Casas por Cristo
By Daniel Ortega
Interview with Jason Laffan, Operations Director for Casas Por Cristo.
As we look out to our sister city, Ciudad Juarez, from the beautiful views of scenic drive and even from our highway, I-10. Both at night and during the day, we can almost see a reflection of ourselves. With a culture similar to El Paso's, we look across the border and see a land as if there was no border to separate us.
It's there where we find an organization who strives to improve the lives of families and struggling individuals. Casas por Cristo (CPC), an organization founded in 1993, started building homes for poor and struggling families. Partnering with local community pastors, and with the support of families in churches throughout the United States, they set out every week to build.
They were started by the Bell family from an organization in Tijuana. The Bell family had the same concept but felt that they needed to improve their house structures to better provide for the recipient families, but the Tijuana-based organization did not believe in the same vision, thus inspiring the Bell's to split off. They partnered with each other to fill both the physical and spiritual need of those broken and discouraged families in Juarez, Guatemala, Dominican Republic, and Acuña. Through these avenues, CPC provides homes free of charge to families living in extreme poverty. Sadly, funding doesn't come from American nor Mexican government grants, but by volunteers who raise money and support to build these homes.
As we look towards the economic development that comes from the love and generosity this ministry inspires, we can find the regional improvement that Juarez directly experiences, which leads to the indirect improvement of El Paso. Unfortunately, less than 5% of CPC's volunteers are not from the immediate regional area, but from areas around Nashville, Oregon and more. Every group that comes down invests hundreds to thousands of dollars in tourist money that improves the economical status of El Paso. The tourist revenue invested comes from van rentals, hotel stays, food purchases and donations, auto and health insurance, and like products. Another important element is that the materials used to build the homes are bought locally. For each build and every group, they average to spend 2 to 3 thousands dollars a week in tourist revenue.
We can clearly see the waves created from the impact from a story from a young man whose family received a home when he was just 5 years old:
"I found your website on the internet. I am currently a Law student in Tyler Texas. I want to say to you guys how thankful I am with you and with God for having people like you in the world. I was 5 years old when a group of Casas Por Cristo came to our community and built a house for us. My family still has all the pictures from when they went. I remember I got a bag of skittles from a lady that worked in our house. Right now, looking back to those days when we were needy and poor, I feel that God sent those people to help us. They were so kind and generous. I’m writing this e-mail with tears in my eyes. God is my witness. Thank you so much for what you guys did. God bless you. I will donate money soon so that some other family is happy just as mine was all those years ago. Again, thank you."
As the organization completes their 5,000 house build, you will continue to see Casas Por Cristo's impact on both the United States of America and Mexico.
If you feel moved or inspired to join their mission, please contact: questions@casasporcristo.org
As we look out to our sister city, Ciudad Juarez, from the beautiful views of scenic drive and even from our highway, I-10. Both at night and during the day, we can almost see a reflection of ourselves. With a culture similar to El Paso's, we look across the border and see a land as if there was no border to separate us.
It's there where we find an organization who strives to improve the lives of families and struggling individuals. Casas por Cristo (CPC), an organization founded in 1993, started building homes for poor and struggling families. Partnering with local community pastors, and with the support of families in churches throughout the United States, they set out every week to build.
They were started by the Bell family from an organization in Tijuana. The Bell family had the same concept but felt that they needed to improve their house structures to better provide for the recipient families, but the Tijuana-based organization did not believe in the same vision, thus inspiring the Bell's to split off. They partnered with each other to fill both the physical and spiritual need of those broken and discouraged families in Juarez, Guatemala, Dominican Republic, and Acuña. Through these avenues, CPC provides homes free of charge to families living in extreme poverty. Sadly, funding doesn't come from American nor Mexican government grants, but by volunteers who raise money and support to build these homes.
As we look towards the economic development that comes from the love and generosity this ministry inspires, we can find the regional improvement that Juarez directly experiences, which leads to the indirect improvement of El Paso. Unfortunately, less than 5% of CPC's volunteers are not from the immediate regional area, but from areas around Nashville, Oregon and more. Every group that comes down invests hundreds to thousands of dollars in tourist money that improves the economical status of El Paso. The tourist revenue invested comes from van rentals, hotel stays, food purchases and donations, auto and health insurance, and like products. Another important element is that the materials used to build the homes are bought locally. For each build and every group, they average to spend 2 to 3 thousands dollars a week in tourist revenue.
We can clearly see the waves created from the impact from a story from a young man whose family received a home when he was just 5 years old:
"I found your website on the internet. I am currently a Law student in Tyler Texas. I want to say to you guys how thankful I am with you and with God for having people like you in the world. I was 5 years old when a group of Casas Por Cristo came to our community and built a house for us. My family still has all the pictures from when they went. I remember I got a bag of skittles from a lady that worked in our house. Right now, looking back to those days when we were needy and poor, I feel that God sent those people to help us. They were so kind and generous. I’m writing this e-mail with tears in my eyes. God is my witness. Thank you so much for what you guys did. God bless you. I will donate money soon so that some other family is happy just as mine was all those years ago. Again, thank you."
As the organization completes their 5,000 house build, you will continue to see Casas Por Cristo's impact on both the United States of America and Mexico.
If you feel moved or inspired to join their mission, please contact: questions@casasporcristo.org