Esperanza, Final Work Day ~ August 1, Friday

We had the most satisfying day! We finished the roof on Dolores' house, pouring 30+ bags of concrete, one bucket at a time! It was amazing team work, including working with many neighbors form the Cumbres community. It was so satisfying and fun to work alongside them.

We ended our time with Dolores and her family with a delicious carne asada meal and a pinata. Dolores was so grateful and loving to us.

Before heading home to the Posada, we stopped by Maria's home. We dug the foundation at her site last year and her family really touched us.  We saw that she had indeed painted her home yellow with chocolate trim, just like she shared with us last year when she shared her dream of her house. The interior of her home was lovely and warm.

A trip to the ice cream shop completed a very satisfying day. We headed to bed with sore muscles but very warm hearts.
~Jeri F.

Carne Asada lunch being prepared by Dolores, her daughter, and sister in law.

4 hours of passing cement 1 bucket at a time.

Couldn't have done it without the volunteers from the community.

Empty bucket line off the roof.

Full bucket line working its way up to the roof.

Full buckets going up, empty buckets going back down.

Slowly pouring the roof.

Full bucket being passed, Coretti waiting for the empty buckets.

The cement roof almost finished! 4 hours of cement!

The final corner!!

Our amazing cooks!

Bailey, Dolores, and Evan at the end of a full work day!

The fiesta pinata!

Lots of candy!

Our closing goodbye circle was full of emotions, love, and hope!

Family, love, hope. A beautiful group of people!

Saying our goodbyes to Dolores.

Visiting Maria to see her finished house. We helped dig the foundation last year.

A beautiful completed Esperanza home!

A well-oiled machine. A group of people working in complete harmony with a common goal can accomplish a lot. I don't think anything defines teamwork and community more than an Esperanza bucket line. Everyone plays an important role, is working hard and part of the mission, beautiful!

Mexican ice cream to close out an amazing day!

Esperanza Photos ~ Work Day 4 (Thursday)

On work day 4, Thursday, we continued to prep the roof...working hard and fast, with the team goal of being able to pour the roof on Friday.  We continued to cut and bend rebar, and tie everything together on the roof.

Dolores' beautiful granddaughter Jesline and grandson-in-law Damien playing in the water on a hot day.

Jeri working on putting the roof together.

Tying all the rebar together is a TEAM effort!

Lots of rebar to tie!

The view of part of Cumbres from the roof.

Safety first. :)

These 2 LOVED the water! :)

Cutting and bending the rebar.

Dolores' family's name plate outside their original home.

Eduardo, the volunteer coordinator.

We also had the privilege of visiting an all-girls orphanage in Tijuana on Thursday.  We made bracelets, played soccer and dodgeball, and just played with the girls. Their smiles, energy, and excitement touched our hearts!

The most intense game of dodgeball ever.

We played some intense games of dodgeball.

The girls sang us multiple songs as a way to thank us for playing with them. You might recognize this one.