Written by Paula Claussen, Project Mercy Baja Founder

International Relief Teams built their 60th home with Project Mercy this past weekend!  How can we ever express our thanks and the appreciation of the SIXTY families for whom they have made such a life-changing difference over the past 10 years?

The IRT support of the Project Mercy Baja program has lifted sixty families out of the dirt and hazardous living conditions that so many desperately poor families struggle in which to survive, just south of the border in Mexico.  The enthusiasm and dedication with which each team works are inspiring to see, and our gratitude is profound.

We are all experiencing the cold and rain right now, but for the Castillo family, as well as many others, the rain falls on their clothes and belongings through leaking roofs, and the dirt floors turn to mud.  Insects and vermin scurry under the walls. But on Saturday, February7th, Heriberta and Jose Castillo Costa and their two sons were the lucky recipients of a new solid house to call home, and those nightmare days are in the past.

Marilyn Sethi, (IRT Operations and Outreach Coordinator), sent us the following comments and thoughts from team leaders:

Rose Uranga (Chief Operating Officer): “Building our 60th home in Tijuana represents more than a construction milestone. It’s part of our mission and ongoing effort to improve the lives of families living in poverty. Each home provides stability, safety, and the chance for families to build a more secure future.”

Marilyn Sethi: “Being part of these home builds in Tijuana is incredibly rewarding! I get to see firsthand how safe, stable housing can transform families’ lives. None of this would be possible without our dedicated volunteers, whose hard work, energy, and commitment bring each home to life. I’m so grateful to work alongside them and witness the real difference they make for so many families.”

Thanks to IRT one more family can now give a sigh of relief that they have the security they need to provide their children with a better future.

Adequate housing is a basic human need