Restoring the Youth of San Mateo Tlaixpan
A story of faith, struggle, and transformation
by David Delgado, San Mateo Circle
In the heart of San Mateo Tlaixpan, a small light of hope is lit every week. Marianita and I, with hearts full of love and a strong calling in our souls, open our doors to accompany the youth of our community.
Every Saturday, between 12 and 15 young people between the ages of 14 and 22 meet with us. We sit in a circle, without hierarchy, and ask a simple but powerful question: How are you feeling? Thus begins an intimate space where laughter, tears, and emotions flow freely. We not only listen to joys, we also open ourselves to pain: frustrations, family problems, anxiety, and even depression.
One day, one of the kids wrote to us. He wanted to talk. He visited us with a heavy heart: he had been using drugs for over four months, had lost his job, was estranged from his family, and felt deeply alone. He asked us for help… he even considered going to an annex, one of those places where, sadly, many end up more hurt than healed.
But we knew God had another plan. We found the “Casa del Alfarero” Restoration Center, a Christian place where the healing process begins with a profound encounter with Jesus. From the moment we arrived, we felt peace. Our young man began a six-month restoration process, accompanied by us, by his church, JEM, and by the love of those who believed in his change and donated to this process. During that time, we visited him, talked with him, prayed together… and we saw the transformation unfold little by little.
Today, that same young man has not only left his addiction behind: he is working, has healed his relationship with his family, and—most beautifully—he now serves at the Center, helping other young people who come seeking a second chance.
Working with young people is not easy. There are challenges, tears, and moments of exhaustion. But stories like this fill us with energy and confirm that every effort is worth it. In San Mateo Tlaixpan, we continue to believe that youth can be restored.
The Kingdom of God Is The Jubilee Way to Live NOW!
One-hour Jubilee Forums, the first Saturday of each month, are part of our educational mission. Please join us. They are free.
From the July 5 Forum —A big leap in recognizing the biblical basis of the Jubilee worldview happens when we equate Jubilee with the kingdom of God. Luke does so in his Gospel (chapter 4) when he first tells of Jesus addressing the public. Luke tells how Jesus was in his hometown synagogue where he read a brief passage from Isaiah 61 that concludes with the Jubilee phrase, the “acceptable year of YHWH.” Then he added that the practice of these words was starting that day.
Too many spiritual teachers push the kingdom into an unknown future. With it goes all our responsibility to make the change Jesus believed we could make NOW. Jesus says the opposite. In all the Gospels, Jesus goes public with his thoughts and actions by saying we need to change our way of thinking so that we can live the worldview of the Kingdom of God. NOW! We need this in an era of ego-thinking driving corporations, government, and religions.
At the August 2 Forum —Pat Trahan, retired banker, will testify to his deep economic conversion due to several sources, including the Catholic Social Teachings of the previous Pope Leo. We’ll talk with Pat about the influence those radical Social Teachings have had on him. These Teachings are hardly known among Catholics, let alone other Christians. But following those teachings really challenges us in the U.S. today. We’ll also ask Pat to describe what he calls “unfettered capitalism,” and get his ideas about it.
We made a podcast with Pat in 2020 about his conversion from his suburban lifestyle to urban living, and why he took his money out of Wall Street. What he’s done with it since is a great Jubilee story.
Jubilee Circles in Mexico Anticipate Our October Visit
Our Planet’s Capacities, Is for You
What does someone who took this trip in the past say about it?
My personal reflection is that I learned a huge amount and felt so gifted to have been offered a window into the work of these JEM Circles and the indigenous people of Southern Mexico. The idea of collectives and groups of people working in collaboration was impressive. — Chris Justice, San Diego
The Date: October 19-26, 2025: This is our 25th Anniversary Year Trip.
Cost: No more than $1500 for the 8 days. Maybe less depending on fares and number going. This price includes all airfares from San Diego, all land travel, all lodging, and nearly all meals. If you are coming from another city and go directly to Mexico City, we will coordinate with you so we can arrive near the same time at Benito Juarez Airport, Mexico City.
Register: $500 plus a form that asks for pertinent information about you. Questions? ask lee@jubilee-economics.org.
What Happens:
- The OneEarth Journey helps us see ourselves from the perspective of another culture and to learn from people living in an economy that doesn’t work well for them.
- Our Journey will be an immersion into what’s happening as people of various economic capacities, cultures, and spirituality mobilize to meet the global efforts to keep Earth from higher temps that scientists now agree is critical. This Journey helps build the mobilization for this massive ecological-economic-spiritual undertaking.
- Build the movement so that our “leaders” will follow the way out of supersized MultiEarth ways into Earth-sized living.
- Be in solidarity with those for whom the systems of civilization do not work. Solidarity is an important step in saying “No” to the abuse by governments and transnational corporations and “Yes” to OneEarth ways. The more the powers that rule seek to isolate us from one another, the more our interconnectedness matters.
COME WITH US, WON’T YOU?
Jubilee Legal Advisor: A 25th Anniversary Joy, Steve Gehring
Where would Jubilee Economics Ministries be without a good attorney? That would be a bad story we don’t need to think about because we have a really good story instead: for the past 25 years Steve Gehring has guided Jubilee legally on a completely pro bono basis! Plus, he and Dana are yearly donors. We are most grateful!
The OneEarth Jubilee website introduces Steve quite simply: Steve is a retiring corporate lawyer practicing in Omaha. His 58 years of experience include a stint at the SEC in Washington. He helped form JEM and secured its tax-exempt status. Steve’s experience in non-profit law is available to JEM/OneEarth for its contract, tax and other governmental work. Steve’s passions are about justice, fairness and kindness to the earth.
THANK YOU, STEVE!
Financial Picture in Mid-July 2025
You may have heard by now that your donations over the past 25 years have created a most fruitful JEM tree. So much so, that the opportunities for ministry exceed our financial resources. The Circles in Mexico have become leaders in ways to live Jubilee today.
As we look ahead, we are looking for new sources of income—new donors, foundations that want to share in what we are doing, and donors who, when able, will give more. Indeed, some of you are already donating more. Beautiful. With the leadership of Richard Lawrence, San Diego Circle participant, Jubilee is putting forth a more concerted effort in searching for foundations than we’ve been able to do before. Richard, a former foundation officer himself, is intent on finding foundations interested in what we do and guiding our efforts in forming relationships with them.
Meanwhile, it’s summer. Donations seem to go on vacation most summers. So before you set off yourself, send Jubilee a donation. Or do it as soon as you empty your suitcases upon your return. And thank you.
