Tijuana House Building Project.

Do you ever feel numb to your life? Like all you feel like you do is work and sleep and work and sleep? My life has felt meaningless these last few weeks, and nothing sparked my attention or lit a fire in me.  I feel like I have been sleepwalking through life.  That was until yesterday, when I went and built a house for a family in Tijuana, Mexico- just 30 minutes to the border from where I live, and an hour to their house from mine, yet it was worlds away.  This family woke me up- it was the slap in the face that I needed.  I also fell in love and can't wait to see them again.  My friends and I built their "house" in 6 hours. I say "house" because to our standards this is not a house, but they appreciated it as if it were.

 My friends and I split up into 3 groups and built 3 houses for 3 different families in Tijuana.

 Just 1 hour away from San Diego where I live, yet worlds away. 

 The wonderful family that we built a house for.  They didn't speak any english- and we didn't speak any spanish, but that didn't keep us from understanding their gratitude and ours.

 Adrian (the dad of the family) helped us build.

 Me- holding up walls.  

 Adjacent to their "property."

This is where they have been living.

This feast that the mom prepared for all 9 of us was everything they had.  I still don't know how she made this.  It was better than anything I've ever made, and I even have a real kitchen.  

 The mom and dad and their baby Kevin. 

Mirian (the little girl below) took this photo of her cousin.  She was such a great photographer and she was captivated by my camera. I bet she'll grow up to be a famous photographer.

 Mirian and her brother getting ready to paint.

All the little kids from the neighborhood wanted to get in on the painting of the house.

I fell in love with Mirian (in the middle).  I wanted to give her everything I had. All I had was my bracelet from Australia- she was thrilled! She kept trying to give it back to me, and when she finally understood that I was giving it to her, she held on to it as if I had given her the world.  

We gave them a Spanish bible and toys for the kids.  I love how Miriam was wearing the slinky as a bracelet.

I will never forget your family, and I promise I will find a way back to visit you again.

TJ housebuilding is a one day mission trip designed to share the love of the Lord with families by providing basic shelter in which they can live. "For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything." ~Hebrews 3:4