The Website

Well, it became clear early on that a simple blog site would not suffice once this program got underway. So I will no longer be posting blogs to this page. You can find the full website and the new blog here.

www.home-for-home.org

Please bookmark the site and check in often to see what we're up to.

Thanks, and see you at the other site.

Going Legit

Some of you have asked how to get involved financially with this program. Let me first say that I'm very honored and humbled by the notion. We have some great friends and some great support. Thank you.

So in reaction to those requests, we are forming a non-profit organization called "Home for Home Program." If people are so inclined, we will have the ability to accept donations in a few months' time. For now, you can contact me personally on how to donate. We will be routing any donations through my father's (Jon) church in Snohomish. The gifts and donations will be tax deductible.

When we started, we knew we were supposed to just go for it. We write the checks, pay for the airfare and hotel, even when we can't afford it. So far, it has had the reverse effect on our finances. Somehow, some way, it just ends up working. It's so fun to watch God follow through on His promise when we follow through with ours.

With that said, accepting donations may be part of God's 'working out the details.' We probably won't ever do any traditional types of fundraising. This is our commitment and our step of faith. If people like you want to come alongside us with financial support, we will accept it and thank God for how He is moving through this process.

Thanks again, everyone, for your gracious support in this endeavor.

October 1st Build Trip

Well, October 1st is the day our Home for Home Program truly begins. It's our first trip to Mexico since making the commitment to build one home for the homeless for every home we build in the U.S. We are super excited about this trip. Once we have the name of the family we will be building for, this trip will take their name. For the Home for Home Program, this is the home built for the one we sold at 211 W Maci Court, Ellensburg.

For me personally, this is a big trip on many levels. If you know me, then you most likely know my brother Jeremy and his wife Camille. This trip will happen exactly one month before Jeremy and Camille set off on a huge love project that will take them to Bali, Indonesia (check out their blog - Surfing, Serving, and Aiming at Eternity). I wanted the chance to do one of these Mexico trips with them before they left, and now I get the chance. Also, my wife will join me on this trip. I didn't want to get too many of these trips under my belt without my wife experiencing one with me. This will be my second trip, and her first. My mom and dad will be there too, which is really exciting. My mom has had to listen to my dad, for almost two years now, talk about his vision of building homes in Mexico. Now she gets to experience it first hand. It will be my dad's third trip, and my mom's first. I'm also excited that my buddy Steve Waldeck will be with me. He was with me on my first trip, and is part of one of my men's Bible study groups here in Ellensburg. He is awesome to have around no matter what you're doing, even if he uses toy hammers. And lastly, I'm stoked to meet and get dirty with someone new in the name of serving those less fortunate. His name is Don Mcrayde, and he is tagging along with Steve. It should be a good group.

So if you're the praying type, please look over the names below and keep us in your prayers. We will be in Mexico October 1-4. Please pray for safety, health, and strength for the team. Thanks.

Chad and Jamie Youngquist

Jon and JoAnn Youngquist

Jeremy and Camille Youngquist

Steve Waldeck

Don Mcrayde

You can be sure that there will be stories posted when we get back.

Build Four

We are strongly considering making a trip to Mexico over Thanksgiving weekend - and we may be building two homes (builds 3 and 4). Thanksgiving is an awesome time for a trip like this for many reasons. If we plan to build two homes on one trip, we're going to need some help. We would love for you to come along. If you are interested, please email me.

chad@pillardevelopment.us

Build Three

Apparently, the good Lord loves putting the less fortunate people of this world up in a new home, free of charge. Since our decision to move forward with our Home for Home Program, it's as if the market has changed. Today, we signed a contract on a presale of one of our spec homes in the neighborhood we developed. Chalk a new home up for someone in Mexico!

I used to think that putting a presale deal together was just another day at the office. I no longer take that kind of thing for granted and I'm well aware of all that one transaction does to help our company out now. The best thing though, is that my first thought was not of how it will benefit us. My first thought was "I am so stoked. I'm not sure how, but I need to figure out a way to make it to Tijuana for a third time before the year is up!"

So stay tuned. The meat of this blog will be our trips. October 1 marks the first one. October 22 marks the second. The third is up in the air. If you want to come, let me know. Maybe I can plan the next one around your schedule.

Builds One and Two

We sold two homes during the process of our decision to implement the Home for Home Program. We knew that there would have to be a line drawn somewhere because we would probably always have some home somewhere in the construction/sale process. So rather than wait for a clean cutoff, we decided to back-date it so that the two homes that sold during our decision making process would be part of the program.

So we get to build two homes for people that don't currently have one. I am in the process of setting up a trip for early October. There is also a definite trip set up for late October. These two trips will even up the score on our Home for Home Program.

Stay tuned for more information about names of recipients, dates, and times of the trips. Also, if you want to go with us, let me know. There is always space available.

You can contact me at chad@pillardevelopment.us

Baja Christian Ministries

Some of you are probably wondering what it is we'll be doing on our trips to Mexico. I was going to post pictures of our last trip and explain the homes in detail, but Baja Christian Ministries (BCM) has a great site dedicated to their program. I have included the link at the bottom of this post so you can familiarize yourself with their process, which will become ours.

For the foreseeable future, we will be working with them to make our Home for Home Program a reality. We are very excited about cultivating our relationship with not only BCM, but with Baja in general. There is need all over the world for healthy living environments for those less fortunate. Logistically speaking, Baja Mexico is a great place for us to maintain a steady impact on humanity. The homes can be built in a weekend, and the trip to San Diego and Tijuana is short enough for it to make sense. We're not sure where in the world (literally) our Home for Home Program will take us in the coming years, but for now, we will focus on Baja.

Go check out their website to get more acquainted with what we will be doing, and if you're on facebook, go to their site and become a fan.

Have a great day.

Website

www.bajachristian.org

facebook

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Chino-Hills-CA/Baja-Christian-Ministries-BCM/80424946106