This past summer, I spent a week in Ensenada, Mexico building houses for families in need.
Here is the current situation in Ensenada. The majority of parents make less than 200 pesos a week which is around $15 USD for the week. This makes it very hard to save any money, especially when you have a family or groceries you need to buy. On top of that, the land you buy must be paid for in cash along with the materials you need to build the house. Mexico does not allow for home loans, so this makes it very difficult to build a home when the family does not have much to begin with.
This is where I get to step in. My family and I have spent the last two Thanksgivings in Mexico on a two day home build for families that go through extensive interview processes. They must already own the land because this proves that the family is more responsible for their home and the upkeep of it.
In June 2017, I went down to Ensenada for a week this time to work with families in need there. Every time I go down there is different, but it is always life-changing.
This home build is three days. The first day we spent getting to know the family, painting the siding and making the structure of the house. If you're lucky you'll get to start on shingles on the roof. The second day you spend a good amount of time putting up drywall and painting it. The third day consists of a trip to the local Walmart, where most of the families have never been before. We buy them supplies and food for their house and clothes for their family.
These trips have taught me many things.
The first thing I have learned is that material things do not dictate happiness. These families know how to emphasize education and happiness without owning hardly anything. Some of these families have nothing but the clothes on their backs. They live in broken and ripped tents with cardboard as their walls. It's heartbreaking to see people living like this when people in first world countries complain about not liking what their parents cooked for dinner that night.
Another thing I learned while in Mexico is that working together makes situations more fun and more productive. Without the help of many of the people on the build, including the family we were building for, it would've taken weeks to build that house. Teamwork makes the dream work people.
The most important thing I learned while there is that family is more crucial to these people than anything else. We should take lessons from them. A family is often times the most constant thing people have in their life. While that isn't always true, don't take your family for granted. Embrace them and love them, they want the best for you.
Mexico will be a memory I will never forget. It is one of the highlights of my year and something I look forward to months in advance. If you are ever given the opportunity to go on a mission trip or a home build take it. Chances are you won't regret it.
