LaBodega de Mexico

FOR ALMOST FORTY YEARS, JAN MILBURN HAS BEEN A CULTURAL PROTECTOR FOR THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF MEXICO. INVOLVED IN MEXICO IN MANY DIFFERENT ASPECTS, JAN HAS ACQUIRED SEVERAL AREAS OF EXPERTISE THAT IS WELL RENOWNED.

IN THE LATE 1960’S JAN WENT TO MEXICO ON A CHURCH RELATED MISSION AND BECAME DEEPLY INVOLVED WITH THE SOCIAL AND CULTURAL PROBLEMS IN NORTHERN MEXICO, BEING MAINLY IN HEALTH AND EDUCATION. HE FORMED SEVERAL DRUG REHABILITATION CENTERS IN LINE WITH THE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY. MANY OF THESE CENTERS ARE PART OF THE NATIONAL PROGRAM IN OPERATION TODAY. FOR THESE EFFORTS, HE WAS TWICE AWARDED THE “MAN OF THE YEAR AWARD” BY THE LIONS’ CLUB AND THE ROTARIANS INTERNATIONAL. THE STATE OF CHIHUAHUA AWARDED JAN THE “HUMANITARIAN OF THE YEAR AWARD” FOR THE WORK WITH THE DRUG ADDICTS AND THE FAMILIES IT INFLUENCED.

“VIDA NUEVA”  (NEW LIFE), A CHRISTIAN ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO THE REHAB OF ADDICTS WAS FOUNDED BY JAN AND HAS EXPANDED INTO AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES. WE UNDERSTAND THERE ARE STILL OVER 120 LOCATIONS WORLD WIDE TODAY.

BY THE 1970’S, JAN BEGAN AN ORGANIZATION CALLED “CENTRO DE CONSEJO Y ESTUDIOS PROFESSIONALES” (THE CENTER FOR COUNSELING AND PROFESSIONAL STUDIES), A CONSULTING FIRM AND ‘THINK TANK’ WORKING WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES ON INTERNATIONAL ETHICS. DEALING WITH BANKING AND MAQUILLA INDUSTRIES, THE FIRM ALSO WAS KEY IN THE ESTABLISHING OF INDUSTRIAL PARKS IN THE STATE OF CHIHUAHUA, MEXICO.

BECAUSE OF THE HUMANITARIAN AND BUSINESS EXPERIENCE, JAN WAS LED INTO A VERY VISUAL INVOLVEMENT IN POLITICS AND MEXICAN LAW, BECOMING AN INTERNATIONAL LITAGATOR AND INTERPRETER.

HAVING DEVELOPED A DETAILED NETWORK OF INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE, JAN TOOK THIS EXPERTISE AND PUT IT TO WORK WITH THE TARAHUMARA INDIANS OF THE COPPER CANYON AREA OF CHIHUAHUA. HE HAD FALLEN IN LOVE WITH THESE PEOPLE AND WENT TO WORK TO PROTECT THEIR ANCIENT LANDS AND INDIGENOUS CULTURE.

THE LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE THAT THE PEOPLE, NOT ONLY IN MEXICO BUT ALSO IN THE UNITED STATES, HAVE IN JAN, HAS SERVED TO CONCRETE A BI-LATERAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, POLITICAL AND BUSINESS CLIENTS IN BOTH COUNTRIES.

IN THE EARLY EIGHTIES, JAN MET MIREYA IN THE SIERRA MADRE, IN CREEL CHIHUAHUA. SHE WAS BORN AND RAISED THERE WITH HER ANCESTRY REACHING BACK TO HER INDIGENOUS ROOTS DEEP IN THE COPPER CANYON. THEY MARRIED AND TOGETHER THEY HAVE WORKED SIDE BY SIDE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PEOPLE. THEIR SON JOAQUIN WAS ALSO BORN THERE AND NOW WORKS ALONG SIDE THEM ESPECIALLY ON THE FOUNDATION TOURS.

MIREYA DIRECTS THE CULTURAL AWARENESS PROGRAMS (C.A.P.S.) AND THE “BODEGA DE MEXICO”, GIVING OF HERSELF CONSTANTLY FOR THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN OF HER HOMELAND.

IN 1991, JAN AND MIREYA FORMED THE MILBURN FOUNDATION IN THE U.S. AND MEXICO TO PROTECT ALL THE WORK THAT HAD BEEN DONE OVER THE YEARS.  THE FOUNDATION WITH IT’S MAIN PRESENCE IN THE U.S., HAS BEEN AN ASSET TO THE U.S. LEGAL AND POLITICAL SYSTEMS BY CONTRACTING WITH JAN FOR INTERNATIONAL LITIGATORY AND TRANSLATION NEEDS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BORDER.

THE MILBURN FOUNDATION HAS SEVERAL DIFFERENT ARMS IN ITS OUTREACH TO THE TARAHUMARA.  THEY HAVE HELPED CREATE COTTAGE INDUSTRIES FOR THEIR ARTS AND CRAFTS AND FOR THEIR FURNITURE MADE FROM RECYCLED OLD WOOD. THESE PRODUCTS ARE IMPORTED TO THE  “LA BODEGA DE MEXICO” IN DURANGO, COLORADO AS A WHOLESALE AND RETAIL IMPORTER, IT WAREHOUSES, DISTRIBUTES AND SELLS THE IMPORTS AND RETURNS THE MAJORITY OF THE PROFIT BACK TO THE TARAHUMARA THROUGH MANY DIFFERENT PROGRAMS

THE FOUNDATION ALSO HAS A LANGUAGE INSTITUTE FOR COLLEGE AND PRIVATE STUDENTS, TOUR AND TRAVEL COMPANY FOR THE COPPER CANYON AND A THREE THOUSAND ACRE RANCH. THE RANCH WILL BE THE FUTURE SITE FOR A CONFERENCE CENTER AND A WILDERNESS CAMP FOR FAMILIES.

THE MILBURN FOUNDATION HAS A LONG HISTORY IN MEXICO AND HAS THE CONFIDENCE OF ITS PEOPLE. THIS ALL TO THE CREDIT OF JAN AND MIREYA AND THEIR TIRELESS HEART FOR THE PEOPLE.

©2006 The Milburn Foundation International