Minerva and Jose met in Chihuahua, Mexico while working on neighboring ranches. The young couple moved to Tijuana to be closer to family and lived with Jose’s mother. The young family grew with the arrival of a son. They lived in a small 10’x20’ home with eight other family members.

Shortly after giving birth to their second son, Minerva was informed by a doctor that she had cancer. A caring neighbor recommended Minerva’s family of four to our Homebuilding program. The neighborhood kids went running to fetch her for our initial interview. Most families Project Mexico builds for are interviewed several months in advance. But in this case, Minerva’s new home was scheduled to be built in just two weeks by a group of volunteers from a parish in Louisville KY.

Minerva visited the site every day with her newborn Edgar, and her 7-year-old, Jose Jr. They were amazed at how quickly the house was completed. Upon receiving the keys to their new home, they were filled with hope and excitement. Months later I returned and asked about Minerva’s health. She laughed and pointed at her infant son, Edgar and said, “There’s my cancer walking around on two feet.” The doctors had misdiagnosed her.

When I returned a few years later to conduct this follow-up interview Minerva smiled and moved her sweater to show me that a third baby is on the way. Edgar believes that the new arrival will be a little sister but Jose Jr isn’t convinced.

Those four days Project Mexico volunteers built a new home were life-changing for her family. She still remembers volunteers by name, and Jose Jr still has the coloring books and toy cars that were given to him that week. Jose Sr now works in a factory, and Minerva makes pinatas while watching the kids. They have been able to save little by little and make improvements all over the house. She smiled and said, “We can’t do things as fast as you all did, but we are getting there, bit by bit. It was a great blessing that came to us.”

In Christ,

Anna Cunningham, Homebuilding Coordinator

Are you interested in volunteering to build homes for unhoused families? Every year our Homebuilding program welcomes hundreds of volunteers from around the world to build a home for a family in six days. To learn about our homebuilding program, tap the button below.