So much need but not much help… Till now

Most people have a soft spot for helping the elderly, orphans and even animals, but talk about drug and alcohol addiction and eyes glaze over and hearts grow cold. To quote one such person, “they brought it on themselves”. That may be true, to a point. However, what chance would a young person have been raised by drug or alcohol addicted parents? Where do they turn? And who cares anyway? Sometimes an unfortunate solution is to leave home, live on the streets or get married before age and wisdom is acquired. Life becomes a vicious cycle of daily turmoil and often just creates another addict. Rocky Point has both a men’s and women’s shelters that attest to that fact. Both centers have limped along for years doing the best they can with very little help from anyone. Most compassion and assistance go to help other more seemingly “worthy” charities.

The Esperanza Women’s Rehabilitation center has been trying their best for more than 20 years to help women break addictions. Many of the women come on their own, looking for help in getting clean. Others are brought by parents, spouses or family who don’t know how, or want, to deal with it. Some can help a bit financially, most cannot.

When they arrive, they meet Ana Krauss, herself a former “functioning” yet closet alcoholic. She believes it was by the grace of God that she got sober and found her calling in the process. Known to the women at the center as Hermana (sister) Ana, she has been mother, counselor, nurse, friend and spiritual advisor to countless women who have returned to society as strong contributing citizens, mothers and wives, and the basis of many healed families.

There are many success stories that have come from the shelter. After 18 months at the center Getsemany went to school and is now an attorney in Hermosillo. Maricruz is now a retired grandmother who is happily supported by her working husband and spends most of her time feeding the hungry and homeless here in Peñasco. Marie is now gainfully employed, and her smiling face can be seen at the checkout at Sams’s Club. These women all give God and Ana the credit for a new lease on life. There are many others, but there are also those that find themselves back in rehab in need of trying again. Says Ana, “what good is it if they have to return to the same situation that brought them to the center to begin with?” For that reason, Ana’s dream has been to build a halfway house next to the center where the “ladies”, as Ana calls them, can slowly get back on their own two feet, have a place to come home to, help support through their own employment and help others who, are where they were. A home where they can learn what it takes to be self-supporting.

Enter Pete, the same soft-hearted man who got tired of Rocky Point citizens inhaling toxic smoke from the dump fires and donated 2 fire trucks to the city. When approached by a friend to help in a fundraising effort for Ana’s halfway house he wanted to see the property. Having a strong construction background, he took one look at the existing women’s shelter and declared “you need a new center, this one is a fire hazard and there’s no foundation”. It was a statement that changed everything, for Ana, for the women, for their families and arguably many more people for years to come. It will have all it needs to support a new way of life and has opened up many hearts who can now see and understand the need in the community.

By word of mouth, and help from our mayor, police chief and fire chief showing up for our groundbreaking many folks have stepped up to help. Donations have come in various forms. All the electrical supplies and been donated from a great company in Phoenix. Kitchen cabinets and doors have been donated from a local businesswoman and gently used furniture from a part-time resident. Still needed and greatly appreciated would be funds to help with necessary monthly expenses like electric and water bills, food, and medicine and more. At some point, Ana’s dream of a halfway house will be considered. In the meantime, we thank everyone with such kind hearts and compassion to help however possible.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words so we leave you with pictures of Esther. She was at the center in 2019 and 2020 when her son was only 2 years old. He is now 5 and enjoying a life with both mom and dad taking care of him the way every child needs and deserves. Ana is very proud of her and so many other women she has known, loved and helped over the years. We pray she can help many, many more.

If you would like to contribute in any way, please call Ana at 638-103-3712 or Patti La Due at (702) 279-7671.