Our morning began early with a delicious breakfast at 6:45 a.m. followed by a team meeting in Victoria’s beautiful city square. We were pumped to move out in 3 different teams with the challenge to build 6 homes today. A challenge met because we had help from the community, Shelter Canada and the families themselves thrilled to share in building their new homes.

At the end of each build, we took time to meet with the family to hear their stories and spend time with them before presenting them their house. This time is always moving and humbling because these families are so grateful and teach us so much.

This picture is of Maria and her family. Maria is supporting her three children right now because her husband has been detained in America for going there in hopes to make a better life for them. We ask Maria, What does it mean for you to have a house? She shared what it was like living in her current house. “You have no idea how hard it was for me to live in that house. It was made of cardboard, sticks, and plastic. It was beyond hard in the winter, very cold and everything leaked in the rain.” She then continued to say, “You are not my friends. Friends usually betray you. You are my family. Friends are only there when times are good, a family is there for you in good and bad times.”

This is Jose, Juana, Kevin, and Victoria. When we ask Jose what it meant to have a home, he said it meant a new beginning. He said it was an undeserved gift from God. There are hundreds of people needing homes but they were chosen so they had to accept this was a gift in God’s timing. From people that have so little, this kind of gratitude is humbling.

Here are a few pictures from the day we just had to share with you.