Last weekend, our DTS class had the chance to build a home for a family in need here in Tijuana. A group from the United States had originally scheduled the build, but several of their team members had to back out at the last minute. Rather than cancel, they generously gifted the build to our class, ensuring that this family would receive their home. I am SO grateful they did. Many in our class had never participated in a build before, making it an amazing opportunity to experience the joy of building a place for a family to call home.
The Molina Miranda family had previously built a small shelter on their property. It consisted of a tiny kitchen and dining area, a single bedroom, and an attached storage space mainly used to house their dog. With its rough, uneven cement floor, plywood walls, and thin makeshift door, the shelter served its purpose of keeping them safe and together, but it was too cramped for their family of four and not ideal for healthy living. Even though it was not an ideal living situation, you could see where mom had put time and effort into making it a welcoming home.
On the first day of a build, the site consists of a single slab of concrete. The morning begins with introductions, a moment to meet the family and hopefully hear their story, and a prayer. Each member of the team is then assigned a role, whether it's framing walls, mixing cement, or painting - they're all tasks that will transform the space from an empty lot into a home. The work is hard, but there is an underlying joy in a shared sense of purpose. Travis, Weston, and Gage helped literally anywhere and everywhere they were needed. From measuring, cutting, and framing to installing the roof, they were in their element working hard and helping others. Melody and I helped move and paint a whole lot of drywall, trim, and siding (on day two, my hand was definitely cramping 😆). Melody also had a blast connecting with the children. She used an interpreter to get things started, and then they were off stealing scrap wood and building and coloring an entire town. There was no language or cultural difference that could stop those kids connecting, and it made my heart so happy. By the end of the first day, you are incredibly tired, but you have a structure with four walls and a roof! More importantly, you can feel and see hope and a new life unfolding.
Day two brings an entirely different energy. With the structure up, the focus shifts to completing the roof, finishing the painting, and adding those final touches that bring warmth and personality. Mid-morning there's a noticeable excitement as part of the team takes the family to purchase groceries and other necessities, while the rest of of the team completed the build and furnishes the rooms and sets up the kitchen - imagining the family living there and making memories is the best! I absolutely love that part. As a wife and mom, I know how good it feels to be able to create a safe, welcoming, and comfortable home for my family, and having the opportunity to assist another wife and mom in creating this for hers, I don't know, it's just special. That feeling will never get old.
Once the family is back, and the home is complete, the final moments are extremely emotional as we form a circle in front of their new home. We pass the keys to their new home around the circle, each person speaking an encouraging word to the family, until we finally hand over the keys and get to see their expressions of joy and relief. The family enters their new home, closing the door behind them, and you can hear their laughter and cries of joy as they take everything in. Shortly after, the team knocks, and we are invited inside to be their first guests... and yes, all 40+ members of our team did fit inside! The family is given the floor to share anything on their hearts and then we we pray for them and this new season of life they get to start in their new home.
These homes aren't just shelter; they're a safe haven, a sign of hope, and the start of a new life... and it is incredibly humbling to be part of building that.
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