Memo from the Executive Director
Some of my techie staff still think that I have not yet entered the 21st Century. Well, our new website will diminish their tone for a short while. In my defense I have learned to use the latest technology. Why, I’ve had an ATM card for two years now!
All kidding aside, I am thrilled that we now have a presence on the Internet. The greater outside world can now see who we are. Our large Opportunity Center team makes this place a place where even miracles happen every once in a while. After ‘X’ number of chances, some of our homeless graduate from college, get a job, and return to their community and family. Some of the bigger miracles are those that recover from drug and alcohol addiction in spite of their poverty. This all happens even within our very limited resources. Folks far beyond El Paso will now see the great work that is done here. All because I am not as technically challenged as my techie-geeks think!
Personally, on a truly sad note, our Safe Zone Coordinator and my dear friend, Miguel Neyra, passed away this past September. Miguel, was one of those one-in-a-million people we are blest in our lifetime to know.
God Speed, Miguel!
Many Thanks!
Ray Tullius, Executive Director
Miguel Neyra 1946-2011
Our dear brother and friend, Miguel Neyra, passed on to his Lord this past September 15th. Miguel was an amazing man, and led an amazing life. He had been imprisoned by the Castro regime in his youth as a political prisoner, and spent 18 years in that hell. He was exiled to the U.S., and he finally made his way to El Paso in 1997. Even as a homeless man at the OC, Miguel would help wherever he could to improve someone else’s situation. After working in the shelter for almost 10 years, he agreed to direct our Safe Zone Program for recovering addicted men. In his typical fashion, and with no formal training, he helped develop a program that has cared for over 200 men to date, and he personally lived on-site to support and direct the men. He was an angel even in life. He gave tirelessly by personally performing manifold tasks that kept the OC operating and clean. Miguel, Gracias a Dios for your gifts and your blessings!
OC Mail Glitch
To our dismay, one of our past residents filed a change of address with the post office, and the post office ended up incorrectly changing the OC’s address. “What a mess, “ you say! Yikes, some of our donations, in particular, were not making it to the OC and were being returned to the donors.
We would like to apologize for any inconvenience this has caused any of our donors and supporters. We have corrected the mistake with the post office, and the mail is correctly getting to us once again. Thank you for your patience. Please send mail to our post office box: P.O. Box 63, El Paso, TX 79941-0063
Our executive director daily picks up our mail there!