Mom Killed Protecting Child in Mott Haven

Gunplay kills mom protecting kid

BY Kerry Burke, Edgar Sandoval and John Lauinger
DAILY NEWS STAFF

She was the most innocent of victims - and died protecting her little boy. A single mom was struck and killed by a stray bullet Tuesday when she walked out of a Bronx laundermat, smack into the crossfire of a gang gunfight, police said.
Aisha Santiago, 25, was hit in the chest as she attempted to take cover with her 9-year-old son on the doorstep of her building on E.146th St. in Mott Haven shortly before 3:30 p.m.
"She died defending her boy," said Santiago's devastated cousin Becky Lee Serrano, 19. "She covered him and went to the ground and got hit.
"She was just walking from the laundry place, minding her own business," pushing her laundry cart, Serrano added.
The shootout involved at least one gunman firing west on E.146th St. at a rival group of at least two shooters, who returned fire.
"It was two groups of gangbangers shooting it out," a police source said.
As bullets whizzed down the block, Santiago was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
"She was a totally innocent bystander," the source said, noting Santiago died at the scene.
The gun battle injured an unidentified 25-year-old man, who took a bullet in the leg and was in stable condition at Lincoln Hospital last night, police said. The wounded man is believed to have played a role in the shootout, and would likely be collared, police sources said.
Horrified relatives said Santiago lived with her mother and worked to support her son Anthony. "She was taking care of her kid all by herself. She was trying so hard. It's a big loss," said cousin Julio Serrano. He called Santiago "precious" and said he would often help her out by baby-sitting for young Anthony. "They used to call her Goldie, because she was a jewel," he said.

The End of His Watch: NYPD Officer William Chisolm

By Alicia Cruz

Senior writer

Theblackurbantimes

It's been almost 20 years since the watch of NYPD officer William Chislom ended on a South Bronx street, but his memory has been kept alive by a host of family members, friends, fellow policemen and his blossoming daughter,

Chauney who was a mere infant when her daddy was killed.

His page at NYPD Angel reads:
Name : Chisolm, William
Rank: P.O.
Shield #: 24154
Command: 045 Pct.
Date of Death: 1989-10-07
Cause of Death: Shot-Off Duty

William Chisolm joined the NYPD on July 15, 1986 at the age of 21. Upon his graduation from the police academy, he was assigned to the 45th Precinct in the Bronx. At approximately 1:45 a.m. on October 7, 1989, officer Chisolm and his girlfriend, Lydia Chester, age 22, of 360 Morris Avenue, were sitting in the officer's parked vehicle in the Patterson Houses, at 314 East 145th Street in the Mott Haven section of the South Bronx when 19-year-old college student, DeWright Tate Johnson, appeared and began arguing with Chester.

Tate was no stranger to Chisolm or Chester. Capt. Salvatore Blando, a detective working on the case at that time, said the suspect, DeWright Tate Johnson, had dated Ms. Chester for several years, but they had broken up and she recently began dating Officer Chisolm. Officer Chisolm had known Tate-Johnson for at least nine years as the two young men had been fellow members of a drum and bugle corps.
At some point Tate-Johnson became volatile with Chester causing Officer Chisolm to exit his vehicle to protect Chester from Tate-Johnson. A physical altercation ensued. During the altercation, Officer Chisolm removed his revolver, Tate-Johnson struggled the gun away from the young officer shooting him once in the forehead before fleeing the scene.

Officer Chisolm was rushed to Lincoln Hospital but succumbed to his injury at 10:35 a.m. on Saturday, October 7, 1989.

Tate-Johnson, a civil engineering student at City College, later surrendered to the 40th precinct in the South Bronx accompanied by his attorney, C. Vernon Mason.
At that time, Tate-Johnson was charged with homicide, possession of a stolen weapon and criminal use of a weapon. At his trial, Tate-Johnson's lawyer presented a "self-preservation" defense contending that his client had killed the officer in a struggle after the officer had taken out his gun and put it to Mr. Johnson's head. The jury did not agree and Johnson was later convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to 20 years to life in prison. He is eligible for parole in May 2011.

At the time of his death, Officer Chisolm was 24 years old. Leave a message in memory of this fallen NYPD officer here

Betances Houses Rat Infestation Major Problem For Seniors

By Alicia Cruz

Senior writer

Theblackurbantimes

The Betances Houses in the South Bronx houses a section of their developement specifically for senior citizens. The average person would expect this area to be safe and more importantly, clean. The senior citizen section is far from either. For several months the residents have had to deal with rats.

In addition to the sounds of gunshots, screams, loud music and fights...and the scratching sounds of scurring rats. Rat feces and urine permeate the halls and in many cases, the apartments. The rodents have gnawed holes through ceilings, then fell down into the apartments.

Sadly, resident behavior has aided the rodents is setting up shop at the Betances. The second story rooftop is littered with everything from chicken bones, junk-food wrappers and take-out food containers, enabling the maurauding rodents to have a field day.
Residents incessant complaints to the NYC Housing Authority brought about an exterminator, but that led to another problem: decaying carcasses. The poisoned laid by the exterminator killed the rats, but now, when residents leave their apartments they are met by the rank stench and site of decaying rat carcasses.

Photo courtesy of / Lindsay Lazarski

“This should be the best kept building in New York. Instead it’s the stinkiest!” said tenant Ernest McNeill, shaking his head. McNeill, a retired mailman who has lived in the building for eight years, said the rats behaved as if they were tenants, walking around, and crossing the street. “They looked like puppies, like little Chihuahuas,” chimed in Herman Escabi, another tenant. Segundo E. Delgado, another resident, said, “They’re big rats, like cats,” as he held out his hands to measure an imaginary rat for effect.

The New York City Housing Authority, which owns and operates the 12-story, 88-unit building, reserved for seniors 62 years old and older, openly acknowledges the infestation and the nauseating smell that followed the dispatch of the exterminator.
“No one should be subjected to that,” said NYCHA spokesman Howard Marder of the odor. NYCHA has since removed the panels of the dropped ceiling and is in the process of sanitizing the space and replacing the ceiling. “It will be done expeditiously,” Marder promised.
But residents say the horrendous smell from the lobby is all too familiar.

The senior building has been nicknamed “Calvary,” after Calvary Hospital in the Bronx, explained McNeill.
“Calvary is where they put you on your death bed. When they can’t do nothing else for you. When your insurance runs out and the city is going to bury you,” said McNeill, who disapproves of the name and expects a better living environment. “We all need to work together,” said Canales. Custodian, Tony Rodriguez, said there is nothing more that can be done.“Rats have been here for the last hundred years, and they are still going to be here,” said Rodriguez. “As long as people are here, rats are still going to be around.”

Latino News: Luis "DJ Wiz" Cedeño Has His Memoirs Complete

By Alicia Cruz

Senior writer

TheblackUrbanTimes

In Latino News:
If you're like me, you fondly remember those summer nights with jams in the park in the South Bronx projects; dancing to the scratching and mixing of DJ's like Grandmaster Flash, Kool Herc and then, there was Luis “DJ Disco Wiz” Cedeño. Yes, that's right, talk about a blast from the past, huh?

DJ Wiz is credited for being the first Latino hip hop DJ and the first to make a “mixed plate” in 1977 along with Grandmaster Caz and the legendary group the Cold Crush Brothers. He was also featured in the Emmy-nominated VH1 Rock Doc NY77: The Coolest Year in Hell, and creator/founder of the Hip-Hop Meets Spoken Wordz series.

DJ Wiz has been educating the world about the early years of hip-hop to include the days of summer jams in the South Bronx. Wiz was a major contributor in the opening of the Experience Music Project in Seattle in 2000, and was instrumental in the making of Jim Fricke and Charlie Ahearn’s "Yes Yes Y’all."

Latino DJ's like Kid Capri have Wiz to thank for paving the way. As the first Latino hip-hop deejay, the now 48-year-old Bronxnite is finally getting the props he is due with the release of his memoir, "It's Just Begun" {Simon & Schuster}. This Boricua/Cubano sensation had his DJ career sidewsiped when at the age of 17 he was charged with attempted murder and sentenced to nine years in prison. His battles included two bouts with Cancer, alcohol, drugs, women and violence. "A lot of people don't survive the things that I did. My goal is to save lives and to touch young kids," says Cedeño. Carlito Rodriguez, former editor of "The Source" is currently working to put Cedeño's story on the silver screen.

DJ Wiz (Left), born Luis Cedeño, was born in the Bronx, New York, to a Puerto Rican father and a Cubana mother is also the grandson of late Puerto Rican artist Santero Norberto Cedeño.

DJ Wiz appears in a few documentaries on Hip-Hop history including “1 LOVE”, a film Produced by noted Hip-Hop Historian James "Koe" Rodriguez about the lives of Joe Conzo, Ernie Paniccioliand Jamel Shabazz; Hip-Hop’s first photographers.
As a poet, DJ Disco Wiz performed at the Apollo Theater and the landmark Nuyorican Poets Cafe and his poetry can be seen in the upcoming book “Born in the Bronx.”

His career in Hip Hop came after attending a jam in the South Bronx featuring Kool Herc. Afterwards, DJ Wiz teamed up with his best friend, Casanova Fly aka Grandmaster Caz, to form a group called the Mighty Force crew. Mighty Force is credited as being one of the first Hip-Hop DJ crews in the mid-to-late 1970s. Legendary for their DJ battles in the streets of the South Bronx, the Mighty Force crew. DJ Wiz is a board member of the Universal Federation for the Preservation of Hip Hop Culture, chaired by Hip Hop alumni, Afrika Bambaataa of the Universal Zulu Nation. Fellow board members include Grandmaster Caz, Kurtis Blow, DJ Tony Tone, KRS-One (Fellow Bronxnite)Jorge Pabon, Joe Conzo and Melle Mel of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five.

Buy his book here

Check out his myspace blog and follow him on Twitter. Click here

Saving on 138th Street in Mott Haven

From Bruckner Boulevard to Willis Avenue...the savings are alive and kicking!

By Maria Clark

A whole day's worth of errands can be accomplished on 138th St. in Mott Haven. The busy strip, running from Willis Ave. almost down to the Bruckner, offers a variety of services for the one-stop shopper, including laundermats, beauty parlors, deli groceries and more. And you'll be sure to find most anything you need at discount prices on this bustling street.

HAIR SALON: Emilia and Ana Regalo de Dios unisex Salon, 482 E. 138th St.; (718) 401-2325
Emilia Pena, 61, opened the salon with business partner, Ana, 18 years ago. On Wednesdays, there is a 20% discount on all hair products, and haircuts for $5 to $8 for customers over age 60.
BUTCHER/GROCERY: Brothers Meat Market, 522 E. 138th St.; (718) 993-8684
This mom-and-pop-style butcher shop also helps seniors with a 5% discount on all products sold and free delivery.
"This is primarily a meat shop, no fish," said butcher Fabian Balbuena, although the shop does sell a number of other products, including cheese and avocados.
Ten pounds of baby back ribs sell for $18.99, and chicken gizzards and fresh neck bones are under $5.
GENERAL: Fat Albert J & E Depot/ Food Emporium, 600 E. 138th St.; (718) 402-1662
You can shop for groceries or buy new furniture. A bedroom set, including queen-sized bed, chest, dresser with mirror and nightstand goes for $700. A five-piece dining room table set will set you back
$80. A pack of Lipton noodles sells for $1, while six cans of Goya brand tomato sauce cost $2. Sale prices change every two weeks. Seniors receive a 10% discount on Wednesdays.
TAKEOUT RESTAURANT: Jing Xin, 359 E. 138th St.; (718) 742-6138
Open all week from 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 11:30 p.m. The restaurant offers a free can of soda with a purchase of $10 or more.
PHARMACY: Friendly Pharmacy Inc., 389 E. 138th St.; (718) 742-0001
This small, family-owned business includes a well-stocked assortment of products and an efficient pharmacy counter. Items such as a double pack of Listerine and large bottles of sham poo are on sale, and discounts on different items vary weekly, said pharmacy manager Aijaz Yanin.
DELI AND GROCERY: 138th Deli and Grocery; 651 E. 138th St.; (718) 665-0927
This corner store offers discount prices on a variety of products. A 20-pound bag of Canila brand rice sells for $10. Malta Goya and Tampico fruit punch are two for one. And if you're hungry, Cup Noodles are two for one, as well.
DRY CLEANERS: Cesca Cleaners, 347 E. 138th St.; (718) 292-2728
This busy establishment offers same-day dry cleaning and in-store tailoring. There is a 10% discount if you pay in advance.
Regular prices are $2 for cleaning and pressing a dress shirt, and $4 for a pair of slacks.
The store is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
COMPUTER SERVICES: Cyber katz Inc., 430 E. 138th St.; (718) 618-0720
Around noon, this comfortable Internet café is still relatively empty. But, by 6 p.m., owner Helen Garcia says, the computers are all taken up by local students eager to finish homework and get on their MySpace.
"The library can get crowded. This is a comfortable option," Garcia said. Sometime in June, Garcia and her husband will start offering basic computer training courses on setting up e-mail accounts, doing basic online research and using Microsoft Word.
RESTAURANT: Tropical Grill Restaurant II, 339 E. 138th St.; (718) 402-7252
The smells of slow-roasting chicken and freshly made rice and beans is enough to lure folks into this small eatery. The low prices are not a bad draw, either. The Latin restaurant is now offering two takeout specials: a $6 mini special of a quarter roasted chicken, rice and beans, salad and a soda, or its Combo Especial - a whole roasted chicken, rice and beans, salad and a 2-liter bottle of soda, for $13.95.

Change Has Some South Bronx Residents Worried

Lamont Barkley, 42, has lived in Mott Haven his whole life and has witnessed the devastation that overtook the neighborhood, and its rebuilding.But that does not mean he’s ready for the latest change: the city’s plan to replace gritty industrial buildings with high-rise waterfront apartments and retail businesses.“Development is always a good idea, as long as you don’t try to move people out of the projects,” he said.Barkley lives in the Patterson Houses, the 15-building Housing Authority complex that occupies the land between Morris and Third Avenues from E. 139th to E. 145th Streets
Read Full Story Here

South Bronx Neighborhood Has its Own Newspaper!

By Alicia Cruz
Senior writer
theblackurbantimes.com
The South Bronx has an online newspaper dedicated to news and events occuring in the Mott Haven, Melrose and Port Morris areas.
Staffed by students at the CUNY Graduate School of journalism, the Mott Haven Herald is currently online, but will publish its first print edition soon. I'll keep you all posted!
In the meantime, stop by and check them out online: The Mott Haven Herald News

Bronx East Side House Settlement Seeking Former Participants

East Side House Settlement is looking for former participants and scholarship recipients from the Youth Leadership Program (YLP) or the College Preparation and Leadership Program(CPLP).
If you were involved in either program between 1994 and 2005 please contact Karen Lewis at 718-402-0571 x453. We are asking that all former participants please fill out and submit an online survey

CLICK HERE TO FILL OUT SURVEY

By completing this survey you will be providing us with vital information to increase scholarship donations from our funding sources. The information gathered will be used solely by East Side House Settlement and will not be sold or used for solicitation.
We believe education creates economic opportunities for individuals and communities.

We believe that intervention at critical juncturesis the key to breaking the cycle of dependence.

We believe that by building on the strengths of the individuals we serve, we help every family achieve self-sufficiency.

We believe in placing a college education within reach of every motivated student

We believe that only by servicing the entire family can the cycle of poverty be broken.

To sonate to the many programs at the East Side House Settlement please contact John A. Sanchez for more information.

East Side House

337 Alexander Avenue

Bronx, NY 10454-1108

T: 718.665.5250

F: 718.585.1433

SoBro Community Advocate Honored

A community advocate from the South Bronx was honored in February during a street renaming ceremony in the very neighborhood she fought to save. NY1's Dean Meminger filed the following report.
It was a mixture of clapping and crying as third avenue at 156th street was renamed Yolanda Garcia way Tuesday.
"There is not enough words to express how I feel today," said Anna Vincenty, Nos Quedamos.
Community activist Yolanda Garcia was a fierce advocate for rebuilding the South Bronx, particularly the Melrose area. During the 70's and 80's burnt out buildings and vacant lots plagued the neighborhood. When city plans to demolish much of the area surfaced, Yolanda refused to leave. She started the group Nos Quedamos which means "we stay".
"If you took her on, you understood that you were in a fight. Even some community activists did not want these programs to go forward, but she fought hard to make sure that it happened. Now everyone tells you that they were on board with her, but there were times everyone was not on board but she showed them the way," said Congressman Jose Serrano.
Garcia passed away four years ago, but Nos Quedamos says over the last 17 years it has helped to build more than 2,000 housing units in the area. Many other groups are building here now as the population grows.

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE
"It took that one woman to help shake, rattle and roll this community, of course with the help of the whole community. But she is the one who started this," said Vincenty.
"Through her work, our community is such an incredible place that now everyone wants to live. She decided to launch her efforts to save the Melrose section of the Bronx," said Bronx Councilwoman Maria del Carmen Arroyo.
Yolanda Garcia's family and friends held the street renaming ceremony on the anniversary of her death. They say this was the best way to honor her and all that she accomplished.
"My mother used to always tell me that the universe was your oyster, you just have to envision what you want and conquer it. This is it. There's nothing better than this. This is the legacy," said Yolanda Garcia.
It's a South Bronx legacy, they say has been improved because of the work of Yolanda Garcia.

NEWS AND NOTES

News From Around The World

By Alicia Cruz

Senior writer

theblackurbantimes.com

Shaq, Paul Robeson amongst stars named to N.J. Hall of Fame

New Jersey — New Jersey says Shaq and Bon Jovi are shining stars in the Garden State. Both are amongst 12 others including civil rights activist Paul Robeson who were named to the New Jersey Hall of Fame on Monday. The honor is meant to highlight positive contributions made to the Garden State, a state sadly known for corrupt politicians amongst other uglies. I have to agree, Shaq deserves the honor and Mr. Robeson made quite a few outstanding contributions in his time. And for those of you unfamiliar with the Bronx, Mr. Robeson has a Junior High School named for him: I.S. 183 on Morris Avenue in the Mott Haven section of the South Bronx. I.S. 183 has a stellar coach, Tommy Yahn (aka the Cardinal Hayes Flash and, like myself, a Patterson Projects "alum"), who coaches both the boys' and girls' basketball teams. This Saturday, Coach Yahn is attempting a double-double where a final four is set to be played for the first time in order to determine New York City champions for grades 6-9. In Saturdays semifinals, the I.S. 183 girls will square off against M.S. 51 of Brooklyn at 1 P.M.; the I.S. 183 boys will take on Junior High School 50 of Brooklyn at 3 P.M. The winners advance to the championship round later in the day. Let's hope they both rally for leads.

Tax woes gone wild; warrant issued for 'Girls Gone Wild' founder

LOS ANGELES — A federal judge in California has issued an arrest warrant for “Girls Gone Wild” founder Joe Francis because he failed to appear at a hearing in his tax evasion case. U.S. District Judge S. James Otero issued the warrant Monday in Los Angeles.

Joe Francis (pictured left) did not immediately respond to a call seeking comment. The hearing was to address his request to hire a new attorney. Francis is accused of claiming more than $20 million in bogus business ex-penses on his corporate tax returns, including $3.8 million for a home in Mexico and $10.4 million in phony consulting services.

Another spoiled starlet strikes again
Lindsay Lohan's frame isn't the only thing that's fading — it seems her star status is too. The 22-year-old caused a ruckus while on a Delta Airlines flight from Tampa on Saturday. Apparantly, Delta was unable to provide her with a first-class seat on the already overbooked flight and the star threw a conniption fit that had passengers doubled over laughing at her. Word has it that Lin Lo stomped around and even warned a friend traveling with her: "You'd better come and visit me back there (in coach) in case I die." Poor thing. Imagine having to suffer through a flight by sitting in coach with mere mortals? And...as starlet tantrums will do, the fit earned Miss Lohan her way and she got to stay in First-class.

US seamen are being trained to fend off pirates
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — With an alarming number of tankers and cargo ships getting hijacked on the high seas, the nation's maritime academies are offering more training to merchant seamen in how to fend off attacks from pirates armed not with cutlasses and flintlocks but automatic weapons and grenade launchers. Colleges are teaching students to fishtail their vessels at high speed, drive off intruders with high-pressure water hoses and illuminate their decks with floodlights.
Images courtesy of: osmoothie.com/tag/nuclear/

Mom, dad, son put the 'Smackdown' on Md., police
SEVERN, Md. (AP) — Anne Arundel County Police said a man and his parents assaulted and tried to stab officers when they responded to a report of the family arguing. Police said a 20-year-old son and his parents were arguing in a car around 11 a.m. Sunday. When officers approached the car, police said the son assaulted the officers. After police arrested him and two more officers arrived, police said the father pulled out a butcher knife and tried to stab an officer.

Abusive mom sentenced to Life for murder of 2-year-old

GALVESTON, Texas (AP) — A mother was convicted of capital murder Monday for the death of her 2-year-old daughter, who was whipped with belts and flung onto a tile floor to teach her manners, before her body was dumped in a box in Galveston Bay. Jurors deliberated less than two hours before finding Kimberly Trenor guilty. She received an automatic sentence of life without parole. Prosecutors did not seek the death penalty. "Justice has been served today. Today it's about Riley" — the victim, Galveston County District Attorney Kurt Sistrunk said after the verdict.

Gadhafi chosen to lead African Union

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – Moammar Gadhafi of Libya was elected Monday as leader of the African Union, a position long sought by the eccentric dictator who wants to push his oil-rich nation into the international mainstream after years of isolation.
Gadhafi, once ostracized by the West for sponsoring terrorism, has been trying to increase both Libya's global stature and its regional influence — mediating African conflicts, sponsoring efforts to spread Islam on the continent and pushing for the creation of a single African government.
Still, some African leaders offered tepid praise for the choice of the strongman who grabbed power in a 1969 coup. Rights groups called him a poor model for Africa at a time when democratic gains are being reversed in countries such as Mauritania and Guinea.
He attended the session dressed in a gold-embroidered green robe and flanked by seven extravagantly dressed men who said they are the "traditional kings of Africa." Gadhafi told about 20 of his fellow heads of state that that he would work to unite the continent into "the United States of Africa."
Gadhafi arrived at the summit Sunday with the seven men, one carrying a 4-foot gold staff, and caused a stir when security officials did not admit them because each delegation gets only four floor passes. All seven "kings" were seated behind Gadhafi when he accepted the chairmanship.
"I think the coming time will be a time of serious work and a time of action and not words," he said.

Senseless Cowardice Act: 16 yr. old Stabbed Over a Bookbag on a BMW?!

BMW DRIVER WHO STABBED BRONX TEEN ARRESTED
Kwame Ferguson, left age 35, was nabbed in Brooklyn and taken to the 45th Precinct stationhouse in The Bronx for questioning. Ferguson allegedly flipped when 15-year-old Gabby Quinones (below) laid his backpack bookbag upon the hood of Ferguson's BMW X5 while waiting for a bus in the Co-op City section of the Bronx. Quinones is in stable condition at Jacobi Medical Center and expected to make a full recovery. All photos courtesy of NY Daily News.

To follow this updated story click here:http://www.nypost.com/seven/12122008/news

El Chocó in the Bronx: Three Catholic nuns venture to the South Bronx, with faith.

Above, Members of St. Pius V lead a Good Friday procession down Morris Avenue in the Bronx

When Sister Cecilia Archuleta learned that she would be leaving her church in Colombia to serve in a South Bronx church, she admitted that her first emotion was fear. After hearing so much negative news about the South Bronx, no one could blame her.Sister Cecilia remembered that I was a native of the South Bronx and telephoned me at work in Nevada to ask questions about what she should expect of life in the South Bronx.I hadn’t lived in the South Bronx for years, but knew that the area she was being assigned to is still dangerous, but I also knew that the Hispanic Catholic community would welcome her with open arms and protect her.

I gave her the good, the bad and the ugly and we prayed together before hanging up.''I expected to see drug dealers on every corner and eyewitness shootouts,'' exclaimed Sister Cecilia, 36, one of four Roman Catholic nuns who came to New York last year. ''They told me the South Bronx was the worst of society."
But things haven't been so bad. Occasional gunfire, yes, and even a gang rumble. Yet apart from these and a few other minor troubles, Sister Cecilia and her three colleagues, Sisters Lupe and Teresa Pinto, and their Mother Superior, Raina Mercado, are having a grand adventure in a once-notorious neighborhood. They may even leave the place in better shape than they found it.

The four nuns came from the department of Putumayo, Colombia before coming to the Mott Haven section of the Bronx last year to help remedy a shortage of nuns at two churches, and to provide a touch of home for the area's growing population of Colombian immigrants. Two of them work at St. Rita's Church, College Avenue, and the other two at St. Pius, East 144th Street, both in the heart of the South Bronx's Colombia, Puerto Rican and now, Mexican communities. All four of the sisters live in a convent at St. Pius.

I grew up in St. Rita’s and St. Pius V district which is Mott Haven. That area consisted mainly of Puerto Rican’s, Dominican’s, Colombians, West Indians and African American’s. I cannot recall any Mexican’s but now; there are about 25,000 ethnic Mexicans in the southern end of the borough.

Since they arrived, the four nuns have cut their own paths through the borough's gritty precincts. They visit immigrant families late at night, often the only time the families can be together to meet with them. They poke around the local bodegas and restaurants in search of el comida de Colombia: Arepas, Sancocho, Ban déjà paisa, ajiaco, lechona, arroz con habichuelas.

''When we first got here, everyone just stared at us,'' said Sister Cecilia, describing their daily strolls. ''Now, everyone waves and says, 'There go the sisters.' ''

In a neighborhood where many residents are poor, the nuns stand out -- part oddity, part inspiration -- for having willingly chosen a life of poverty. Even their traditional white and black habits of the order of St. Pius can prompt amusement. ''Don't you ever change clothes?'' a little boy asked Sister Teresa the other day.
Now back in my day, that type of question would have earned me a slap across the mouth from Mother Superior Theresa, my former Principal at St. Pius V.
At the churches, the nuns perform an array of services, helping with baptisms, distributing Holy Communion and teaching catechism. Their toughest task, they say, is making their religion relevant to people struggling to build new lives thousands of miles from their home and amidst bleak times.

Many families who attend the two churches are plagued by alcoholism, sexual and spousal abuse. Many of the men who left their families behind in Colombia, Mexico and other countries have started new ones here.
''The biggest problem here is family unity,'' Sister Isabel said. ''We dealt with the other half of that when we were in Colombia.''
For those kinds of problems, they have found, theology is not always the answer. When a young man complained that he had been cut off from seeing his 15-year-old sweetheart by the girl's father, they told him to get a job so he could impress the girl's father with his sense of responsibility.
''You cannot say that everything is spiritual,'' Sister Lupe said.
Sometimes, they offer no advice at all.

''In Colombia, like many other Hispanic countries, there is a lot of machismo, and the women are discriminated against and strenuously discouraged from taking any strong stances, and this 'Latino mentality' persists even in the United States,'' Sister Lupe said recently during a break from services.
''The woman may not receive the money she needs to run the house, and she may have no one to talk to about these things. Someone just needs to listen to them.''
In their twelve months in New York City, the sisters have learned their way around the Bronx and even ventured into Manhattan. Armed with only their passports, the sisters often use a car given to them by a priest for sightseeing trips. Occasionally, though, they are left baffled.

''The other day, we went to this place -- where was it?'' Sister Cecilia asked her colleagues.
''Somewhere up there,'' Sister Teresa said, pointing at a wall.
''White Plains?'' Sister Lupe asked.
''No, White Plains is in the other direction,'' Sister Teresa countered.
''Something called Sam's Club?'' Sister Lupe offered. ''Have you heard of this?''
No sooner than Sister Teresa finishes uttering those words, a young Latina walks up to her and asks her for directions to Lincoln Hospital. "We knew how to get there, but couldn't tell her so we hopped in our '83 Chevy and drove her and her baby there," Sister Cecilia said.
Yet even though they are often lost, the sisters say they long ago abandoned their fears of the South Bronx or of any other place in New York City.
''Somehow,'' Sister Lupe said, ''We always find our way back home.''