FOREIGN MISSION OUTREACH
Antonia Meza - Our Missionary Friend in Tijuana
Antonia Meza was born
in Mexico, and came to the United States i
n her teens.
She completed college training and became a licensed nurse in the
Los Angeles area. She was
engaged to be married, but after a life-threatening experience with
cancer, she felt a call to serve God among the poor.
She joined the Missionaries of Charity, the order founded by
Mother Teresa. (The
photo at right shows Antonia with Mother Teresa.) Once
again, Antonia's health failed and she returned home. God was leading her to fulfill the call of service
to the poor, but in a different way.
Around 1987
Antonia moved to Tijuana to live in Colonia Lomas Taurinas,
and help the poor of this squatter community.
Many hardships have come over the years, but Antonia remains in
Tijuana and her work has sprea
d.
When Antonia first moved to Tijuana, she lived in a tiny one
room brick house—with a plastic tarp for a roof. (See the photo at .left)
Over the years, as the ministry grew, so did the
house—expansions to all sides This home is now a retreat center, a school
of religious education, a
community gathering place and “second home” to people of the area.
The photo at right shows some of the children from the local
area cro
wding around the front door of the expanded house.
Seminarian Francisco Chavez is preparing to let them enter.
Antonia’s ministry in Tijuana is one of empowerment.
She trains lay people to work with their priests and the bishop
to be teachers and leaders within their
communities. She prefers to stay in the background as a facilitator
and helper.
Over six years ago, Antonia founded the
Institute of
Divine Mercy which is legally incorporated under the laws of
Mexico. It is a lay
religious organization approved by the Diocese of Tijuana and consists of single and married men and women
who wish to serve the poor.
This ser
vice may be given for a
limited time period (e.g., 6 months, a year or more) or for a lifetime.
The
photo at right shows the Bishop of Tijuana blessing Antonia's home.
The photo at left show
s Paul and Helen of Our Lady of Refuge with ladies
of Lomas Taurinas. They are standing outside Antonia's recently
expanded home.
To continue the story, click on the following link:
[The Story of Colonia Lomas
Taurinas]
OUTREACH
MINISTRIES
