UTFD is in charge of, at any given time - between 3 full-on facilities - 100-120 souls in the form of interns. These clients are all extremely poor addicts in a developing country that reminds me a lot of northern Honduras.
It's that rough on our piece of the road.
Why do I say this? Because I want you to have a vision of what it's like to be addicted to a substance and with zero options or resources, in a torn and tragic landscape. Smell the smoke and food and urine and the fields of grapes. I do. It's hardcore down here. Beautiful, no doubt. Still...
Casa Julia came about as a result of our need for proper dwellings for our ladies, our damas...our female clients. All of my focus rests on them right now. The Boss bought this Ranchito 2 years ago, and inherited both male and female populations that were existing here under the old representative in, quite frankly, deplorable conditions. Thank God we showed up. The Boss has turned every aspect of the facility for the better, for sure, and as much as he's able. We're doin' the most to get this whole situation positioned to self-generate to the point where we can make everything new and shiny and functioning ourselves...that we don't have to keep asking y'all.
But the girls' present dwellings are small and cramped and constantly damp. Leicas, or bed bugs, still crawl over them at night. We fumigate, but still...
Casa Julia is a brand new, free-standing, 6,500 square foot women's facility. (If you want to follow progress, friend me on facebook and just track our near-daily updates: ANDREW LEE (in Ensenada).
This is almost the last push. We've been marshalling you guys, all of our amazing, current activados, because a biblically-generous, anonymous donor outta' the Lone Star has been floating the project this last fiscal year to the tune of $30,000usd+cambio. I wanted to wait to do a public fundraiser until I knew it was time to really step up "solo" again and help our Big Donadora in taking this to the finish line. Together. Todos hombro a hombro.
The $2k here goes to finishing all exterior texturing. All paint, period. Interior, exterior, everything. We recently received a new paint sprayer from another anonymous donor, and she's about to do her work, with y'all's help in getting the paint. Also, 3 new toilets, + 3 shower setups. If there's anything left over, we'll use it for a little feast for the clients. Somethin' cool.
Love y'all. Thanks for thinkin' of us.
