How does one assemble an army? Specifically, one to fight the perils of poverty, lack of basic needs, poor education, and the disempowering obstacles that poor women face every day. A mighty task for sure!
Moonie King arrived at Lakeside area in the early 2000’s and by the time she left this world just last December, she had not only assembled her volunteer army, but together they created the Tepehua Community Center in Chapala, which still successfully functions to this day.
After a stint of living a solitary life on her Texas ranch, Moonie moved to Mexico by herself. Husband Perry was still working abroad and had a few more years before he retired. She said she had found their “paradise.”
One of her very first connections was Carlos Sanabria. Moonie was walking her dogs one day and struck up a conversation with Carlos who was then working as an upholsterer. It wasn’t long before he was helping her at her newly purchased home in Vista Del Lago and later at Tepehua in a multitude of capacities, most recently running the water program. Carlos, his wife Tere, and their children became Moonie’s second family. She then was “adopted” by Lupe, owner of Sunrise Cafe (where Tere worked) and these Mexican friendships were strong and true until the day she died.
Moonie began volunteering at Love in Action’s orphanage, which was then located on the hill above Chapala in what is now the Tepehua Community Center. Here she saw the many serious needs within the barrio, and her wheels began turning with ideas on what was necessary to combat the battles that she was witnessing.
It wasn’t long before Moonie was in serious talks with the staff of Love in Action – the building in Tepehua wasn’t ideal for the young orphans living there. She offered to lease it from them, which gave them the funds to find a more appropriate facility for their orphanage. That is how the center came to be.
Her first task was to find someone to live there – an empty building was surely a welcome mat for vandalism or “squatting.” Sandra Zamora (Tepehua’s current director) and her family moved in and still reside there to this day. There was no turning back now.
Basic health care would be an essential service. She found a retired doctor in the expat community who could help out at the clinic. Locals joined in as his support staff, some of whom are still there today. They began serving the community’s health needs for free or reduced prices.
Providing basic nutrition was another goal. A volunteer with a catering background worked out of the center’s small kitchen. Another team went out to local restaurants and grocery stores to ask for food donations…the first meal was served on six plastic tables to 23 children, and numbers soon shot up to 100. Even the Sunrise Cafe staff, part of Moonie’s Mexican family, provided food.
A parenting component was needed. Around 2012, the center was awarded a Rotary grant to enlarge and update the kitchen, and also to transform the back room into a “playroom” for moms to bring their young ones for coloring and games where they could interact together.
And let’s not forget education. It’s not uncommon for a Mexican child to be without a birth certificate, and without it, they can’t attend school. Another volunteer was instrumental at helping moms navigate the government system to get these papers so their children could go to school.
Next came a thrift shop, Tepehua in Riberas, to assist in financially supporting these programs. This shop continues to be a crucial part of the Tepehua plan.
The initial programs were in place and Moonie’s team of volunteers, her “army,” was off and running.
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