thebajarunner - 8-30-2004 at 07:50 PM
We need a new connection with an orphanage within about 200 miles of the border.
Our family was involved with the Door of Faith Orphanage in La Mision for over 20 years, but when Gabriel Diego caused all of the problems (which
finally landed him on NBC Nightline) we moved on.
We have had connections with Bill and Kaye Lawrence at Rancho Santa Marta from their days in Colonio Guerrero.
Neither of these places really needs our help now.
Would like to locate one that is needy, but honestly and cleanly operated.
(is that too much to ask?)
Don't shine me on, I have visited over 30 orphanages in Baja over the years, and can spot a bad one in about 10 seconds.
The LATimes used me as a resource person years ago to close a couple places in Tijuana after we embarrassed the locals with our disclosures.
We can connect the right place to a lot of good quality help...
Just need some input on where you all think that might be.
And no, at my age I don't plan on taking home any more kids, 4 was enough, but it was good all the way!!
Baja Arriba!!
Agua Viva in Maneadero
jrbaja - 8-30-2004 at 08:47 PM
All I can say is, give them a call and you be the judge. This is part of their reply to me.
Thank you for thinking of us for donations. As you know, if we don't have a need we know someone who does and we can distribute. Yes, you may
put it on the message boards and we have combined our ministry with another, known as Let The Little Children Come.
Our cell # out here is 044-646-171-4456. See you tomorrow if you can come by. God bless you.
In His name, Jon & Arlene
As much as I see the need in the mountains for supplies, I don't see any orphaned children. It makes me wonder if the orphans are more deserving.
Although, Jon and Arlene are very concerned about all of the children and send a LOT of things with me into those hills.
baja Steve - 8-30-2004 at 09:08 PM
You might contact Dave Johnson. I think he could give you good info.
bajadave49@yahoo.com
thanks for the suggestions
thebajarunner - 8-30-2004 at 09:44 PM
I will follow up on these. Will be interesting to see what transpires.
For the record, in my many years of experience with so-called orphanages, most of these kids have at least one living parent, sometimes both. But,
for many reasons they get dropped off and then seldom reclaimed.
Our family used to joke that it was something like the dog pound in the States..... actually, in more ways than one. Have you ever gone to the dog
pound and not wanted to take half of them home? Same here, except in the end we did take some home and that was certainly lifechanging for the boys
and for our family.
Years ago my partner in a construction company decided to build a church in Maneadero.
They pre-built the main structure in Modesto, then hauled it down and had it up in a weekend, I still see the roof as we round the bend past the Bufa
turnoff.
JR, you are right about the sharing. I never saw an orphanage let things go to waste. The sad part is that 90% of the donations received is
generally clothing, and 90% of the clothing is for adults.
At the Door of Faith we used to haul the adult clothes to the Ensenada jail after the locals had gone through the pile.
Baja Arriba!!
Well there Runner
jrbaja - 8-30-2004 at 09:55 PM
you might just be pleasantly surprised with the ideas I am giving you. Or not.
I like what they do and they are a little more well connected and organized than most of these religious scams.
Good luck !
Debra - 8-31-2004 at 12:43 AM
I too saw the spot on the "Door of Faith"....."religious scams"? I have to ask???....I forget, was he Morman, Catholic or Baptist? or Agnosticc? (Must
be a scam hear) Was the man that was in a Mexican prision for (I forget?, was it 7yrs.?) or was it the Man that abused those kids? (as they told and
then said that they were beaten to say that. Withdraw the support from the orphange because of the adult mis conduct is an added insult. 
El Faro
Smugla - 8-31-2004 at 07:04 AM
Before I had backslidden into heatheness....I was invited by some folks at Baja Northwest Ministries to take a tour of some of their affiliate churchs
and one orfrentorio in Tijuana for possible support.....well after visiting a coupla churchs I had discernment it was not too be...untill I visited
the last stop..El Faro Orphanage in Villa Fontana near the Otay crossing...my first visit was with the pastor and his wife was in a beaten down little
house which served as a church, dormitory and living quarters for the pastors family....they had all of two bedrooms and were helping about 13 kids.
THe children were all clean and happy...and the pastors wife eyes absolutely shined as she spoke of their mission...I was impressed and burdened that
the pators wife would still cross the border three days a week to clean houses after working who knows how many hours feeding and cleaning all those
kids.....
I was convinced that this was the Lords work and after praying over it I began to assist in their mission...in a short time they moved to newly
purchased land near the Rodeo in Villa Fontana and soon increased to over ninety kids....they began a separate school and their church has become last
I heard one of the most dynamic congregations in east Tijuana.
The fruit of their success is that most of the staff of this growing ministry are graduates who have been touched by the spirit of the pastor and his
wife....
www.friendsofelfaro.com
[Edited on 8-31-2004 by Smugla]
[Edited on 8-31-2004 by Smugla]
Adios Amigos
jrbaja - 8-31-2004 at 08:00 AM
I am getting ready to leave. I talked with Agua Viva yesterday and I will be taking down a couple bicycles that they are sending with me for the kids.
They have a lot of bikes but they need tires and innertubes. Can anyone help with this ?
I will be gone but here is Arlenes email if any of you are interested in helping.
kdsbaja@starband.net
Thank you.
Orfanatorios
thebajarunner - 8-31-2004 at 09:24 AM
Debra, here are some very brief answers to your queries about the sad situation at DOF...
The man profiled on NBC was the director of the place, Gabriel Diego. I have know Gabe since he was a very young man.
He was born a couple miles up the valley, spent all of his life in the valley, was taken in by the folks at the orphanage and treated like family, was
'handed the keys' when they retired.
His first act was to take a sledgehammer to the plaques which honored Papa and Mama Freeze, the founders.
Papa Freeze was a Pentecostal pastor who gave his life for the kids, and then his son and daughter in law did the same.
Who knows where Gabe's spiritual direction came from.... that is not a topic for me to discuss.
What I learned, many years later, from my four sons who came from DOF, was that Gabe was physically abusive, always, with the kids.
All the orphanage 'grads' love their memories of the place and of the Freeze family, and they all despise Gabriel
Gabe, according to the NBC piece and the local press, was responsible for having the poor American locked up for all of those years. This gentleman
was giving part of his life for the kids, questioned Gabe on money issues, got locked up for his efforts.
That is all I can say, my most trusted sources from down there are reluctant to discuss this.
When I ask about Gabe's whereabouts, "Quien Sabe?" No one will say.
As to your comment about withdrawal of support ultimately hurting the kids.... Of course it does, it is always the kids that suffer.
But, no reasonable supporter can continue to be a part of a deeply flawed process.
I have helped close two orphanages in the past, working with DIF, and have encouraged folks to leave a couple of others.
When you walk into a place and it reeks of pee, and puke, and lice abound, then it is time to pull the plug, even if it means back to the streets.
Sorry, tough talk, that is the reality. Otherwise, you condemn generations of kids to pee and puke, and that is just not where I want my support to
go.
It costs so little to be clean!
That is a lot more than I wanted to say.
Have a great day...
Baja Arriba!!
Thank you Bajarunner
Debra - 8-31-2004 at 01:20 PM
I did have a bit of "HUH?" in my responce....I'm sorry, I do that sometimes, my point is.....well, question really, is what can be done to get rid of
this guy? There is a need, for these children! Gabe Diego is not to be found? (this sounds like a good thing to me)...Bajarunner, you sound like
you have your pulse on this issue......U2U me please, I would like to help.
BajaNomad - 8-31-2004 at 03:23 PM
Just a matter of note, there's also a Hogar in El Zorillo, just south of Maneadero.
anyone else sees Diego
thebajarunner - 8-31-2004 at 09:00 PM
zap me a message.
One of my boys (who is now a cop in a Central Valley town) wants me to drive him to La Mision and beat the crap out of Gabe.... no questions asked.
Baja Arriba!!
Ok, give me info
M - 9-1-2004 at 08:24 AM
BHL and I want to adopt.
Paulina - 9-1-2004 at 05:08 PM
M,
Check your U2U (if it is working).
P.
Debra
thebajarunner - 9-1-2004 at 05:48 PM
check your U2U as well
you asked me to zap you privately but have not picked up the message.