On March 14, 2020 Project Mercy built what was to be our last house for 6 months. We had no idea of what was about to take place around the world.  Due to COVID-19 we have not been able to go back to that neighborhood since. There are 15 foundation slabs and an abundance of families anxiously waiting our return in Antorcha III.

They need our help more than ever. These families, as so many of you know, live in horrendous conditions with dirt floors and leaking roofs, many of them don't even have latrines but rely on neighbors' kindness. This past year they also had to isolate, shut down, lose jobs, have hours cut back and face the fears of the pandemic.

This year team DGA is raising funds for Virginia and Amador.  Please take a few moments to read their story below.  They need our help to give their grandsons the life they deserve. 

Virginia and Amador were both born in Michoacan. They met while working on a ranch and have been together for 42 years.  They migrated to Tijuana about 5 years ago in search of a better life.

Grandson Carlos is very sociable.  He’s very active and likes to work but has trouble doing so because he has asthma.  Noe is impulsive, playful, and likes to make new friends. He hopes to be a painter.

Virginia is diabetic and suffers from high cholesterol, hypertension and several other medical problems.  Amador is recovering from prostate cancer and has not been able to work.

The family is dependent on a daughter for help. She makes about 2500 pesos per month (@$132) and splits her earnings between them.

In Virginia and Amador’s own words “Economically we are in very bad shape. The house we live in is made of scraps of wood and a tarp for a roof, all of which were donated to us by neighbors.  The roof leaks and when it rains, our dirt floor turns to mud.  We are very cold when the wind blows because there are many leaks in the walls and we lack blankets to withstand the cold. We spend what little money we have on medications and have little left over for food, depending often on donations from neighbors. We feel sad because we sometimes have to survive on donations.

It fills our hearts with joy to know that you care for people you don't know. We thank you for giving us hope of the possibility of having a good house. We are already very old and we cannot give the boys something better like a good house and building a house would be impossible because we live in poverty.  We beg for your help. There are no words to thank you because we hope to finally have a beautiful house.”