poverty stats and thoughts on blessings...

According to Habitat for Humanity, the number of slum dwellers in the world will reach 1 billion in 2007, with one in three city residents living in inadequate housing. Over 70% of these people are women. Over 25% lack a decent toilet.

Minimum wage in Mexico is less than $2 per hour, and jobs are scarce in many communities.

Being immersed in the culture of the villages of Nayarit, I was able to see the many resources that families do without, including toilets, showers, permanent walls and roofs, food, clothing and medical care. And yet so many people I met were full of smiles, laughter and endless generosity. I am truly blessed to have had this experience, and to have so many incredible gifts and opportunities in my life that I have taken for granted every single day. If all we did was to express gratitude for our blessings, the world would change......

mas fotos de mexico...

This last picture is from an indigenous village way up in the mountains that we were able to visit on our day off, called Taimarita. We had no way of knowing, but it was during a ceremony that had been going on for three days. This is the little school that we saw when we drove up, and the only picture I was able to take. The chief of the village, Pablo, was not comfortable with us taking any pictures due to it being a ceremony, but we were able to watch for a while and get a sense for the people. It's just one family that lives there and the ceremony was for corn and venison. It was really incredible to be able to watch, though we felt very much like intruders and stayed for only a short time.

All in all, the trip was more than I ever imagined it could be and we became very close to each other, the family and to Crisanto from the local Habitat affiliate. I know that I will be in touch with them and maybe visit again one day.

If you are ever wondering how to do something meaningful where you will gain more than you could ever give - build a house with Habitat for Humanity. I plan to go again and perhaps foray into leading a team. Habitat has sites all over the world and takes volunteers from ages 14 and up.

Stay tuned for more...... until then, peace and love to all.

pinata party...

On the last day that our entire team was there, Luis (above) had organized a pinata party at the school up the road (where Carlos and Orquidea go). So, we arrived with four big pinatas, bags of candy, and balloons. The kids were so excited, and had such a blast!

the tea party and the last day at the house...

Above are Orquidea, daughter of Rosalva, and her friend Jorquina from next door. After we cleaned out and cleaned up their makeshift storage area (which used to be the bathroom as you can see), I turned around and there was a tea party going on there! :) Below is Orquidea and her grandmother, Magdalena.

This is the last day we were at the house, and you can see all the progress we made. The young boy digging the trench is Eliuth, Rosalva's nephew. He is so strong and industrious and helped us tremendously, without ever being asked! His parents moved to the US and have not returned or stayed in much contact, so he is being raised by the family.

You can see the cement beams that have been poured, and then there is another six layers of brick before the cement ceiling. Then the floor needs to be poured, the doors and windows installed and the electricity. We're told they will be moved in within a month. Yay!

la casa de amor en mexico...

Here is what the house looked like on the day we arrived. Becuase we were all so excited to get going, we went to work the first day we could and ended up working seven straight days hoping to get as much as possible completed. As you can see.... no hammers and nails in our future!

It turns out that the entire family is living in the two room house on this property, with a newly added bathroom (of sorts). The house we were building for Rosalva and her kids is basically in the backyard.
So, while I did not improve on my framing skills, I can now mix cement like the best of them! There really is a technique and an art to mixing a good batch of cement...

This pile of innocent looking cement blocks is a portion of the 2000 blocks we moved from the front of the house through the house to the back, in portions, and with a lovely chain gang approach. Yes, there was some singing during this part...
Once we got there, it was clear that eleven of us plus the two brick masons (maestros) were too many to work on the house at once. Several team members took notice of the steps from the door of the house and how dangerous and worn they were, especially for the older Magdalena and Simon. So... our industrious group decided new steps were in order! Simon (Rosalva's father) is sitting in the chair watching over things as he did whenever he wasn't working along side us. When Rosalva came home one day and saw that new steps had been started, she cried and thanked us.

Here is Roslava taking a break during a hard day, and Ben and Martha working on the walls to the bathroom. They don't have running water, so the bathroom will be a toilet that you pour water into after use and it runs out into a sewage pipe. That is what you see Rex digging.

I don't have pictures of them, but many of Rosalva's siblings and other family helped us every day. People would come over and jump right in.... it was great fun!

la casa de amor en mexico!

My Mexican adventure with Habitat for Humanity was more than I can really put into words, but I will try. As soon as I met the group of volunteers it was clear that I had made a great decision in making this trip. I have never been in the presence of so many inspiring, forward thinking, generous and fun people at one time! It is important to note that aside from myself, all of the other volunteers looked and lived at least ten years younger than they are.

Off to Mexico!

Meet my new friends in Nayarit, Mexico! Well, we haven't exactly met yet, but when we are building their new house together I'm sure we'll hit it off! I am leaving this saturday for a ten day trip to Nayarit with Habitat for Humanity's Global Village program, where a team of 12 people will work with this family and other volunteers to build a house!














Rosalva is a single mother working two jobs and this family of three currenlty live in a one bedroom apartment with ten other family members. She has been waiting two years for this opportunity to build a house!

I will add some pictures and stories when I get back. until then.. peace.