Completely hidden and tucked away in los montan~as (the mountains) outside El Paso, Texas … sits a small compound vaguely resembling a tiny airport.
And although the watch tower has been designed to guide travelers and locals safely home, the building containing it is not an airport tower, but the tower above a chapel, library, and home. This building is part of The Lord’s Ranch and those of us who have arrived safely at ‘the Ranch’ can attest to the importance of Ezekiel House’s lighthouse-esque tower … especially after a long drive through the dark and barren desert.
In the early summer of 1964, Fr. Rick Thomas was assigned to be the director of El Paso’s Our Lady’s Youth Center. The Youth Center was started to minister to the largely Latino community of downtown and neighboring Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.
Juarez – the largest third world border city – is home to approximately 2 million individuals, the majority of whom live in utter poverty, and many of whom are refugees and immigrants from countries throughout South America.
The mountains that surround El Paso and Juarez are a ‘passage way’ that thousands of travelers navigate each year attempting to escape despair and find hope in a land many of them have spent their lives staring at through barbed wire fences. El Paso and Juarez at times seem to blend together – the only thing distinguishing the two cities and two countries is the less than grand Rio Grande River.
But this story is not about immigration or violence along the border, it’s about a miracle … but more so, miracles which continue to happen every day.
* the following is an excerpt from Rene Laurentin’s book ‘Miracles in El Paso’ *
El Paso, Fall of 1972 – Fr. Richard Thomas was reading a passage from Luke’s gospel to a charismatic prayer group.
“When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your kinsmen or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return, and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. (Luke 14:12-14)
This is a call to us, concluded the group amidst prayer. Accordingly, they decided to share Christmas dinner with the poor of Juarez, on the other side of the Rio Grande. (…) the dinner took place as scheduled, on Christmas Day (…) The people who came numbered twice as many as their hosts were prepared to serve, 300 instead of 150. But still there was more than enough food. Everybody received a generous portion of choice ham. After dinner, there was a considerable amount of leftovers, and these were given to the people to take with them.
Since then, it is said, miracles have been happening in Juarez. Conversions are many and their effects are lasting.
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I was born into the community that served this meal, and although I was not there to witness the multiplication of this feast … I have been blessed to witness the healing both physically and spiritually of many faithful individuals.
Our Lady’s Youth Center has moved into a newer and larger building, the Lord’s Ranch has hosted hundreds of groups … changed thousands of lives … and grown to include a radio station, chapel, and retreat center to house its many visitors.
The missionary families – most of whom are based at the Ranch in Vado, NM – live off of the donations they receive from individuals from across the globe. They live in solidarity with the poor and take only two showers a week, eat simply and live even simpler. When the unforgiving Summer sun beats down on the millions of Mexican men, women, and children, members of the community endure the same exhaustion and fatigue.
But they do not simply live in solidarity – they fight and love in solidarity as well.
At least twice a week, vans leave the OLYC parking lot with doctors, lawyers, families, and students whose mission is to deliver food, vitamins, clean water, clothing … and most importantly LOVE … to impoverished neighborhoods throughout Ciudad Juarez. The teams and their potato sacks of supplies humbly enter the often crumbling homes and present these gifts with smiles, hugs, blessings, and for some of us.. with the help of translators. The visit is started with greetings and prayers, continues with music and sharing, and concluded with more prayers and promises of a soon return.
On days when supplies are not being delivered, various ministries including prison and hospital outreach are carried out under the guidance and direction of seasoned veterans.
If you’ve never wanted to see the inside of an American prison cell, you certainly do not want to see the inside of a Mexican prison cell … let alone a Mexican prison. The tension, anger, and fear in the air is often so thick – it is only broken after hours of prayer, ministry, and socializing. These men and women have probably have lives filled with pain, despair, and violence … but when they are treated as equals – as sisters and brothers – you can see their spirits slowly start to return.
I have seen miracles. I have seen cells of men yelling and threatening us .. only to be crying for forgiveness and compassion – asking to hear scripture or songs moments later.
I know what you’re thinking – ‘I can’t believe you’re falling for such an obvious act’ … but unless you have faced them, and seen the brokenness in their eyes turn to hope when you tell them they are loved – you cannot know how intensely pure these encounters .. these beginnings of miracles are!
If you ever have a free week – If you’ve ever thought about working in an orphanage, helping at a clinic, teaching at a daycare, building and painting a house, taking food to the hungry, or visiting the sick and imprisoned … then take this opportunity to visit Our Lady’s Youth Center and The Lord’s Ranch!
Book a ticket on SOUTHWEST Airlines, and learn that you are the beginning of a miracle!
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