Mexico Children's Home
La Harmosa Children's Home from Abbotsford Vineyard Church on Vimeo.
When we see God moving, we want to take the opportunity to join in what He is doing to redeem lives and build His kingdom. At the Abbotsford Vineyard, we’ve witnessed God opening amazing doors in areas of the world where we’ve been involved in mission outreaches. As a member of our community, we’d like to invite you to labor with us in God’s work.
Mexico—a History
In 2003, a team of families and friends from the Abbotsford Vineyard Church (AVC) caravanned down to La Mission, a small town just south of Tijuana, Mexico, to spend Christmas serving at the Door of Faith Orphanage. After that trip our church was hooked. Through playing with children at the orphanage, working with people in the communities, and partnering with local churches, our commitment to and love for the people of Mexico grew.
Since that first trip in 2003, AVC has sent four large teams and several smaller teams back to the area. These short-term mission teams have endeavored to serve God and serve others through a variety of outreach projects. Teams have built and donated four brand new homes to four families in need. They have supported the Door of Faith Orphanage by caring for the children and praying with and supporting the staff. Further, these teams have purchased, assembled and delivered hundreds of food and gift hampers to impoverished families over Christmas. This past year we also had the privilege of donating and delivering half a shipping container full of canned soups that were taken to some of the poorest families in that region.
None of this could have happened without the assistance of La Hermosa, a vibrant church in Primo Tapia, Mexico. (Primo Tapia neighbours La Mission). The members of La Hermosa are very active in their city and they generously invited us to come along side them and take part in serving their community with them. What began as a reliance upon members of La Hermosa for translation and navigation grew into a partnership between friends and brothers and sisters in Christ.
In 2007, AVC invited members of the leadership team of La Hermosa to come visit us in Canada. This trip coincided with Love Abbotsford and our guests had the opportunity to witness churches all over Abbotsford coming together to show God's love to people in our city through simple acts of kindness. In December of that same year we were surprised and excited to find out that La Hermosa had organized Love Primo Tapia. Over 300 members of La Hermosa participated in the city-wide event which reached out to it's co-workers, neighbours, and city through practical acts of love and kindness. Across distance and cultures, our two churches had clearly connected and impacted one another.
The Vision
Over Christmas of 2007, while the team from AVC was building the fourth home with the assistance of La Hermosa, members from both churches confessed a strong belief that God had something bigger planned for both of our churches in regards to our ministry in Mexico. Both groups began to pray and the possibility of establishing a small orphanage near Primo Tapia became a common vision. During that same trip, members of AVC explored potential properties on which an orphanage could be constructed, including a remote location in the hills outside of Primo Tapia which had been donated to La Hermosa.
In February 2008, AVC sent a team of four to Mexico to further discuss the possibility of opening an orphanage with La Hermosa. The team investigated potential sites and met with directors from three established orphanages in the Baja area. The hillside location which had been donated to La Hermosa, while beautiful, posed several difficulties. Further, through touring orphanages and meeting with their directors it became clear that operating an orphanage is an immense, long-term, and full-time commitment, and something not to be endeavored lightly. The size of the task seemed too much for AVC and La Hermosa alone so we began to pray for God to show his vision for the work He had for our churches in Mexico.
La Hermosa has always dreamed of opening an Outreach Center. The goal of the Center was to provide food for families in need and to also provide a safe and loving environment for children whose parent(s), usually a single Mother, need to work during the day. Often parents have no alternative but to leave the children home alone which has been very unsafe, even fatal in some circumstances. Other families are forced to bring their children to orphanages since they can no longer afford to take care of them. La Hermosa has been praying about how to further serve and love these families in their community while keeping them together. The donated property was too far away from the community to offer any practical solutions. Both churches continued to pray and it was not long before God opened a door.
The Opportunity
Recently the owners of the property directly behind and beside La Hermosa approached their leadership about selling the property to them. The land is approximately 1,400 square meters and consists of two main buildings. The white building, which is currently unoccupied and in need of repairs, was previously used as a small orphanage. The owners have offered to sell the property and are willing to accept a $50,000 down payment and will allow the church to pay off the balance of the purchase price through $1,000 per month, interest-free payments.
La Hermosa has big dreams for the property. They would like to open an Outreach Center and Children's Home, a type of "transition" orphanage. This program would help families take their children out of full time orphanages and allow the children to move back into their family homes. The Center would provide meals for the children, and care for the children while their parent(s) are at work during the day. La Hermosa has already begun talks with the Mexican government and is applying for approval to re-open an orphanage in the large white building. The leadership of La Hermosa has approached AVC about partnering with them in this exciting undertaking.
Major repairs were required in the building and La Hermosa and AVC will need to acquire the supplies and equipment necessary to support the Children's Home & Outreach Center, including a large commercial kitchen.
View the plans: the building's exterior and the indoors layout. Pictures available here.
How we can Participate
Over Christmas 2009 our AVC Mexico Missions Team completed the first phase of the renovations, including demolition work, new roof, electrical, exterior painting and exterior windows and doors.
We Sent a second team February 28-March 6, 2010 which began Phase 2 of the building project, prepping for of a new kitchen, more electrical work, drywall, plumbing and the installation of additional windows and doors.
We have sent funds to our friends in Mexico so they have been able to hire men in their church to continue the construction and renovation work on the project. These workers would otherwise be unemployed so it has been a wonderful opportunity to help them provide for their families while continuing the work that is so dear to our hearts.
Our next missions trip will take place over Christmas 2010 (exact dates TBA).
As we partner with La Hermosa, we will also help with the establishment of outreach programs, secure and donate further food shipments to Primo Tapia, and provide financial support for the payment of the property. The AVC Missions Team is presenting these opportunities to the church for support and prayer.
