Spectrum Ministries
11.25.10 - Originally published on ImperialBeach.Patch.com
Thanksgiving always falls on a Thursday. Every Thursday, volunteers and staff members of San Diego based Spectrum Ministries enter into a specifically chosen neighborhood in the poor and rural parts of Tijuana to provide some of the most basic needs to the local residents. For Spectrum Ministries, the fact that this coming Thursday happens to be a national holiday won’t make much of a difference.
Founded in 1981 by a man who goes simply by Pastor Von, Spectrum was organized to fulfill two primary focuses. The first being the physical, spiritual and medical ministry to the poor families, children and teens in and around Tijuana and the second being to expose the needs and ministry to US teens in San Diego wanting to take part in something beneficial to others.
This Thanksgiving, Thursday will unfold like every other week for the Spectrum staff as they set up makeshift bathhouses with warm running water for boys and girls. Volunteers will help to bathe up to 50 to 75 children during a typical morning. As this process gets underway, clothing tables are set up for the children to choose a simple outfit from to wear after they’ve washed up.
Game tables are set up nearby with activities to entertain the children after they’ve bathed as the adults from the neighborhood line up to choose from the food and clothing donations being offered. The items given away are monitored to ensure that each family receives food for balanced meals and clothing to fulfill a variety of needs.
Graig Graziosi, who moved to the San Diego area in December of 2009 and more recently to Imperial Beach after working as a staff member at Caravan Ministries from 2006 to 2007, will be going down to volunteer his time this Thanksgiving. Caravan Ministries is based in Tijuana and focuses on providing basic housing needs to the qualifying needy families in the area while working with youths from all around the country to mobilize missionaries.
The current director of Spectrum Ministries, Aaron Passmore, is also son of the director of the Caravan Ministries, Eddie Passmore, who is a resident of Imperial Beach. Although they operate separately from one another, the two often cooperate to provide things Americans take for granted to the needy of Tijuana.
On a day so traditionally focused on being thankful for our own good blessings, it’s a wonderful example to see the more fortunate working to give those in need a reason for thanks.
For more information on the Spectrum Ministry and how you can donate, please visit their website at: www.spectrumministries.com
