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Community Education and Youth Center Building Project
In the fall of 2008, God provided an opportunity to open a youth center in Rio Puerco Acres, a community in Fort Defiance, Arizona. Gang activity, drugs, violence, high suicide rates, and alcoholism are too common in the housing areas on the reservation. There are too few structured positive alternatives to hanging out and joining gangs. Rio Puerco Acres was no exception.
Renovation began in January 2009. Since then, various mission and volunteer groups have transformed the building. See the "Before and After" pictures below to see how much the building has changed.
The youth center project has been funded through grants and private donations. Currently more than 90% of the renovation has been completed! We still must finish furnishing the building, as well as complete the sun room and lay the flooring in the main room.
The center has a large recreation room that will serve as a wellness/fitness area, as well as a meeting hall. A skate park is located directly behind the center and the room's most important function will be a skater's church. We have a heart for the bikers and skaters and will attempt to design a service that will meet their needs.
domestic violence, and alcohol. The opportunities for change are limitless.
Our dream of providing a safe haven has already taken place. This summer, Youthworks ran Teen Club at the center for 6 weeks. During that time, more than 50 youth participated in sports, group activities, small group Bible studies, and community building. Of the 50 participants, 24 regularly attended the small group studies, which were not manditory for participating in the program
HOW CAN YOU GET INVOLVED? We want to finish renovating and bring life to this house through your support! First you can help us through your prayers and encouragement. Second, if you have a youth, civic, college, or church group that is looking for a mission opportunity, please let us know. The youth center may just be the perfect project for your group.
Please check in on our website often as we will update you as the project moves forward.
Greatest current need?
Donations for furnishing the center upon completion. Thank you for your generosity in helping us achieve this goal!
P.O. Box 2016
Fort Defiance, AZ 86504
928-729-2658
Place your mouse on the picture and see how things have changed!
(Give pictures a few minutes to load!)
This page was last updated: September 25, 2011
Side of the center then and now
Front of the center then and now
Back of the center then and now
Kitchen then and now
Kitchen then and now
Main room then and now
Main room then and now
Main room then and now
Fireplace then and now
Main hallway and Apartment then and now
Apartment then and now
Apartment bathroom and visitor bathroom then and now
Computer Room and Office then and now
Loft then and now
Upstairs Classroom then and now
The Starr family lived in Rio Puerco Acres, where Mr. and Mrs. Starr raised their 10 children and tried reaching the Navajo for Christ. When the Starr's moved away and the house sat empty for many years until the they donated the house to Rez Refuge after hearing about our desire to convert to a youth center. The opportunity to open a youth center in the heart of this neighborhood presented a huge opportunity to be an agent of positive change in the community.
The center has a kitchen that could serve as coffee shop. A computer lab that will serve as a space for education classes and tutoring and an office space that will one day provide a place for counseling. The second floor has a loft for mission groups to sleep and a classroom. Finally, there is an apartment for the director of the center.
Rez Refuge Ministries wants the youth center to be a light, a place of hope and safety, a refuge from gangs, drugs
Did you know? POW WOWS are now a regular part of Navajo culture, however it wasn't always that way! Navajo song and dance did exist, but not in the present form. Featured are Navajo dancers in costumes and dance of the Plains Indians. Navajo dress and dance was much more simple.
