St. Paul's 2006 Trip Photo

St. Joseph’s Home for Children - by Rusty Gideon

The news from St. Joseph’s continues to be very positive. We have made one administrative trip and two Capstone Missions trips to Tijuana since our last Newsletter; each time the outlook seems brighter. What strikes team members on every trip is the reality that St. Joseph’s is truly a “home,” not just an orphanage. Sisters Maria Elena and Monserrat are rearing these thirteen children in a home, not an institution. The growth and development of the children is proof of the love found there.

The buildings and grounds of St. Joseph’s visibly improve with each visit. Between our Mission trips and occasional contractor work hired by Sr Maria Elena, it is hard to tell that St. Joseph’s is the same place we first saw several years ago. The recent trips found us painting inside and out, improving some plumbing and woodwork. Next on Sr. Maria Elena’s agenda is to redo linoleum floors and begin further painting in the upstairs rooms. Taking care of all those kids is still a 25-hour-a-day job for the Sisters, but the living conditions are no longer a major concern.

Two of the younger boys are in public school. The others attend Catholic schools. Evening around St. Joseph’s find the Sisters devoting as much time as possible to assisting with homework and creating an atmosphere conducive to quiet study. They know that education is the real key to these kids’ futures. Somehow, they find time to drive several of the children to ballet and karate classes, as well. It reminds us of the crammed evenings US soccer moms endure back home. All in all, Capstone is exceedingly proud to support a home that is devoted to the well being of a group of children who would have had almost no chance of a decent future without the dedication of these two wonderful Sisters.

Great news for the New Year!

In December Bob Fritsch and Chuck Skoro approached a man who has been very generous with other charities in the past and asked him to consider a donation to Capstone Missions. He asked about the mission of the organization and the sorts of needs we had. He also talked about recent changes in the federal tax law that made it advantageous for him to donate before December 31, 2005. He asked for an assurance that if he donated to the organization we would not reduce our efforts to raise money for St. Joseph's. Before he left the meeting he assured Bob and Chuck that he would be making a sizable donation; he just needed to check with his wife. On Christmas Eve after Mass he handed Chuck a check for $40,000. At its upcoming retreat, the board will discuss how to use the donation best.