Project Mexico is about building homes for the poor, yes. But it's a whole lot more.

It's about building homes, yes. To date, we've built over 50 60 (I've honestly lost count) homes. The border communities of Baja California are among the poorest in the Americas. They have become a magnet for people in Mexico and Central America, looking for a better life. Often these people end up in shanty towns along the border. No running water. Shoddy electricity, no sewage or sanitation... real third-world conditions, and all right next door to one of the most affluent places on earth, Southern California. It's here that we build, providing solid, quality shelter for those in greatest need.

It's also about opening eyes. If you live in the United States, you are among the richest people in the world. The median income in Southern California ranks in the top 2% highest incomes on the planet. In a world where most people still live on less than two dollars a day, we are truly the rich. And we, in affluent Southern California, have a unique opportunity to make an incredible difference in the lives of families living in horrific conditions, just two hours away. God's heart for the poor is clear, and His desire for us—the rich—is to make a difference in their lives. Travelling to Colonia de San Bernardo for the first time can be a sobering, eye-opening experience. It not only serves as a stark reminder of our material aplenty (in the U.S.), but also how big of impact we can make in the lives of the poor and the needy to the south. It is our hope the Project Mexico volunteers come away changed forever, and that participants desire to do more grows even further.

It's about relationships. Yeah, yeah... I know you've heard that before. But it's true. Really, it's (comparatively) easy to build homes. But changing lives for the better? That can be a tall order. We've found though that Project Mexico can be instrumental in changing lives. God seems to be working in a big way though Project Mexico in this. And maybe not how you might think. Can lives change among the people of Mexico? You bet. But it's amazing, the work God has also done (and is doing) in the lives of the volunteers, though this experience.

And still, there's more. Way more. We've only scratched the surface of what is needed and what is possible in this one little corner of the world. Healthcare, education, entrepreneurial endeavors, community development... the needs are great and the opportunities are greater, as eyes get opened and God tugs on hearts and people step up to bring their talent and resources and passion to impacting the lives of others through this ministry. What will Project Mexico look like in 5 years? Who knows. Here on some of the things happening, beyond home-building:

Rancho Solo Improvements
A group of 20 volunteers headed to Rancho Solo, where we stay during our home-building trips, and made much-needed improvements. They raised money for materials, and are installing toilets, flooring tile, ceiling fans and much more. Rancho Solo serves not only as our rustic accommodations during our trips to Mexico, but houses many other groups as well.

Arte de Viendo
Translated as "The Art of Seeing," Arte de Viendo is an art project where children living in Colonia de San Bernardo, ages 8-15, create art that encourages them to communicate the reality of their community, their world, through art. It's an exciting project that seeks to connect with the next generation in San Bernardo.

Small Change
Micro-lending has proven to be a powerful tool for helping the poor out of poverty, through small business loans. More than just loans though, micro-lending holds the promise of developing shared life and a true sense of community, both of which are in short supply in border communities such as Colonia de san Bernardo.

Paving Ecologically Minded Roads
Like most impoverished Colonias in Baja, Colonia de San Bernardo has no paved roads. In addition to making travel dirty and difficult (it gets downright impossible during rains), its also controbuting to an ecological nightmare in Baja. A group of brilliant professors and students at University of California, San Diego have devised a process of creating pervious pavers. Made by hand by volunteers and locals, these pavers allow not only for safe, paved roads, but help the environment too. They are pervious, meaning that rain and runoff can seep through them into the soil. Since there is no sewage service in Colonias like San Bernardo, their runoff is quite toxic. These pavers have the promise of helping not only pave roads, but prevent further toxic runoff in the Tijuana watershed.

Jon Hall