Just six weeks ago it was all a dream.

Ana Gmeiner wanted to do more to help the Oaxacan Indians in Mexico, so she decided she was going to open up a retail shop where the proceeds would go toward her missionary work.

On April 17, with the help of many friends and members of the community, the doors to Su Misericordia (His Mercy) thrift store opened.

"Unbelievable," was the word Gmeiner used to describe the events that have unfolded since she found the location.

"This directly affects people who live in third-world countries. They live in miserable conditions but with joy. They are poor physically but they are not poor in spirit, family values and their faith in God. They teach us, they bless us," she said, tearing up.

Surrounded by the store's vibrant colors, Gmeiner said her dream has become a reality.

"When we opened we only had five bags of stuff - that was it," said Gmeiner, founder and CEO of Su Misericordia.

Su Misericordia is a church organization that began in 1992 after Gmeiner went with a church on missionary trip to Maneadero, Mexico. The nonprofit organization has sent 200 children to school and have built homes, at least one a year.

"We decided

we needed to grow as a ministry; the needs are great. There are 200 children we've sent to school and we have 240 on the waiting list," Gmeiner said.

The idea for the shop came from Sister Mary Seibert, who told the Gmeiner of a similar situation at an Indian reservation.

Once the location became available for the store, all the pieces of the puzzle seemed to fall into place, Gmeiner said. A local church youth group painted the walls of the store, people donated clothes and clothing racks.

"Our counter was donated. Our book stand was donated. Every single piece you see here, except for that desk has been donated," she said, pointing to the desk in her office.

Gmeiner said she is very pleased by the support she has received from the local merchants in nearby Historic Downtown Upland.

"We've been welcomed in the center. The antique shop, Antique Alley, what they don't sell they donate to us. How do you thank them?" she asked.

"We've been totally welcomed by everybody. People walk in and say `This is so neat. We needed a thrift store here."'

Prior to opening the store, Gmeiner served for 23 years as the minister of youth services at St. Joseph's Catholic church.

"Our dream is that we can pay for our rent and utilities and double that and put that into our funds. We will evaluate after some time to see if this is what God wants us to do," she said.

One of the key factors in keeping the store operating has been the support from community members, who have volunteered their time.

Joe Nurre of Upland recently retired from working with the city of Los Angeles and comes twice a week to work in the store.

"She said she needed help and I am totally supportive of this and everything she's attempting to do," he said. "I had all this free time, so here I am."

Currently the store, which is opened six days a week, is manned by friends and family.

"I don't come to work at the store, I come here to meet people," she said.

Gmeiner said they got their first month's rent paid for through a donation. Other than that, they don't have a startup fund.

"I tell (customers) every dollar you spend, hopefully some day - not right now, we're just trying to pay the bills - but some day it's going to help the poor," she said.

Ana's husband, Danny, is involved in the program and often travels with his wife to the reservation.

"Historically, people would donate to the organization and we would take it over there," he said. "Over the years, it got harder and harder to take across the border. Then we started to do some garage sales and the proceeds from the sales would go to the organization."

Gmeiner said the organization operates with the help of volunteers not just in Upland, but Mexico as well.

"I have a staff of nine Oaxacan Indians and one Mexican family. Everybody is a volunteer, everybody that works here is a volunteer. No one gets paid, I don't get paid and I'm the founder," she said.

For Gmeiner, the store has been a blessing.

"I get up every morning and I'm in awe," she said. "Five weeks ago, we had nothing and look - doesn't it look like a little store?"

Liset Marquez can be reached at liset.marquez@dailybulletin.com, or by phone at (909) 483-8556.