Casa de Luz
Mexico Missions
In December of 2003, six families and several young adults from Abbotsford Vineyard Church loaded their vehicles with construction tools, toys, gifts, and craft supplies and drove to Mexico to spend Christmas break at Door of Faith Orphanage in La Mission, Baja California.
It was the first missions trip for most of them. They played with children, held babies, made bunk beds for the dorms, painted houses, helped the orphanage staff and served food to hungry families. Their hearts were permanently changed as they fell in love with the people and the culture.
The team brought their passion for making a difference home with them and over the next few years, many more families and individuals travelled to Mexico as AVC sent teams every Christmas.
We quickly developed a close friendship with the pastors and leaders of La Hermosa Church in neighbouring Primo Tapia and began partnering with them as they loved their community in radical ways. We felt God stirring us and calling us to plant deeper roots in Mexico and began praying into what that could look like.
Daniel and Aleyda, Pastors of La Hermosa, have a heart for families in their community. Many fathers are absent due to criminal activity, addiction, or unemployment. Daniel and Aleyda would often see women being abused, children neglected, and Mothers forced to give their children to full-time orphanage care because they had no way to provide for them. In some cases, children were left at home alone or wandering the streets while their mothers worked, falling prey to sex traffickers, abuse and the drug trade. Daniel and Aleyda and their church had been praying for years for a way to help.
After praying, planning and dreaming together, we felt God calling us to partner with them in creating Casa de Luz Children's Centre - a safe place for single moms to bring their children, enabling them to find good jobs, continue their education or start a business.
It was the first missions trip for most of them. They played with children, held babies, made bunk beds for the dorms, painted houses, helped the orphanage staff and served food to hungry families. Their hearts were permanently changed as they fell in love with the people and the culture.
The team brought their passion for making a difference home with them and over the next few years, many more families and individuals travelled to Mexico as AVC sent teams every Christmas.
We quickly developed a close friendship with the pastors and leaders of La Hermosa Church in neighbouring Primo Tapia and began partnering with them as they loved their community in radical ways. We felt God stirring us and calling us to plant deeper roots in Mexico and began praying into what that could look like.
Daniel and Aleyda, Pastors of La Hermosa, have a heart for families in their community. Many fathers are absent due to criminal activity, addiction, or unemployment. Daniel and Aleyda would often see women being abused, children neglected, and Mothers forced to give their children to full-time orphanage care because they had no way to provide for them. In some cases, children were left at home alone or wandering the streets while their mothers worked, falling prey to sex traffickers, abuse and the drug trade. Daniel and Aleyda and their church had been praying for years for a way to help.
After praying, planning and dreaming together, we felt God calling us to partner with them in creating Casa de Luz Children's Centre - a safe place for single moms to bring their children, enabling them to find good jobs, continue their education or start a business.
Over the next few years, we saw God move in miraculous ways as many people, groups, and businesses donated time, finances and resources to bring this vision to completion.
Toni and Erin Santos and their children, who were part of the AVC community, moved to Primo Tapia to become co-directors of CDL in the summer of 2012. Both AVC and La Hermosa took a massive leap of faith, and our dream was realized when Casa de Luz opened its doors in August of 2012.
At CDL, children receive loving and nurturing care in a safe environment. They receive nutritious meals, educational support, family counselling, mentorship and they hear the good news of Jesus.
This has meant that some Moms have been able to take their children out of full-time orphanage care and have their children live with them again and it has meant that other moms can work or go to school while their children are kept safe and secure at CDL during the day. This is helping break the cycle of poverty and despair in countless homes in their community and will have a significant impact on generations to come.
Casa de Luz Ministries has expanded its mission in Primo Tapia and now includes micro-financing for small businesses owned by CDL moms, a Youth Centre for at-risk youth, Own Your Own Home initiatives, an accredited school for Continuing Education and a Scholarship Program for both students and their moms.
Casa de Luz Ministries has been a primary missions initiative of AVC, and we continue to be actively engaged through regularly sending teams, fundraising, sponsoring children and praying for and supporting our friends who are making a significant difference in the community of Primo Tapia, Mexico.
Toni and Erin Santos and their children, who were part of the AVC community, moved to Primo Tapia to become co-directors of CDL in the summer of 2012. Both AVC and La Hermosa took a massive leap of faith, and our dream was realized when Casa de Luz opened its doors in August of 2012.
At CDL, children receive loving and nurturing care in a safe environment. They receive nutritious meals, educational support, family counselling, mentorship and they hear the good news of Jesus.
This has meant that some Moms have been able to take their children out of full-time orphanage care and have their children live with them again and it has meant that other moms can work or go to school while their children are kept safe and secure at CDL during the day. This is helping break the cycle of poverty and despair in countless homes in their community and will have a significant impact on generations to come.
Casa de Luz Ministries has expanded its mission in Primo Tapia and now includes micro-financing for small businesses owned by CDL moms, a Youth Centre for at-risk youth, Own Your Own Home initiatives, an accredited school for Continuing Education and a Scholarship Program for both students and their moms.
Casa de Luz Ministries has been a primary missions initiative of AVC, and we continue to be actively engaged through regularly sending teams, fundraising, sponsoring children and praying for and supporting our friends who are making a significant difference in the community of Primo Tapia, Mexico.