Day 11: Let There Be Sheep

Franco: This morning at 0600, before we commenced our work schedule on one of the few homes we have left, we went bargain sheep shopping. I can't say I have ever gone sheep shopping in my life. Unfortunately, all the sheep must have quickly sold because we only found skinny cows and even skinnier mules. Later in the day, our luck thankfully changed. First.....

Today our team tackled another concrete floor. The house belongs to Don Gregorio Perez, his wife Doña Isabela Perez and their seven children. Don Perez works in construction, wood chopping, and clearing fields with his machete. His wife takes care of the kids and their home while he is away working.

A few years ago their home was swept away after a severe rain storm. Homeless, Don Perez began working harder trying to rebuild not only their homes, but also their lives. Just as things were getting better for Don Perez and his family he became ill with migraine headaches. For two years doctors could not find a cure. Finally, just as the headaches appeared, they eventually faded away.

One of the ways Project HELLO empowers families is by making sure we don't simply hand-out items and walk away. On the contrary, we get the families involved in the work that is being done in their homes. We also get the community involved by having neighbors and relatives come together and work. Below are pictures of Project HELLO team members working in conjunction with the family being benefited with a stove and cement floor. What impressed me the most about the Perez family was the children's eagerness to improve their living conditions. I was touched by how hard they were willing to work.

While most of the team worked at Don Perez's home I went to inspect Don Alberto's home to verify that his stove and cement floor had been completed. Most importantly, I wanted to check that he had running water. For the last 20 years Don Alberto and his wife have gotten their water from a well far away from their home. I'm proud to announce that thanks to both teams of volunteers advocating for Don Alberto, today was the first day he and his wife have potable running water, a new stove, and a cement floor. Thanks to your donations this elderly couple will live their last years with the basic human needs and much dignity and respect.

Olivia: It all started looking for sheep...at 6:00 in the morning. Franco, Onecimo and I got up bright and early to purchase some sheep for one of the sponsored families. Normally on mercado (market) day there's an area where people come to buy and sell their livestock. However, today, the day we decide to buy our sheep, there isn't a single one to be found. But fear not, we shall have sheep before the day is over! I like days like today. It was a solid mixture of productivity and relaxation that makes a person feel accomplished and content at the end of the day. 

After an unlucky sheep hunt, we went to a nearby home to lay and mix concrete. I think we're getting pretty good at this whole concrete thing. A little sand, a little cement mix, some water, rocks and the muscles to mix it all together, and you've got the makings for a nice concrete floor. After doing all the mixing by hand, we let the professionals take control of laying down a brand new concrete floor for the family thanks to your donations. 

I then helped de-bone a couple rabbits for our lunch (which was delicious!) After lunch we went to Doña Tonita's, a very elderly woman who lives with her special needs, adult child, to see the progress of her new stove. It was almost complete when we arrived. Doña Tonita always seems to make me smile. Maybe because she always seems to be smiling too. In her sweet voice, she told us that she's glad we came back to visit. She said she doesn't get many visitors, but that she enjoys the company. It was a bittersweet moment. I'm glad our visit made her day, but I was saddened at the same time knowing that her and her daughter are often lonely. 

Below are pictures of our team, Doña Toñita and her daughter, their new stove, and puppies!

We said our goodbyes to Doña Tonita and went to pick up some sheep. Yep, we found sheep! The neighbor of one of our teammates had a lamb and it's mother up for sale, so off we went to wrangle them. I personally didn't wrangle the sheep; however, I did help hold them in the back of the truck. It may seem strange to some, but I loved every moment of that truck ride with those sheep in my lap. There was something deeply calming about comforting and holding such soft creatures as we transported them to their new homes. It's amazing how animals and nature can draw out such happy and soothing vibes from inside us. I needed that little connection today. With the sheep delivered and another family visited, we ended the day with a nice dinner prepared by one of our teammates. I was tired as heck and I smelled like a sheep, but I was happy. A good day, good food, and good people will do that. Thanks for reading!

Below are pictures of sheep purchased with money donated to a widowed woman Doña Jovita and her children by her sponsored family for New Years. Thank you Luke!

Emily: Today we worked on the cement floors for a house that needed one. Being an international business major, this makes me want to incorporate westernized techniques. For example, we mix the cement by hand. Meaning, we do not have a mixer and we have to mix it through shoveling and adding a proper amount of water. This process takes maybe hours depending on the amount of help you have. I wish there was an introduction to a mixer because it could save A LOT of time!

We also had the chance to buy sheep for a family through one of our donations. I’ve never petted a sheep but it was pretty cool. Watching the team try to rangel the sheep was funny, but after 15 minutes, we managed to catch two: one baby and one adult.

Skipping to the evening, we had a wonderful dinner at Onesimo and Flori's house. It was great because their home reminded me a lot of back home. It’s a very traditional American home. Onesimo told us that his house was sort of like the birth place of the choir/group. That is where they rehearsed mostly and started the whole thing, which i though was really cool.

We’re nearing the end of our stay in Sibinal and I’m going to miss it here deeply. I’ve even looked at plots of land to see if I can live here! Again, thank you all for your donations! Besos, Emily.

Franco: Below are updated pictures of the house being built with your donations for Don Victoriano and his family. Tomorrow our team is installing the aluminum roof with the guidance of a hired construction worker. Also, the stove will be started tomorrow. Thank you for reading our blog.