Esperanza Update – March 18, 2010
Hi Friends,
I’ve printed for you the update from Esperanza regarding the current “Travel Warning”. I am publishing the following trip update in the Sunday Bulletin as well.
Mission to Mexico Update
As you have probably heard in the news, the US State Department has raised the Travel Advisory for several areas of Mexico to a “Warning” status. While most of the violence is centered in Juarez (736 miles away), there are now five Mexican cities that have a “Warning Status” including Tiuana. The Board President of Esperanza just made a special trip from Seattle, WA to Tijuana to asses the situation. After consultation with Esperanza staff and local authorities, the determination is that risk for the average person is minimal and that violence has in fact decreased in Tijuana over the past 12 months. While we are currently planning on fulfilling our commitment to work with the needy families of Mexico (April 10th – 20th), we will continue to asses the safety of doing so. If it is deemed unsafe to travel, we will change our plans. During these troubling times, please pray for the families of Mexico and for those who are planning on participating on the trip. For more info, visit the Bethel Youth Website (www.blcyouth.com) and read the entire letter from Esperanza. Also, please contact me if you have any questions.
Peace, Tom Hoegel
Youth Director
408-252-8500 X113
th----@------.net
Esperanza International Security Update:
Dear Esperanza Group Leaders,
We realize the growing concerns of the security risks in Mexico.
I will begin by stating that, as a staff and through our own investigations, we have no reason to believe that the violence will affect foreign volunteer groups in Tijuana. In our 23 years of operation and upwards for 1,400 volunteers from the United States a year, we have never had a violent situation occur. Our volunteers are the top priority of our organization, and our staff is from Tijuana, knows Tijuana and keep volunteers out of any areas in which conflict has occurred. While we can never promise safety, I will ensure to you that we take the situation of volunteer safety very seriously and take precautions to keep volunteers in large groups, in safe areas and among populations that know our organization and its mission.
The violence that has generated this most recent state report is a tragic incident that took place in Ciudad Juarez- over 736 miles away from Tijuana and two states away from the state that the volunteers will be working. The murder of a US employee of the US consulate and her husband is unfortunate but in no way indicative of the security situation in Tijuana or the entire state of Baja California. The border region is often generalized and Tijuana is lumped into statistics and reports that include the instability of the cities south of Texas, including Ciudad Juarez.
Please rest assured that should the situation in Tijuana become precarious for volunteer groups- we will contact group leaders and participants immediately. At this time, the areas that we work and reside- the small neighborhoods that surround the city of Tijuana to the south- have not been impacted by the insecurity with which Mexico is struggling. Violence continues to be concentrated between drug traffickers, law enforcement and those actively speaking out against the drug cartels.
Esperanza Board Member, Jan Kline, has spent the past few days speaking with Esperanza staff and local Tijuana officials to fully assess the situation. All conversations have affirmed our understanding that the risk for the average person is minimal and that violence has, in fact decreased in Tijuana over the past 12 months. According to Chief of Staff for the Attorney, Generals Office for Tijuana, Baja California “16,000 Americans live in Rosarito..and the number continues to grow, and 50,000 people cross the border daily.” He adds that police in Tijuana are actually trained in 10 US cities including Seattle and Vancouver BC.
It is important that we all have open communication. We will be open with groups and volunteers and continue to be in contact. Please don’t hesitate to contact us. We ask that all participants know that risks exist in travel but Esperanza commits to do all that is possible to ensure a safe experience. In the same way, we ask that group leaders are open with participants regarding the new warning issued by the state department regarding risks in Mexico. http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_4755.html
Please let me know if you have any additional questions, comments or concerns. Feel free call or email me at the contact information below.
Sincerely,
Aimee Khuu
Esperanza International
(206) 228-2082
es----@------.com
www.esperanzaint.org