Casabuilders is given 5 acres of open land on which to build Mi Casa Children's Home.
August 2006- Grading gets underway.
Large Catarpiller tractors begin the task of grading our site into building pads.
Fall 2006-Grading is complete!
By November, the completed grading allowed us to begin planning building sites, roads, planting areas.
Sullivan Santos Designs drew up architechtural plans for all our buildings.
Spring 2007- First Structure on Mi Casa
With the enthusiastic help from over 50 King's Academy (Sunnyvale, CA) students the first wing of dorm rooms on our Visitor Center (aka the "bunkhouse) was constructed.
Spring/Summer 2007 -Second Dorm Wing
King's Academy returned to frame a second dorm wing in Spring of 2007. During the hot summer months, Stockton First Baptist Church's youth group joined us to complete both dorm wings with insulation, interior walls, sheetrock and windows!
Onsite Caretaker's Home Purchased - July 2007
Seeing the need to have onsite caretakers, with the generous help of Stockton First Baptist, we were able to purchase a used double-wide mobile home, renovate it and provide a home for resident caretakers.
Summer 2007- Our Caretakers
In our house-building, church-building journeys, back in 2003 we met a very special family. Roberto, Maria, David and Jovani Morales moved into our site to act as caretakers, security, welcoming committee and all-around blessings! (Roberto and Maria pose with Aurora O'brien from Abundant Life)
Fall- 2007-Roberto's Decking and Porch Roof
Global Outreach from Abundant Life in Mt. View CA joined us to build a wrap around porch/deck and porch roof and to make easier access for Roberto on his wheelchair or crutches.
Fall 2008-Spring 2009 - 3rd Wing of Visitor's Center
With the help of Victory Christian(Tracy, CA), King's Academy, Stockton First Baptist, Cornerstone Pleasanton, CA, San Diego Hope Church and Vineyard Church Livermore we were able to construct the 3rd wing (and the longest so far). Wing consists of toolroom, restrooms,
Spring 2008-Spring 2009-Septic/Gray Water Systems
With the help of local cement workers, septic, gray water tanks were installed for the visitor center and Roberto's home.
Summer 2009- Graveled Roadway!
By purchasing ground asphalt, we installed roadbed to our driveways to allow year-r0und access.
Summer 2009- Exterior Stucco Wing 3
The large 3rd wing starts to really take shape with the addition of the stucco to the exterior walls.
Fall 2009- Bunk Beds!
Alcf, and FBC Stockton returned to help us build our first bunkbeds!
Winter 2010- Roberto Home Spruce-up
With the energetic help of San Diego Hope, Roberto's home gets a back porch roof and a coat of trim paint!
December 2009- Spates Visitor Center
In December, Casabuilders named our Visitor Center at the Mi Casa project, the "Paul and Liza Spates Visitors Center". Paul and his wife Liza, are the reason many of us ended up serving in Mexico.
Paul and Liza began leading groups of students from Kings Academy over 15 years ago. For those that didn't have the blessing of knowing Paul and Liza, we'll be happy to tell you how they touched our lives. More about Paul here.
March 2010- Stockton and Malibu Serve Like Crazy!
We were SO BLESSED to have a team of 25 with us framing showers/toilet stalls, counters for sinks, improving the drainage, installing master-keyed locksets, installing drywall, taping, mudding, and so much more!
Saturday, we had 15 City of Angels children with us, running the hillside, being free, enjoying life! What a blessing!
We also celebrated a double Quiencienera for Damaris and Perla at the City of Angels orphanage in Tijuana!
May 2010- Ecclesia Church Stockton's First International Missions Trip!
A new church from Stockton! A handful of young families came to serve at Mi Casa and installed our restroom plumbing to the toilets, showers and sinks.
Thanks for the blessing!!!
June 2010- Break to build a home in La Gloria
Families from Stockton First Baptist, and Menlo Park Pres, and old regular Casabuilders took a break from the Mi Casa project to build a very special home.
One of our families from City of Angels Orphanage in Tj has been needing a house. Laura, Michel,
July 2010- FBC's EXODUS Youth Team, Home of Christ (Menlo) and the Liddle Familiy Builds the Spates Dining Hall!!!
The Exodus youth team from FBC Stockton - our most faithful Casabuilder team- has been "batting cleanup" for us on our projects for the past few years...always finishing up someone else's projects. This year they started, and completely framed and sheeted our 30'x50' dining hall complete with 10' high walls, and nearly 20 trusses all made onsite by the Exodus team members! Home of Christ sent 7 members to join us as well as George and Jane Liddle's family from MPPC's Open Door Mountain View! A-w-e-s-o-m-e!
