Building Beyond Our Walls

By Kathryn Francis and Jenny Sanders

When eight-year-old Tavie Zpevak stepped up to the microphone in front of more than 100 volunteers in San José, Costa Rica, her parents expected she might say a few shy words. Instead, she eagerly raised her hand and said, “I want to share first!”

Moments earlier, the volunteers had finished celebrating the completion of six homes built over a single weekend through Homes of Hope, a ministry of Youth With a Mission (YWAM)–San José. Now gathered for a final dinner, they were reflecting on the experience. Many of those volunteers were families from Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church (Saint Michael) who had traveled together to Costa Rica to serve.

Tavie spoke about why she wanted to help, how the dream of building a home had become real, and how she had made a new friend even though they did not speak the same language. Smiles spread around the room. A few tears appeared among the audience.

For Tavie’s parents, Cassie and Chris, it was a moment that captured everything they had hoped the trip might become—and more.

A COMMUNITY THAT SAYS “YES”

For more than a decade, Saint Michael families have traveled to Costa Rica each November to partner with YWAM–San José through its Homes of Hope program. Led by longtime parishioner Kathryn Francis and her family, the annual mission brings together volunteers from across the church community to build homes for families living in extreme poverty.

Alongside her husband Jim and their three children, Kathryn has helped coordinate trips that have resulted in the construction of 55 homes. The experience often begins the same way: one family shares their story, and another family decides to say yes.

That was the case for Saint Michael parishioner Clayton Main and his family, who joined the trip for the first time this year after hearing about it from another family at church. “We were invited by a family who had previously participated and spoke very highly of the experience,” Main said. “Hearing how meaningful and transformational it had been for them ultimately encouraged us to say yes.”

For many families, the opportunity to serve together across generations is what makes the trip so special.
The Zpevaks had long believed that people who help others tend to live happier, fuller lives. As parents, they wanted Tavie to experience the joy of serving not only within their community in Dallas, but also in the wider world. “We want her to understand that her impact can be greater than just the people she sees every day,” they said.

PREPARING FOR THE JOURNEY

Preparation for the trip begins months before volunteers ever step onto a build site. Families gather for meetings led by Kathryn Francis, who walks them through what to expect, from the building process to the families they will serve. “We were incredibly fortunate to have such a fantastic leader in Kathryn,” Main said. “She provided thoughtful guidance about the process, the families we would be serving, and even a suggested packing list.”

For first-time participants, much of the experience remains unknown until they arrive. “We went into it with very little firsthand knowledge,” Main said. “Once we got there, the mindset quickly became: whatever it takes to get this done.”

For the Zpevak family, preparation also included conversations at home about how people live in other parts of the world. Tavie learned that some of the children she would meet might not have things she took for granted—no television, no internet, and perhaps most shocking of all: no Alexa.

Those conversations helped shape the family’s hopes for the trip: that Tavie would gain a deeper appreciation for what she has, develop empathy for others, and create memories that would bring their family closer together.

BUILDING TOGETHER

Over the weekend of November 21–23, 2025, 114 adults and nine children—many of them Saint Michael parishioners—traveled to Costa Rica to participate in the Homes of Hope build. Working alongside YWAM volunteers and the families who would receive the homes, the teams constructed six houses in just two days.

For Chris, who is an engineer by education, the pace of the work was astonishing. “How is it possible to build an entire home in just two days?” he joked. “Come and find out for yourself. I promise, you’ll be amazed.”

First-time volunteers often arrive at the build site to find nothing more than a concrete pad and stacks of lumber. By the end of the first day, the transformation is dramatic. “The entire house was framed, drywall installed, and windows and shingles were already going up,” Main said. “Leaving that first evening and seeing how much had been accomplished was incredibly fulfilling.”

The process is designed so that anyone can participate, regardless of construction experience. “The YWAM team is an extraordinary group of people,” Main said. “They’re energetic, patient, and deeply committed to serving others. The process is thoughtfully designed so people of all ages and skill levels can contribute.”

But while the homes come together quickly, it is often the relationships that leave the deepest impression. During the build, Tavie formed a fast friendship with a young boy named David from the family receiving one of the homes. Even without a shared language, the two spent much of the weekend playing together. “Laughter really is a universal language,” Chris said.