September 8th 2015
For real there are actually no words to explain our last day. It's currently 2:57 am and we are leaving for the airport now. None of us have slept and a lot of us are severely inebriated. Regardless, our last day of public health project implementation was a tear jerker. We spent the first part of the morning finishing up projects and working on the patio around the entire house. After lunch, one of the officers, Omeed, called me over to translate for him while he was talking to the man of the house, Javier. I had to hold back tears and I translated that he was so honored that we came to Nicaragua to work with them on finishing their house. He said he was so full of pride and happy that we were a part of this and that each of us was like a grain of sand in the pile of cement that we were mixing and all of us wet necessary to complete the project.
After we officially finished the entire project, Javier took us out to their original home out behind their new house to show us how they used to live. For 16 years, the five of them lived in this one room house, without access to running water, without a stove or a kitchen, in a one roomed house with a leaking roof and a dirt wall that was about to collapse. When Javier explained this to us, he broke down into tears and sobbed as he started remembering how his life used to be. His wife, Sandra, and oldest son, Josuelo, also started to cry and there was not a single person in the room who wasn't crying. His wife told told us that we had "hands of angels" and all of the work done was God's work. They gave a hug and kiss to every single one of us and when Sandra hugged me I didn't want to let go. I felt so honored to be a part of their ongoing construction of their house and I didn't understand the resignation I was receiving for simply mixing cement.
At the very end of the day I led a charla for this kids about personal hygiene, germs, and hand washing (of course we taught them the song!). The kids were all so attentive and I even the adults were into the lesson. I ended up giving Sandra the lesson plans and the posters in case she wanted to reteach her three boys the lessons.
It's getting late, but I wish I could have spent my entire day with this family. Javier spent 16 years of his life fighting for a better life for his family and he was finally able to achieve it. If it weren't for our help it would have taken more than 16 years. When I asked Sandra what she was most excited for after the projects finished she told me that she was happy to be able to sleep without worrying out her family getting wet and worrying if everyone was dry. Imagine if that was your biggest worry, staying dry at night. This is something that unfathomable to most of us because we have never lived like that.
As we head back to the Managua airport, I think of the family, and how they are going to wake up tomorrow in their finished out and never have to return to their old way of life. They will have cement floors and seperate bathroom and showers. There's really no words to describe how happy I feel for the family and how honored I fee to be a part of it.
Starting tomorrow we will be off traveling and exploring around Nicaragua with over Global Brigade Members goodnight and goodluck!
For real there are actually no words to explain our last day. It's currently 2:57 am and we are leaving for the airport now. None of us have slept and a lot of us are severely inebriated. Regardless, our last day of public health project implementation was a tear jerker. We spent the first part of the morning finishing up projects and working on the patio around the entire house. After lunch, one of the officers, Omeed, called me over to translate for him while he was talking to the man of the house, Javier. I had to hold back tears and I translated that he was so honored that we came to Nicaragua to work with them on finishing their house. He said he was so full of pride and happy that we were a part of this and that each of us was like a grain of sand in the pile of cement that we were mixing and all of us wet necessary to complete the project.
After we officially finished the entire project, Javier took us out to their original home out behind their new house to show us how they used to live. For 16 years, the five of them lived in this one room house, without access to running water, without a stove or a kitchen, in a one roomed house with a leaking roof and a dirt wall that was about to collapse. When Javier explained this to us, he broke down into tears and sobbed as he started remembering how his life used to be. His wife, Sandra, and oldest son, Josuelo, also started to cry and there was not a single person in the room who wasn't crying. His wife told told us that we had "hands of angels" and all of the work done was God's work. They gave a hug and kiss to every single one of us and when Sandra hugged me I didn't want to let go. I felt so honored to be a part of their ongoing construction of their house and I didn't understand the resignation I was receiving for simply mixing cement.
At the very end of the day I led a charla for this kids about personal hygiene, germs, and hand washing (of course we taught them the song!). The kids were all so attentive and I even the adults were into the lesson. I ended up giving Sandra the lesson plans and the posters in case she wanted to reteach her three boys the lessons.
It's getting late, but I wish I could have spent my entire day with this family. Javier spent 16 years of his life fighting for a better life for his family and he was finally able to achieve it. If it weren't for our help it would have taken more than 16 years. When I asked Sandra what she was most excited for after the projects finished she told me that she was happy to be able to sleep without worrying out her family getting wet and worrying if everyone was dry. Imagine if that was your biggest worry, staying dry at night. This is something that unfathomable to most of us because we have never lived like that.
As we head back to the Managua airport, I think of the family, and how they are going to wake up tomorrow in their finished out and never have to return to their old way of life. They will have cement floors and seperate bathroom and showers. There's really no words to describe how happy I feel for the family and how honored I fee to be a part of it.
Starting tomorrow we will be off traveling and exploring around Nicaragua with over Global Brigade Members goodnight and goodluck!