Heart of a Lion, Jessica Simmons



I tell you, the more I think, the more I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people.
-Vincent van Gogh

In October 2008, it seemed there were only three types of people in Mexico: families, cartels, and us. We weren’t simply Americans, we were Americans on a mission (‘s trip)! This is how I met Jessica (and Cory and Frank and Ariel). Together, in a white, fifteen passenger church van, we traveled 250 miles south of San Diego, California to San Quintin, Mexico.

I’d volunteered in Mexico a few times already, but never with a group this small. But that didn’t really matter to me, because volunteering was always a positive experience, and I was finally given the opportunity to publish a documentary piece called, “How I Spent My Spring Break” for Grossmont College’s newspaper, The Summit. For five nights, we slept on a cement floor in a small church off a burnt orange, dusty path. Day two, a few of us drove to Las Brisas migrant camp. We were told that the people who worked in the fields in San Quintin, live in a chain-link fenced off area. The living conditions are basically “slums”, scrap metal nailed and sectioned into small rooms. Except each room is for an entire family. The inside of each family’s room are dirt floors. There are no toilets. There is no running water. The people of Las Brisas trickled out of the shadows, watching us as we tried to not look too happy or too sad. A volunteer who was very knowledgable of the camp educated us about their issues of lice, STD’S, AIDS, drugs, education, malnutrition and a very low life expectancy, especially among children. None of this seemed hard to believe. Las Brisas Migrant Camp is poverty, they knew it and we knew it. But what could be done to help? We wanted to devise a plan and build strong relationships. However, after returning to San Diego, news stations and community officials were advising that no one enter Mexico, because of the out of control war on drugs. After writing the article for the school paper, I did not return to Mexico. But Jessica did.

INTERVIEW: JESSICA SIMMONS


Queen BeeZ: How did you make the decision to go back to Mexico, despite the dangerous conditions?
Jessica Simmons: I made the decision to volunteer again in Mexico because after I’d returned to San Diego from weeklong missions trips, the faces of all the children from Las Brisas Migrant Camp, ran through my mind every single day. Sometimes, I couldn’t even sleep. Just knowing that people lived in such conditions, and only four hours away from the United States border. Even though I had just met them, I felt a personal connection, like they were family. This feeling was so strong that all fear of danger ceased.

QB: I know your brother Josh has also done some traveling/ volunteering as well. Do your parents encourage and support you to travel and help others?
JS: Yes, my parents definitely encourage us to help others no matter where that takes us. They can see it’s what we love doing.

QB: Where do you live when you are in Mexico? For how long?
JS: For about 2 1/2 years I’ve lived at an orphanage called, Foundation For His Ministries.

QB: When you are volunteering- what’s on the day’s agenda?
JS: From 6:30 am- 3:30pm: I work in the daycare at the orphanage. We pick up about thirty children from the local San Quintine neighborhoods and return to the orphanage to give the kids baths, food, and attention while their mothers work in the fields. Tuesdays and Thursdays: A few Christian Pastors and I visit the migrant camp, Las Brisas, and lead bible classes with the kids. Saturdays: I have a “fun” day with the kids from Las Brisas. We go to the beach, and spend time at each other’s homes. Sundays: I pick up a local family from town and we go to church together.

QB: Can you share with us a story of a child that’s impacted your life?
JS: I could share so many stories because I feel every child I worked with impacted my life in some way, but if I had to choose one it would be Leonardo. This 13-year-old boy stole every single part of my heart. I met Leo through another young boy named Lorenzo from the daycare. Their family member size was now at 13 people, 6 of them boys. These boys started using drugs at a very young age, mainly putting paint or glue in a yogurt bottle and inhaling it through their mouth. Leo started “huffing” when he was 6 years old. When we first met, he was terribly skinny and had no will for life. The more I spent time with him, the more I could see how talented he was at everything he did. It broke my heart to see him so addicted to getting high off chemicals every few minutes. A few months later, while on vacation, I got a call that Leo had been admitted to the hospital because of weakness. He hadn’t been eating and the drugs were drying up his stomach, causing intense vomiting. After going to the hospital, he said he never wanted to use again. A year has passed and Leo is still clean. Leo has become one of my best friends and my brother. Witnessing his life turn around for the better has been one of the biggest blessings in my life. Today, Leo is off the streets and working in construction.

QB: How do you stay positive and hopeful when you’re working in Mexico?
JS: There were definitely some difficult moments living in Mexico because I was separated from my family and everything familiar. But everyday, God gives me the strength to push forward with new vision and builds hope in my heart for these people through His eyes. God is my comforter and my strength, and I know, through Him, I wake up with a new hope and joy every morning.

QB: How did you meet your boyfriend?
JS: I met Heber through the orphanage. He worked and lived there.

QB: Do you have any ideas about how Mexico’s government should encourage peace among the people?
JS: I believe if the Mexican government provided more education for the poor than many of them would not turn to drugs or work for the cartels.

QB: Do you feel more purpose for your life in Mexico than in San Diego?
JS: My heart definitely aches for Mexico. I know I want to live there in the future. But I feel God gives everyone a purpose, wherever they are living. No one is greater or more valuable than another. There are people all over with hurts, pains and addiction. I feel, we just need to have a willing heart and open our eyes to help others, no matter where we are.

QB: Do you believe love is a universal language?
JS: Yes, I believe everyone is in need of love and hungry for it! It doesn’t matter if you speak their language or look like them. A hug can change a kid’s life.


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