Posted by Naomi Carmichael
With the help of Courtenay Rotary and a local family, something special is happening in Vincente Guerrero, Mexico. Clarence & Judy Bouwers and five of their children left for this small village on Tuesday, February 5th. Their mission is to build a small house for a single mother with 2 young boys and picnic lunch tables for a Kindergarten of 40 children in a neighbouring community.
The Bouwers family will be volunteering through the IDT. IDT is a recognized charity in Canada and the US with volunteer works beginning in Israel and Liberia, Africa. IDT's main operation and base is located in Baja, Mexico. There they are registered as a "Civil Organization in Mexico for International Distribution and Training". Their main purpose is to work with the impoverished indigenous people of Mexico who have come to the Baja in search of work in the agricultural sector. In the last six years, IDT has developed an extensive House Building Program that is currently seeing up to 120 families per year receiving improved housing. Groups, families or individuals go to Mexico for an average one week period to volunteer on these construction projects.
As one of their International Projects, Courtenay Rotary, donated $5,000.00 which will be solely used for and entirely cover the cost of the materials for the house and the picnic tables. The Bouwers, and workers at the mission station of IDT will provide all the volunteer labour. This is indeed an example of people reaching across the borders to live the Rotary motto; "Service Above Self". Courtenay Rotary is proud to be a part of it.
