CASA REDONDA

Church Partner: NewView Church | Stanwood, WA

Year opened: 1996

Average Attendance: 15-20

When the Casa Redonda neighborhood began, it was a squatter’s community that gathered directly atop the oil pipeline running through Mazatlán. “Casa Redonda” translates as Round House and the neighborhood is called this because it is located where the trains used to turn around many years ago. In fact, the trains still rumble through the neighborhood on a regular basis, making it quite a dangerous place to live. This danger leads to a feeling of despair that permeates the community there: people live in physical and emotional misery with no hope for any kind of improvement to their lives, education is not valued, it is very unsanitary, with both sewage and garbage draining directly into the river that runs alongside the train tracks. This makes it one of the hardest neighborhoods to spread hope, but that is exactly what the feeding center does: it is a refuge and oasis for everyone who comes through the door and many lives have been transformed there.

MEET THE LEADERS

When the sponsorship program at GO started about 10 years ago, a couple of brothers named Fernando and Sergio were some of the first kids in the program. After a couple of years, when Fernando was around 12, he and Sergio asked the feeding center leaders at the time, if they could go to church with them. Of course the answer was yes. Fernando really liked learning about Jesus at the feeding center, and wanted to know more. Fernando’s parents, Don Chuy and Leti, were not believers, but they liked what the feeding center was doing for their kids. After Fernando had been attending church for a few years, Don Chuy and Leti, began attending church with their sons and gave their lives to Christ. Fernando now plays the guitar for worship and they attend as a family. Sergio walked away from faith and is struggling, but the family has hope for the Lord’s redemptive work in his life. Fernando and Sergio’s oldest brother Gerardo, had attended the feeding center as a child, but wandered a bit in his faith. A few years ago, Gerardo was in a terrible motorcycle accident and nearly died. During that time, he decided he needed to make changes in his life and now he is also a member of the church, living his life for the lord. Several years ago, Don Chuy and Leti, along with Fernando stepped in and began leading the feeding center after a transition in leadership. They love being a part of the ministry sharing God’s love and support with the people in the neighborhood. This family has been transformed by God’s love through the feeding center ministry. What a gift to have one of the kids who grew up attending the feeding center, now be a leader!