HOMES OF HOPE - MEXICO - MAY 2018

A group of 18 from Ohope Christian Fellowship church are currently fundraising to go to Mazatlan in Mexico in late April-May 2018 to build two homes for impoverished families.

We will be working with an awesome organisation called Homes of Hope, running under Youth With a Mission (YWAM), to provide two amazing homes for families that currently live in squalid poverty, with no hope or opportunity to ever own a home of their own.

Each home costs $10,000 (NZ) to build and so as a group we are currently fundraising $20,000 plus an additional $5,000 to kit out each home with furnishings. Not only will our group pay for the materials, but on arrival we will then build the two homes. Further info can be found at:

http://www.ywammazatlan.com/mission-trips/homes-of-hope

Each team member is paying their own personal costs including flights, accommodation and food etc. All fundraising goes directly into paying for each home.

Our group contains a mix of adults and teenagers with a goal to invest in something genuinely meaningful and long term, while at the same time having an impact on those who travel and participate, so that they will bring the lessons learnt back to our own community (such benefits I have previously seen from similar trips).

I have personally seen the powerful impact of such trips in a range of places around the world and have previously taken my Youth Group to serve in a similar way in Fiji in 2004 and Vanuatu in 2016, along with adult trips to a range of other places. The effect of experiencing genuine poverty and need had a huge impact on all resulting in long term effects on lifestyle, career choices and life directions.

This is a unique opportunity to take a group of New Zealanders to bring fresh hope to those in Mexico, while at the same time impacting the hearts of those who travel. So we simply ask that you support us as we fundraise so that we can arrive with the required finances and resources to be an effective blessing to at least two families in Mexico.

You may ask why Mexico? The truth is that there is an unlimited pool of potential places around the world that would be worthy of such investment. Homes of Hope is such an amazing and inspiring ministry changing the lives of extremely poor people. I have had the first-hand privilege of seeing the quality of these homes and the difference this ministry is making in very impoverished communities. I don't deny the genuine needs of other places, but the doors opened for us to go to Mazatlan and bless the people there. So rather than debate the 'wheres' we are actually going to go and 'do.' Please join us by investing in these two homes that will bring hope to some families currently living in the dirt. When it boils down to it, it's all about the children!!!

Blessings Jon McKenzie

Some further reasons why this is a great idea:

According to Mexico’s National Council for the Evaluation of Social Policy, 46% of families in Mexico live in poverty, meaning a lack of income, not having access to basic education, health services, social security, quality housing; and basic services such as electricity, drainage, running water, or food. 11.7 million people in Mexico are considered to be living in extreme poverty.

Homes of Hope was created with the heart to extend a helping hand to families like these, to help them accomplish something that would take 20 years to do on their own. We believe all human beings deserve to have a dignified home. Our vision is to come alongside and serve the local church already working in an area, and focus within that community in order to see more long-term impact.

POSITIVE IMPACTS OF HOUSING A FAMILY

In Latin America, households need 5.4 times their annual income to buy a house

50-75% of family dwellings are owner-built

30% of all dwellings are made with rubbish

ECONOMIC IMPACT

Debt-free home helps leverage families out of poverty. Funds are not going to treat sick children and keep them warm, instead they can purchase resources for school and other necessities.

EDUCATIONAL IMPACT

A child without a home is 3 times more likely not to attend school

A child’s poor educational experiences limit future productivity and career prospects

Stable environment encourages learning and is more likely to have a child that will attend and stay in school.

HEALTH IMPACT

2.5% of children under one die of exposure

Homeless children are 2 times as likely to suffer from asthma, ear infections, stomach and speech problems

Moving from dirt to a concrete floor reduces reoccurring diarrhea by 43%

Reduces incidence of sickness due to dirt floors and exposure improves overall quality of life.

SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL IMPACT

Children without adequate shelter suffer more from mental health problems such as anxiety, depression and withdrawal

Children are twice as likely to experience persistent chronic hunger and four times as likely to experience delayed development when homeless

Stabilizes emotional well-being, home life and marriage, as basic issues of survival are eliminated

SPIRITUAL IMPACT

Families struggling to keep their children safe and dry each night feel trapped. They find it difficult to see beyond their situation

Practical demonstrations of God’s love inspires hearts to open to His love