HOH Anniversary- Sosa Reyes Family

Build Dates: May 22-23, 2015

Family Information:

Father- Elias

• Age 26
• Profession: Field worker
• Weekly Salary: $64

Mother- Patricia

• Age 23
• Profession: Field worker
• Weekly Salary: $64

Children-

• Marisol, age 4
• Daniela, age 5

 

Property Information:

Colonia- Ampliacion Paraiso
Time with property- 1 year
Electricity- No
Running Water- No

 

Family Story:

Elias and Patricia have been married for 5 years. Elias is originally from Oaxaca and Patricia is from Sonora. They both came to Ensenada looking for a better life and work opportunities. They met each other here in Ensenada, got married, and now have 2 daughters.

They lived with Patricia's mother for 4 years, but it was very difficult for them. Elias had the opportunity to get a piece of land on credit for $4,280, with monthly payments of $80. When they got the land, they decided to move there and build a house of old wood and plastic to keep the rain and wind out.

Elias and Patricia work in the fields every day and each make $64 a week. This covers their monthly expenses and the woman who cares for their children while they work. With their salary and the debts they have, it is difficult for them to be able to build a better, bigger home. Their daughters get sick often due to the cold and conditions in which they live (on a dirt floor). For this reason, they need help.

HOH Anniversary- Morales Coral Family

Build Dates: May 22-23, 2015

Family Information:

Father- Jose

• Age 30
• Profession: Packs alfalfa
• Weekly Salary: $71

Mother- Brenda

• Age 31

Children-

• Guadalupe, age 13, Junior High
• Maria, age 11, 5th Grade
• Pregnant with 3rd Child

 

Property Information:

Colonia- Ampliacion Paraiso
Time with property- 9 months
Electricity- No
Running Water- No

 

Family Story:

Jose and Brenda are originally from Sinaloa. They have been together for 18 years and have 2 children, Guadalupe and Maria. Brenda is 8 months pregnant with their third child.

They came to Ensenada 12 years ago for better work opportunities. They always rented a place until Jose was able to get them their own land, which they are currently working towards paying off.

When they started making land payments, they were unable to continue paying their rent and decided to move to their land. Jose and Brenda built a small house of old wood, cardboard, and covered it in plastic to keep the rain out. Jose works packing alfalfa which is used as horse feed. His salary is around $71 a week. Brenda helps sometimes with the expenses. It has been very difficult for Jose to cover all their expenses and have enough to save to be able to build his family a better home.  

HOH Anniversary- Garcia Basurto Family

Build Dates: May 22-23, 2015

Family Information:

Father- Salvador

• Age 28
• Profession: Car washer
• Daily Salary: $10

Mother- Zenaida

• Age 24

Children-

• Diego Garcia, age 2

 

Property Information:

Colonia- El Paraiso
Time with property- 1 year
Electricity- No
Running Water- No

 

Family Story:

Salvador came from Guerrero in 2008 looking for work and a better life than what he had in Guerrero. Once he got to Ensenada he began working in the fields and that is where he met his wife, Zenaida, from Oaxaca, who had also come to Ensenada looking for work and a better life. They got together and went to live in a house that was lent to them.

During this time their son, Diego, was born. They decided to start saving so they could get a piece of land on credit. Salvador is the only one who works as Zenaida stays home to care for their son. Salvador and his family got a piece of land and moved there. Salvador built them a small place from wood pallets and divided it in two so they could have a small bedroom.

They have a dirt floor and the whole place and roof is wrapped in plastic that he got from work. The church they go to was going to help them with a house, but were later unable to do so. They heard of YWAM and Homes of Hope and came to apply for a house.  

Team Alaska- Garcia Arellano Family

Build Dates: May 29-30, 2015

 

Family Information:

Mother- Matilde

• Age 26
• Profession: Children's Soup Kitchen Cook
• Weekly Salary: $20

Children-

• Juan, age 9, 4th Grade  
• Edgar, age 4, Kindergarten
• Hector, age 3

 

Property Information:

Colonia- Zorrillo
Time with property- 7 years
Electricity- Yes
Running Water- No

 

Family Story:

Matilde is a single mother, she separated from her husband 2 years ago. The children's father was a drug addict and treated the boys and Matilde very badly.

Matilde became a Christian 3 years ago and is currently working at her church's soup kitchen for children. The church pays her $20 a week but her and her boys are able to eat there. She only works there part-time and doesn't get paid much but she is content with the work because she is able to take care of her children. The boys father doesn't help them out financially as he still struggles with drug abuse.

Matilde has a piece of land that had a small structure on it built from old wood. She has lived in this same house for 7 years. During the rainy season the roof was damaged and it leaked in many areas. The pastor allowed them to live in small room at the church, but when the rain stopped, she moved back to her house. Their house is in very bad conditions and it is impossible for Matilde to make it better with the small salary she makes. 

Freedom Church- Avila Fernandez Family

Build Dates: May 16-17, 2015

Family Information:

Father- Edgar

• Age
• Profession:
• Weekly Salary:

Mother- Sandra

• Age
• Profession:
• Weekly Salary:

Children-

• Dana, age 7, 2nd Grade
• Diego, age 5, Kindergarten

 

Property Information:

Colonia- El Paraiso
Time with property- 2 months
Electricity- No
Running Water- No

 

Family Story:

Edgar and Sandra are from Durango. They came to Ensenada 3 years ago because there was a lot of violence and corruption in Durango and they didn't want to continue to live in fear.

They arrived in Ensenada and began renting a house. Later on they decided to get a piece of land and start making payments on it. Edgar built a small structure for them out of wood, wrapped the roof in plastic, and that is where they lived for 6 months. The landowner who sold them the land later asked for it back because he had a buyer who wanted all of the land, including the piece that was Edgar and Sandra's. Edgar and Sandra refused to give up their land because they had already been living there and making the payments on it. The owner then raised the price of the payments each month hoping that they would be unable to continue to pay for it. Edgar and Sandra fet a lot of pressure to try to make the payments on time and they eventually had to give the land back.

With the money they got back, they were able to get another piece of land in another area. This new property was more expensive, but they were given the opportunity to buy it on credit and only having to pay about $70 a month. Edgar moved the small house they had previously built on their old land and they have been living on their new property for almost 3 months now.

Kemp Family Build- Nepomuceno Garcia Family

Build Dates: May 4-5, 2015

Family Information:

Father- Ruben

• Age 38
• Profession: Packaging Produce
• Weekly Salary: $60

Mother- Maria del Carmen

• Age 39
• Profession: Packaging Produce
• Weekly Salary: $60

 

Children-

• Cristiana, age 12, 5th Grade
• Dulce, age 8, 2nd Grade

 

Property Information:

Colonia- El Paraiso
Time with property- 8 months
Electricity- Yes
Running Water- No

 

Family Story:

Ruben and Maria del Carmen have been married for 5 years. Ruben is not the girls' biological father; their father left for the USA, married another woman, and never came back. Ruben loves the girls as though they were his biological children.

They were living in Culiacan, but returned to Ensenada one and a half years ago because Maria's parents were here. Ruben and Maria decided to start a new life here in Ensenada because there is more work and the girls had good schools to attend. They bought a piece of land on credit and built a small room out of pieces of old wood and cardboard which they wrapped in plastic.

They have been living there for 8 months. Both Ruben and Maria work packing produce for 836 pesos a week. They put the money they each earn together in order for them to be able to cover the cost of the land payments each month and their household expenses. A sister-in-law of Maria cares for the girls while their parents are working. Even though they both work, their salaries are just barely enough to cover everything and is not sufficient to build them a better home.

ST Luke's- Reyes Desales Family

Build Dates: May 1-2, 2015

Family Information:

 

 

Father- Adolfo

• Age 35
• Profession: Security Guard
• Weekly Salary: $79

Mother- Lucila

• Age 31
• Profession:
• Weekly Salary:

 

Children-

• Juan, age 12, 6th Grade
• Dulce, age 10, 4th Grade
• Luis, age 4

 

Property Information:

Colonia- 89
Time with property- 9 months
Electricity- Passed from Neighbor
Running Water- Yes

 

Family Story:

Adolfo and Lucia are indigenous from Oaxaca, their native tongue is the Mige dialect. Six years ago they came to Ensenada looking for better work opportunities. They lived in rental houses for 5 years until they decided it was time to use that money and invest in their own land. They found land for sale close to where they had already been living and they got a piece on credit. Adolfo built a small place from them using garage doors and they immediately moved to their land. They have lived there the last 9 months. The money they were using to pay rent is now used to pay off their land every month. Adolfo is a security guard whose shifts will be either day or night. Lucia doesn't work as she stays home to care for their children. Adolfo's salary is their only income and it is very little to cover all their expenses and the land payments each month. For this reason, they haven't been able to build a better home.

Faith Fellowship- Hernandez Trinidad Family

Build Dates: May 1-2, 2015

 

Family Information:

Father- Victor

• Age 22
• Profession: Mechanic
• Weekly Salary: $67-80

Mother- Lucy

• Age 22

Children-

• Angel, age 4, kindergarten 
• Demian, age 2
• 6 months pregnant with Baby #3

 

Property Information:

Colonia- 89
Time with property- 1 year
Electricity- Yes
Running Water- Yes

 

Family Story:

Victor and Lucy are indigenous from Oaxaca; they speak the dialect Zapoteco. They have been married for six years and rented a house for five of those six years until they got land a built a house. They bought land on credit, and are still making payments on it. Victor built a small house that measures 4x4 meters squared which is made of pieces of wood and he wrapped the roof with a tarp.

Their house has no proper floor, but that is where they have been living a year now. Lucy doesn't work and is now pregnant; she decided to stay home to care for her children even though they could use extra income. Victor works in a mechanic shop making $67-80 a week. Victor and Lucy have to pay almost $130 a month for their land payments, and their household expenses on top of that which leaves them with nothing left to build a better home.

Bethel Church- Roman Camacho Family

Build Dates: April 20-22, 2015

 

Family Information:

Father- Marcos

• Age 25
• Profession: Taxi driver
• Daily Salary: $14

Mother- Itzel

• Age 21

Children-

• Ximena, age 1
• Antonio, age 2 months

 

Property Information:

Colonia- Libertad
Time with property- 1 year
Electricity- No
Running Water- No

 

Family Story:

Itzel and Marcos have been married for 3 years. They bought a piece of land on credit because they didn't want to have to pay to rent a place anymore. Marcos built a small place for them to live there from old pieces of wood. They got 3 months behind on their land payments and the land was taken from them.

They then had to find another place to live and go back to renting. Marcos was able to find a job as a taxi driver where he gets paid $14 a day, but sometimes it is only $10 depending on how much work there was. Marcos' dad saw that his son and son's family were in great need and so he decided to legally give them land so that they didn't have to struggle to pay rent any longer.

Marcos' salary is very little and sometimes not enough to cover all of their expenses. Marcos and Itzel have 2 babies who use diapers and formula, and most of their income goes towards the care of their children. With Marcos' salary it would be very difficult to build his family a home.