are partnering with on the border is Harbor Presbyterian Church. Harbor worked with Daniel Nuñez and Leo to start the church in Rosarito. Later this month Harbor will be partnering with Lo Mejor Del Trigo and Daniel Nuñez to start a second church plant. I will share more about this new work in another post.

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeontheBorder.org

God’s Continued Work in Rosarito Mexico!

Posted: September 18, 2012 in Bright Spots on the Border, Christianity, Church Planting, God's Leading, Ministry, Ministry Partners, Missions, Prayer, San Diego, Tijuana
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Pastor Leo - taken at the YWAM center in Rosarito, Mexico

Pastor Leo – taken at the YWAM center in Rosarito, Mexico

Wow! I just received a call from pastor Leo Nevarez from Rosarito, Mexico. You might remember that Harbor partnered with Lo Mejor del Trigo to help plant pastor Leo’s church. You can read more about it here…

Leo called to thank me for connecting him with Youth With a Mission (YWAM) in Rosarito. YWAM has a ministry center near Rosarito, and one of the things they do is build homes for the homeless. Since I introduced Leo to the people at YWAM in July they’ve been able to work together to build homes for homeless people who have a connection to pastor Leo’s church. God is so good!

The Lord even used this blog to make some kingdom connections. Pastor Leo told me that someone who lives in Oxnard, California felt the Lord prompting them to do some work with the homeless. She did a Google search, and found my post about pastor Leo and their ministry in Rosarito. After seeing my article about the work with the homeless, she was able to contact pastor Leo, and she’s started helping the church. That’s so encouraging! I never thought that the Lord would use my blog in that way. God is so much bigger than all my ideas and plans.

It lifts my soul to see the Lord work, and I feel privileged to be part of if.

Pastor Leo & Gloria meeting with Janet Lambert at the YWAM center

Leo & Gloria meeting with Janet Lambert at the YWAM center

The connection with pastor Leo and YWAM began through a prayer letter I sent out. One of my friends from Phoenix saw the post, and mentioned that YWAM was located near the Rosarito church. He gave me the name and contact info of Janet Lambert, who is one of the principle leaders for the YWAM center. I contacted her, and was able to introduce her to Leo and his wife, Gloria.

Since we’ve been in the middle of this move, I haven’t been able to stay in close contact with pastor Leo. It was so good to hear from him today, and learn how the Lord is blessing their ministry as they reach out to hurting people in Rosarito. God is on the move on the border. Glory be to God!

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeontheBorder.org