BAJA BUILDERS

2017

When the winds and falling temperatures of October in Minnesota arrive, many people begin to think about heading

south. Often the warm, sandy beaches of resort areas like Cabo and Puerto Vallarta in Mexico are popular destinations.

During the week of October 14-21, 2017 a group of people from the congregations of Saint Paul Lutheran Church in Pine

Island and Minneola Lutheran Church of Goodhue as well as one person from South Carolina, one from Iowa and three

from Nebraska did spend a week in Mexico. However, this was not your typical relaxing getaway. The group, made up of

58 people, known as the “Baja Builders” all paid their own travel and lodging expenses. As their name implies, the main

focus was to “build” houses and help “build” better lives for people in Baja Mexico.

The destination was the small community of San Francisco which has a population of 260 people in 65 families. It is

located near the larger town of Vincente Guerrero about four hours south of San Diego, California on the Baja Peninsula.

The terrain is a very dry, rugged desert, but thanks to irrigation, the area is known for its abundant and succulent fruit and

vegetable fields. These fields provide employment for the majority of the people in the San Francisco community.

This is the fourth trip since 2008 for the Baja Builders, all of which have gone to this same basic community. This year

the group, working in teams of 11 or 12 people, built houses for five families. Prior to these houses being built, most

residents lived in makeshift structures of plywood, tin, cardboard or any other materials they could acquire. They have no

running water, electricity or even a door that can be closed or locked. The new houses are basic wooden structures built on

a 20x20 foot concrete pad. Each house contains one door, three or four windows and unfinished divider walls on the

inside. In most cases, these divider walls create three bedrooms and a kitchen/living area.

In addition to the houses, funds were also used to purchase items such as outhouses, shower houses, mattresses, lumber

for bed frames and basic furniture if needed. Each of the families in San Francisco also received basic food items and

nonfood items such as diapers, baby bottles, formula, toothbrushes and toothpaste were made available. A large supply of

clothing and shoes was also brought by the Builders which was divided among community members, a church in another

community, a migrant worker camp and an orphanage. The fund raising to provide all materials and goods for this trip

has been ongoing for the past two years through a variety of events including a barn dance, auction and working with

Berne Woodfired Pizza each summer. Needless to say, the support and contributions of many individuals, organizations

and businesses were crucial in raising the money to fulfil the goals of the “Baja Builders”.

Besides providing much needed help to the impoverished people living in this area of Baja, this trip is an excellent

opportunity for all those willing to make the journey to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of another culture.

Sixteen of the 58 people on this year’s trip were youth who, by their own admission found it very rewarding. Already,

there is a buzz in the air about a return in 2020.