Tijuana in the morning

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A group of our youths from St. Julie's look out over the landscape. It is dismal, dirty and dusty. The people live in makeshift shacks without safe electrical resources or appropriate plumbing. Showers consist of hoses that are brought into the bathrooms through windows. There is no garbage disposal company so the garbage is burned daily in large metal containers. Sewage backs up continually and flows out into the streets. It is not safe to step in puddles or to touch any cats or dogs.

In order to live in decent housing, families need to save $5000 to buy a parcel of land. Only after they have bought this parcel, are they able to secure a mortgage to build on the site. The houses are tiny--about 2 rooms each measuring 10 X 10. The mortgage on these are $35,000 for 30 years.

There was nothing out here in this part of Tijuana 10 years ago. Now it is a growing ramshackle collection of shacks that have grown up as people have moved away from their homes seeking work near the factories, or an opportunity "to cross". Many farmers in the central part of Mexico have had to leave their farms because they cannot grow food to sell at prices that can compete with food imported from the United States.
These people are not a threat to jobs in the United States. The reason for their need to migrate north away from their homeland is for the sake of their children, to feed, house, clothe and to provide a more secure life for them.

For more info about this particular Immersion Experience click here