Assistance Project in Tijuana, Mexico

Tijuana is near the southern Californian border. Many people are living there in cardboard houses with no water or electricity. There is a group in California that is working to build houses for people in this unfortunate situation. They gather each week on Saturdays. The price of a house is roughly $3,200 (\420,000). The building materials are brought in on several trucks from California. Once they arrive on the site, they split into different teams, making the foundation, painting walls, etc. Usually they can build one or two houses in one day, depending on the amount of money, help, and materials available.

When the mayor of Kosaka went to inspect the group's activities in 1995, he also participated in building a house.

During February and March of 1998, KIS held a fundraiser to donate enough money to build one house in Tijuana. Calling out to KIS members, townsfolk, and groups, we managed to raise (\340,000). This money was donated to the Rotary club in Lakewood.

Moreover, it was incorporated, into the schedule of the high school student overseas trip schedule, and the children helped to build a house in Tijuana.

On a cold, rainy morning, the trip to Tijuana started at 3:00 in the morning; then a bumpy car ride that lasts about 3 hours. At last they arrived in Tijuana.

Following the leaders directions, the children worked hard through the cold to carry materials, dig holes, paint walls, etc. Unfortunately, they couldn't stay to see the house to completion, but it was a good experience for all of them. It would be nice if we could go to help in Tijuana again someday.