Christian Formation
Hands Across the Border
By Joan Butler Ford, Canon for Outreach
As it happens, the ultimate project came to us in the form of Casa Vida Joven, known to us as Dorcas House. Dorcas House began in response to the need to house, feed, educate, and protect children whose parents are in La Mesa Prison in Tijuana. Built in 1956, La Mesa prison housed up to 6700 prisoners and their families in a facility intended for 600 prisoners. Those who could afford to do so bought $25,000 homes inside the prison. Those who could not lived in the streets. In fact, the prisoners ran the prison, and the prison staff largely remained uninvolved. www.dorcashousefriends.org
Thankfully, some people from Los Angeles and Orange and San Diego Counties felt that the situation should be remedied, started Dorcas House, and formed the first board of directors. They worked very hard for over ten years to keep Dorcas House afloat. As they began to feel ‘burned out’, they came to St. Paul’s to see if we could help. After a trip down to Dorcas to meet the children and staff, and a lot of prayer and discussion, we agreed.
The Dorcas House project is both time specific, and tangible. There is a well-defined need for money and volunteers to run the project for which the present board of directors is currently working. We have committed to a year of operation, which of course, can be extended.
The project has been thoroughly vetted by dean and chapter, by the cathedral chancellor, and by the bishop of the diocese of San Diego.
Dorcas House has received a good deal of internal publicity (e-clarion, bulletins, e-mail notes), and we are working to make it better known through outside sources (e.g., the Union Tribune, Reader, brochures etc.). So we are telling the story, with a Forum and Dorcas House Day at the cathedral and presentations at various churches around the diocese. These presentations have already brought in not only generous amounts of money, but also a great deal of interest in volunteering.
It is difficult to remember that we assumed responsibility for the program just last August. Since then, there have been many scheduled activities including a special Thanksgiving Dinner and Eucharist celebrated by Bishop Mathes and Dean Scott Richardson.
Volunteers have visited on several weekends and done simple repairs, given guitar and singling lessons to the kids, attendance at school graduation ceremonies, and quality time spent with the children and most recently a special Epiphany weekend program.
Our heartfelt thanks to Stephen Velez-Confer who chairs the new Board of Directors. No one works harder than Stephen and his wife Emily to make all this possible. Thanks also to the rest of the board: The Very Rev. Scott Richardson, Canons Andrew Rank, Barnabas Hunt, Mary Moreno Richardson, The Rev. Dorothy R. Curry, Terri Mathes, Steve Bluhm, Christine Spalding, Mike Angell, and of course our wonderful director, Sylvia Laborin.
The Rev. Canon Joan Butler Ford, Canon for Outreach
