A Trip to Casa Hogar Eben Ezer Orphanatorio in Tijuana Mexico

It was a Friday afternoon that finally became our first chance to come down and visit this orphanage that was referred to Rick from D.I.F. (the Mexican social services dept.) as a place that may be able to use some assistance.

As were to soon find out they were correct and this place was one that could definetely use some T.L.C. care from folks to help with taking care of the 15 children now living in their 2 bedroom basement just off the free road going to Rosarito.

Come with us as we spend an afternoon at Casa Hogar Eben Ezer in Tijuana Mexico.

Photo: 2 girls from the orphanage study in the back "yard" section of the house. This is where they keep the desks for studying and doing homework.

Photo by Pacific Beach Online.com

Here is the Casa Hogar Eben Ezer Orphanage. The Casa Hogar section is the basement of this building and not the top floor which is shown here in the picture. "The basement is a 2 bedroom section which is currently home to about 18 people".

Photo by Pacific Beach Online.com

Here is the back of the building which is the home for Casa Hogar Eben Ezer and the 15 children, mainly girls, which they provide for.

Photo by Pacific Beach Online.com

Pastor Freddy and Sister Eva came from Guatemala over 15 years ago to begin ministry in the U.S. Eben-Ezer has always been a name very near and dear to Pastor Freddy's heart, which led to him naming his first church in the U.S. "Eben-Ezer" in Hollywood, CA. In January 2001, God led them to an already existing orphanage in Tijuana where they began serving about once a month, bringing food, donations and the Gospel. But it was in January of 2002 when God solidified a calling upon them to start another orphanage. Freddy and Eva took in a small group of about 7 kids & started full-time work caring for the young ones in a small apartment in the La Ezperanza area of Tijuana.

They immediately began educating the kids daily on the Word, feeding them and clothing them. This small group very soon began functioning like a family, with all of the structure that a family has. Freddy and Eva began instilling in each child solid Christian values, giving them a structure that they so desperately needed.

But, it wasn't very long before the need for a larger facility was very necessary. In April of 2002, their prayers were answered when the bottom section of a four-plex in a much better area opened up and they moved right away. It's located in the southern part of Tijuana, in the colony of Chula Vista.

(In Mexico, bigger cities are surrounded by smaller townships or "colonias")

This new home consisted of two separate units which were combined to make a much larger place to accomodate everyone comfortably.

A Big Change

That was how things were going up until a few months ago when the landlord of the building raised the rent and funds ran short for Eva and Freddie and they had to move out.

In addition to trying raise money to get into their "new temporary place", they also had to try to "relocate 12 children" somewhere else, since the "new temporary home" could only accomadate so many people. (which means some of these kids are on the streets right now).
Eva recounts how she is still going out bringing the children food and supplies until they can relocate to a larger facility and get them back into their full time care.

It has been very stressful for her and Eduardo and in addition to caring for all of these children they also cross into the USA to clean houses to help raise money for food and the many necassary supplies needed for the children.

Photo by Pacific Beach Online.com

This bedroom sleeps 9 people.
Each bed holds 2 children and someone else rolls out a sleeping bag in between the beds to take advantage of the floor space in between.

Photo by Pacific Beach Online.com

Here is a look at the living room, kitchen and dining area for the home.
The whole place the 17-18 people are living in is no more than 650 square feet total.

Despite the conditions the children and Eva still find time to laugh, have fun and be grateful for what little they have.

Photo by Pacific Beach Online.com

Right out the back door is where they set up the desks for the kids so they can stretch an electric cord to the typewriter.

Photo by Pacific Beach Online.com

Casa Hogar Ebe Ezer is the back and bottom section of this house.

Photo by Pacific Beach Online.com

When they first moved into this apartment, which they rent for $220.00 per month, there were no restroom areas.
Here is look at an outhouse which they had to build for the kids to use for getting cleaned up.

Photo by Pacific Beach Online.com

Photo by Pacific Beach Online.com

Photo by Pacific Beach Online.com

The living room area of the house.

Photo by Pacific Beach Online.com

Despite the fact that life has been very rough for Eva trying to care for these kids, she is still very hopeful that they will be able to get a new home and she can get back some more of the children they were taking care of at their larger home.

Photo by Pacific Beach Online.com

This woman who is now a full time caretaker, sleeps here on the couch.

Eva and Freddie found here living in cardboard boxes down the hill in a ravine whne they moved in.
Many children and senior citizens have problems making ends meet in the Tijuana Mexico area.

D.I.F. estimates that there are currently about 3,000 homeless children in the Tijuana Mexico area.

Photo by Pacific Beach Online.com

One of the little children at Casa Eben Ezer.

Photo by Pacific Beach Online.com

Photo by Pacific Beach Online.com

Photo by Pacific Beach Online.com

A look at the entrance area into the back of the house.

Photo by Pacific Beach Online.com

Photo by Pacific Beach Online.com

This is the kitchen area.

There are no cupboards and mainly a big table area used for holding utensils and boxes of cereal.

Photo by Pacific Beach Online.com

An outside shot of Casa Hogar Eben Ezer.

Photo by Pacific Beach Online.com

A look up into the Tijuana hills outside the house.

Photo by Pacific Beach Online.com

"I will keep my fingers crossed and hope we get a new home" said Eva as we left.

She was a strong lady who often went from happy to sad instantly when describing the situation they are in trying to care for these kids.

These are some very special people and anything you can do to make their lives a little easier is much appreciated.

They need money but almost never get cash donations. They are grateful for anything they can receive, but as a third party person looking at this situation I can tell you that any money you can spare from $5 to $5,000 can all be used and will be going to a good cause.

In a perfect world we could find folks or companies who could provide a monthly check to allow them some sort of normal life and not be scrambling like mad just to get the bills paid. Freddy is the pastor who lives with Eva and they try to cross into the USA 2-3 times a week to clean houses to help raise money for the children.

It is a very humble life to say the least.

Here is a quote from the Casas Eben Ezer website from Missionary, webmaster and volunteer for Casa Eben Ezer.

"An interesting dynamic of this family is that even though kids DO come and go, as is the nature of Mexico's Casa Hogar system (see F A Q section), visiting groups notice the children appear as though they have all grown up together, showing a cohesiveness that seems to blur the line between orphanage and lifelong family. It's not long before the new kids are getting along as though they have been there all their lives. This is a result of the environment that God has created through Pastor Freddy and Sister Eva. While this family is not without its problems, (each child comes to us with a unique but equally terrible past), The Power of Christ is in this place, and each child KNOWS he is loved. In closing, it was Freddy and Eva's vision to achieve these goals they believed to be absolutely necessary to make what would be called an orphanage actually operate as a very close, loving family:

Love the kids in Jesus' name.

- Set rules: a time to get up, a time to eat, a time to pray, a time to play, a time to learn, a time to share with each other, a time to go to bed.

- Establish and implement this structure with love, sensitivity, discretion, consistancy, strength, and caring, as led by the Holy Spirit's example as set in the Word.

So on we go into the future with the knowledge that God is with us, He loves us, He is in control, and with Him everything is possible!

"Con Dios, Todo es Posible!"

Dios te Bendiga!

Michael L. Rue

Webmaster and missionary

Photo by Pacific Beach Online.com

These kids are happy and grateful for what they have.
Here is a look at their classroom area outside of the basement of the house they live in.

Photo by Pacific Beach Online.com

A very nice American named Allan Tokanaga donated a box of new shirts and jackets for the kids.

Here Eva shows off one of the jackets.

Photo by Pacific Beach Online.com

The streets of Tijuana Mexico near Avenida Revalution

Photo by Pacific Beach Online.com

This huge arch marks the begining of Avenida Revalution, a street about 10 blocks long loaded with shops, bars, pharmacy's and restaurants.

This is the main tourist area in Tijuana.

Photo by Pacific Beach Online.com

Old people and children are often in the streets trying to collect money to survive.

Here a woman try's to sell "chicklets" gum to make enough money to take care of herself.

The elderly and the children in Mexico both have large numbers of people living in poverty.

Photo by Pacific Beach Online.com

Here Missionary Jesus Rodriguez talks with Rick about future plans to help raise money for the children of Tijuana and Rosarito.

Photo by Pacific Beach Online.com

Every street corner in Tijuana has a small grill that serves up tacos, burritos and all kinds of fresh salsas.

Photo by Pacific Beach Online.com

A look over the streets of Tijuana.

Photo by Pacific Beach Online.com

One of the many huge and oversized clubs on Revalution "Avenue".

This area is popular for kids from the USA because the drinking age is 18.

Photo by Pacific Beach Online.com

Photo by Pacific Beach Online.com

Here is more information on Casa Hogar Eben Ezer and their contact information if you can help with any donations.

Casa Hogar Eben Ezer Orphanatorio Website

Past Articles on Orphanages and Shelters for Children in Mexico

Article #1
We hear about a little orphanage outside Rosarito that is trying to support 22 kids on $400.00 per month. We find out that it is true and that these kids need some major help and support.
Trip #1 to the New Horizon Childrens Center in Rosarito Mexico

Article #2
The public kicks in and starts helping out. With the help of The Gringo Gazette newspaper publishing our article we go down and see amazing progress and assistance with the kids getting hot water, jackets, and badly needed clothing and blankets.
Rosarito Childrens Center Article #2

Article #3
We meet Beatrice Morales Kisor and her husband Oscar as they share the same story about getting started and we visit 2 other orphanges in Tijuana to see how they are doing.
Come with us as we deliver more donations and see how these to 20 year old kids took it upon themselves to try to help local children.
Meet Oscar and Beatrice Kisor from The New Horizon Ranch Childrens Center

Article #4
Christmas in a Tijauna and Rosarito orphanage.
We go down to meet other volunteers who have committed to assembling tons
of gifts and donations for a very merry Chrismas for over 50 homeless kids.
Christmas in a Tijuana and Rosarito Orphanage

Article #5
Are there other places like the New Horizon Childrens Center which are falling through the cracks barely able to feed kids?
We set out on our journey to visit every orphanage in Tijuana and Rosarito and make sure there are not other places falling through the cracks.
Our trip visiting more local Tijuana and Rosarito orphanages

Article #6
Meet Eduardo Mendez and see the orphanage he is trying to build to help get 50 little girls off the Tijuana streets.
A trip to the future home of Orphanatorio Emanuel for girls

Article #7
We visit Casa Hogar Eben Ezer in Tijuana and find 18 people living in the basement of a small house trying to make ends meet. Come see how Pastor Freddy and his wife Eva make the best of a situation which forced them out of their last home and how they keep hope for better things to come.
Casa Hogar Eben Ezer for Girls and Boys in Tijuana Mexico

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