Ride For Madre
Donation protected
Support or Join Our Ride Across Missouri
The week of September 12th, Bob Steinert and Sam Otto will be riding across Missouri on the Katy Trail, 225 miles from Clinton to St. Charles. This challenging 5 day journey is nothing compared to the challenges faced everyday in our sister parish, Santa Maria Madre de los Pobres in San Salvador, El Salvador.
If you are interested in supporting or participating in all or even just a day or two of the ride, we welcome your support. You may contact Bob Steinert through this site.
Why We Ride For Madre -
Throughout the past year, and longer, rival gangs have taken over the La Chacra community served by our sister parish escalating the violence and oppressive poverty to unimaginable levels. Crossing invisible, ever changing gang borders is a death sentence. Our sister parish is in unprecedented peril. Children can't go to school, the ill can't come to the the clinic for healthcare and families can't come to mass, all for fear of crossing a gang border and being shot dead in the street.
The Santa Maria Madre parish and school are protected by a high wall, but over the years a portion of this wall has collapsed allowing gang members access to the entire parish and school compound. On January 12th, at 4:30 on a hazy Tuesday afternoon, a group of kids were playing soccer on the fields behind the school. They were joined by some gang members who were participating as well. The police learned of gang activity within the parish compound and entered the area to pursue the gang members, who ran away when confronted. Many shots were exchanged as parish students lay on the field crying and screaming and at the end 4 gang members were dead.
The parish council and padre Louis wish desperately to rebuild the collapsed section of the wall enclosing the parish and school. It is a task that will cost more than $30,000 which in their economy is exaggerated 10 fold or more. Our sister parish team will be coordinating with other organizations to raise the money and, where possible, assist with the project.
We ride for the safety and security of the children, families and parish staff of our sister parish.
The week of September 12th, Bob Steinert and Sam Otto will be riding across Missouri on the Katy Trail, 225 miles from Clinton to St. Charles. This challenging 5 day journey is nothing compared to the challenges faced everyday in our sister parish, Santa Maria Madre de los Pobres in San Salvador, El Salvador.
If you are interested in supporting or participating in all or even just a day or two of the ride, we welcome your support. You may contact Bob Steinert through this site.
Why We Ride For Madre -
Throughout the past year, and longer, rival gangs have taken over the La Chacra community served by our sister parish escalating the violence and oppressive poverty to unimaginable levels. Crossing invisible, ever changing gang borders is a death sentence. Our sister parish is in unprecedented peril. Children can't go to school, the ill can't come to the the clinic for healthcare and families can't come to mass, all for fear of crossing a gang border and being shot dead in the street.
The Santa Maria Madre parish and school are protected by a high wall, but over the years a portion of this wall has collapsed allowing gang members access to the entire parish and school compound. On January 12th, at 4:30 on a hazy Tuesday afternoon, a group of kids were playing soccer on the fields behind the school. They were joined by some gang members who were participating as well. The police learned of gang activity within the parish compound and entered the area to pursue the gang members, who ran away when confronted. Many shots were exchanged as parish students lay on the field crying and screaming and at the end 4 gang members were dead.
The parish council and padre Louis wish desperately to rebuild the collapsed section of the wall enclosing the parish and school. It is a task that will cost more than $30,000 which in their economy is exaggerated 10 fold or more. Our sister parish team will be coordinating with other organizations to raise the money and, where possible, assist with the project.
We ride for the safety and security of the children, families and parish staff of our sister parish.
Organizer
Bob Steinert
Organizer
Kansas City, MO
