Profiling Tepehua – January 2025

The road construction in Chapala seems like a dim memory. For the most part, the downtown traffic moves smoothly, but during that two-to-three-year period of road upgrades and city beautification, there were many traffic issues: long lines, reduced lanes, and traffic police everywhere. 

I live in a barrio adjacent to Tepehua, and I often had to rethink my route…how to get from point A to point B (usually Chapala to Ajijic) without going downtown. It was worthwhile to be familiar with alternate routes, and slowly I became a pro at finding my way along some of the primitive roads that lead me to my destination.

What I saw on my travels was evidence of a struggling population in partially built houses and mounds of discarded dust-covered items on vacant lots. I struggle to describe the conditions that I witnessed on these routes as I don’t want to reduce the dignity that the people deserve but take my word for it, poverty was (and still is) easily visible in the hills above Chapala.

The Tepehua Community Center opened its doors in 2010, with Moonie King at its helm, to help meet the basic needs of the people of this area. They were given access to free/low-cost medical care, dental care, maternity classes, education opportunities for their children, and a low-cost bazaar. They had opportunities to learn to sew and make money for their families by selling their wares. Slowly more services were provided: access to potable water, a diabetes clinic, a public bathroom available to all, English classes, and dispensas (food distribution). This was no longer a forgotten community, and people came to trust Moonie, her volunteers and the Center staff (now led by Sandra Zamora after Moonie’s passing). The locals realized they could have better lives by taking advantage of what the Center had to offer.

Now, 15 years later, I drive these roads and see a slowly changing face of Tepehua and the surrounding barrios. Front porches are used as snack shops or to sell used items. Small stores are popping up – grocery, hardware, variety stores. Taco stands are easy to find at night, along with small restaurants here and there. Houses are being improved. The community is taking pride in their schools.

I take joy in driving past the small triangular park that the city built a few years ago, located on the road that winds up from Lourdes. It is fenced, has artificial turf, is dotted with used playground equipment, and is well-used and loved. In the evenings it is filled with happy children on swings, playing soccer, or just hanging out with friends. Parents are gathered on the outskirts making sure all is well. And the next day it is clean.

El Cristo Rey Church prominently marks the hill leading up to Tepehua and has been in progressive stages of construction for a number of years. Beautiful windows were recently installed, and its exterior has been painted a beautiful golden yellow. It is a shining example of dreams being fulfilled. 

There is a lot of pride, growth, ambition, and hard work evident these days in Tepehua. Our Community Center has had a hand in empowering the people to have dreams and work towards them. But there still are many needs to support, including upkeep and maintenance of the center itself along with all existing programs. Your monetary donations along with donations of gently used items to our thrift shop in Riberas help to finance our endeavors. We thank the community for their continual support.

Perhaps one day you’ll want to expand your local knowledge by traveling the back roads between the Monte Carlo Hotel and the libramiento. You’ll benefit by learning some alternate driving routes and also getting to know Tepehua along the way. Don’t forget your GPS.