Raising the Roof for Dr. Eduardo's Rehab Center
Donation protected
Dobie Dolphin and Tina Rosa for Dr. Eduardo Escobell Ochoa
Dr. Eduardo Escobell Ochoa was my doctor when I lived on the Pacific coast of Mexico, near the town of Melaque, Jalisco. He often spoke to me of his dream of opening a rehabilitation center for people with drug and alcohol addictions. A residential place where they could be provided with medical and nutritional care as well as cognitive behavioral therapy. Instead of being treated like trash, they could explore their potential as thriving, functioning human beings and begin to feel good about themselves.
In 2016, this became a reality, when a local businessman donated land. As money came in, construction began, with much of the work being done by residents who had skills such as masonry, welding, and carpentry. Others helped with digging, mixing cement, and taking care of household chores such as cooking and cleaning. Future plans include raising animals and growing food. There are currently 153 men and women, from ages 14 to 68 with a goal of having up to 180 residents, with each person staying a minimum of 90 days. Hundreds of people have already graduated and most have been able to integrate back into society. Many are employed, some have started their own businesses, and others are studying professional careers, like Iris and Claudia who are studying nursing, and presently assist in Dr. Eduardo's medical clinic. These successful graduates have rejoined the world and were again filled with hopes and dreams, leaving behind a life of robberies, sleeping on the street, prostitution and broken families. Some couples who met inside the program have married, become parents - their babies' godparents are other graduates, forming an extended family.
One of the young men whom I knew personally, said the most satisfying thing for him was being able to hold a job, contribute to his family, and see his mother happy again. His mother is among the many mothers and fathers who are grateful to Dr. Eduardo for having faith in their children and helping them find a path to a healthy, beneficial future.
But the center is not complete. The anticipated harvest from the center’s papaya orchard, was wiped out by tropical storm Herman in August, 2020. Without the proceeds from this harvest, construction has been halted. Our goal is to raise $18,000 required to roof the structure; a concrete roof has to be poured all at once, not in stages. At present, sections of the roof are covered with tarps and the rest is open to the sun and rain. This new home, “Hope and Strength,” is a step forward in realizing Dr. Eduardo's dream, in his words, of "seeing my region and country, free of drugs, violence and people's suffering."
It's a big dream. Let's start by raising the roof.
Dr. Eduardo Escobell Ochoa was my doctor when I lived on the Pacific coast of Mexico, near the town of Melaque, Jalisco. He often spoke to me of his dream of opening a rehabilitation center for people with drug and alcohol addictions. A residential place where they could be provided with medical and nutritional care as well as cognitive behavioral therapy. Instead of being treated like trash, they could explore their potential as thriving, functioning human beings and begin to feel good about themselves.
In 2016, this became a reality, when a local businessman donated land. As money came in, construction began, with much of the work being done by residents who had skills such as masonry, welding, and carpentry. Others helped with digging, mixing cement, and taking care of household chores such as cooking and cleaning. Future plans include raising animals and growing food. There are currently 153 men and women, from ages 14 to 68 with a goal of having up to 180 residents, with each person staying a minimum of 90 days. Hundreds of people have already graduated and most have been able to integrate back into society. Many are employed, some have started their own businesses, and others are studying professional careers, like Iris and Claudia who are studying nursing, and presently assist in Dr. Eduardo's medical clinic. These successful graduates have rejoined the world and were again filled with hopes and dreams, leaving behind a life of robberies, sleeping on the street, prostitution and broken families. Some couples who met inside the program have married, become parents - their babies' godparents are other graduates, forming an extended family.
One of the young men whom I knew personally, said the most satisfying thing for him was being able to hold a job, contribute to his family, and see his mother happy again. His mother is among the many mothers and fathers who are grateful to Dr. Eduardo for having faith in their children and helping them find a path to a healthy, beneficial future.
But the center is not complete. The anticipated harvest from the center’s papaya orchard, was wiped out by tropical storm Herman in August, 2020. Without the proceeds from this harvest, construction has been halted. Our goal is to raise $18,000 required to roof the structure; a concrete roof has to be poured all at once, not in stages. At present, sections of the roof are covered with tarps and the rest is open to the sun and rain. This new home, “Hope and Strength,” is a step forward in realizing Dr. Eduardo's dream, in his words, of "seeing my region and country, free of drugs, violence and people's suffering."
It's a big dream. Let's start by raising the roof.
Organizer
Dobie Dolphin
Organizer
Albion, CA