Instead of lounging by the pool, skiing or working their computers—things students do on school breaks—12 students from La Sierra Academy (LSA) headed for Tijuana, Mexico, to join 2,000 other volunteers. In less than a week, the volunteers built 70 homes for Mexican families.
The LSA students joined Amor Ministries, a nondenominational ministry based in San Diego that identifies families needing homes.
The idea came from Steve McClain’s daughter, Marni, a La Sierra University student who had gone with LSU students on a previous mission trip with Amor. She was so impressed that she suggested to her father, a teacher at LSA, that the academy students might enjoy a similar venture.
Arriving in Tijuana on Sunday, March 20, the students and their sponsors set up their own campsite. Each group had a house to complete. The simple two-room homes consisted of a foundation, walls, two windows, a door, and a roof—made of wood frame and stucco, but no plumbing or electricity. Building materials and an instruction manual were already at the site. McClain and Dewald Kritzinger, associate pastor at the La Sierra University church, oversaw the project. In three days, the students completed their house, with the exception of the last coat of stucco.
Two other adult sponsors were Jennifer Davis, an LSA teacher, and Rosie Hing from the Southeastern California Conference office.
“Only outhouses graced the large desert campsite that we left at 7:30 each morning and returned to about 6:30 in the evening,” says Hing, who, with student help, cooked the hearty meals. “We drove over dirt roads one and a half hours each way to our site.
“Whether working individually or as a group, these students worked with their whole hearts. They completely understood their purpose,” she continued.
“They were amazing.” McClain added. “Most of the students had never had a hammer or saw in their hands before. On Thursday at 1 p.m. when I handed the keys to the family, there was not a dry eye in our group.”
The family were street venders with a 13-year-old boy and a 5-year-old girl. The father and son put in long hours alongside the students.
“We hope we can do this every year,” concluded McClain. “It’s satisfying, because we built a complete house and saw the delighted family take ownership.”
