International

Ongoing building projects include homes for the poor. These homes have been built over the last 15 years by Torch teams during the summer months. Over 1,800 homes have been built for the poor. These are wood homes with wood floors and a tin roof. They provide shelter from the elements and security to the thousands of single mothers with children in Honduras.

Land was purchased in April of 2005 in the town of Santa Ana, Honduras. Since that time IRC/Torch Missions has built a Children’s home,(Casa de Esperanza) which is now the home to fifteen children, a church, 14 duplexes for the poor, housing for support personnel, remodeled and opened a medical/dental clinic,(Clinica de Eesperanza)and built a large playground.  It is truly a blessing to see land that was empty one year ago, be so full of life today.

Currently plans are being completed to build a women’s training center in the same area.  This program (Mi Esperanza) will train women in a trade so they can, in turn, support their families. Already hugely successful in the Tegucigalpa area, we expect this program to be just as successful in every aspect of the work.

United States

Since Katrina hit in 2005, IRC has been actively involved with disaster relief efforts in the Chalmette Louisiana area. Board members Tim Hines and sister in law Janet Hines have been directing these efforts along with Hilltop Rescue. This year over 2,800 homes have been gutted and demucked. We plan to finish 850 more homes in that area for the elderly and handicapped before January 31st, 2006.