Building Loft Homes (PLC)

A coffee-time conversation turned into a ministry-altering emphasis for us here at Peñasquitos Lutheran Church (PLC) in San Diego. Thus it often is in the Kingdom of God. During coffee time on a men’s retreat in 2005, several men from our church met the architects of a ministry called “Hands 
of Mercy,” a separate 501c3 non-profit organization out of Trinity Church in Redlands, California, and we forged a lasting relationship. 

Hands of Mercy helps churches start loft-home projects. With a specific and basic blue-print for a 12’ x 12’ structure, congregants are encouraged to pick up their hammers and paint brushes. In a one-day session, we build the deck floor, four walls, joists, and roof in the church parking lot. Next, we load the prefabricated parts onto a trailer, and the following weekend a team of people drive the home to Baja, Mexico, where a family in need awaits its arrival. We assemble and erect the home in one day, and the recipient family participates in the project. 

As is the case in many service projects of this nature, it goes way beyond simply cutting wood and pounding nails. Lives are touched and transformed in a tangible way. People who receive a Loft Home in the name of Jesus are forever changed every time they walk into the home that someone gave them in love. People stateside who donate to, build and deliver a home are forever changed as well. 

PLC member Jason Harper states, “This is one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever been a part of.” The reward comes by making a difference. Little can compare to the feeling of standing with a family who once lived in cardboard boxes as they are handed the keys to their brand new house. PLC member Steve Josephs puts it this way: “To see a dirt- poor family be blessed with their first home is one of the most spiritually moving and soul satisfying experiences I can imagine.” Steve is not alone. Many have shared a similar experience where serving God by serving others has opened up a new depth to their spiritual lives. As Steve says, “This is the stuff that you hear about in Bible Study or Sunday sermons, but you never fully understand until you’re right there among the poor.” Since our original conversation with Hands of Mercy in 2005, we have raised money for and delivered eight loft homes. Participation by PLC people in the planning, cutting, assembly, delivery and erecting of these homes now numbers 
over three hundred; this number increases greatly if we count all the prayer warriors behind the scenes. With the increased participation comes increased production. We plan to build two homes simultaneously on one weekend in this month, and send two teams to deliver them to Mexico the following weekend. We are not alone in this outreach. Churches throughout California have partnered with Hands of Mercy and to date have delivered over 600 Loft Homes in and around Ensenada, Mexico. 

Building Loft Homes 
 by Sean Kelly