Psalm 34
THANK YOU FOR HEARING THE CRY OF THE POOR. You made Christmas a time of 
JOY for our brothers and sisters in Christ who endure harsh poverty in the dumps of Tijuana.
1600 families came via many bus lines or on foot from the hills and dumps to receive their gifts this year, in a four-day shift, to accommodate smaller crowds. Some arrived the night before and camped out in the cold street. Humble men and women stood in line for hours to receive a bag of beans, rice, oatmeal, sugar, tuna, canned milk, and fruit. They were thrilled and grateful to receive this food and the other gifts.
The mission of the Casa is to glorify God through the works of mercy. The people did indeed glorify God and the Holy Family by their thankfulness and joy as they happily, and many tearfully received their food, blankets, and a toy or a ball.
A breakfast of cocoa and hot cinnamon buns was served to those waiting in line to receive the gifts. The patio was decorated for Christmas, and a live manger scene was created by bringing 2 or 3 animals from the City of Mercy Mental Hospital in Rosarita Beach.
COVID didn’t dampen the joy of Christmas
The people enjoy the fellowship and comfort that the Casa offers, although this is 
abated somewhat due to crowd restrictions. Due to the COVID virus, organizing and distributing the Christmas gifts this year was extremely difficult and more costly due to special packaging requirements. So far, no Virus has been detected at the Casa! They are very careful. Th Sisters and people are grateful from the bottom of their hearts for your support, and they regularly pray for your intentions.
Most of us have NO IDEA what it is like to live the way these people must live. They were sincerely grateful for these simple gifts, happy to share with others and to enjoy this festive Happy Eay at the Casa with their friends and the Sisters. To the men, women, and children who come to the Casa, it is “home” and represents a refuge, security and love. “O God, you are my strength.”
Thank you for your generosity
Your generosity provided 1600 bags of special food, a new blanket for 1600 families, and toys. In December, we received $73,115 from regular and intermittent donors for both monthly and Christmas help. We received $149,497 from our November and December appeal letter, which included $50,000 from a special donor. The Christmas letter gave us $99,497 and many of these donations were from All Hallows Church parishioners. We also received checks from several Foundations, among them the M. House Foundation. Many thanks to everyone!
Our check to Sister Armida this month will buy MORE BLANKETS (it is COLD in the hills), food and essentials for January. Words cannot convey how much we appreciate your generous giving, your love and dedication to the poor in Tijuana who come to the Casa.
The Sisters will be delivering more blankets, food, and some tarps and toys to several outlying Colonias that they help on a regular basis. The nights these last few weeks have been bitterly cold. We could especially use donations of:
- Tarps, extra blankets, caps, socks, and mittens
The need is never ending, as you know by now, because you are such generous givers! The Franciscan Sisters have been serving the destitute in Tijuana since 1957 through their soup kitchen, bodega, roperia, medical clinic, and social service office. They reach thousands each week through their apostelate of LOVE — serving JESUS in the poor.
We have NO overhead, just minimal fees from PayPal and credit card donations.
DECEMBER 2020 Report
- 25,200 people received handouts of food daily
- 1,130 general medical clinic, specialists’ consultations, and prescriptions filled
- 24 scholarship aids
We pray for you in gratitude and wishes for a Blessed New Year