In 1993, Ray and Leah Hansen founded Rio Bravo Ministries, driven by a passion to serve vulnerable children and families. They established Casa Hogar Rio Bravo in Reynosa, Mexico, to support needy kids, aid broken families, sponsor mission teams and youth camps, and launch a Christian school.
In 1996, DIF Child Welfare referred the first girl to the home. By 2000, the center had expanded to three homes, caring for 50 children. Ray and Leah treated the ministry as an extension of their own family, pouring love, faith, and the message of Christ into every life touched.
Church and school groups, including Trinity Christian Academy in Addison, played a vital role, volunteering and making lasting contributions during these formative years.
With the foundation firmly in place, the next decade became a season of remarkable growth—made possible by the faithful partnership of churches, schools, and mission teams from across the United States.
- Expanding Residential Care. Through the generous labor and financial support of visiting groups, by the end of the decade, there were four cottages on the campus. Casa Hogar Rio Bravo had the capacity to provide a safe, Christ-centered home for up to 60 children at a time—more than doubling the number of lives touched with daily care, education, and family-style love.
- The Birth and Bloom of Colegio Puente de Esperanza. We first opened our doors in 2000 to serve the children living in the home. Within a few short years, we opened the opportunity to welcome students from the surrounding community. In 2006, the school earned full academic certification, a milestone that affirmed the quality of its Christ-centered curriculum. Starting with fewer than 90 students, enrollment soared to over 250 by 2010, spanning Kindergarten through Middle School. Each classroom became a bridge of hope, equipping young hearts and minds for a brighter future.
These years laid a strong foundation for the sustainable, family-focused ministry we continue today—
The 2010s marked a decade of steady expansion and deeper community impact, as God continued to multiply the reach of Rio Bravo Ministries through faithful partners and growing local needs.
- Colegio Puente de Esperanza: A Campus Transformed. To accommodate surging enrollment, the school made additions to the gymnasium and built 16 more classrooms, a new auditorium, and upgraded the administration building. These upgrades enabled Colegio Puente de Esperanza to serve our annual enrollment of 400 students—a testament to the trust placed in its Christ-centered education by families throughout Reynosa. From early childhood through middle school, students received not only academic excellence but also spiritual formation rooted in God’s Word.
- Spring Break Youth Camps: What began as occasional events evolved into a formalized spring break ministry, welcoming hundreds of youth each year for week-long camps filled with worship, teaching, games, and life-changing encounters with Christ.
- AWANA: Weekly Gospel Outreach The AWANA program was established as a weekly anchor for children in the community. Every week, dozens of children gathered in a safe and joyful environment to memorize Scripture, play games, and experience the love of Jesus. This consistent outreach became a vital bridge between the ministry campus and neighborhood families, planting seeds of faith that continue to bear fruit.
- The Blue School: In a poorer rural area just outside the city, the ministry launched a Christian middle school to meet urgent educational needs. Within its first year, the school reached full capacity of 60 students. Alongside this, Rio Bravo provided ongoing support to the existing elementary school, ensuring younger children also received quality, Bible-based instruction in a safe environment.
Through infrastructure, education, and intentional outreach, the 2010s solidified Rio Bravo Ministries as a beacon of hope and stability in Reynosa—equipping children, strengthening families, and empowering the local church.
