Welcome to the SPECTRUM MINISTRIES Homepage

We are a Christian group that believes Christians aren't in this world just to be hearers of the Word, but we are called to be doers of the Word. By this we gain a credibility in sharing our faith.

You can find out more about Spectrum Ministries and what we do by checking out the sections below.

	NEWS News and updates concerning Spectrum Ministries.		ABOUT SPECTRUM Learn more about Spectrum Ministries, and our work in Mexico.		JOINING US IN MEXICO Learn what you need, what to do, and what to expect when you join us in Mexico.
	NEWSLETTERS Stay up-to-date with Spectrum's ministry work by reading our monthly, quarterly and special newsletters.		MINISTRY MATERIALS If you want to share our ministry in Tijuana with others we can provide you with a number of paper aids. Books, as well as pamphlets and posters available for download, or to receive by mail.		STORIES & OBSERVATIONS BY VON Here are true stories and writings by our former founder director. Tips and suggestions for those working in Baja California.
	PHOTO ALBUMS These photos are not posed, but are "of the moment." They are real people, in the real backyard world of Tijuana. To those who have worked with us in Mexico, these photos will bring back good 'MEMORIES.'		VIDEOS Media can be a real help in bringing to life our ministry across the border in Tijuana. Indeed seeing is believing!		SPECTRUM WEBLOG Stories from the people at the 'front lines' of Spectrum's work in Mexico and elsewhere.

We've also added a section just for those who have worked with our ministry in Tijuana. The 'LOOKING BACK' section features photos, maps, and other areas that will keep your experience with Spectrum Ministries fresh and alive. Be sure to check it out.

An Introduction to Spectrum Ministries

If you have some questions about how Spectrum Ministries works, you may want to check out our 'FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)' section.

Spectrum Ministries is a small missions organization located in San Diego, California, dedicated to working with the very poor across our border in Tijuana, Mexico. Spectrum Ministries was started in 1982 by E. G. von Trutzschler, known by many as pastor von. We are an inter-denominational, non-profit, tax exempt organization. At the present time we have a team of about twenty-five missionaries. A staff of five living in San Diego and the rest living in Tijuana. Most of our missionaries are Mexican nationals. Nine of our team are fulltime and the others are part time and volunteers.

We try our best to keep our overhead costs low so we can dedicate more money to the field in Tijuana. We praise God for the many volunteers who help us keep our overhead down. Our church, Clairemont Emmanuel Baptist Church, gives us our office space and a large storage building for about $300 per month. Tom Van Cleave and Thompson Press do Spectrum's printing for free. Our website is another freebie, created and maintained by David Pence. Our treasurer and bookkeeper donates his time free. Pastor von likes taking digital photos and our photo paper is free. We have a crew of about ten volunteers who sort the donated clothing and supplies that we receive each week. All of our salaries are low, low, low. Our bottom line prayer is that we might use your gifts to us the way you would want and in such a way that God would be pleased.

You can learn more about the origins of Spectrum Ministries by reading the 'SPECTRUM GENESIS' section, and read about what we've accomplished over the years by checking out the 'OUR HISTORY' section.

Spectrum Board of Directors made Aaron Passmore director in December 2005. Aaron has been working with us since August of 2002. Refer to the 'OUR DIRECTOR' section to learn more about Aaron. Pastor Von continues to be actively involved with Spectrum.

As our name "Spectrum" implies, we have several focuses. Our main focus is across the border in Mexico where we work on a regular bases with hundreds of poor families and thousands of children located in eight of the poorest neighborhoods in and around the city of Tijuana. We have ongoing programs in each of these barrios where we help feed and provide medical help for the families and schooling for their children. We work with the city street children and young people on drugs. Spectrum works actively in the Tijuana juvenile facility (CMI) sometimes called the children's jail. We host weekly breakfasts for the children of Zona Norte and kids in the remote barrio of Lazaro Cardenis. In several of our neighborhoods, we hold Bible Clubs on a weekly bases and are actively involved discipling young Mexican teens. Summer time is our time for camping and Vacation Bible School. In a city of more than two million we have our work cut out for us.

On the San Diego side of the border, we encourage youth groups, families and individuals to join us on our weekly workdays to help the poor in across the border. In more than twenty years we have taken thousands of different groups from a variety of churches and schools into Mexico with us to serve. These groups have come from all over the United States and Canada. By taking groups with us into our world, we afford them an opportunity to get a "hands-on missions experience." We endeavor to use our environment in Mexico to help us challenge our young guests to consider how they might make a difference in their world. We challenge them to review their values in light of their Christian faith. We challenge them toward missions.

Our address and telephone numbers are:

Spectrum Ministries
2610 Galveston Street
San Diego, California 92110

(619) 276-1385
(619) 276-4975 (Fax)

You can find our office on Google Maps by clicking here.

You find maps of locations of where we work by checking out this directory of SPECTRUM LOCATIONS.

You can get a bigger picture of our work locations by checking out this SINGLE MAP OF SPECTRUM LOCATIONS, which has been created and edited by Spectrum's staff and volunteers.

NOTE: The many images you will find throughout our site, offer snapshots of our ministries to the poor of Tijuana. As you can see, we are more people oriented than project oriented. Our ministry is people.