Casas por Cristo (Houses because of Christ) is a mission organization, founded in 1993, that builds homes for families in need in México, the Dominican Republic, and Guatemala. In four days, volunteer teams transform an empty lot into a complete home. Families served receive a renewed trust in God’s love and faithfulness as volunteers are awakened to the realities of poverty and the importance of humanitarianism and service in the name of Christ.
Thursday, July 2, 2015
Family Spotlight - Santiago, Dominican Republic
Family Spotlight
Santiago, Dominican Republic
Meet Winston, Maria, Antoni (9yrs), and Warlin (3yrs). A Canadian group from the University of Calgary built a home for them the first week of May.
When Winston and Maria first were married, they never dreamed ten years and two children later they would still be living in Winston's parent's home. Maria felt she had nothing of her own. Everything in the kitchen was her mother-in-law's. Everything in their living room was her mother-in-law's. She had no say, but when your family of four is living on $34 a week, you do what you have to do to survive.
Winston earns a living as the community barber and works out of the front of their home. Whenever a neighbor or a family member needs a haircut, Winston's their guy. Every so often, Maria is hired by Campamento Canaan, a housing location Casas uses for teams, to help prepare meals for large groups. Therefore, when Juan, their local pastor, spoke to them about receiving a home from Casas, they were ecstatic.
At the end of every day when the Project Amigo crew would circle up to pray, it took everything in her to hold back the flood of emotions that were racing through her heart. A dream that Winston and Maria had never thought possible was unfolding in front of their eyes, and it was all in the name of Jesus Christ. Christ, the man who died for their sins and rose again so they they could have a relationship with the One True God, the God who heard and answered their prayers.
Winston, Maria, Antoni and Warlin are delighted with their new home. The boys love having a bedroom that's bigger than mom and dad's where they can run around and play. Maria has hopes to fill the room up soon with more children! Winston uses their covered porch as a barber shop in hopes that business will be better then ever, and Maria finally has a place to call her own. She can now cook in her own kitchen and sit in her own living room. They all see the home as a reminder of Christ's love. Every time they walk into their home, they thank God for it and for sending University of Calgary to be His hands and feet.
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