As the wind swept fire through their mobile home in September of 2006, the Peña family didn’t have time to save any belongings. Alma Peña said, "The most important thing was getting the kids out. The boys didn't even have their shoes on." They watched as what little they had burned to the ground including the dress for their daughter’s quinceañera, or 15th birthday party, which was just three days away.
They had no homeowners insurance. Assistance from local agencies was limited, in part due to the family’s inability to speak English and navigate the bureaucracy. The property on which the trailer was set, a car salvage yard, belonged to Mr. Peña’s employer. After the fire, the family moved into the salvage yard’s office, a one-room space with a bathroom (no shower or tub) and no running water. They lived in that space for almost two years.
Hector Peña works as a car mechanic and only earns about $300 per week. While trying to supply the needs of a family of five on this meager salary, Hector used as much money as possible to buy materials to build a new home, one 2X4 at a time. He started building on a lot paid for by donations from the community.
Las Tierras Community Church, a BEAMM church plant led by Manuel Padilla, had been praying for God’s direction in starting mercy outreach and community development ministry in the “colonia” of Montana Vista just outside the Eastern limits of the City of El Paso. A “colonia” is an unincor-porated community that springs up with little or no public services.
Las Tierras Church and BEAMM pulled together resources and volunteers from the community and PCA churches throughout the country to do an Extreme Makeover type project to finish the Peña’s home last summer.
Our family’s focus is to lay the ground work for a Spanish speaking church in Montana Vista. Jeff has been forming relationships and scouting out the opportunities for service. He and Manuel Padilla lead a Spanish Bible study in the Peña home on Sunday nights. It is a joy to see the Peña’s grow in their knowledge of God and his Word and begin to help others know him as well.
They had no homeowners insurance. Assistance from local agencies was limited, in part due to the family’s inability to speak English and navigate the bureaucracy. The property on which the trailer was set, a car salvage yard, belonged to Mr. Peña’s employer. After the fire, the family moved into the salvage yard’s office, a one-room space with a bathroom (no shower or tub) and no running water. They lived in that space for almost two years.
Hector Peña works as a car mechanic and only earns about $300 per week. While trying to supply the needs of a family of five on this meager salary, Hector used as much money as possible to buy materials to build a new home, one 2X4 at a time. He started building on a lot paid for by donations from the community.
Las Tierras Community Church, a BEAMM church plant led by Manuel Padilla, had been praying for God’s direction in starting mercy outreach and community development ministry in the “colonia” of Montana Vista just outside the Eastern limits of the City of El Paso. A “colonia” is an unincor-porated community that springs up with little or no public services.
Las Tierras Church and BEAMM pulled together resources and volunteers from the community and PCA churches throughout the country to do an Extreme Makeover type project to finish the Peña’s home last summer.
Our family’s focus is to lay the ground work for a Spanish speaking church in Montana Vista. Jeff has been forming relationships and scouting out the opportunities for service. He and Manuel Padilla lead a Spanish Bible study in the Peña home on Sunday nights. It is a joy to see the Peña’s grow in their knowledge of God and his Word and begin to help others know him as well.
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