One Year Sponsorship

We are beginning a new year of sponsorship with Centro Shalom.  Thank you to all those who renewed sponsoring their child for another year.  Pastor Fernando was very thankful and overwhelmed by your love and support of their ministry and the children of Centro Shalom.

For those of you who are interested in sponsoring a child for the first time, please read the information below and also view the video.  The video gives you an overview of who Centro Shalom is and what they do.



Who is Centro Shalom?
Many of you are already familiar with Centro Shalom. We were there on a short term mission trip in the summer of 2008.
Tijuana has over 2 million inhabitants and according to Centro Shalom over 4000 children work in the streets, selling various things like gifts and trinkets, shining shoes, and begging for money. About 1/3 the population of Tijuana is under the age of 14. Many families there are fragmented and broken, many families are fatherless because the dad abandons the family or leaves town to find work. And of course you know about all the drugs and violence related to that going on in Mexico. So they are growing up in difficult circumstances.
Since 1988, the vision and mission of Centro Shalom has been to help the children and adolescents in the poorest neighborhoods of Tijuana. At this time they are ministering to over 600 children and their families in the barrios (neighborhood) near the church. The church is located about 2 miles from the US border near some of the poorest parts of Tijuana.
Since 2000, they have been running a program to connect children from the community with sponsors from the states. This program gives children the opportunity to study by paying for school inscription, supplies, shoes and uniforms. It’s their effort to help the children break out of the cycle of extreme poverty, alcoholism and drug abuse that can be rampant there. They money we give helps provide for various things but most importantly supports the mission to share the gospel with the children and through them to reach the parents and extended families of Tijuana.
One of the strategies they are doing, and I think its been successful is to target the kids first. And from there they are able to reach out to the rest of the family.


How can I get involved?
This is a 1 year commitment to sponsor a child through Centro Shalom by sending $20 a month (67 cents a day). Its an opportunity for us to partner with Centro Shalom as they minister to kids and families throughout their community.
By sponsoring a child, we are becoming an extension of Centro Shalom in helping them to meet their physical needs. Of course more than just sending money, we are getting involved by praying for the church, their ministry, safety/protection and for those they reach out to.
If possible, in the future, we will try to make trips to Centro Shalom to visit the children and the church as we have done in the past. Of course you know the dangerous conditions in Mexico so we pray things will settle down so we can do so.


History of the program
We've been participating in this program since last year when we sponsored 36 children.  This is a program that other churches in California and other states have been participating in. 
Please know that since the children often live in poor, transient conditions they may not be able to write frequently but appreciate your generous giving and prayers for them.
For the families in our church, I encourage you to have your entire family involved in the sponsorship. Perhaps you can sponsor a child together with your roommates or friends. Pray together for your sponsor child, pray for their family, pray for Centro Shalom and the enormous task and work they are doing. As you pray, know that God can extend beyond just your sponsor child through your giving and praying.
Its a little different from a program like Compassion because we have a direct relationship with the church, we know Pastor Fernando and Suazo. Many of us have been there, we have met many of the kids in the neighborhood. We are praying that one day we'll be able to visit them and hopefully some of you will have the opportunity to see your sponsor child.
We do this out of love. Just like with our giving for Haiti or Japan or even East Timor, its a drop in the bucket but we do so out of love and because God can use what we give. It’s about sharing the burden of Christ with others.


If you'd like to get involved or have more questions, please contact me at dleesocal@gmail.com.