YWAM Mazatlan

What Does it Take to Build Hope?

Written by YWAM Mazatlan | September 1, 2020

When people hear about Homes of Hope and how building a house can give a family the tools they need to lift themselves out of poverty, they often ask: how can I be involved?

No matter where you live or your situation in life, there’s a way you can partner with us in bringing hope to Mazatlan’s disadvantaged neighborhoods. Below are 3 ways you can get involved in Homes of Hope and bring relief to a family in need!

Sign up and join us!

Why not come and build a home with us here in Mexico? You could come to Mazatlan with your friends, family, coworkers, youth group, school group, or even your knitting club—no building experience required!

There is nothing so fulfilling as being able to see the direct impact of your contribution. You’ll witness your team put up the walls of a new house on a once empty plot of land, get to play with the children who’ll now have a safe place to sleep, and hug the parents as you hand them the keys to their new home. Our ministry depends on teams of ordinary people like you who make the commitment to—in just a few days—build something that will stand for years to come. For a family that lives on less than $1 USD a day, a simple house with a concrete floor and electricity can mean the difference between health and disease, security and ruin, education and addiction. 

Our ministry is not about impersonal charity, but about building relationships across cultures, oceans, and borders. That means whether you come for a one-time build or the entire build season, our heart is to partner with YOU.

We need both your heart to help and your hands to serve. Don’t just give back, but experience the adventure of traveling to Mexico, working with these families firsthand, and undoubtedly being impacted yourself.

 

Donate

Although our hope is to see everyone come on a build, if you want to help but aren’t able to come to Mazatlan at this time, you can still be a part of the mission. You, your family, and your local church or community can fundraise to cover the cost of building a home. 

You might not be the one holding the hammer, but by sponsoring a team, you are forever changing the lives of a family in need. When you make a donation here, our ministry staff assembles a team and chooses a family to bless with your tremendous gift. 

Many of the families who receive homes tell us what a miracle it is. They had resigned themselves to sleep on dirt floors, fearing damaging storms and struggling to create a livable space with little to no materials. They had lost all hope of a better life. Many of them prayed for answers. 

God uses people like you and I to be the answer. Together, we have the power to lift these families off the ground, equip them with the knowledge and tools they need to build a brighter future, and restore their identities. 

 

Prayer

Finally, no matter where you are in the world, we invite you to join us in prayer. Homes of Hope may primarily cover physical needs, but our ministry seeks to go beyond and meet the spiritual needs of the people. 

In many of these neighborhoods, families are greatly affected by violence and addiction. Although giving them a home is an important and necessary step to getting them on the path to recovery, we cannot leave it at that.

A house can eliminate the stress of survival and free up a family’s mental and emotional energy so they are better able to focus on themselves and each other. However, the flames of hope are fragile, and a single candle in an area of great darkness is still in danger of going out.

We must continually go to these neighborhoods in love, wisdom, and with the covering of prayer. We need God’s guidance and his gospel so we can make long-lasting and sustainable changes by breaking the cycle of poverty and transforming entire communities.

More: 17 Things You Probably Didn't Know About YWAM

When we partner with a family to build them a new home, we don’t want to just change the conditions of their exterior lives, but change them from the inside out, and empower them to help their own neighbors and community. 

To make this a reality, we need families, churches, and individuals to stand with us. We need your involvement, support, and prayer.

Please pray for our ministry, our staff, the families we impact, and the neighborhoods we are reaching. Pray with friends, in small groups, at your church, or on your own. Part of keeping that flame alive is keeping it alive through prayer. 

We want to personally thank you for your help. Thank you for helping us be the hands and feet of Jesus in Mazatlan and beyond.

Homes of Hope was created to change the lives, minds, and hearts of a city and nation, one home at a time. We can only carry out this mission through you.