Saint Innocent, Enlightener of North America, by the hand of Fr. Luke Dingman www.lukedingman.com.
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P.O. Box 120028 Chula Vista, CA 91912-3128 (619) 426-4610 info@projectmexico.org
"Assuredly I say to you, in as much as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren,
you did it to me." Matthew 25:40
- Celia, a middle-aged mother of 7
For 25 years Project Mexico has been building weather-tight homes for some of the most impoverished families in Tijuana, Mexico. Project Mexico homes are constructed entirely with volunteer labor. Our volunteers pay a trip fee which covers operational costs, building materials and food for the week. All of the families we build for are carefully interviewed and sent to us based on the recommendation of a Mexican Social Service liason. Since we strive to build for the most impoverished families in Tijuana, we base our decision entirely on the current and future needs of the family. The families that we build for are often migrants from rural towns in central and southern Mexico. In Tijuana, a factory worker makes about $100/week whereas further south migrant workers will only make $4.50/day. For this reason and its proximity to the U.S., only 38 percent of the people living in Tijuana are native to the area.
Unfortunately, land in Mexico can be very expensive ranging from $15,000 to $25,000 for a 200-300 sqaure meters of land. This means that after families have saved enough money to make a down payment on their land, they have very little money left to purchase proper building supplies. As a result, when you drive through the communities where we build you will see numerous homes made of old garage doors, wooden pallets, tarps, tires or whatever materials were readily available. Our mission is to replace these shanties with solid structures that have a cement floor. In this region of Mexico, having a cement floor means that when it rains your floor doesn’t turn into knee deep mud. The cement floor also extremely lowers the risk of disease for families. Four days after the group's arrival, families are given a concrete floor, solid walls and roof, a warm interior, a locking door, and a new way of life.
Shown below is the step-by-step process that takes place when a Project Mexico home is built.
Why Mexico?
Mexico is known to many as the United States poor neighbor. What often isn’t said is that Mexico is a struggling country hoping to reach basic standards of living. Because minimum wage and education levels are so low, it is often difficult for families to break out of a cycle of poverty. We hope that through building homes we can help cover one of the most basic needs, shelter. Families can then spend their hard earned dollars on education and food. While there have been notable efforts in recent years, Mexico still struggles to provide appropriate social services for its people. This means that it requires more organizations like ours to fill these many deficits.
Is it all work?
Yes and no. We will not lie, building a home entirely by hand in just four days is not easy. BUT, most volunteers explain to us in debriefing that they through the grace of God, they were able to push their own limits for someone less fortunate. If you are concerned about the work load due to health issues or age, we would like to assure you that there is a job for everyone. It's really helpful to have a few folks rotating spending time with the local children;this ensures their safety and allows for true interaction with some of the local people. Once the work for the day at the jobsite is complete, the group returns to the orphanage where some folks decide to play soccer or basketball and others decide to relax and watch the sunset with a good book. This time is yours to regenerate for the next day!
Where do volunteers stay?
Volunteers stay at St. Innocent Orphanage, our orphanage for teenage boys (which makes up the other half of our ministry in the community)! We are located in Rosarito, Mexico. Depending on the week, volunteers stay in homes exactly like those we build, or bring tents and camp out!
Who can participate?
No experience is required, and we encourage all ages to get involved! For groups with minors, ages 14-18, we ask for a minor to leader ratio of 5:1. Anyone younger can come with a parent!
What is the cost?
The work trip fee for the week is $490. This covers food, lodging, and building materials. Transportation to San Diego is not included. Groups will also need a vehicle for the week.
Please visit our Volunteer Registration page for more information and to view all available Work Trip dates. Or, request an information packet and after reviewing it, feel free to call us with any remaining questions. We can also put you in touch with previous participants.
