September 12, 2012: 35 pallets of rice and vegetable meals arrived in Mexico after several weeks of obtaining a clearance from Mexico City. The distributions are now taking place and are being overseen by Root International. Churches in Juarez are helping the needy in the communities. These 272,160 meals will help this area and bring some hope to the hopeless.

Mexico: A Time to Help Our Neighbors

Reaching Mexico has been difficult in the past due to strict border regulations. Instead of being able to take a semi-truckload of food into Mexico, smaller loads would have to be carried over individually, making the task tedious and time-consuming. Thanks to the efforts of our partners, that wasn’t the case in 2011.

In 2012, we provided food for two feeding programs in Mexico. Normally there are strict regulations about taking food across in large amounts, and it has been difficult to reach those in need. Thanks to the efforts of Root International and Jerusalem Evangelical Ministries, we were able to get clearances for rice/vegetable meals, dehydrated vegetable soup, assorted foods, vitamins, dried peaches and nectarines to cross the border in large amounts. The total amount of food and vitamins provided for these outreaches are over 160,000 pounds.

Some of the provisions were sent to people living near Juarez, which has become unstable and extremely violent since the government has failed to keep control of the city. A third of the population has left the city and 10,000 children have been orphaned. The food was distributed to schools, orphanages, feeding outreaches and churches.

Additional provisions were sent to the region of San Luis in Sonora, Mexico. One group who received food was a desert community. The people there live in make-shift shelters, have little or no access to electricity and must boil what water is available before they can consume it. To receive any sort of education, the children must walk a great distance to the city. The food was much needed as one report told that as the distribution of the food began, children came forward asking for bread or any sort of nourishment. “Fortunately, by the Grace of the Lord, and the precious partnering organizations, we had something nutritious for them and their families to eat.”