Her boss made it possible to allow over 4,000 starving people in Mexico to be fed.  “When she first came to me with the idea, I couldn’t believe it,” says Michael Brown, CEO of Michael’s Transportation Service (MTS) of Vallejo, California. “She was proposing to have me give her a luxury touring coach and, take it to some of the most downtrodden areas of Mexico for a week. 

Honestly, I had never heard of such a thing.” Brown continues, “But, she said it was for a very worthy cause and what could I say? I told Adriana that if she could put together the legal paperwork to make it happen, and promised to be very careful with company property, I wouldn’t refuse this request being a Christian myself.” 

Make it happen indeed. Catledge helped Full Gospel Church of Concord, CA make their fourth annual Mexico Outreach 2001 a huge success. With Brown’s approval, Catledge procured a state-of-art school bus, driving 40 youth and 10 adult supervisors 2200 miles to feed 4,000 starving people in Mexico. 

“Our pastor said they went on previous outreach tours, but they traveled in old school buses or in old vans or whatever they could find to make the trip,” explains Catledge. “The ride would be so lumpy and bumpy, with people traveling with luggage right on top of them, being so cramped and uncomfortable, it just wore everyone out. I was glad that I could help. We were able to bring many more people and resources, making this the largest outreach ever. It really made a big difference.”

Catledge drove the entire way of the mid- July trek, journeying south 1100 miles into Mexico, stopping in Ensenda, La Mision, and Tijuana. Her passengers traveled enjoying comfortable reclining seats, ample luggage and storage capacity, air conditioning, on-board restroom, and even passenger TV’s! 

Life isn’t so grand for the people they visited, however. As an example, in Tijuana, they came upon families literally living in garbage, out of a trash dump site. They also met a family residing in a used casket at an adjacent graveyard. They kids offered everything they had to spare – including the shirts and shoes they were wearing. Having learned songs in Spanish, the youth continued with their mission, performing in a huge tent they erected where they could feed and fellowship with 4,000 of Mexico’s hungriest citizens.

They also gave money to local Mexican churches so that the relief effort will continue long after they are gone. The kids worked setting up the tents, and serving people. They also performed skits and played. In one such skit, Catledge’s son Eder played the part of Jesus carry the cross while suffering the brutality of Roman soldiers. This performance occurred 17 times in two days. The soldier actors were so en-thusiastic about playing their parts, Eder had actual bruises on his back! 

The group also came upon another bus, who stopped to see what all the goings on was about. This bus had a doctor and a hair stylist on it who both chipped in to provide on-the-spot check ups and haircuts, adding to the health and self-esteem of the people there. An added bonus! This trip became a deeply gratifying experience for everyone concerned.

Brown says he is not surprised by the success that Catledge created. “She’s like that,” he stated, “she has a passion and deep caring for people that shows through in everything she does.”