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16,000 Migrant Workers living in the brush
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By Faith We Walk One Day at a Time

 

 Just some 85 miles from Perris is the city of Mecca.  Every year since 1940,  35,000 migrant and seasonal farm workers come from February through July to Riverside County and Eastern Coachella Valley.  They flood the small town of Mecca and Thermal. They come to East Coachella valley and migrate north in August to follow the crops.  There are 16,000 migrant workers that work in the fields by day and sleep in the brush on the Torrez-Martinez Reservation.  Residents rent mattresses to workers to sleep on at night but many workers sleep in the fields, under cars or where ever they can.  There is no sanitary conditions for them to use the bathroom or shower.  The city of Mecca, aware of the need for the migrant workers to come and build the agriculture economy for California, has put up portable potties and showers available only 4 hours a day Monday through Friday.  Most of the workers and their children cannot wait in line for hours to use the bathroom.  As a result they go where they can.  For those families that are permanent residents of the area, some 19,000 are seasonal workers live in approximately 3500 dilapidated mobile homes located in approximately 330 mobile home parks on both county and Indian land.   This is home to approximately 21,000 people.  The county set to close down these parks for not meeting codes.  When the county started enforcing health and safety codes to 500 mobile home parks, residents moved in to Duroville.   Duroville sits on a toxic dump on Torres-Martinez Reservation. The park had 4 mobile homes in 2001 and has grown  to 282 in July of 2003.  There is sewer waste, broken glass and rusty metal in the dirt streets that the children play.  The children in the area have the highest rate of cancer.  These families live in deplorable conditions because they have no where else to go.    Many of these home are falling apart and in look as if they are held together with some very strong silver duct tape (see photo below.)  .   A daughter in law of a migrant worker who wished to be anonymous said, My father in law was a migrant worker.  Every year he would come to the United States to work and send almost every penny home to provide for his family.  He said he use to sleep in the fields, under cars, under overpasses or where ever he could find a place to lay his head.  It was dangerous, and very deplorable conditions but he was able to make 3x the amount of money in the United States than if he worked in Mexico.  She said, He told of how he sneaked over and how many died in the process of trying to provide for their families. 

These are the invisible people our economy does not want to see or know about and yet our agriculture economy depends on them doing the work. .  Riverside County and Eastern Coachella Valley has become a major agricultural contributor to the United States.  For the families who run a 1.5 billion dollar agriculture economy in California and make approximately $8,000 a year, it is impossible for them to make the repairs to the mobile home parks or individual homes. These families continue to live in these deplorable conditions both migrant and seasonal farm workers.  Yet our economy thrives on their poverty. 

 What are the Solutions?  Many of us can see the problems with in society.  We can complain and discuss the issues.  What about the solutions?  What about those God is using to do His handy work.  Sister Marsha L. Allen of The Global Church in Perris sees the issues but beyond that she is allowing herself to be a vessel that God can use to bring the solutions to His children.  Homelessness is an ever rising growth in America.  Sister Marsha is working on fighting homelessness on a global effort.  She is working in several states with other organizations to combat homelessness.  She has five cities she has targeted to build tent cities to address the immediate need for communities to come together to combat homelessness.  The homeless need a hand up, not a hand out. 

 With strategic planning and the help of key personnel, Sister Marsha has begun a work in Mecca, California.  Every other Saturday Sister Marsha and her group go to Mecca and feed the families in need.  Last Saturday, March 13 they fed 120 families.  Sister Marsha with a collaborative partner group of 26 organizations has set out to build tent cities.  She initiated a first tent in Mecca on the Torres-Martinez Reservation Saturday March 13, right next to a dilapidated group of mobile homes.   As Sister Marsha had her Grand Opening of the first tent March 15, 2004, Jose Perez said his park was just closed down on Indian land by the county.  He was very emotional because the families had no place to go.  The county didnt care, they just wanted them out, said Jose.

 The first tent called the Command Center was erected by volunteers.  Overseeing the entire tent city construction is Command Sgt. Maj. Clarence Howard of the Army Reserve, who has years experience in building tent cities for the Army in Korea and nationwide.  It will take about a week to set up the tent city and about 3 weeks for it to be fully operational which will provide housing for 20,000 people.  Everything is in proper code with in the Armys standards.   Safety is our number one concern in building a tent city, said Sgt. Maj. Clarence.  There will be dormitory and family tents.  There will also be a commissary to feed 20,000 people with 2 hot meals and one cold meal (lunch).  There will be enough showers and restrooms set up strategically around the city.  It will have laundry facilities, health center and a soccer field for the children to play.  Security has been set in place.  A security training school to provide proper 24hr security, which will also provide jobs and security school certificate that the people can take with them where ever they go. 

George Weever of Samaritan Pharmaceuticals said Our organization, Samaritan Pharmaceuticals, is unique in that we all have a social service background.  We are here to work to change and provide non traditional education.  We seek to engage people to where they are.  We will build a program around the person with health services, life skills and training. 

 The collaborative goal is to help the residents of these parks bring the parks up to code and make the necessary repairs so they can live in decency.  The collaborative has formed a new collaborative named Cooperativa del Desierto Inc. (Desert Cooperative).  They have been approved for a $761,000 loan to begin repairs and bring 5 parks up to code.  At this time 2 parks have already received permits to begin work.  These parks joined the collaborative and paid $5000 each; they joined together on the one application loan and were able to get approved.  The Clearinghouse Community Development Financial Institution in Lake Forest provided the loans.  They say they will continue to loan money for this work to continue.  The collaboration is strong and growing day by day.   A local, regional, national and international Clarion Call has gone forth to all of humanity to labor with us in Love to provide at least 20,000 beds, sheets, blankets, food, clothing, toiletry items, communications equipment and vehicles and all other basic need items to help address the plight of the Farm Workers.  Says Sister Marsha. 

 The up coming plans are to build tents in local areas so both migrant and seasonal workers can come, relax, eat, take showers, use the facilities and live in decency.  From there, Sister Marsha plans to establish a 24 hour respite center for farm workers by June 2004.  The Peace Center for Family Advancement in Mecca on 66-101 Hammond Blvd. will have food, clothing, showers, bathrooms and laundry facilities made available to farm workers.   The 3rd Annual Mecca Farm Worker Appreciation Day will be on June 3 from 5:00 p.m. 8:00 p.m.  Then on June 4, 2004 (7:00 pm), World Renowned Opera Singer and Grammy Award Winner (Clamma Dale) in Concert will set to raise funds for the Farm Worker Tent City.  In the Fall of 2004, there will be a Telethon to End Homelessness and Poverty in America.  Christmas in Mecca will be on December 18, 2004 from 10:00 am 3:00 pm. The Peace Center Chapel Service will be on December 19, 2004 3:00 pm.

 The work is huge but our God is bigger.   Sister Marsha says, We walk by faith day by day that God will provide all the needs for this project  A call to the community to step up and be called to respond is now.   Contact Sister Marsha to join with her in her work.  There are several ways in which you can participate.  Join as a partner and bring what ever resources you can offer, financial, or as workers.  

From the Publisher

 Seeing lots of businesses such as George Weevers of Samaritan Pharmaceuticals jump on board gives hope for those with Aids a new treatment.  Sgt Maj. Clarence Howard and staff have done an outstanding job in orchestrating tent building projects.  I believe this project was a long time in the making in the fact of helping those less fortunate than others.  I was very pleased seeing the media turn out for a very important subject for our nation.  NO one should be homeless or neglected by this country.  We as an outside organization need to all pull our resources together to make this way of life a better one.  I feel those churches, business, and other community shelter organizations need to get involved.  Radio, bulletins, poster, and messages by way of internet need to flood the private sector that there is a need to help many immigrants and others in need.  We must all challenge our government and community to act now to end homelessness in this country and fight the good fight.  What Sister Marsha L. Allen is doing is taking the Global church of Perris, and expanding her love and support for over 21,000 farm workers and children who are living in deplorable conditions and trying to get awareness of this type of living.  We need to wake up the government and the state officials, clergyman that this cannot continue to be.  After all we are all Gods children.  Written by Marcus Palmer

Photo below : Sister Marsha L. Allen, Global Church (left)

Marcus Palmer, Publisher, A Christian Place Magazine (Right)