This year Brandon along with his Wife Abby brought a group of students that had focus and fun on their minds as they entered into to their week of service. Their project was answering the need to help La Casa De Esperanza grow and expand and to fill a big need. One of the visions for the Casa is to have a Elementary school on their grounds. This is a long term goal in establishing this school, but, it has come to their attention that the need is coming faster than they had thought. With the threat of their local school closing it’s doors there in a need to provide an area for Class rooms, and two possible class rooms would be where we presently have out Shop. To make room for classrooms means moving the Shop, but where do you move a shop to when you don’t have,,,,A Shop!! Which is a much needed place as the shop holds the tools and equipment to keep the Casa operating.

The Team got to work right away on the 24′x24′ Shop that would have a nice 10′x10′ door opening and a 12′ ceiling. It seemed pretty straight forward, but working at 2′ higher than we usually work meant being a lot more careful and moving at a slower pace. We had a great bunch of hands that poured a lot of hard work into the new building. One thing that was special is how they had some of the boys and girls of the Casa come over and participate. Dennis, one of the Dad’s in the group brought a box of work gloves and safety classes. We handed out the gloves and glasses to the kids and they became instant Construction Workers, so much that every morning when we drove in they were up, dressed and waiting for us,,,with their safety glasses on. In 4 days a slab was poured, walls stood up, a roof attached, and most of it stucco’d and it looks Great! There will come a day when we’ll be in the shop working on the vans, fixing weed eaters, or searching materials to fix what ever is broken, but we’ll do it with the back ground of the Kids playing at School.

The work project started off with a threat of rain and we made small preparations for it, but we were more or less thinking that it was simply just a threat and soon enough we had nice clear blue skys and it would remain that way all week. The teens from Salt Creek were amazing workers and everyone stuck to their jobs and put forth their best efforts. This was the second house build that would have the new floor plan and with a few adjustments it came together very nice. As a ministry we tend to struggle just a bit as we get back into the house building mode, but it actually went real nice and we can only thank the Salt Creek Team for all of their hard work as I think it made a huge difference.

There was only time for two days of personal ministry interaction and one of those days was spent at La Casa de Esperanza. This was a time when a vision and a big change took place. For many years there was the idea that the Mom’s needed a break from their children, and that the kids needed time to play with the teens, but it was the opposite. On this day the games and activities were created to help bring the Moms and their children together to play in interact with each other. Gabby Alonso of Casa Esperanza worked with Debbie and put together a very fun filled afternoon. The Salt Creek teens helped spur a new type of programing and it was an amazing day, and the way of things to come.

We ended the week with the presentation of the new home and Pastor Gabriel was their to support the project and to pray for the family and the teens from Salt Creek. Carlos and his family now have a house, and now it is theirs to make a home. As the year goes Carlos will be building his septic tank, hooking up the bathrooms and preparing for next years project when we come back to do the addition. By trade Carlos is a carpenter and the group blessed him with some new tools. A Great Week! A fantastic group of teenagers, and now a new beginning for Carlos and his family.

So thank you!