Making Great Progress For the Kids
Thank You To The Caster Foundation & Serving Hands International
New Concrete Pathways are a Blessing!
We are so excited to have new concrete paths to allow the kids to move between the portables. These paths connect the 5 portable buildings and the main therapy area. They allow some of our more challenged children to move independently from building to building. This is especially helpful for kids with walkers and braces who will no longer have to push themselves through the dirt. An additional bonus is that they are being installed before the winter rains so that our newly remodeled portable classrooms stay clean!
Without a path some kids struggle to get their walker wheels to roll over rocks and holes in dirt streets. Thanks for making the journey smoother!
Remodeled Classrooms!
To some this image looks like a typical US Portable building but to us and our students it is nothing short of miraculous. Backup a few months in time to see how much better they are.
Classrooms arrived on site in two pieces with leaking roofs and significant damage from the trip as well as defacement in their prior location. They needed new foundations, interior repair, roof repair, electricity, water, sewer, ramps and stairs just to get started.
In addition to shoring up building infrastructure the grant also provided the necessary materials to create a comfortable, organized and engaging classroom.
Solar Brings the building to life!
Here are some photos of the infrastructure behind the scenes that makes these classrooms function so well –
The solar Inverter and Battery bank installed early in the remodel powers the entire building which not only serves the kids but allowed us to use power tools during the remodel.
Ramps provide access and independence
Newly installed Wood access ramps and emergency exit stairs.
Concrete Foundations For Longevity
Poured Concrete Foundations Welded to the frame of the portable buildings create a stable structure into the future.
What a Functional Classroom Looks like
The result has been successful education of groups of special needs kids engaged in the classroom and instructed by a motivated and equipped teacher.
We added two new classes for special needs children in one of our existing spaces. One session is in the morning, and the other one is in the afternoon. Most of these children have never been to school before and they are loving it! The reason they never went to school is because the public school does not and cannot adapt a program to fit their physical and developmental needs.
The parents are so happy to have their kids in a program for the first time, where the kids can achieve their God given potential. We have a second educational program for developing children who need a bit more attention. The class sizes in the Mexican public schools are so large, that many children fall behind and never catch up. Here at the ranch, we were blessed to have found Josephina, an extremely gifted teacher who has the compassionate and patient heart of Jesus. She has even helped one of our mom’s get her middle school certificate and has taught many children how to read and write.
Youth Center Projects
Youth Fire Pit
It’s nice to know there are still places where kids get together without screens to talk about their lives and support one another. The fire Pit is well underway and will be finished shortly.
Basketball Court
We are preparing the ground for a concrete basketball court which will be poured soon. Kids on wheels really benefit from a flat space where they can wheel around and be active together. Soon they will have their dream come tru.
