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Topic: Humanitarian Maria Ruiz: 'I couldn't just cross my arms and turn away' (Read 1483 times)
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IBMMuseum
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Hero Member
Posts: 1631
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'I couldn't just cross my arms and turn away'
http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/04/17/heroes.ruiz/index.html
EL PASO, Texas (CNN) -- El Paso native Maria Ruiz knows firsthand how different life can be a mere 30-minute drive south of her Texas home.
The sight of families living in homes made of wooden pallets pushed Maria Ruiz into action.
"Just by crossing the border, you're in a Third World country," Ruiz said.
For 12 years, she's traveled several times a week to the outskirts of Juarez, Mexico, bringing aid to hundreds of impoverished children and their families.
Ruiz's family has roots in Juarez, but it wasn't until 1996 that she ventured outside the city.
There, for the first time, she saw poverty in the extreme. People lived in homes made of wooden pallets. The elementary school was built of makeshift materials and had no running water or electricity. Teachers told her that many children were failing because they were hungry.
"My heart went out to those kids," Ruiz recalled. "I couldn't just cross my arms and turn away from it. I needed to do something."
Ruiz got donations from El Paso businesses, and within one week, she was running a food program out of her home. She cooked meals in her kitchen and drove the food south to the Juarez school.
She fed approximately 1,200 children every day for three and a half years, until the businesses she depended on for donations shut down in 1999.
But that didn't stop Ruiz from helping the children in Juarez. Now, working with her husband and two children, she gathers donations from around El Paso -- food, clothing, toys, even furniture -- and distributes them at local "giveaways" a couple of times a month.
This is no easy task. The Mexican government charges customs fees when large amounts of goods are brought across the border. To avoid this, Ruiz makes several trips every week.
"You bring the stuff little by little, like the ants," she said.
Although the trip south can be just 30 minutes, long lines coming back into the U.S. mean the return trip can take a couple of hours. On top of that, Juarez is at the center of a drug war, so Ruiz needs to take precautions to ensure her safety. But for her, helping kids in need is worth the effort.
"When you make a child smile," she said, "it's awesome."
Although conditions have improved, most families that Ruiz helps still live in poverty, so the Ruiz family has plans to do even more.
They're building a community kitchen with space to feed 500, an orphanage for 100 residents and a trade school. They work on the complex every weekend, and although there's more to do, they're hoping to be open this summer.
The very thought of seeing the orphanage up and running makes Ruiz smile. Watch Ruiz describe how she's helping turn a hill into a haven »
"It'll be a dream come true when it happens," she said. "I pray that it is soon."
Strong religious beliefs help keep Ruiz motivated, and her family's efforts are part of their ministry, called JEM (Jesus es Mana) Ministries. Their Juarez complex even includes a small sanctuary where her husband preaches every Sunday. But Ruiz stresses that they're happy to help anyone, regardless of their beliefs.
"We are open to the community as a whole," she said. "It's equal for everybody."
Ruiz says the children have kept her coming back to Juarez. When she reflects on her work, she doesn't consider herself a hero.
"I know I can do much more."
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« Last Edit: April 18, 2008, 12:40:09 PM by IBMMuseum »
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SenorGuapo
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Posts: 635
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I know a guy who was doing this in TJ. He started off helping an orphanage on weekends. Eventually he took over the place, quit his job and works full time helping people using the orphanage as a base. His contacts in San Diego provide funding, supplies and references for volunteer dentists, optomitrists and pediatricians.
Check it out: http://www.colinadeluz.org/
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mongo
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It bothers me how these guys go to "spread the message of Christ" to Mexico, 95% Catholic.
Check the site, they use 4 hours a day to "devotional activities". What is that? Protestant values in exchange for a dental exam?
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tony_cheek
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Yes, Evangelicals have the twisted idea that they're right, and everyone else is wrong.
The ones I hate are the ones running around talking about the wonderful relationship they have with "MY GOD," as if the Alpha and Omega, the Author of All Nature, was some kind of lap dog.
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bob1388
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It bothers me how these guys go to "spread the message of Christ" to Mexico, 95% Catholic.
Check the site, they use 4 hours a day to "devotional activities". What is that? Protestant values in exchange for a dental exam?
No, about 20% of Mexicans are evangelicals now, a growing trend in Latin America.
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mongo
Guest
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No, about 20% of Mexicans are evangelicals now, a growing trend in Latin America.
Well, it says less than 10% here
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mx.html
but it might be old data.
Anyway, I guess good deeds are good deeds, regardless of the agenda.
Mexico has a curious history regarding Catholicism. Until only a couple of years ago, they were the most secular State on earth. Priests were practically second-class citizens (barred from own property, take part in politics, etc).
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SenorGuapo
Global Moderator
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Posts: 635
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Maria Ruiz is being honored again by CNN. She's been named one of the top ten heroes of 2008.
Top 10
You can vote for her at this link: http://heroes.cnn.com/
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« Last Edit: October 09, 2008, 07:46:27 AM by SenorGuapo »
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IBMMuseum
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Voted...
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tony_cheek
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Their site's taking a long time to load (probably paultards spamming.)
I'll check in later.
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IBMMuseum
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Posts: 1631
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Family who lives to help gets reward
By Daniel Borunda and Adriana M. Chávez / El Paso Times
Posted: 01/12/2009 11:54:30 PM MST
http://www.elpasotimes.com/ci_11440051
EL PASO -- An El Paso family noted for charitable work in the shanty towns of Juárez will be getting a new home as part of the "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" television reality show.
Maria Ruiz, who late last year was named one of the Top 10 CNN Heroes of 2008 for a ministry that helps orphans in impoverished Juárez colonias, and her family were selected for the construction of a new house.
On Monday morning, construction hunk Ty Pennington and the rest of the crew of ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" show knocked on the door of the Ruiz family's Lower Valley home in what family members described as a blessing.
Crew members and volunteers will tear down the Ruiz home, replacing it with a bigger, better home within seven days in the 800 block of Los Lagos in the Lower Valley. The Ruiz family was selected out of five finalists and 300 applicants.
"That American dream that we had since we got married (was) to have a home of our own. Now, we will actually have a home," said Maria Ruiz in a news conference on the street outside her two-story gray-brick home.
Maria, her husband, Jesus, and children, Elizabeth, 19, and Jesus Jr., 12, will be sent on vacation Tuesday to the Atlantis Resort in Paradise Island, Bahamas, while their new home is built.
"I felt like I was dreaming," said Jesus Ruiz, a broad smile on his face. "I am still walking on clouds."
Multiple trailers and tents, rows of portable flood lights and streets blocked by security fill the middle-class neighborhood off Lee Trevińo Drive. Neighbors said they had been previously notified of the potential project.
The Ruiz family was nominated by "Sandy," a missionary worker from Ohio who traveled to El Paso to help the family in their mission to help needy families in Juárez, stated a news release by El Paso city officials. Sandy Horine of Cincinnati had nominated Maria Ruiz for the CNN heroism award.
In 1996, Maria and Jesus Ruiz started a charitable foundation, JEM (Jesus Es Mana) Ministries, with the goal of feeding and clothing families and orphans in Juárez colonias.
Inspiration was sparked when Maria Ruiz drove to her aunt's home in a colonia where homes had walls made of cardboard and wooden pallets, plastic took the place of glass on windows and bedsheets substituted for doors.
"I said, 'Aunt, why didn't you tell us anything?" Maria Ruiz recalled in Spanish. "She said, 'Don't worry about me. If you want to help someone, go to the school.' "
"We went to the school," Maria Ruiz said. "At the school, it was a terrible situation. There was no water. No electricity. No drainage. None of the utilities and that's where they were teaching.
"To see all this, it touched my heart," Maria Ruiz said. "I couldn't pretend I hadn't seen anything, covering my eyes."
Helping the needy became the family's priority but it meant neglecting construction on their own home, whose living room is used to store donations. The ministry's goal is build an orphanage for 100 children and a community kitchen to feed 500.
The Ruiz home is unfinished with visible plywood floors and incomplete dry wall, a city news release stated. The structure of the home is also tilting, giving the appearance that the home is caving in on itself. The family doesn't have heat and the home has sustained water damage.
The house is scheduled to be demolished Wednesday before an army of constructions workers begins its task.
The construction project is massive with about 2,500 volunteer workers who on Thursday start a 24-hour schedule in a confined space on the residential block, said Steve Power, marketing director for Desert View Homes which is building the house.
"We have to build it in 106 hours. The timetable is very aggressive," Power said.
The completed and furnished home is scheduled to be revealed Monday. The Ruiz family will get a new 3,800 square-foot, two-story home built with two kitchens, three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a large living room, a storage facility and a truck to make daily deliveries, city officials said. Estimated value of the improvements is between $400,000 and $500,000.
Spectators will be allowed near the site Thursday to cheer the volunteers. All volunteers and spectators are asked to donate one or more cans of food for the Ruiz family's food bank.
City officials estimated the TV show's economic impact in El Paso at $80,000 a day, or $800,000 over the project's 10 days.
Sylvia Martinez, who has lived across the street from the Ruiz family for about 10 years, said the small dead-end block is abuzz with excitement.
"They are very good people and they help people in need," Martinez said. "I know it's a gift from God to thank them for having helped a lot of children."
Daniel Borunda may be reached at dborunda@elpasotimes.com; 546-6102.
Adriana M. Chávez may be reached at achavez@elpasotimes.com; 546-6117.
'Extreme' itinerary
Tuesday: No spectators allowed. Furniture move-out and construction prep.
Wednesday: No spectators allowed. "Braveheart march" of workers and demolition of the home.
Thursday: Spectators allowed 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Framing of the new house.
Friday: Spectators allowed 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Construction continues. Exterior features added.
Saturday: Spectators allowed 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Construction continues. Backyard prep and landscaping.
Sunday: Spectators allowed 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Desert View Homes turns keys over to the crew of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." Designers move in furniture and decorating begins. Exterior and interior are cleaned in preparation for Reveal Day.
Monday: "Move That Bus" day. All spectators are asked to arrive beginning at 8 a.m. to watch the design team welcome the Ruiz family into their new home. Spectators are asked to bring positive signs welcoming the family. The Ruiz family is scheduled to arrive between 2 and 3 p.m.
Spectator parking will be at Abundant Living Faith Center, 1000 Valley Crest off Gateway East. Shuttles will transport visitors to build site.
Information: www.desertviewhomes.com.
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RevPMC
Full Member
Posts: 114
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Voted also.
Speaking of religion. There is not a week goes by that the holy roller, Testigos Jehovah are in the neighborhood banging on doors and thrusting their literature on whoever will take it. Much of the time when we run them off, they stick the "Watchtower' in the security bars or under the windshield of our cars.
Then off they go in their white shirts and skinny black ties to push their religion on others.
What really ranks my ass though are the do gooder Baptists from Alabama and Arkansas, (we see these two states constantly) coming down to the border in their church vans on a "mission"! They pull their u-hauls full of America's discarded junk and sanctimoniously pass it out to all the "poor heathens" of Mexico.
And then they go back to their dull little lives, smugly feeling good about themselves and pitying the poor peasants they left behind.
And what do these "poor peasants" do the next day? The junks for sell in Los Pulgas! After all, the proud Mexicans don't want the garbage either.
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mongo
Guest
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I agree, there is something inherently creepy in those white shirts and bicycles ...
But, you know, what? If people want to feel good about themselves and cross the border with near worthless donations, let them.
Misled, sanctimonious, cheap, but essentially a good deed.
Like a famous president from my country used to say: "Eat their barbecue, and then vote for me!".
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ALIPAC - American-Latino Immigrants Proudly Assisting the Community
