Maria de la Luz ("Marilu") has been a part of the Casa de Luz family since January 2012. She arrived here in Primo Tapia fleeing from an extremely violent domestic abuse situation in another Mexican state.
Marilu arrived here in Primo Tapia with $100 in her pocket, 2 teenage boys (Luis, 18 and Brayan, 17) and 2 young girls (Samantha, 10 and Karol, 6), to hide in a house that was being lent to her.  She did not know a single person here in Baja when she arrived.
Within a week of arriving in Primo Tapia, Marilu had all of her children enrolled in school and had found a job working at a local restaurant.  Marilu found out about Casa de Luz from her employer and after an interview with her we took her two younger daughters in as an emergency intake.
Marilu has met Jesus through the love that she received here at Casa de Luz and  La Hermosa Church. She glows with joy and thanksgiving for all that God has done for her, and has a light in her eyes that we didn't see when she arrived in Primo Tapia.

In July 2012, Marilu started her own restaurant, and in August 2013 she grew her restaurant to include a tortilla business.  Her restaurant is a very simple place here in Primo Tapia, but she has shown incredible determination, hard work and persistence, and her business has been slowly progressing.  She has now built up a regular clientele, both for her restaurant as well as the tortilla business (even providing tortillas to some local rest aurants and selling her tortillas at local corner stores!).  Marilu has been able to employ 8 women from the community at her restaurant, loving them and giving them opportunity to succeed in their lives, including employing 5 CDL Moms!
In March 2014, Marilu was accepted into CDL's Own Your Own Home Program.  We saw Marilu's hard work and dedication and wanted to encourage her in her growth.
God has absolutely transformed this family.
• Marilu, who was insecure, fearful, and shy when she arrived at CDL, has now become a strong, confident, and incredibly hardworking woman of God.  Marilu is confident and strong and no longer believes the negative things that she was told by her husband. She is still healing from the tremendous pain that was inflicted on her by all the physical and emotional abuse that she suffered, but she tells us that she's not afraid of him anymore because she's not alone anymore... she has found God, and she has found a family in La Hermosa Church.  Marilu has told us that she has never felt so loved, supported, and protected like she has since she arrived here at Casa De Luz, and then at La Hermosa.  Marilu is now giving testimony of what God has done in her life and telling people that she meets about His goodness, including bringing her friends, neighbors and employees to La Hermosa with her.
• Marilu's oldest son, Luis graduated from the University of Baja California with an Engineering degree.  He is working as an Engineer in Tijuana, and is doing very well for himself.
• Brayan graduated from high school last year and recently enrolled to start at the University in Rosarito, BC in May 2015.  He is currently studying Criminology at the university.
• Samantha received an award last year for obtaining the highest marks in her grade! She is also receiving a scholarship from the government for maintaining a 90% average.   She is a very friendly, outgoing and creative girl with a real passion for drawing and art.  Samantha has really become a part of La Hermosa church, and plays on the tambourine worship dance team.
• Karol is very sweet, she captures the hearts of almost everyone who visits CDL.  She is on the tambourine worship dance team as well and is loving it!