Our day began with a delicious traditional Nicaraguan breakfast of scrambled eggs, beans & rice, fresh papaya & watermelon, bread, and soft cheese. To be fair, I'm not certain how traditional this breakfast was. From the limited amount of Nicaragua we've seen, I'd say the majority of the Nicaraguan population are not eating this way on a regular basis. I don't say that to indicate a sense of guilt or even pity necessarily; not pity in the sense that we typically consider it anyway. Sure, there's a sense of longing for something better for the people we see and meet, but better from our perspective; a perspective that includes a lot of daily luxuries that we take for granted. When your perspective includes a dirt floor, rotting wood walls, and no clean water, a full "traditional " breakfast is likely a little more than one might ask for.
In fact, the families for whom we are helping to build three new homes are a happy, proud, family-centric people. These families have never lived in a home that did not have a dirt floor. Not a dirty floor. A dirt floor. A floor compromised entirely of dirt. Yet still, they have joy in their love for one another. Parents love and care for their children. Grown children love and care for their parents. They may not have much by way of material possessions, but what they do have is more valuable than anything we might wish for them from our perspective.
By the end of this week, our team will have built the walls and laid concrete floors (concrete we are learning to mix by hand). By the time the families move into their new homes later this year, they will have luxuries many others in the community won't have; a concrete floor, for one.
Something else I've learned that I take for granted is the ability to utilize air conditioning. We asked our local Habitat staff about the seasons here in Nicaragua, wondering when they get a little bit of relief from the heat. They told us, "Nicaragua has a hot season and a hotter season." "What season are we in now?," we asked. "It's hotter," was the reply. We're able to get some relief from the heat on the bus to and from the job site, and at the hotel. In San Cayatano, they have to wait for the hot season.
Keep following our blog this week, and please keep our team, the staff of Habitat Nicaragua, and the families of San Cayatano in your prayers. Time for bed now. I hear it's going to be hotter tomorrow.
In fact, the families for whom we are helping to build three new homes are a happy, proud, family-centric people. These families have never lived in a home that did not have a dirt floor. Not a dirty floor. A dirt floor. A floor compromised entirely of dirt. Yet still, they have joy in their love for one another. Parents love and care for their children. Grown children love and care for their parents. They may not have much by way of material possessions, but what they do have is more valuable than anything we might wish for them from our perspective.
By the end of this week, our team will have built the walls and laid concrete floors (concrete we are learning to mix by hand). By the time the families move into their new homes later this year, they will have luxuries many others in the community won't have; a concrete floor, for one.
Something else I've learned that I take for granted is the ability to utilize air conditioning. We asked our local Habitat staff about the seasons here in Nicaragua, wondering when they get a little bit of relief from the heat. They told us, "Nicaragua has a hot season and a hotter season." "What season are we in now?," we asked. "It's hotter," was the reply. We're able to get some relief from the heat on the bus to and from the job site, and at the hotel. In San Cayatano, they have to wait for the hot season.
Keep following our blog this week, and please keep our team, the staff of Habitat Nicaragua, and the families of San Cayatano in your prayers. Time for bed now. I hear it's going to be hotter tomorrow.
You build in the heat in Nicaragua & we will build in the cold in Pennsylvania (26 degrees this am). Both our efforts will benefit families from the elements!
ReplyDeleteWhat is so amazing is how quickly a smile comes to their face and you can tell their hearts are filled with joy! They can teach us a lot about what to appreciate in life. Thank you for helping these three families fulfill their dream of a home. Stay safe and healthy during the week...hydrate and rest! Blessings!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mary! Lots of pics to follow from this amazing experience. Mark
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