Texas rural poverty ministry helps residents in colonias

Posted: 3/16/07

Texas rural poverty ministry
helps residents in colonias

By Carla Wynn

Cooperative Baptist Fellowship

MCALLEN—In rural communities along the U.S.-Mexico border, many Hispanic families live in extreme poverty, in houses with dirt floors, no indoor plumbing and no electricity. But some are finding hope for a better life through a partnership between Together for Hope, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s rural poverty initiative, and Buckner Border Ministries.

In the colonias—unincorporated communities along the border—many residents came to the United States from Mexico in pursuit of a better, more prosperous life.

“They’re not here to stay poor,” said Jorge Zapata, Buckner’s Border Ministries director. “They’re here to prosper. You help them, and they’re off.”

Most are unable to secure a loan and take many years to build a house. They save money and buy construction materials as they can. Often, families will live in a small shelter on the back of their property while they construct their new home closer to the road. These communities are transitional. Most families will succeed, but it may take several years, Zapata said.

Through the KidsHeart partnership between CBF and Buckner, volunteers come for biannual mission blitzes during spring break and summer—either helping with children’s activities, community block parties or construction projects.

With help from these volunteers, the ministry reached more than 54,000 people last year in 20 colonias in three counties along the Rio Grande. With more than 1,500 of these communities in the Rio Grande Valley, the need is overwhelming.

“We start with one family,” Zapata said. “We (don’t have resources) to help everyone.”

In areas where volunteer construction teams serve, local residents often work alongside the teams to finish a house.

“Volunteers help speed up the (building) process two or three years,” said Cheyenne Solis, one of Buckner’s mission group coordinators.

Another aspect of the ministry is Rio Grande Children’s Home, a Buckner-operated facility that provides care to 38 children. With help from local residents, the facility’s little-used chapel was converted to a warehouse, now storing resources as they are donated by churches and individuals.

“Through (the warehouse), we are ministering to thousands,” Zapata said. “We’re preaching the gospel not behind a pulpit but through clothing and furniture.”

“And it is effective preaching, as Jorge can tell stories of professions of faith, churches started and churches transformed,” said Tom Prevost, national coordinator of Together for Hope.

Volunteers distribute clothing, food, furniture, construction supplies, toys, backpacks and tennis shoes for children and—most significantly to many residents—Bibles.

“They take them like a treasure,” Zapata said. “They’ve never seen a Bible before in their lives.”

Most distribution goes through local community centers and churches—several of which have been constructed by volunteers. These denominationally diverse churches do the crucial follow-up with families who are helped by volunteer teams.

“These families are open to the gospel,” Solis said. “We’re all working together to try to share the gospel.”

Started in 2001, Together for Hope is a 20-year initiative of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship to come alongside, work with and learn from the relationships formed in rural communities in 20 counties across the nation in a long-term effort to address domestic poverty.