Missionaries of the Divine Mercy The missionaries of the Divine Mercy are a small group of lay missioners living in Lomas Taurinas, Tijuana, that was founded by Antonia Meza, also known as Toñita. Toñita was born in Tijuana, but spent most of her life in Los Angeles. As a young woman, Toñita entered into formation with the Missionaries of Charity, and spent time living in community with Mother Teresa. Due to a grave illness, Toñita left the order and after recuperating, she moved back to her family's house in Tijuana, where she began doing ministry in her neighborhood. Toñita gradually began to gather people from her community to celebrate mass and teach catechism to children, and created the Missionaries of the Divine Mercy. With help from the bishop and Diocese of Tijuana, Toñita has brought together congregations for 7 churches, and has facilitated the construction of several of those churches. Toñita has opened a home for single mothers and their children, and assists families looking for housing. She continues to respond to the needs of her immediate neighborhood as well, dispensing basic food items and organizing holiday events and fundraisers to support other Catholic communities in Tijuana, such as Monte Maria. Toñita and the missionary group receive support from the bishop of Tijuana and a few Catholic parishes in California, including Our Lady of Refuge in Long Beach. Los Embajadores began working with Toñita in 2004, when we helped pour a concrete floor for a church in Cumbres, Tijuana. In 2005 we returned to help build a driveway and safe entrance for the home where 3 single mothers were living with their children. In 2007, Toñita began breaking ground for a project she had been envisioning for years-- a retreat center located right across the street from her home in Lomas Taurinas. During spring break and summer of 2008, Los Embajadores groups returned to work alongside Toñita and the missionaries to pour a concrete floor, driveway, and retaining wall for the retreat center. As we were working, Toñita was discussing plans with the bishop for starting yet another church in a new part of the city. While living and working with the missionaries, Los Embajadores groups sleep at the retreat center. Families join us each day to prepare meals, share in the labor, pray and play. We typically visit a nearby park to play soccer and do arts and crafts with children from the neighborhood, and we have visited a home for adult women run by the Missionaries of Charity. Los Embajadores youth who have visited this site are moved by Toñita's service and leadership, and touched by relationships formed by the families and individuals who become part of our community for the week. *Due to the size of our accommodations at the retreat center, Los Embajadores recommends that groups who would like to work with the missionaries of the Divine Mercy be no more than 25 people. Sister Toñita and her community are such inspirational and good people. They welcomed us with open arms and embodied all the core values that Los Embajadores teaches and we strive to implement in our lives. They are a ray of hope and they taught us that we cannot only make a difference, but that we WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE! To read more about Toñita and the missionaries of Divine Mercy, visit the Our Lady of Refuge website by clicking here. To see a flexible daily schedule for our site with the missionaries of the Divine Mercy, click on the pdf link below.
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