Hi Friends,
it is 8am on Saturday, April 10th and we’re off to share of ourselves with families and friends south of the Border. Please keep us in your prayers and check the youth website for daily updates.
Peace, Tom

Hi Friends
Just a little note from Rayanne Gustlin, Kyle’s mom after his return from a week in Mexico with Bellarmine High. Nice to hear some first hand news.
Peace, Tom

“Kyle just got back yesterday from his Tijuana trip. He had a great time and said he felt really safe. The earthquake didn’t seem to affect them at all (he didn’t even fall off the roof he was working on). Another point of reference if any of the BLC parents are nervous about the trip.”

Hi CG’ers,
Here’s the announcements for last Monday the 5th.
Enjoy, Tom
P.S. Come join us tonight (5:30pm) as we leave for dinner at Holder’s ($10) and a discussion of your choosing after at 7:15pm.

April 5, 2010 Common Ground Announcements (103.6 KiB)

Hi Friends,
I just got off the phone with Eduardo (our Esperanza Coordinator) and the word is that the earthquake was relatively gentle on Tijuana. The bulk of damage in Mexico was in the town of Mexicali. Tijuana is also experiencing relative calm related to violence, unlike what is being portrayed in the media.

We are continuing to hold safety as a paramount concern as we travel this coming week. Please keep us in your prayers, not only for safety, but also that all hearts will be open to experiencing God in a new way through the relationships we will build with our friends to the south.

If you are a participant and/or parent and have any concerns, please contact me and I’d love to chat. You can email me at th----@------.net or call me on my cell at 408-309-9975.

On a related note, please bring all forms and as much money as you’ve raised so far to Bethel tonight between 7:15 and 9:00 pm. Please make checks payable to Bethel Lutheran Church. I need your stuff!

Peace, Tom

Hi Friends,
I want to let you know that at the present time we are still planning on embarking on our 2010 Mission to Mexico Trip April 10th – 14th. I have attached the latest information out of Tijuana. Make sure to read the articles and check the links. We will continue to monitor the situation and if we find that it is too dangerous to go, we will cancel the trip to Mexico and look for some other servant opportunities. I also want to pass on the word from the van rental company as told to Paul Baldwin: “In the last 5 weeks, they have sent 15 vans per week to Mexico and none of the groups had any incidents.” Please continue to pray for peace throughout the world, especially Mexico.
Peace, Tom Hoegel

Dear Esperanza Groups,

Although the media attention regarding security along the border region continues to remain grim, Esperanza groups continue to enjoy enriching, life changing, safe experiences in Tijuana. The link below provides video testimonies from our most recent volunteer group from Western Washington University. We understand the great difficulty the travel warning presents to group leaders, volunteers and parents alike, however, we still do not find reason to believe that U.S. volunteer groups have any reason to feel at risk in working with Esperanza. Below is a list of reasons why we believe this that you may also want to share with volunteers and family of all participants.

There have not been any acts of violence against U.S. volunteer groups in Mexico. In over 20 years of working in Tijuana, never have Esperanza volunteers experienced a dangerous situation that has put them in harms way.
Our staff knows the neighborhoods and city of which we work. They know the areas of concern, take security matters seriously and are familiar with our organization’s security procedures. Should our staff believe that it is unsafe for volunteer groups to be in Tijuana, group leaders will be the first to be contacted.
Our facility and communities in which we work are located outside of Tijuana proper and at no time is it necessary to travel in or through downtown Tijuana or to areas outside of the communities that we work.

Our executive director Josefina Pataky and Esperanza board member Gilda Vilaplano, met with the US consul general Stephan Kashkett in Tijuana this past week to get his take on the security situation. He expressed his frustration that Tijuana has been lumped into the statistics of the border region when it is clear that the violence to which the media refers is “primarily taking place in Juarez and Reynosa while the perception is that the warning is for the whole border region”. His sentiment echoes our own and that of the people in Tijuana who are being affected by this negative press. The current warning is in affect until April 12th and we are hopeful that there will be a reassessment at that time.

We continue to stay vigilant regarding all matters of security and will remain open and transparent with groups.

Thank you for the dedication you all have to our programs. We know the incredible effort it takes to create Esperanza groups, especially during this time. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if there is information that would be helpful or supportive.

Sincerely,
Aimee Khuu

Testimony from recent volunteer groups- 4/2/2010
Western Washington University

Security letter to volunteer groups- 3/19/2010

http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs089/1102586872221/archive/1103211473076.html

Interview with Hugo Salinas, Chief of Staff for the Office of the Attorney General of Tijuana

http://esperanzaint.org/aboutus_tjsafety.html

Other online resources:

http://www.bajainsider.com/baja-california-travel/mexico-travel-warning.htm

http://www.bajainsider.com/baja-california-travel/images/torresletter.JPG

http://www.petethomasoutdoors.com/2010/01/rosarito-beach.html

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/ahead-spring-break-state-dept-issues-travel-alert/story?id=9956535

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/feb/20/travel-alert-hitting-city-in-wallet-mayor-says/

–
Aimee Khuu
Esperanza Registrar
206-228-2082
es----@------.com
www.esperanzaint.org

Sooo there’s lots going on this week as we prepare for EASTER!!!!!

NO Sr. High Fellowship tomorrow!!!!!

Maundy Thursday Service @ 7
Good Friday Service @ noon & 7

Easter Sunday:

Sunrise Service 6 AM (I know you’re all so excited about this!!!) @ Memorial Park

Also, we’re serving breakfast for the congregation from 8 – 11 am. If you signed up to help make sure you’re there! If you still want to sign up or if you can’t make it anymore for some reason let us know ASAP pleaseeee.

Hope to see you all there!!!

Paigeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Happy Holy Week Friends,
Here’s a pdf of the Announcements for tonight’s Common Ground. An additional note: If it looks like it might be raining on Sunday, feel free to call me on my cell (408-309-9975) to get an update.
Peace, Tom
March 29, 2010 CG Announcements (103.7 KiB)

Hi Friends,
Here’s the Announcements Page from Common Ground last Monday.
Peace, Tom
March 22, 2010 CG Announcements (104.2 KiB)

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

Tonight we’ll be having a wonderful St. Patty’s Day celebration at the Emmert’s. Leave at 5:30 and be back around 8:30. If you haven’t already signed up make sure to do so, so we know how much food is going to be needed!! DON’T FORGET TO WEAR YOUR GREEN CLOTHING!!!

- PAIGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-