Monday, January 3, 2011

Drops in the Bucket

How do you describe helping a family that needs so much help for only one day? You can’t. But I am going to try. I was startled awake by Sister Gloria’s horn at 6:30AM. This is something that doesn’t happen often when I am back in the states but today, I am glad it did.


Lynette, the mission coordinator for Project FIAT brought a group of us to Ilobasco to work with a family that one of our drivers knows from his village. Santiago has a wife and six children who lived in a broken down house far away from water and the main road. Don Isreal, a guard at the volunteer house, suggested that we build them a house and Project FIAT found two amazing people to sponsor the project. Their house now is moved away from the building sight and is constructed by scrap metal and plastic wrap around the front. When we are done, they will have a roof over their head with three rooms!

Our chores for the day:

1. Dig a trench three feet deep around the plot with a pick axe and a shovel
2. Start a trench on the plot for the next wall, with the same pick axe and shovel
3. Walk down a steap path of rocks and sand to get water for their baths and washing
4. Walk back UP that same path with a water jug on my head
5. Take a lunch break and eat fast so that you can play soccer with the kids
6. Hold the most adorable little girl, Maria del Carmen, and make her smile!
7. Work with more shovels
8. Hold the two five-day-old goats and the two two-week-old goats!
9. Work some more
10. Clean up the site and head home for a night of relflection and delicious food!

Today was such an amazing experience. I believe that the people that I am here with have helped so much in my experience. Being able to work with peers that feel the same way I do about this place makes the work much more rewarding and fun. Tomorrow I will be headed to help build a day care, so, more work and more fun!

Just remember, all we are doing here is becoming a “drop in the bucket.”

Bry Shablow is a student St. Cloud State University and a member of Kappa Phi Omega Social Sorority.

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