Families that we built houses for in 2007

Group Leader: Diana Judge Building Date: Sept 2007 New Home: Manzana 31, Lote 86 Rojo Gomez Family: Name: Estrella Age: 1	Name: Gustavo Garcia Age: 30 Work: Recycler, $80 pw Spouse: Alejandra Alarcon Age: 20 Work: Home, $0 pw Observations: Gustavo Garcia (age 30) earns $80 per week working as a recylcer. He and his wife Alejandra Alarcon (age 20) and their child Estrella live in a small room with no running water or electricity on their property.

Group Leader: Diana Judge Building Date: Sept 2007 New Home: Manzana 31, Lote 87 Rojo Gomez Family: Name: Brandon Age: 11 Name: Ilse Age: 7 Name: Arely Age: 3	Name: Orlando Martinez Age: 27 Work: Mechanic, $80 pw Spouse: Amparo Perez Age: 28 Work: Home, $00 pw Observations: Orlando Martinez (age 27) earns $80 per week working as a mechanic. He and his wife Amparo Perez (age 28) and their three children live in a small room with no running water or electricity on their property.

Group Leader: Diana Judge Building Date: Sept 2007 New Home: Manzana 58 Lote 7 Terrazas II Family: Name: Daphne Age: 6 Name: Victor Age: 4	Name: Flora Montoya Age: 26 Work: Home Spouse: Victor Elizalde Age: 30 Work: Bricklayer, $75 p/wk Observations: Victor Elizalde (age 30) earns $75 per week working as a brick layer. He and his wife Flora Montoya (age 26) and their 2 children live in a small room with no running water or electricity on their property.

Group Leader: Diana Judge Building Date: May 23-26, 2007 New Home: Manzana 92, Lote 13, Terrazas I Family: Lorenzo Age: 23 Laura Age: 21 Julio Age: 16 Luis Age: 15 Oscar Age: 13 Yovani Age: 9 Jonatan Age: 1	Name: Petra Meras Duarte Age: 42 Working: yes Where: Factory, $70/week Observations: Petra and her family live in a small room. They do not have running water or electricity on their property.

Group Leader: Diana Judge Building Date: May 23-26, 2007 New Home: Manzana 84, Lote 14, Terrazas I Family: Alejandro Age: 22 Isabel Age: 18 Mario Age: 11 Esua Age: 10 Alejandra Age: 2 Maria Age: 1	Name: Mario Perez Luna Age: 40 Working: yes Where: Painter, $80/week Spouse: Isabel Cristina luna prieto Age: 38 Working: Where: Observations: Mario, his wife Isabel and their 6 children live in a small room with no running water or electricity on their property.

School Profile

Escuela Sector #14 School is located in Terrazes, and is a middle school which is responsible for the education of 1,000 students per year. There are not enough classrooms to accommodate the students, so the school operates 2 shifts per day – one that starts in the morning, with the other starting in the afternoon. There is only enough government funding to pay teachers salaries, so the school needs to raise funds from the student’s families to pay for books, maintenance and new buildings– a very difficult task in such a poor area.

During July 2007, a Global Tribe team built a new classroom (above) at the school – the 8th grade students pictured below are very happy to have a new classroom! We return during September 2007 to build another classroom alongside the one we built during July.

Where: Escuela Sector #14, Colonia Terrazas Del Valle
Principal: Graciella Lopez (pictured above)
Age of Students: Middle School
Number of Students: 1000

We are also building a classroom at Escuela Sector #14 in Terrazas

Escuela Sector #14 School is located in Terrazes, and is a middle school which is responsible for the education of 1,000 students per year. There are not enough classrooms to accommodate the students, so the school operates 2 shifts per day – one that starts in the morning, with the other starting in the afternoon.

While a Global Tribe team was building a home across the road for Petra and her family during May 2007, two of the Global Tribe team, along with Baja Christian Ministries staff, visited the school to see whether we could teach a hygiene class to middle school students. We were welcomed with open arms. We soon discovered that the classrooms were over crowded and the school was in desperate need of new classrooms. There is only enough government funding to pay teachers salaries, so the school needs to raise funds from the students families to pay for books, maintenance and new buildings– a very difficult task in such a poor area.

During July 2007, the Global Tribe team built a new classroom at the school.

Where: Escuela Sector #14, Colonia Terrazas Del Vall
Name of Principal: Graciella Lopez
Age of Students: Middle School
Number of Students: 1000

newsboys fans joined up with Global Tribe during May 2007 to build 2 homes for Petra and Isabel and their respective families in Baja Mexico.

Money is scarce in the slums south of Tijuana for Petra, who feeds and clothes her 6 children and 1 grandchild on $70 per week. Isabel and her husband Mario have 6 children and struggle to support them on $80 per week.

Until Global Tribe built them homes during May, both families were living in small shacks put together with pieces of wood and plastic, and with earth floors. Now Isabel, Petra and their families have a new hope for their future as they settle into their new homes that have concrete floors and drywall.

Isabel’s old house


Isabel with Anthony outside her new home

Isabel getting the keys to her new home

Petras old home

Petra getting the keys to her new home from Peter

As well as building two homes for the families, the Global Tribe team visited a drug and alcohol detox centre, took a health seminar for women which was run by one of the Global Tribe volunteers, Alma Marin, as well as teaching a class of middle school students a health and hygiene module. Other team members visited sick people and distributed medicine, while a Taco Fiesta for 300 people was held on the road outside Petra’s house after the homes were finished, for whoever was around. newsboys came to visit the GT team and families on Friday and to join in with the festivities.

Here’s what some of the Global Tribe team had to say about their experience in Baja Mexico.

Ire Wardlaw, GT house builder

“This is what living is all about. Getting up in the morning, knowing that your time and effort has nothing to do with you, but with others in need. For the first time in my life, I put shingles on a roof and nailed in dry wall.”  -  Ire Wardlaw

Jay hanging out with Paul & Jeff and some of the GT building team

“Never having been on a trip like this before, I wasn’t sure what to expect. After attending a newsboys concert in February, my wife and I discussed the prospect of going on a Global Tribe trip.  We debated about this trip, but as hard as I tried to come up with reasons I couldn’t do it, my heart kept feeling the tug. We took a leap of faith and came. How foolish I was to question the decision! While I realize the blessing a home would be to the families, I couldn’t anticipate the extreme need. Poverty is something you see on TV, shake your head and think, “How awful.” It often stops there. This trip brought home the reality of poverty –both physical and spiritual –in this place. How awesome to be used by God to help meet the needs of these people –people who are so much like us in many ways. I had no idea of the impact that this trip would have on the family we built for, but also the impact on the community. The biggest surprise? The impact it has on me. It opened my eyes, it taught me lessons, and it was as big a blessing for me, I think, as it was for the families coming together with a group of strangers from all across the country – what an amazing experience! Truly, God works among us –you could see this through how well we worked together. This is an experience I must repeat, and want to instill in my children –they will be joining us in the future.   Jay Newlin

Alma Marin

“The fiesta was fun! Earlier in the day, we had visited a local school to give a lesson in health education, and at that time had invited Graciella, the Director of the school to bring seventy of her 1000 students to our street Fiesta. The kids had a great time – eating, playing games with water balloons and enjoying the three legged races! The Director was so excited – she said that it was a rarity to see a genuine smile on the faces of her students, as many of these children grow up in homes where drug, alcohol addiction and poverty are the norm.” - Alma Marin

Teaching health education to middle school students

Three legged races were a lot of fun

The kids loved the pinata that was stuffed with candy

The water balloon game soon turned into a full on water fight!

Mackenzie McKinney

Shopping with Petra and Isabella
“One of my favorite moments of this trip was going on a shopping spree with Petra and Isabella for their new homes. In the beginning, the women were embarrassed and shy. We assured Petra and Isabella that there was no need to be embarrassed and soon we were all having fun. They were saying “Si” left and right as we held up all sorts of household apparel. The little things: clotheslines, plastic holders for brooms and mops, and sponges, they were getting excited about. In the meantime, thoughts of their children passed as they held up soccer balls and “Sponge Bob” signs.”

Isabel and Diana with some of the morning’s shopping

The women were awestruck at Costco, a large warehouse full of rows and rows of food, towels, and appliances. After filling up carts with food and other items, we visited the bathroom where the standard automatic paper towel dispenser and sinks were a wonder to Petra and Isabella. Isabella smiled as she saw the magic paper towel release from the box. She went for a second try, and then a third. We all joined in on her fun and laughed hysterically. She turned to the sink and what felt like ten minutes later, she watched the water hit her hands. I locked my eyes on her as if time was standing still. I watched her moving one hand over the other, back and forth, under the water. Her eyes never wandered –she was living in the moment.

A couple of hours later, our shopping trip had ended, and these two women were so thankful for our thoughtfulness. The little things to us, are so big and precious to them, and I learnt a lot about simplicity. Their family and homes are truly their being and they survive from the love within. God has touched us all on this journey. The love that we have exchanged will never be forgotten and these women have put a stamp on my heart. - Mackenzie McKinney

Manda Newlin

“I am taking back to Indianapolis a number of amazing memories.”

• Realizing that I actually had a role to play in this most significant project (I was afraid I’d be useless but I quickly realized there was a lot I could capably do.)
• Being on the receiving end of the warmth, friendliness, and care of the Global Tribe Staff

Ire with the Global Tribe team, from left Diana, Anthony, Eugene, Heather

• Seeing Petra’s and Isabella’s faces as they received their keys to their homes.

Petra gets a hug from Peter

Petras house keys

Isabel is overwhelmed at the house dedication

• Finding ways to communicate with all the children we met and loving them as much as possible during my time with them.

• Building friendships with fabulous people on our team from Seattle, Minnesota, Dallas, California, Virginia, Pennsylvania and the great state of Indiana.

The Global Tribe House Building Team outside Petra’s new home

• Eating the best tacos (with mucho guacamole) out of the back of a pickup truck

 
Jeff hangs out with the locals

• Literally getting my hands dirty doing God’s work.

Getting to know some of the children like Heaven, who liked to hold my hand and give me hugs. Iovanni, and who was determined to learn everyone’s name. Jesse, who just liked to be where we were. Christian, who changed the most in the time we were with him.