It’s with a heavy heart that I post this report on behalf of the Orange County Teen Challenge center located on Main Street in Santa Ana. “Staff Member Ismael Mojarra, Jr. 26 year old, went to be with the Lord May 16th at approximately 9 PM. He was involved in an auto accident as he was returning to the OC Teen Challenge Center after visiting his family.”
Having attended the Memorial Services for Gil Ferguson on Saturday, a much loved and respected high profile military veteran and political figure, it is worth noting that each of these giants had a common thread. They were connected through their love of Jesus Christ. We might not see any of the same crowd at Ismael’s Service in Santa Ana tomorrow but rest assured that each are now in the presence on our almighty God.
I respectfully post a portion of Ismael’s Testimony which he entitled “A life to be lived.”
“My name is Ismael Mojarra Jr. I’m the oldest of five boys and one girl. I was born in raised in Santa Ana, not the easiest of cities to grow up in, but nonetheless I called and still call it home. The world of gangs, violence and drugs was the first perspective of life I was exposed to. One of the hardest factors on in my life, was having to grow up with a father that was an alcoholic and drug addict. He saw violence as a form of expression. From childhood I looked for somebody to look up to but I never found anyone who fit the simple requirement of leading a loving life. A father who was selling and addicted to drugs, uncles who were in and out of prison, cousins who were graduating from tagging crews into gangs. Every morning waking up as the oldest child and realizing that I was left in charge of my younger siblings, simply because drugs were devouring my parents. I did not choose to live life that way. Something deep inside of me would always say there had to be something more that this. One of the greatest things that ever happened to me was finding my second home, Teen Challenge Orange County.
Twelve years ago old and hungry I arrived at the gate of Teen Challenge Orange County. My cousin a.k.a. my big brother had mentioned pizza and music. Little would I know that my second home would manifest itself as one of the most important factors of my life. Here I have met many teachers of my life, all the men that were trying to change their lives. The voices of my teachers and their accounts, I always took as lessons for daily life. As a child I was always shown that money, cars and girls where the riches of man, this all changed when I turned sixteen. I realized that humanity was the real treasure. Investment in people was the true fulfillment that brought genuine contentment and purpose. I immediately began to volunteer for Teen Challenge. I kept volunteering for Teen Challenge I soon realized that it was a natural gift…” Note: Retyped exactly as written.
Commenting on Ismael. “Although that life was a short one, he made a huge impact for the Kingdom and he will continue to be an inspiration. For such a young man he was a giant in faith and was an encouragement to all who knew him.” Dennis Griffin, Teen Challenge of Southern California Inc.
Note: Funeral services to be held at the Orange County Worship Center, 1440 E. Santa Clara Ave., Santa ana at 10 a.m. Monday May 21st.
Thank you for posting about Mr.Mojarra and his impact on the community. It is a sad loss for many.
This has not yet been mentioned on OJ, but the local YMCA just got a large infusion of cash to make a new recreation center.
http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/news/local/santaana/article_1682549.php
But officials at the nonprofit say that’s poised to change after they received a $4 million donation to build a new recreation center in a city with one of the youngest populations nationwide.
“What makes this exciting is we’re getting back to where we came from – Santa Ana – and we’re going into a community where we believe we’re going to be able to have a significant impact,” said Art Wannlund, director of the YMCA of Orange County.
The donation by Newport Beach residents Russ and Kathy Van Cleve is the biggest ever received by the YMCA and pushes funding for the $20 million Santa Ana project past the halfway mark – to the point where construction could begin next year.
The Santa Ana facility will be the first new YMCA built in the county in 40 years. Construction was delayed on the project – which will feature a swimming pool, fitness center and after-school tutoring programs – due to difficulties obtaining funding and rising construction costs.
Van Cleve, a 60-year old real estate developer, said he first learned of the project through a friend at his gym in Newport Beach. He and his wife Kathy had long donated to charities and their church. After a cancer scare last year, he said he felt the urge to give more.
“You want to make sure you make things count and happen – not wish you had,” he said.
Today, the YMCA has four fitness centers in Orange County but none in its central core. The YMCA opened its first facility in the county in 1925 in downtown Santa Ana but left in the early 1990s due to financial troubles during the area’s economic downturn.
The new center will cater to about 15,000 people in Santa Ana and Costa Mesa. It will also enable the YMCA to hire full-time staff to expand its after-school programs at campuses throughout Santa Ana, which currently reach 5,000 children a year, said Jon Voget, the new YMCA’s executive director.
Copy/paste whole link for the rest of the story.
I requested that the OC Supervisor’s board meeting adjourned in memory of Ismael Mojarra, Jr. today.
Our prayers and thoughts goes out to his family, friends, and students.
—-
Supervisor Janet Nguyen
First District
Thank you Janet.
Having attended both services I can report that the outpouring of love for Ismael was comparable to that which we both observed for Gil Ferguson. One of the leaders of the TC womans support staff sent out an email yesterday indicated that over 800 attended Ismael’s Memorial service.
After his sister spoke on behalf of the family his mother played his Mother’s Day message off her cell phone.
On behalf of the entire Teen Challenge extended family let me express their thanks for your acknowledgement of Ismael at the Board of Supervisor’s meeting.
Best regards,
Larry Gilbert
He was an awesome cousin and he forever lives in our hearts and memories. I see it as he has not passed just still with us.
Karina. We all miss Ismael. The last time we were in the learning center in Santa Ana his framed picture was on one of the walls. If you visit the main location I’m sure they will let you into the center to see it.
my brother was a good man from what i hear i only hope to be as good of a man as him