In 1995, Dot Quaintance, a member of Peace Lutheran Church in Las Cruces, New Mexico, began serving as a full-time volunteer with the Urban Servant Corps in Denver, Colorado. During this time, Dot witnessed the impact of volunteer service on volunteers and the community served. As a result of her experience, and with the support of leadership and members of Peace Lutheran Church, Dot and a Board of Directors created a volunteer program in the border area of Southern New Mexico and West Texas. The uniqueness and diversity of the program and the area is reflected in its name: Border Servant Corps.
In September 1997, four volunteers and a volunteer director formed a community and began working in El Paso, Texas and Las Cruces, New Mexico. In 1998, Border Servant Corps was awarded a three-year seed grant from Wheat Ridge Ministries to support a volunteer and a part-time director. Since this time, Border Servant Corps has blossomed into a program in both cities that hosts volunteers from all over the country and England.
In 2010, Border Servant Corps received a three-year grant from the Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Foundation to support and expand the ministry of the Border Servant Corps through the Lutheran Border Awareness Project. This grant has allowed for the creation of the following programs: Border Immersions, Fellowship through Service, and Lutheran Leadership.
Currently, the program consists of 13 volunteer sites, 18 volunteers, a program coordinator and director. Volunteers live in three community houses, one in El Paso and two in Las Cruces. In the 2012-2013 service year, we added two more volunteers sites, six more volunteers, and a new community house!
As of the 2011-2012 service year, more than 100 volunteers have been a part of the Border Servant Corps experience.
Border Servant Corps is blessed in its history and looks forward to continue to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God in the border region.