August 6, 2001

Texas missions worker detained in Juarez
___By Miranda Lindsey
___Texas Baptist Children's Home
___JUAREZ, Mexico--It took 18 years of missions work in Mexico and a minor traffic accident before Brenda Toner saw the hard side of the neighboring country. When she did see it, it was through the iron bars of her jail cell.
___"When those big, heavy metal doors to the jail closed behind me, I started to realize this was for real, and I couldn't believe it," said Toner, a houseparent for Texas Baptist Children's Home in Round Rock.
___It was a typical, sweltering summer day in Juarez when Toner, a 20-year veteran of the child-care agency, was driving a van full of teenagers to the Benito Orfantoria Juarez for missions work. As she entered the right lane, a minivan collided into her right panel.
___Toner was towed in the van to police headquarters. "As soon as we reached the police station, (the other driver) tried to get me to give him money," she said.
___While the native driver continued to haggle with Toner for up to $850, she continually refused. Police officials urged the drivers to settle the dispute among themselves. When no resolution resulted, Toner was escorted into the police station.
___"I thought for sure the other driver would get a ticket because he had no license and no insurance," Toner said. "I had all the proper paperwork but ended up being the one in trouble."
___A lawyer for the Mexico insurance company issuing the Texas agency's extra coverage came and went, while Toner waited on word about the health of a passenger in the other vehicle believed to be injured. As soon as the other party was out of the hospital, Toner could be released.
___The clocked ticked as Jerry Bradley, executive director of Texas Baptist Children's Home, began faxing necessary papers from Round Rock to Mexico.
___When the first attempts to reach a resolution failed, Toner was escorted to a jail cell, a cinder-block room with cement floors and no air conditioning.
___After looking around at her five cellmates--two men and three women who spoke no English, her eyes turned to the toilet.
___"It hadn't been flushed in what looked like weeks," she said. "Then I noticed there were no seats or beds, just a hard cement floor crawling with roaches."
___A gallon water jug sat in the corner with one cup for community use. The liquid was brown with filth.
___Toner remembered that an inmate told her people usually stayed in this jail 72 hours. "My heart just sank. I didn't think I could last that long."
___Toner began to pray. She prayed for strength. She prayed for understanding. But mostly she prayed that she could refrain from eating, drinking or using the facilities.
___Twelve hours passed, and the Texan hadn't consumed a thing or slept a wink. She barely sat.
___Finally, Toner was called into a room where an official surrounded by case files asked for 7,500 pesos, or $70., for her release. "I just remember thinking 'I don't want to go back there,'" Toner said. "I wanted to do whatever it took to get out of there."
___She soon was released, although dehydrated, hungry and tired. The agency van, however, remained impounded, where it still sits.
___Soon after the Texas group returned to Round Rock, Bradley flew to Juarez to meet with the same insurance lawyer now accused of mishandling Toner's case.
___Three days later, Bradley still was negotiating with Mexican officials and insurance personnel, despite the Mexico insurance coverage purchased for such incidences.
___"I think other agencies need to consider how they would handle things if this were to happen," he said. "We never think it's going to happen to us."
___If the children's home allows another agency vehicle across the border, it will be with great caution and even greater coverage, Bradley said.
___As for Toner, she is ready to return to the place that has been part of her for so long.
___"That orphanage has been one of our ministries for too long to stop now," she said. "And when it all comes down to it, the (jail) experience has only made me question just how much I'm willing to suffer for the Lord. And I am willing."

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