Hands of Hope
Manos de Esperanza
a ministry of Ave Maria Catholic Church - Parker, Colorado
San Alfonso Mission
Watch the Video - "A Dream Becomes Reality"
History of the Mission
At a time in life when many people are pursuing their retirement dreams, Father Stan is pursuing more new projects to help the poorest of Juarez’s poor. After 25 years at the San Alfonso Mission, he continues to work at a pace that would exhaust people half his age.
Father Stan Martinka, the founder of San Alfonso Mission, grew up in Minnesota, and studied at St. Thomas from 1946 to 1950 where he earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and biology, as well as a place in their athletic Hall of fame. He then went on to earn a master’s degree in education. He taught and coached at a local school before enlisting in the Air Force. He then studied at St. Paul Seminary and was ordained in 1961. After a year at Holy Rosary parish in Mankato, he headed to Guatemala where he started a mission in San Lucas Toliman, which is still flourishing. He spent a couple years there and then went on to spend the next 11 years as an Army Chaplin. His last stop as Chaplin was at Fort Bliss located just across the Rio Grande from Juarez. God had lead him to exactly where he was to carry out the next step in his journey and share the true love and compassion of Christ.
San Alfonso was started in 1975, with money Father Stan had saved as a Chaplin. When he went to the bank to set up the Mission account they needed a name; Father Stan’s mothers name was Maria which was a common name in Mexico, but his fathers name was Alpnonse, so it began, San Alfonso Mission.
Father Stan continued with the Army Reserve until retirement so he could use his Reserve pay and his pension to help support the Mission.
This beautiful story and devotion has been going on for over 25 years, and shows how Father Stan Martinka has blended his background as a priest, teacher, sociologist, track star, handyman and beggar. He sees the greatest human needs of the people around him and responds with contagious energy, bringing thousands of other people, world wide, into the solution and assisting them to experience Christ. He started the San Alfonso Mission as an answer to the needs he saw as he viewed the people, especially the children around him. A need for education!
Education
Most poor Mexican children are nor encouraged to pursue formal education. Barely teenagers, they are left unsupervised while both their parents are working. Some get jobs in factories or other very low paying service jobs while most end up on the streets. Families have little material support or incentive to offer teens, so youth often congregate in gangs and become involved in crime. Drugs are readily available to kids as drug traffic passes through Juarez. Impoverished adolescents in most parts of Mexico are hopeless. Fortunately, according to our school psychologist, there is an avenue to induce children to want to stay in school.
Father Stan believes the single most important thing we can give youngsters in any third world area is an education. We work hard not only to raise tuition money for the poor, but also motivate them. We give them hope that education and a better life is achievable. That’s the best possible kind of charity there is, getting these kids and their families to the point where they can realize their potential.
Since 1975 the mission has developed a kindergarten, a junior high school and a remedial education program similar to the G.E.D. program in the United States.
Today the real crisis years for youth are the years between 15 and 19. The majority of employment opportunities are limited to low paying jobs. Fully understanding the hopelessness which pervades the lives of poor adolescents, Sisters Elvia and Linabel, members of the order Santa Teresa de Jesus, decided “something needed to be done” and began collaboration with father Stan to offer the possibility of a different future to the youth of Juarez. The technical school was born.
The Centro de Bachillerato Augustin Pro is the name of the technical school for 10th, 11th and 12th grade students. For all construction needs up to present the Sisters somehow convinced Juarez businessmen to provide the funds. The businessmen however do not want to pay for any school operations. So the Sister approached father Stan with a deal, the results are we now have a very successful San Alfonso Mission High School.
The technical school is providing an opportunity for teens to learn computers and technical skills that will prepare them for productive careers. It is transforming hopeless adolescents into model students. In its first year of operation 50 students were enrolled in the school. Today more than 350 students attend the school. About 80% of those graduating are choosing to continue their education at the University of Juarez.
Their numbers, however, represent only a small percentage of the adolescent population of Juarez. Somehow, funds must be donated by caring people to enable the expansion of the school and help many more. They have no other place to go. For this your help is desperately needed. If the cycle of poverty is to be broken, the technical school is absolutely necessary. More scholarship help is badly needed because many of the technical school graduates have a great desire to continue their education at the University of Juarez.
Because of the over whelming need The San Alfonso Mission has established a Scholarship program to finance the students attending the High School and also to help those who want to continue their education to the University. The Beca ( which means scholarship) program was established in the city of Juarez, Mexico to help break the cycle of poverty by providing education and an opportunity for a career to the poor, who in turn can help others.
For more information on schools, Beca Program or a copy of the video "A Dream Becomes Reality" contact:
Father Stan Martinka
11267 W 75th Avenue
Arvada, CO 80005
303-422-9457
The San Alfonso Mission also has set up a house building ministry that is coordinated through and partnering with Southern Exposure. In 1999 San Alfonso Mission was able to get the help of a group from a large Denver parish in a house building endeavor, which provides decent, albeit tiny, housing for impoverished families who come to Juarez as squatters. In the U.S. the organization is called Southern Exposure Inc. The emphasis of the program is building houses.
A local community-based group from the San Alfonso Mission selects the families with the most need. The
families are chosen regardless of church affiliation or regular church attendance. The family must reside in the community. The new home replaces the previous pallet and cardboard shelter in the same location. While the families are not required to make payments for the new home, they are encouraged to take ownership by paying whatever they can on a monthly basis.
Southern Exposure is committed to raising the awareness of people living in the United States about life in the third world countries. Even though Juarez is only a few hours from us, the reality of the developing world can be experienced fully through one of these opportunities.
Immersion Experience, Visit Ciudad Juarez, Mexico for 5 days of real education, and build a real house for real people, experience the reality of border life from both sides. Southern Exposure sponsors, a week long, outreach to build a home in one of the very poorest areas of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. No building expertise needed, just a generous heart. Give a week of your life so that a family can live in a safe home. Live in a marginal neighborhood, speak with the people, and meet those who commit their lives to working with the poor. You will never be the same!
For more information on Southern Exposure contact:
Deacon Mike Howard
8344 Eaton Way
Arvada, CO 80003
303-422-9173
Building a home is an awesome experience for all who join us. Informed leaders from our community and from Mexico guide our trips. The true meaning of Catholic social teachings on justice and Peace are brought to life. Participants see for themselves the value and meaning of Church teaching on dignity of life; the rights and needs of the poor, and the necessities for all to reach out to because the Body of Christ together. Participants return with a new and enlightened sense of our role in the world; their comments reflect the d depth of experience and no one comes away untouched.
There have been many groups of workers who have taken part in the house building program and Southern Exposure presently have built 300 houses for the poor.
Medical & Other
In addition to educational programs, the San Alfonso Mission serves the poor of Juarez through food distribution, medical and dental services, a cooperative house construction program and an
effort to provide transportation to ordained, religious and lay employees of the archdiocese of Juarez through the transport and distribution of used American vehicles donated to San Alfonso Mission. While this mission outreaches are critical to survival and depend on the generosity of donors like you, they create no real transformation for the future, it is education that holds the key to a different vision of life.For Donations to programs other than the schools and Beca send to:
San Alfonso Mission
c/o Father Stan Martinka
11267 W 75th Avenue
Arvada, CO 80005
