7 Days and counting

¨Chinita¨ was what was written on top of the windshield of the red truck we were about to climb into that would take us to our jobsite located in Santa Maria de Jesus. A small hill-top town of about 3000 people. This is where we would meet the family that we were to spend the next 6 working days with.

As the road twisted and turned and our speed increased from maybe 10 mph to 13 mph, we all started getting a little anxious. Where were we going, what are we really doing, and where are we really going to go the bathroom?



Finally after passing many "curva peligrosa" signs and many stray dogs alongside the road we pulled to a stop in front of a fence constructed entirely of dried cornstalks. Abei, one of our group leaders, knocked on the corrugated metal "door" and we were greeted by a man, the father of the house, his wife, two sons and one little daughter. In we went. To our left was a makeshift bathroom with a bottom of a toilet, some sheets and blankets covering the three sides. Beyond that was a huge pile of sand, a huge pile of rocks, and about 400 hundred blocks. These are to be our construction tools for the next 6 days.

We said our holas, introduced ourselves to the familia...the kids; Manuel 5 yo, Michelle 3 yo and David who is about 11 months. Instantly I want to take them all home, especially Michelle




The next days are going to be hot, dusty, tiring but oh so much fun! Hopefully we can get los ninos to smile even more...and get this house built!

Mas tarde!