From Monday 6th to Thursday 16th July three of our Seniors – Joe, Max and Tyla – travelled to the USA and Mexico as part of the BB Build Trip.
Joining other BB members from 4th Barnet, 10th Enfield and 12th Inverness and working in partnership with Amor Europe, the trip was the culmination of months of preparation, prayer and fundraising with the aim of building a house for a family in need in Mexico.
Following an 11-hour flight from Heathrow to Los Angeles, the group started with a small bit of sightseeing before heading across the border into Mexico the next day, and travelling to the Amor Ministries Hacienda Campsite near Tijuana where they had time to settle in and relax before the build started the following day.
The group spent five days on site building a home for a family living in poverty, working together to construct everything from the ground up. The process began with laying the concrete foundation, before making up wooden frames for the walls and roof, putting it all together, then wrapping and plastering the walls as well as sealing the roof.
Once the build was complete, the most special moment came when the group was able to hand over the keys to the house, and with it a home built with faith, hope and love, to Elias and his family – and seeing the joy and emotion on the family’s faces is a moment that will last with all involved. The group also gave the family some gifts, including a Bible, prayed for them, and wished them every blessing for the future.
During their time at the Hacienda Camp, the group had the opportunity to socialise, play games, and share in meals together. There were also evening gatherings where they reviewed each day’s work, looked ahead to the next day, and heard messages rooted in faith including from a local Church pastor as well as Scott Congdon, Co-Founder of Amor Ministries.
Commenting on his experience of the Build Trip, Max said: “This trip was life-changing for me and was one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life so far. It has made me really grateful for what I’ve got, and taught me to carry on persevering through challenging situations because the outcome is definitely worth it.”
“I would do it all again without hesitation, because it is something that changes a family’s life for good, and gives them a more hopeful and brighter future.”
Following the build, the group said goodbye to Mexico and had the opportunity to spend a couple of days in the USA, starting off by visiting the Las Americas Outlet Centre just across the border before visiting the beach at Ocean Bay in San Diego, and then heading back up to Los Angeles.
The next day they then had a great time at Universal Hollywood, going on lots of rides and attractions including Jurassic World, Transformers, Simpsons, Revenge of the Mummy, Harry Potter, the Universal Studio Tour and watching the WaterWorld show. After leaving the park they headed to Hard Rock Cafe on Hollywood Boulevard for some food, before returning to the hotel for some rest.
On the final day they enjoyed a bus tour of Los Angeles, taking them to Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Venice Beach and more. Following that, it was time to head to the airport for the flight back to Heathrow.
We want to say a huge thank you and well done to Joe, Max and Tyla, who worked brilliantly with the rest of the group to complete the house and hand over this new home to Elias and his family. It was certainly a memorable and life-changing experience for them, and we are truly grateful to every single person who supported us along the way in making the trip possible – a massive thank you to you all!
