A two-minute drive from Starbucks, Blockbuster and the picture-perfect residences of Ciudad Bugambilias is Santa Ana Tepetitlan, a scruffy city suburb that time – and probably the Zapopan city council – seems to have forgotten.
Somewhere in between the two lies the Christ the Redeemer Presbyterian Church – also a figurative bridge between these two worlds, offering children in Santa Ana a leg up through the non-profit Ministerio Eirene, its missionary outreach arm.
The jewel in Eirene’s crown is the Centro de Capacitacion, where for just 20 pesos a week, parents can get their kids (up to 5th grade) off to a well-grounded start in life.
After founding Christ the Redeemer in 1997, Pastor Larry Trotter looked for ways of reaching out further into the community.
“The church wanted to help,” says 32-year-old NewJersey native Jon Cummings, director general of Ministerio Eirene, whose mission statement is clear: “Serving the physical and spiritual needs of families in Guadalajara.”
“There were a lot of alcohol and drug problems in the community and we wanted to focus on helping the kids. We started a club and then a dental clinic and it grew. Then nine years ago the school opened.”
Many locals were skeptical at the idea of a Christian school in the heart of a Catholic community.
“At first they told people at Mass not to send their kids to the school,” says Cummings, who has also done missionary work in Africa. “It took a while for people to understand that we were there to help.”
Even though the school is run by Christian missionaries, 75-80 percent of the parents of students are Catholics.
“It’s not a problem,” says Cummings, who adds that the terms, curriculum and regulations are laid out to parents before their children enroll, so there is no complaining later.
For head teacher Gustavo Mendez, learning the Bible’s lessons of sharing is vital in achieving harmony in the classroom. “The kids have to know how to forgive and to ask for forgiveness.”
The appeal of the Centro de Capacitacion for parents is obvious. Although not registered with the Secretary of Public Education, there are generally no more than ten students in each grade and around 50 in total. In comparison, local public school class sizes can easily run to over 40.
Unlike at many schools in Guadalajara, the atmosphere is tranquil and the children seem genuinely well behaved. Future plans for the building include a second floor to incorporate a 6th grade and to hold classes for adults.
Every year, a group of high school volunteers from Indiana come down to help out. This year’s group have now left after installing new shelves and painting the classrooms. “They love it here working with the kids,” says Cummings. “Some have come down for three consecutive years.”
Magda Barreto offers dental consultations in the front office of the school, where there’s also a homeopathy clinic.
The charge for dental work is often no more than the cost of the materials used. Within the community, there is little awareness of preventative dental care, Barreto notes. “They usually come in when they are dying of pain or when they already have an infection.”
Eirene (it means peace in Greek) also runs a foster home (Casa Hogar) to rescue children mistreated by their parents. Some don’t even have birth certificates until Eirene steps in. “We’ve got two girls and we’ve been working the last two-and-a-half years to get them birth certificates,” explains Cummings, who clearly relishes his work. “Now they have their birth certificate and they exist. They can get a job, go to school, go to college, work in whatever they want. You’ve basically been able to give them a life.”
Eirene also offers English classes for adults and children, and runs other community outreach programs.
Funded solely by private donations and the occasional state government hand-out for one-off projects, Eirene is holding its biggest fundraising event of the year on Friday, October 22, 8:30 p.m. in Teatro Galerias (Avenida Lapizlazuli 3445, Residencial Victoria), across from Plaza del Sol. A trumpeter and a pianist are coming down from the United States and will play music by composers such as Mozart, Ewazen, Debussy, Waignein, Hovhaness and Mendez during the first half of the show. After the interval, the Bicentennial of the Independence will be the theme and a mariachi group will take the stage. Afterwards, a free cocktail will be provided by Casa Herradura.
The event is sponsored by the United States Consulate General, Okuma, and the John F. Kennedy Primary and Pre-School, among other organizations. Tickets are 150 and 350 pesos and available at thew theater box office. For more information contact Eirene at (33) 3612-2210 or (33) 3686-6956. To learn more about Eirene go to www.eireneministerio.com.mx.
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