Thanks Mike and Melanie for your supreme efforts and generous donations to give these two families a solid much needed home in spite of the searing 93 degree heat.
Mike led us to the plight of Estrella Ovando Osorio when he build a previous house in the same neighborhood. Estrella was obviously several months pregnant when she approached him and asked if he could help her. She is a single mother of a 7 year old son and was obviously in great need. Estrella came to Tijuana with her mother and son a few years ago in the hope of finding work. When her mother returned to Vera Cruz, Estrella decided to stay on her own because she believed life for Cristopher will be better in Tijuana. She is now a secretary and earns $119 per week. She has managed to put down a deposit on a piece of land but when the father of her new baby left her, she could not afford to build anything, and they have been living with a kind-hearted neighbor ever since. Mike and his family made her hopes and dreams a reality when this past weekend, in spite of having a skeleton building crew, he built this little family a house to call home.
We have had a friend and sponsor for a few years who truly understands and believes in the work Project Mercy does south of the border. When she was looking around the neighborhoods a few weeks ago, she was introduced to the Molina Martinez family. Ana and Alvaro have two delightful little girls, Aitana 3, and Yuristi 2. There were squeals of joy when they were given a new doll each and a few colorful Mardi Gras necklaces. They have been living in a small cramped and rickety shack for several months. We had laid their foundation slab but did not have a scheduled build for them when Melanie met them and took an immediate liking to the family and could see their obvious need.
While Mike was building Estrellas house, John and our local crew built the Molina Martinez’ house.
It was hot, very hot, but the gift of a house and the joy that it brings, makes it all worth while.
