THE HISTORY OF TIJUANA CHILDREN'S HOME

Tyler and Connie Youngkin lived and raised their 3 wonderful children in San Diego, California. During this time, Tyler, a pathologist , worked at Scripps-Mercy Hospital. Connie would work with Hortensia Bracken of Spectrum Ministries asking God to show them where there were women and children who needed help in Tijuana. They would usually end up in the red light district right near the border called ZONA NORTE. They got to know well and help their new friends in this area.

     After Tyler and Connie's kids were all grown up and left the "nest" , Tyler and Connie at 50 years old began intense spanish school in Costa Rica with valuable work experience in a Costa Rica children's home. They at first were not sure where God would lead them to go in Latin America to help, but it was eventually evident that the Lord wanted them back in Tijuana working in the red light district, ZONA NORTE.

     In 2001, Tyler and Connie rented a big warehouse in the middle of the red light district and renovated it to be a really beautiful place. About 20 boys from the streets began to live at this new home called EL POZO de AGUA VIVA (The well of living water). These boys used to be robbed, suffer rejection from family and raped. They would sniff glue, not go to school, sell illicit drugs, beat up each other and steal to eat. Sometimes they would have access to guns and use them. Sometimes when they were bored they would take the alcohol from drunks on the street and poor it all over them and light them on fire. Usually these boys had no dads present and their moms were prostitutes/ drug addicts.

     Connie and Jesus Guzman would walk the streets and work to get to know as many children as possible and find those in these horrible situations. Eventually they were able to build confidence and have the boys feel comfortable in living at EL POZO. In 2003 ,the dormitory for girls was opened for 13 girls and it was made to be really pretty and feminine. These little girls had been beaten, had the potential or had already been used in prostitution and usually by their mother in order keep up her drug habit.

      The kids living with Tyler and Connie were now in school, eating great food, sleeping in warm beds, learning the love of God in Bible studies with love from the staff. It was obvious that there were more children who needed to live with us but there was no more room.  God provided the kids in 2006 with a rental of a 15,000 square feet home. It was a huge purple building with a dome at the entrance and it looked like a palace and so we affectionately called this the PURPLE PALACE.  Then there came hundreds of volunteers from the USA headed by STRONG TOWER MINISTRIES that converted the interior of this home to a masterpiece of beauty....like a 5 star hotel!!  The kids loved this place! Unfortunately in 2010, the owner did not want us there anymore.

     SADLY, everyone prayed and asked God what to do. Eventually about a 27,000 square feet old hotel located overlooking the ocean in LAS PLAYAS, Tijuana, was available to rent for the same cost as the Purple Palace!  Oct.31 the contract was signed and everyone had to move out that day!  It took only 2 days to move in..WHEW! The owner , Chepe, of the Purple Palace helped us move with his men and a huge moving van. He kindly had all the plumbing rejuvenated and had all the bunks moved in the bedrooms of the new home and set up too! Many are praying that Chepe will soon come to receive Jesus into his life. He owns many strip bars in Zona Norte.

    There are 80 children living at the home. These children can leave at any time if they don't want to live at the home. Only they cannot return. This is done so we don't have closed gates and it feels more like a real home and not a jail. There are many activities , parties, music lessons, church activities, serving needy people and animals, going to the park and country, surfing, swimming, special classes for cooking, junior lifeguard and junior police assoc as well as going to school. There are 6 going to career schools, and the university. Tyler and Connie want the kids to leave the home with a degree in a career that will assure each will be able to make a living as well to keep helping others and not return to the streets.

     The children will be able to live in this beautiful home by the ocean until the rental agreement is up in 2017. All are trusting the Lord that He has a plan for what comes next. God has not failed us ever, so we wait excitedly....