Mexico - El Oasis

Project History

In the early 1990's ICC decided to consider starting a Children's Village in Mexico. They felt that there was a lot of support from donors in California for a project there and that these sponsors and donors would go to the facility to help. It would be a close-to-home project.

After much searching, a piece of land was found in the Baja California state of Mexico in 1992. It had a deep well with plenty of excellent clean water. This area of Mexico was also very close to California. It was located in the high desert region which meant hot summers and cold winters.

Just before Christmas 1997 ICC received word from the DIF (the children’s services department of the government) that they needed them to take in 24 children. They needed to close a couple of deteriorating orphanages and needed a place for these children. ICC was not ready to take children yet but decided to try their best to accommodate them. Afterall, ICC was in Mexico to provide homes for orphaned children and here was their opportunity.

ICC recruited some Mexican ladies to be aunts as well as some volunteers from the USA and excitedly welcomed the first children. What a Christmas celebration there was that year! A volunteer construction group composed of high school students from Vancouver, Washington, was there to help celebrate. For some of these children it was their first real Christmas. It was hard to say who was more excited, the students or the children. What a blessing everyone received!


Current Status

There is now one home used for staff and four homes for the 43 children currently living there. As needed more homes are being completed and an administration home is just being finished.

Short Term Plans

The short term plans are to start an agriculture program since there is excellent land for this with plenty of water to irrigate. In March of this year volunteers were at the project helping to establish gardens and putting up a green house. The volunteers are retired from the nursery and orchard business. ICC really appreciated their help in this area.

Long Term Plans

The plan is to finish and open all 10 homes as well as build several staff homes, an office complex, and a gymnasium for use during the winter.