In 1989, CUPS began its work, uniting volunteers from the US with communities in Mexico.  Our goal then was simply to serve those in need.  We formed a Board of Directors; our first President was Rev. Ernest Miller, a pastor from McAllen, Texas. The board chose four communities where we planned to begin our housing program. Philip Enochs, an engineer from McComb, Mississippi, designed a small house with a cement floor and a tin roof. CUPS rented a warehouse in Empalme to store equipment and supplies. And so we began. Our housing program started in the rural community of Vila Cardenas, which is part of Matamoros; the other three were in the Valle Hermoso area - Jose Delgado, Ensenada, and Molina Enriquez. Over the years, CUPS built 70 houses in rural communities.

The potable water program in rural communities started in the middle 1990s.  Engineer Philip Enochs devoted many hours to designing and developing simple wells. Seven communities participated in this program. Twenty three years ago the first health center was constructed in La Soledad, in the municipio of Rio Bravo.  Maria Luisa Guererro and the entire community of La Soledad cared for all of our volunteers, providing nutrition for the body and for the soul. In the ensuing years, CUPS volunteers built 10 more health centers in the municipios of Matamoros, RioBravo, and Valle Hermoso.  We also built 7 small health centers serving rural locations.

Today, schools and education, particularly special education, are an important focus for us. We have constructed classrooms and other needed structures in the municipios of Matamoros, Reynosa, Rio Bravo, and Valle Hermoso. Building sites include more than 40 classrooms, school kitchens, libraries or other improvements. The first special education project for CUPS was the Jose Luis Garcia School in Matamoros in 1999. This school works with children who are not able to attend 'regular' schools, children who have learning difficulties, or who may be children of the streets. In the last 10 years, CUPS has built 20 classrooms or other projects designed to support special education children, their parents and their teachers.

In addition to the work we have already mentioned, CUPS has also helped build community centers; a casa hogar in Matamoros to help provide a safe and loving home for children, and an addition to the New Life Rehabilitation Center in Valle Hermoso. The coastal community of Las Higuerillas, which includes the surrounding islands, has a library which is well-used by students as well as adults. CUPS continues to support education and health projects in Mexico. We also work with local nonprofit organizations in the Rio Grande Valley, offering volunteers a serving experience in U.S. border area colonias.

Our journey has taken us through over 30 years of service, of people learning about each other,  and of sharing smiles, laughter and hard work. Indeed, our greatest experience is that we are all family, and that while the world is large, we can make a difference.  Together we have shared many years of faithfulness.  Thanks be to God.

In February, CUPS built a large shade shelter with a concrete roof for the General Villar Primaria school in San Luisito. The community paid for half of the materials and helped with volunteer labor.

Fidencio helped provide labor and his expertise for repairs at a Valle Hermosa secondary school. Once again, the community provided all the materials.

May 8, 2019  -  Board Meeting