Building Hope - ACA Mexico Trip 2010 

At least 800,000 families in Mexico struggle without basic, secure homes. Arizona Charter Academy is driven to touch the lives of families in Mexico at the point of their greatest need. In March, 21 high school students and staff members partnered with Amor.org to show kindness to these families by building a house; a tangible object of security, safety, and stability.

The 5 day trip to Puerto Penasco, Mexico was a hard but rewarding experience. Team members camped in tents and took showers from buckets. The actual work included mixing cement for the house foundation, building the walls with hand tools only, and mixing and applying several coats of stucco.  All the team went through a life altering transformation as they truly began to appreciate what they have and how they were able to make a difference in the lives of others. Mr Johnson, one of ACA's high school teachers, makes the trip each year and he had this to say about the experience: "The Mexico trip starts out as a way to extend ones volunteer hours but, once the work and the interaction with the family begins, the whole idea of volunteering becomes a life changing experience leaving you changed forever, with a true understanding of what it means to build community."