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From The Observer News
(www.observernews.net) Top Stories By Penny Fletcher
At the start of their ministry together, Pastor Cruz was preaching in a fairly well-to-do neighborhood in a Vineland N.J. Presbyterian Church. “It was a lovely church. Beautifully decorated, everything just so,” Dora Cruz said. “It was the kind of church where Bill wore robes at the worship services. And there were always flowers.” There were some migrant farm workers in New Jersey, which were well served by community organizations and government programs, she said. At that time their daughter Doreen was teaching migrant students there, and she watched a video about the conditions of migrants in Florida. “I couldn’t believe how awful it was for them,” Doreen said. “I kept telling Mother she had to see it. The difference between the way they lived there and the way they live here is like night and day.” Her parents said they didn’t think much about what their daughter had told them at that time. In fact, they never even viewed the video. “I remember I was cooking at the time and I told her there wasn’t anything I could do about people in Florida when we were in New Jersey,” Dora said. A few years later, Bill’s position was abolished and Presbyterian headquarters sent him on interviews at different churches around the country. After each one, he would ask his wife, “How did you feel about this one?” and they would agree, “It was very nice, but I didn’t feel we are called there.” One was a very promising position in New York helping Cubans; another, an upscale church in Fort Lauderdale. When he arrived at his pre-scheduled interview in Ruskin, nobody seemed to know where the Presbyterian mission was. Finally he called a local minister of another denomination and was directed to a small building on Shell Point Road and 12th Street. “I was shocked,” he said. “Here was this little building- I had pictured something Spanish style, like the Alamo, and here was this tiny, run-down place. And the people told me right away they didn’t have much money. That I wouldn’t get nearly what I had been used to getting paid.” Two of the Cruz’s children were still living at home so the pastor had lots of things to consider. Discouraged, he was ready to leave Florida when a series of events, starting with being invited to a Bible study and ending with officiating at the funeral of a baby found dead in its crib, led both the pastor and his wife to believe Ruskin was the place God was showing them they were needed the most. That ministry eventually moved to Wimauma, and developed over the years into what is now the Beth-El Farmworkers’ Ministry, which still has backing from the Presbyterian Church as well as the local community. “The needs of the people in the area were so great, if you didn’t see it, you wouldn’t believe it,” Dora Cruz said. “The Presbyterian Church’s goal is to evangelize people and that is a wonderful goal. But mothers would come in with children who had no shoes. People came to us without food. We saw things they (church leaders who were out of state) couldn’t imagine.” After much discussion and prayer, they started the interdenominational Good Samaritan Mission in Balm in order to work with the needy with the help of various local denominations rather than have to wait for decisions to be made out of town by the hierarchy that exists in a denominational church. At that point, they changed their focus to meeting people’s immediate physical needs as well as their spiritual ones. “We found many churches that wanted to have missions, but couldn’t do it on their own so they helped us,” Dora said. Now 80, Pastor Cruz thought he would retire and left Good Samaritan, but it was not to be. “We didn’t work for three months and we missed ministry terribly,” Dora said. “And the way things worked out, this place was just meant for us. The needs of Ruskin and the surrounding area are great.” In fact, many of the male farm workers from the nearby Manatee Village leave to follow the crops and leave their wives and children at home with very little food and money, she added. “They need housing so badly another 80 homes are planned.” The Cruz’s new ministry is based on the same Bible verse as their others; James 2:14, that talks about faith without deeds being dead. “You can’t just tell someone to be warm and fed and not give them clothes and food,” she added. “Faith without works doesn’t help God’s people.” Their four daughters, Doreen, Laura, Eva and Mayda are working with their parents. It is the first time all the daughters have worked in the ministry together since childhood, when they helped their parents as a way of daily life. They plan to serve hot meals, translate, advocate, do online applications for benefits like food stamps and Medicaid, and do crisis intervention; always with a backdrop of faith and spiritual support. Since a new commercial stove with a blower and vent must be installed to meet county code before they can begin serving hot meals, that is the first thing on the Lighthouse wish list. Meanwhile they need crock pots big enough to cook large servings of beans and rice. The organization is a nonprofit 501c3 so any donations are tax deductible. People who wish to donate, obtain services or information may call (813) 641-7100 or (813) 641-7114. Stopping by to volunteer or ask questions during business hours is also encouraged. © Copyright 2008 by The Observer News Publications and M&M Printing |
