On Sat, July 24th, Alliance Ministries will host a garage sale at City Church, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, to raise money for incorporation and 501C3 nonprofit status.
The process goes like this: incorporation, then 501C3 status, then the world! This is where it all begins. If we are able to get these things, it will allow individual and corporate donors to make tax deductible contributions to our organization's future. This will also allow us to partner with the Food Bank of South Texas, who can help us in our efforts to supply groceries to impoverished people.
In order to make these things a reality, we need your help. If you'd like to see Alliance Ministries succeed, and have any gently used items, including clothes, books, toys, games, or cookware, please prayerfully consider donating them to our garage sale. Contributions can be sent to 8100 SPID #302, Corpus Christi, Texas. Thank you for all you do to help us, especially your prayers.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Water Day 2 Happens in Spite of Itself, Garage Sale Soon to Come
On Sat., June 12th, Alliance Ministries held Water Day 2 at the Agua Dulce Community Center.Water Day 2 almost didn't happen, due to a low advertising budget. Stamps, envelopes, and copies can get expensive, so I was only able to send out around 20 mailers, and I cringed when 5 were returned to sender. (their P.O. Boxes were vacant)
Another reason it almost didn't happen came up suddenly and unexpectedly. Water Day 2 was scheduled for 10:00 AM. Around 9:00 AM, my friend Oscar Carmona, who graciously agreed to volunteer in the event, came by my house to help me load the items into his car. A few minutes later, he realized that one of his tires was leaking. After visiting 3 tire and lube stores, each told us that the wait would be around 40 minutes. The time was now 9:20, and with the wait, plus the drive, it would have cut an hour off of a 3 hour event. Every minute was crucial. So, after praying about it, Oscar and I made the painstaking decision to drive to Agua Dulce anyway. The colonia residents, as you can see, mean a great deal to both of us!
In our weakness though, God was made strong. The event did go on as scheduled. Oscar and I arrived at the community center with no serious damage to his tire, only 15 minutes late. As I set up, Oscar immediately went to Alice, to install a new tire. It turned out that he had driven over a nail.
While I waited for Oscar to return, I got the word out by carrying a sign saying "Water Day is Here!," on one side, and "Free Food, Free Water, Free Gifts," on the other. In retrospect, maybe I should have said, "Free Water," first. Nonetheless, around 10 people showed up, some of whom never recieved a mail out.
I must say a word about one of our guests, Dominga Quinones. What a blessing she is! Miss Quinones was also present at Water Day 1, and told her neighbors about both events without us even knowing it. She brought her aunt to the the first water day, and her next door neighbor to the second. I believe, and hope that she will play a valuable part in our ministry to the colonias for years to come.
Our goal now is to connect the colonia families with Christian families in Corpus Christi. I believe that how well we are able to do that, and the relationships that follow, will be the ultimate test of how successful we were in the colonias.
Along those lines, we hope next month (time and location to be announced) to hold a garage sale to raise funds for incorporation and 501C3 nonprofit status. If we are able to get this, we believe we will attract corporate and individual donors, by allowing them to write donations off on their taxes. We will also be able to partner with the Food Bank of South Texas. All of these measures would allow us to better serve these needy people. If you have any gently used items, or wish to volunteer, please give me a call at 361-462-8847. You'll be storing up treasure in heaven!
In our weakness though, God was made strong. The event did go on as scheduled. Oscar and I arrived at the community center with no serious damage to his tire, only 15 minutes late. As I set up, Oscar immediately went to Alice, to install a new tire. It turned out that he had driven over a nail.
While I waited for Oscar to return, I got the word out by carrying a sign saying "Water Day is Here!," on one side, and "Free Food, Free Water, Free Gifts," on the other. In retrospect, maybe I should have said, "Free Water," first. Nonetheless, around 10 people showed up, some of whom never recieved a mail out.
I must say a word about one of our guests, Dominga Quinones. What a blessing she is! Miss Quinones was also present at Water Day 1, and told her neighbors about both events without us even knowing it. She brought her aunt to the the first water day, and her next door neighbor to the second. I believe, and hope that she will play a valuable part in our ministry to the colonias for years to come.
Our goal now is to connect the colonia families with Christian families in Corpus Christi. I believe that how well we are able to do that, and the relationships that follow, will be the ultimate test of how successful we were in the colonias.
Along those lines, we hope next month (time and location to be announced) to hold a garage sale to raise funds for incorporation and 501C3 nonprofit status. If we are able to get this, we believe we will attract corporate and individual donors, by allowing them to write donations off on their taxes. We will also be able to partner with the Food Bank of South Texas. All of these measures would allow us to better serve these needy people. If you have any gently used items, or wish to volunteer, please give me a call at 361-462-8847. You'll be storing up treasure in heaven!
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Water Day 2 On it's Way!
Two months ago, as we planned for Water Day 1, at the Banquete Community Center, I received a call from Miss Patsy Rogers, of the nearby Agua Dulce Community Center. Word had spread of what we were doing, and she asked if and when we could have a Water Day there as well. I knew then that with God's help, we had to make that happen. We now have a tentative date set for the event, Saturday, June 12th.
We begin our planning for Water Day 2 on a better note than we did for 1. We still have 50 gallons of water, and almost 20 emergency blankets left over from 1. Also, most importantly, we have a growing understanding of how to put events like these together. We hope that through this, God will add to the number of those who can experience His grace.
As we prepare, the search is also on to connect Water Day 1 attendees with Christian families, who can fund their groceries through Angel Food Ministries. If this works out, it will allow these colonia residents to save the money they would have normally spent on groceries, so that they can begin to move forward, perhaps funding an education for themselves or their children.
A few weeks ago, we also found out that the name of our organization had to change. It seems Mission of Light is the name of a religious cult in the San Antonio area. So, after a lot of prayer and deliberation, Andrew and I finally decided on the name Alliance Ministries. We feel that this name well describes our most important goal, to bring together many different ministries into one big alliance.
My job with the mission for the next few months has also become somewhat more challenging. Through the Summer, my friend Andrew Barbaro will be serving as a camp counselor at Highland Lakes Baptist Encampment, near Marble Falls. It did not take me long in his absence to realize how valuable to the group his presence really is. Still, I am optimistic, knowing that the Lord is using him in great ways there. Also, since they are allowed to have cell phones, we are able to talk once or twice a week. (This makes me wonder what my own camp counselor experience would have been like if cell phones had been as widely used back in 1998)
Finally, I want to tell you about two members of the group that you haven't heard much about, but I know are going to do great things both inside and out of the mission, Oscar Carmona and Guy Daugherty.
Oscar, and his now wife Angelica, were the first two friends I made when I came down to Corpus Christi, 7 years ago. In that time, we've grown from boys into men. Although Oscar has always been more mature than I am, he's never held it over my head. He understands better than anyone I've ever known what it is to give and to serve-meeting people where they are at, but loving them too much to keep them there. I'm excited about the possibilities we have for serving God's people together.
I've known Guy since I was 5 and he was 2. (Our mothers have been friends since they attended Austin High School together in the early 1970s) Being an only child, he is the closest thing to a younger brother I've ever had. Last year, he gave his heart to the Lord Jesus, and our friendship has grown even stronger since. One of the things I've always loved about Guy is his sense of wonder, asking a million questions about life, always eager to learn more. He has such a humble heart too, and such a desire to help others. If he remains faithful to God's will, I know that he is going to be a great leader someday, and it is my sincere hope that Alliance Ministries will help him grow into that role.
We begin our planning for Water Day 2 on a better note than we did for 1. We still have 50 gallons of water, and almost 20 emergency blankets left over from 1. Also, most importantly, we have a growing understanding of how to put events like these together. We hope that through this, God will add to the number of those who can experience His grace.
As we prepare, the search is also on to connect Water Day 1 attendees with Christian families, who can fund their groceries through Angel Food Ministries. If this works out, it will allow these colonia residents to save the money they would have normally spent on groceries, so that they can begin to move forward, perhaps funding an education for themselves or their children.
A few weeks ago, we also found out that the name of our organization had to change. It seems Mission of Light is the name of a religious cult in the San Antonio area. So, after a lot of prayer and deliberation, Andrew and I finally decided on the name Alliance Ministries. We feel that this name well describes our most important goal, to bring together many different ministries into one big alliance.
My job with the mission for the next few months has also become somewhat more challenging. Through the Summer, my friend Andrew Barbaro will be serving as a camp counselor at Highland Lakes Baptist Encampment, near Marble Falls. It did not take me long in his absence to realize how valuable to the group his presence really is. Still, I am optimistic, knowing that the Lord is using him in great ways there. Also, since they are allowed to have cell phones, we are able to talk once or twice a week. (This makes me wonder what my own camp counselor experience would have been like if cell phones had been as widely used back in 1998)
Finally, I want to tell you about two members of the group that you haven't heard much about, but I know are going to do great things both inside and out of the mission, Oscar Carmona and Guy Daugherty.
Oscar, and his now wife Angelica, were the first two friends I made when I came down to Corpus Christi, 7 years ago. In that time, we've grown from boys into men. Although Oscar has always been more mature than I am, he's never held it over my head. He understands better than anyone I've ever known what it is to give and to serve-meeting people where they are at, but loving them too much to keep them there. I'm excited about the possibilities we have for serving God's people together.
I've known Guy since I was 5 and he was 2. (Our mothers have been friends since they attended Austin High School together in the early 1970s) Being an only child, he is the closest thing to a younger brother I've ever had. Last year, he gave his heart to the Lord Jesus, and our friendship has grown even stronger since. One of the things I've always loved about Guy is his sense of wonder, asking a million questions about life, always eager to learn more. He has such a humble heart too, and such a desire to help others. If he remains faithful to God's will, I know that he is going to be a great leader someday, and it is my sincere hope that Alliance Ministries will help him grow into that role.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Water Day Brings Hope and Cheer to Colonia Residents
On Sat. March 27th, Mission of Light held Water Day at the Banquete Community Center. Two weeks before the event, we advertised at the nearby Pena's Deli, and mailed out 80 invitations. Then, we waited and prayed, hoping that residents would come and be blessed. To our amazement, around 30 people showed up. 45 gallons of water, 40 peanut butter sandwiches, and 25 emergency blankets were given out, and everyone who attended also seemed interested in receiving free groceries in the future, through our partner families, and Angel Food Ministries.
In the weeks to come, we will be interviewing each colonia family that came, to get a sense of how much food they need each month. This will be measured by the size of families, and their level of income. I regret to say that because of other time constraints, I will not be able to contact each family personally. However, I will be contacting 5 or 6, and hope to have volunteers to help me with the rest.
The next step will be to find 30 Christian families willing to buy the food each month. Connecting this many people will be a formidable challenge, but it can be done with God's help. Pastors of churches will be contacted first, as this could allow us to develop of support network throughout the Coastal Bend.
Residents of the nearby Agua Dulce Colonia have also expressed interest in a Water Day at their community center, so we are planning one for them sometime in May or early June. More details on that to come.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Mission of Light Shows Early Success
The outpouring of support for Mission of Light has been incredible. In just over a month, the number of committed bottles for Water Day has grown from 13 to 131, with more on the way.
We have also set a time and a place for the event; 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, March 27, at the Banquete Community Center.
Before the big day, we had originally hoped to mail out 250 invitations. This however proved too expensive, since the cost of a stamp is around .54 cents, and the group only has around $70 for all other expenses besides water. So, to cut costs, we will only be mailing half of them. The rest we will hand out as flyers in a few weeks at the community center, as well as hopefully the nearby Pena's Grocery & Deli. This will also give us the opportunity to meet some of the residents on a personal level.
Thank you all for your support. God's is doing amazing things through His people. We look forward to sharing more exciting news in the future.
We have also set a time and a place for the event; 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, March 27, at the Banquete Community Center.
Before the big day, we had originally hoped to mail out 250 invitations. This however proved too expensive, since the cost of a stamp is around .54 cents, and the group only has around $70 for all other expenses besides water. So, to cut costs, we will only be mailing half of them. The rest we will hand out as flyers in a few weeks at the community center, as well as hopefully the nearby Pena's Grocery & Deli. This will also give us the opportunity to meet some of the residents on a personal level.
Thank you all for your support. God's is doing amazing things through His people. We look forward to sharing more exciting news in the future.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Floods at Rancho Banquete Colonia, Frequent and Devastating
On Tues. Jan 19, Andrew Barbaro and I visited Rancho Banquete colonia, just outside of Banquete, Texas. Like most of Nueces County's more than 100 colonias, the whole area lies within a flood zone. Torrential thunderstorms had poured down the weekend before, so the damage was readily apparent.
Because of frequent flooding, many of the homes are on stilts. But this does not prevent significant property damage, including cracked roofs and walls, and sliding bases. One house approached the problem with a medieval solution, building a bridge over the "mote" that passed underneath the house. Even then, the end just below the porch was buried under a foot of water. The problem is so widespread that entire neighborhoods have become unlivable, with homes that it may be impossible to salvage.
Although we did not get the chance on this trip to talk to the residents (something we hope to do much more of in the future) we made two valuable connections at Banquete High School, Assistant Principal Richard Moore and Secretary Veronica Lira. Miss Lira especially, who lives near Rancho Banquete colonia, proved to be a wealth of information. She recalled with regret how during the last flood, a young man had been trapped with his family in his house for a week, unable to attend classes because his neighborhood was covered with several feet of water.
The contamination of the water, especially after it floods, makes the need for clean water (such as we hope to provide on "Sandwich Day") all the more apparent. Beyond that however, the solution becomes less clear. For this, we welcome your ideas.
Because of frequent flooding, many of the homes are on stilts. But this does not prevent significant property damage, including cracked roofs and walls, and sliding bases. One house approached the problem with a medieval solution, building a bridge over the "mote" that passed underneath the house. Even then, the end just below the porch was buried under a foot of water. The problem is so widespread that entire neighborhoods have become unlivable, with homes that it may be impossible to salvage.
Although we did not get the chance on this trip to talk to the residents (something we hope to do much more of in the future) we made two valuable connections at Banquete High School, Assistant Principal Richard Moore and Secretary Veronica Lira. Miss Lira especially, who lives near Rancho Banquete colonia, proved to be a wealth of information. She recalled with regret how during the last flood, a young man had been trapped with his family in his house for a week, unable to attend classes because his neighborhood was covered with several feet of water.
The contamination of the water, especially after it floods, makes the need for clean water (such as we hope to provide on "Sandwich Day") all the more apparent. Beyond that however, the solution becomes less clear. For this, we welcome your ideas.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Welcome!
Welcome to the Light,
South Texans may be surprised to know that there is a pocket of the third world in their own backyard at the colonias.
Throughout Nueces County, Texas there are more than 100 colonias with more than 30,000 residents combined. Their lives center mostly around migrant labor until they join the more than one third living there who can no longer work because of injury, poor health, or advanced age.
One might say that the colonias have been hit by a perfect storm. Along with the day to day struggle to survive, residents are also faced with roads that are cracked and in disrepair, and there is no public transport system. Roughly half of the residents have cars. The ones that do not are forced to pool their funds and send neighborhood representatives to the grocery store via taxicab each month to buy food. Sometimes residents have been known to underestimate their needs, and can go hungry for days at a time.
Many of the water lines produce so little water that some of the fire hydrants have been painted black to show that they are not useable. In the Summer this leads to severe drought, and the risk of spreading wildfires. In Winter, since there is no working septic tank, the frequently rainy weather often causes the whole area to flood, leading to property damage, the spread of disease and an infestation of pests disturbed from their natural habitat, including rats, mice, opposums, snakes, spiders and scorpions.
With an average monthly income of around $500, $200 of which goes to rent, (as well as property taxes of $1000 a year) the residents are not left with much to live on. Also working against them is a large salt deposit underground that leaves the soil barren throughout the area, and unable to produce any crops. Severe mold is also common in many homes, leading to widespread lung and respiratory problems.
Sadly, inspite of all the issues faced by residents, their plight and very existence remain unknown to many Corpus Christians. Mission of Light(MoL) hopes to change that.
MoL was founded by Andrew Barbaro and myself in August, 2009 to bring relief and hope to these people. We have limited resources though, and we need your help.
Beginning in March, MoL hopes to launch monthly “Sandwich days”. The first of these will be held at Banquette Colonia, which has the highest percentage of unwed mothers and large families. At each, we hope to to distribute around 1000 sandwiches and gallon bottles of water. We will also give residents the opportunity to sign up for the affordable groceries of Angel Food Ministries. Then, throughout the next month, we will try to connect them with Christian families throughout town who can fund it for them each month. We believe that the best solution to the hunger crisis is to pair individual with individual, and family with family.
In the near future we also hope to bring in health care professionals who are willing to volunteer their time and medical supplies, showing Christian compassion as they work to treat ailing residents.
Eventually we hope to build a community center there as well, which will serve a variety of different purposes. Not only can it be a place to pick up and drop off food, it will also hold Sunday morning worship services, and be a place for community gatherings and job fairs. All that is required structurally is that it be hurricane resistant.
No ministry can survive without resources or people. So, if God has laid it upon your heart to donate a gift card or money to Mission of Light, please send to 8100 S. Padre Island Dr., #302, Corpus Christi, Texas, 78412. Your generous donation will help us to fund Sandwich Days, bottles of water, and perhaps the cost of U-Hauls. If you are interested in serving alongside us, please contact me at 361-290-8077. Together, we can make a difference!
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