It’s seems like I’m sprinting a marathon while running on no
sleep.
The month-long Hero Holiday season in full swing and it
saddens me that it’s over halfway done.
For the participants, the trips are ten days long. Of that
only four days are spent building the house. The rest are dedicated to travel,
wonder, exposure, and growing.
For the hosts, the trips are weeks, months, and sometimes
years long. For me, these trips will have taken up nearly two months of my hard
work and passion.
It started with interviewing some potential families for the
house builds. Families and individuals apply and are selected based on a
variety of factors, with need being the key determinant. There is no “no” pile,
just a “later” pile.
While interviewing a family, I was once again reminded of
the generosity of the Mexican culture. Their dirt-floored shack, made of wood,
plastic, cardboard, and whatever else they could find, was small and dark.
There was an impressive array of small wooden animal sculptures lined up on a
shelf that I couldn’t help admiring. As I was leaving their home, the mother
gingerly pressed one of the treasures into my palm. It is remarkable how much
someone with so little is ready to give what few possessions she has.
After the interviews, further decisions are made and the
number families are narrowed down to the number of houses being built. The five
other LDAs and I got to tell two families they were going to receive a home in
just one short month. As we walked onto the property, we were greeted by the
shy grin of a little girl we were playing with that morning. It felt absolutely
surreal to be able to tell our new friend that we would help her build a home.
Her parents told us that was her biggest dream in life, getting a home, and
they even let her choose the paint colors.
Concrete slabs are poured soon after and the anticipation
skyrockets. Lumber and baños (outhouses) eagerly await the driven group of
volunteers coming in some short few days.
Here comes the fun part: house building!
Each house is 20’x20’ and made of wood. The families choose
the layout of the house: how many rooms they want and where the doors and
windows will go.
What always surprises me is that somehow a group of largely inexperienced
teenagers, along with the families, become construction masters and build a
house from scratch in just four short days.
The families are then told to stay inside of their old homes
while we fill the new house with furniture, groceries, donations, and love. We
tailor it to their desires and dreams. We transform the house into a home.
Many Mexicans are very conservative with their emotions for
fear of being let down by an empty promise. Their emotions tend to bottle up
until the final moment, Dedication Day.
Everyone in the group has the opportunity to say some kind
words to the family. The family attempts to express their gratitude to the
group, but words are typically lost in a flood of tears. In the midst of tears
and photos, the keys are handed over and the family unlocks their door for the
first time.
It is hard to describe the first few moments a family spends
in their new home. It is overwhelming and emotional. On my most recent
dedication day I remember a little girl twirling in her new room as her parents
held each other and wept.
Culturally, food is very important for Mexicans. Most
families will cook up an enormous and delicious meal for the entire team as a
way of showing their gratitude. Weeks of salary are put into the dish along
with long hours slaving over the food. I know one woman who spent twelve hours cooking for us.
Eventually the teams must go and goodbyes are drawn out as
long as possible. Tender embraces are exchanged between the volunteers and the
family members. It’s remarkable how strangers can so quickly become family. On
the last trip I asked a few students what their Mexican families meant to them,
and they all replied with “Everything.”
The trip quickly comes to an end as the family has their new
beginning. Volunteers are encouraged to keep in contact with their families via
letters, gifts, and “The Face” (Facebook).
As one door closes, another one opens. The Hero Holiday is
done and now comes the most important part: putting the new experience and
knowledge to good use. Live Different aims to inspire others to live simply; to
be kind everyday; and to pick a cause and stick with it.
The most frequent shock of the trip is how quickly one can
make a difference and be influenced. Big change occurs from a series of
seemingly mundane decisions; let them always guide you to greatness.
Lots of love,
Meagan <3
