Thanks to all who have so generously supported this mission in the past.  You certainly came through for the families who received the houses as well as for the volunteers who went to work.  Any cost of the mission itself which is not met by raised funds is passed on to the participants who already pay their own transportation, room and meals, so your help was important to all involved.

Last year’s mission group numbered 30 people, among them five young people. We worked in Valle Hermosa, a small city about 35 miles from Rio Bravo where we stayed. The project was two houses. One was for a young woman with three children and a fourth one on the way.  Because of space constraints, her house needed to be reconfigured from the usual 12’X 16’ to an 11’X 19’ shape. Fortunately we have some professional builders who are part of our group.  The woman had been waiting for six years to get a house and was just overwhelmed with joy to have it finally happen.

The other house was a double house, that is 16’X 24’ because it was for an extended family of ten people with another on the way. The houses that we build, called casittas, are built on a concrete slab. The walls are a concrete block narrower than the block we are used to.  The slab has been poured before we arrive and the corners are started to guarantee that they will be square. We then build the walls to a height of ten courses of block and put on the roof which is corrugated metal.  The doors are manufactured by us on site. The windows are purchased but the quality is very poor. We then stucco the walls both inside and out and paint the interior walls and all trim.  We also give gifts of household items which we think are appropriate when we hold the dedication service, a service of prayer and hymns which marks the completion of the project.