So you are not going to get the slide show, but you can click here to see the album
I do hope there is a slide show up there. If not it might turn up later. Google; gotta love them. Last Thursday Pastor Faye Gallegos, Pastor Max and his wife Pastor Maurine Hale, and Pastor Frank Jopp and his wife, Elfreida came to Pueblo to the El Centro de Los Pobres. That translates to The Center for the Poor. It is located in Avondale and is a wonderful haven ran by a child of God named Sister Nancy. It is for the migrant workers and their families. The center is manned by only volunteers. No paid staff at all. Volunteers include Doctors, nurses, dentist, and people who donate what ever service is needed. Donated clothing is separated and given to who ever needs it. Food is portioned out equally to the families. If you want to learn more you can call or visit the place. 719-947-3109. Los Pobres Center, 212 East Hwy 50, Avondale, Colorado 81022.
I am here to tell you two things. The playground and the only place the kids had to play was destroyed by a storm. Pastor Faye Gallegos, whom many of you know as my "preacher friend in the Springs" was touched to build a new playground and that is what she set out to do. She sent letters to her friends. She did not want to infringe on any entity except her circle of friends. I am proud to be called a friend by this woman of God. And, like everything she sets out to do, she accomplished this task. Last Thursday, October 6, 2011, she arrived at The Center for the Poor and presented Sister Nancy with the monies collected for the playground. Mission accomplished once more!
Sister Nancy then gave us the grand tour since the other Pastors had not had it yet. And that is when the full realization of what this place is about hit me. See this computer? It is hooked directly to the prison. Sounds simple enough, doesn't it? What is it's purpose? Women come in at a prearranged time and can visit face to face via the web cam with their husbands. Kids can talk to daddy. This is the only contact they have with their loved ones and is the last contact before the men are deported. Why were these men stopped by the police? Maybe a broken tail light, or jay walking or just about anything. The important part is they have no papers and are in this country illegally. Pastor Maureen had an especially hard time grasping the idea that a simple thing like this could be pretty much a death sentence to the family. The men are deported back to Mexico. The women and children are here illegally and so have no rights at all. They can go home. How? They can not move freely as they are illegal, and probably have no money. Many of the children have never known a home outside of this county. Mexico? Some of them have never even heard of Mexico. Kids are given schooling and such until they reach the age of 16(?) and then they are granted status of "Illegal Immigrant" and then they are subject to deportation.
Seems like a few years back Pueblo County cracked down on the illegals that worked the fields. Big roundups and back to Mexico with you, buddy. Know what happened? Crops rotted in the fields. City people are not going to work in the blazing sun all day for the pittance the farmers pay. They want a job with benefits. And air conditioning. Lunch breaks. Oh,yeah and insurance, paid vacation, sick days, etc, etc. I know it is a dark, shadowy world and I know that emotions run high when we talk of closing the borders. Hey! I was right there with you on that, but I have had to rethink the whole thing. I finally realized that what ever the pros and cons to the subject are, we are still dealing with human beings. Flesh and blood men, women and innocent children who had no choice in anything that has befallen them. Men and women come to this country seeking the illusive golden ring; children are by products of the system.
But at least out in Avondale at the El Centro de Los Pobres (The Center for the Poor) there are children who for a few hours will have a place to play and a field to dream dreams, thank to people like Pastor Faye and Sister Nancy.
I do hope there is a slide show up there. If not it might turn up later. Google; gotta love them. Last Thursday Pastor Faye Gallegos, Pastor Max and his wife Pastor Maurine Hale, and Pastor Frank Jopp and his wife, Elfreida came to Pueblo to the El Centro de Los Pobres. That translates to The Center for the Poor. It is located in Avondale and is a wonderful haven ran by a child of God named Sister Nancy. It is for the migrant workers and their families. The center is manned by only volunteers. No paid staff at all. Volunteers include Doctors, nurses, dentist, and people who donate what ever service is needed. Donated clothing is separated and given to who ever needs it. Food is portioned out equally to the families. If you want to learn more you can call or visit the place. 719-947-3109. Los Pobres Center, 212 East Hwy 50, Avondale, Colorado 81022.
I am here to tell you two things. The playground and the only place the kids had to play was destroyed by a storm. Pastor Faye Gallegos, whom many of you know as my "preacher friend in the Springs" was touched to build a new playground and that is what she set out to do. She sent letters to her friends. She did not want to infringe on any entity except her circle of friends. I am proud to be called a friend by this woman of God. And, like everything she sets out to do, she accomplished this task. Last Thursday, October 6, 2011, she arrived at The Center for the Poor and presented Sister Nancy with the monies collected for the playground. Mission accomplished once more!
Seems like a few years back Pueblo County cracked down on the illegals that worked the fields. Big roundups and back to Mexico with you, buddy. Know what happened? Crops rotted in the fields. City people are not going to work in the blazing sun all day for the pittance the farmers pay. They want a job with benefits. And air conditioning. Lunch breaks. Oh,yeah and insurance, paid vacation, sick days, etc, etc. I know it is a dark, shadowy world and I know that emotions run high when we talk of closing the borders. Hey! I was right there with you on that, but I have had to rethink the whole thing. I finally realized that what ever the pros and cons to the subject are, we are still dealing with human beings. Flesh and blood men, women and innocent children who had no choice in anything that has befallen them. Men and women come to this country seeking the illusive golden ring; children are by products of the system.
But at least out in Avondale at the El Centro de Los Pobres (The Center for the Poor) there are children who for a few hours will have a place to play and a field to dream dreams, thank to people like Pastor Faye and Sister Nancy.
As you have done this to the least of these my brethern, you have done it unto me.
4 comments:
This blog is so true. Yes you will never see a american working the fields. But we are the first ones to depart them back to mexico and break up famlies. That so not right. Who do you think cleanes are hospitals. Ill give you one guess who watch the rich people children do you want an other guess who fixes yor foofs in the hot sun who picks our fields for our food.
All these people are mexican.. and im very thankful to them from the bottom of my heart
Gracias. With out yous these american people wouldnt know what to do.
Thank you for those words, dear lady. What does it say that this post is over a year old and you are the first to comment on it? As to facts, they all remain the same today as one year ago. I have a hard time seeing that America really cares much. ;(
Sr nancy and her team are the best. I am an American citizen, but my grandchildrens father was deported two and a half years ago, and they may never know him. I've been to los pobres on many occasions, and I will tell you, it's a wonderful place!! America, and citizens of Pueblo...OPEN YOUR EYES,,,and your hearts.. These are people, just like you and I..donate often..and if you can, volunteer...
I am a white woman and when I was newly divorced back in 1982 my daughters went to work in the fields because they could "make a lot of money fast!" Boy, did they find out the hard way! The daughter and son-in-law came home after 8 hours sunburned and her eye red because he pulled a weed and tossed it over his shoulder into her eye. Total take for a dat if picking peas, $6.83. Divide that up and their total was $0.43 an hour. I just thank God for Sister Nancy and an so proud to call her a friend.
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