NEWSLETTER: FEBRUARY, 2006

Years ago, speaking in the Tijuana children's jail, we discovered that these kids were rather dirty. They had many sores on their bodies and that their feet were full of a fungus we call "athletes foot." They had to keep their tennis shoes on day and night to keep others from stealing them. After speaking to them, we would work with those who needed medical help.

That hand full of boys had grown to forty and fifty at a time.

Washing, caring for and working with their dirty feet seemed to produce an integrity in our ministry there.

The group seemed to bond with us because we cared for them. When we teach, they voluntarily come to us and listen well.

On one important occasion Jesus came to His disciples and washed their dirty feet. Starting with their feet He went directly to their heart. Somehow this humble principle even works with inmates.

Recently we were asked by the administration if we would help buy a light, inexpensive common shoe that each inmate could wear. Looking at the fact that some boys have rather nice tennies, while most wear old beat up tennies and some are even barefoot, we thought it would be a good investment, a good testimony to the administration and good hygiene for the kids. It seems that federal and state money falls short, very, when it comes to prisons. (Photo one.)

Boy, what we went through to get this photo! Talk about bureaucracy, between the guards' rules on no cameras or phones inside the prison and the social services rules against photos of kids' faces, it was uphill all the way. How often I would like to really show you our work at the jail; it's indeed impressive, we are guests and we will honor the system!

Tomorrow Juan and I will be starting at 1pm to go through more than 300 inmates checking for scabies, sores. and athletes foot. We will have to have a load of medicine . It's worth it to maintain their respect. Hearing and seeing the Gospel is so much more impressive than just hearing it.

Each kid wears a gray cotton jumpsuit with dark blue cotton washable shoes. These inmates range in age from 10 to 17. Most of these kids come from the Tijuana area. A few come from south Mexico and even from time to time Guatemala.

Their crimes range from loitering, drugs, stealing, possession of a gun to rape and murder. Ironically, a disturbing-percent of the younger boys are in for rape and molestation. Would you believe as young as ten?

These are the troublemakers for which society has no sympathy with or time for.

These kids above are more than shoes, they have a face, a heart, a need for love.

Father? Who's he?

Just a reminder that this is just one of a dozen ongoing ministries Spectrum has with the children and teens of Tijuana's very poor. A sincere thanks for your help in making it happen!

For all of us here at Spectrum, von