“Where It All Began” — Jeff Dawson’s Story
Burrell Boom, 2018: The first build. A home for Jeff, the heart behind our mission.
Back in 2018, I (Jesse) found myself in an unfamiliar little village in Belize called Burrell Boom. Our family (Dad, Mom, Kaci) had just arrived, a bit lost and trying to locate our Airbnb — a place called The Howler House. After circling around dusty backroads with no luck, we pulled up to a local shop and asked the first person we saw, “Do you know where the Howler House is?”
That’s when we met Jeff Dawson.
With an easy smile and a kind spirit, Jeff jumped into our car without hesitation and guided us through a narrow trail, past a small cattle fence, to the hidden Airbnb. That simple act of kindness was the beginning of an unexpected friendship — and a calling I didn’t know I was about to discover.
Over the course of our stay, Jeff showed us around his village and even paddled us out in his old canoe to see the manatees that frequent the Belize River. He later took us upriver to a small piece of land he was farming and homesteading. It was quiet, lush, and peaceful — and I felt something stir in me.
Before we left, Jeff said something that stuck: "Jess, you know... you could build yourself a house here if you wanted to."
A few months passed, but those words stayed with me. And eventually, I did exactly that. With nothing more than a suitcase full of tools and a wild idea, we returned to Burrell Boom and spent two weeks building a humble little house on stilts overlooking the river (pictures of our adventure below!)
But here’s the twist: That house? I didn’t keep it.
By the time we finished, something had shifted in my heart. The house — once meant for me — felt like it belonged to Jeff. So we handed over the keys, no strings attached.
That simple gift, born from friendship and faith, lit a fire in me I couldn’t ignore. It showed me what was possible when love leads the blueprint, and service becomes the foundation.
That house in Burrell Boom was the first — and it became the spark that led to the birth of Build Up Belize Inc.
Seven years later, we returned to visit that very house. To our joy, it’s still standing strong — even after several hurricanes — and continues to be a safe and solid refuge for Jeff Dawson.
It’s a living reminder that when we build with purpose, even humble homes can weather the storm.
