GBC – Day in the Life
Sunday was our first build day. While the rest of our team started working on the house, four of us had the privilege of partaking in an experience that LiveDifferent has coined ”Day In The Life”. This meant that two families who lived within the same community as the family which our group is building alongside opened up their homes to us so we could get a taste of day to day life for them. A family of five welcomed me with big smiles into their home. It is difficult to pt into words how cramped and confined their home was. Yet somehow they make it work.
The three children between the ages of 12 and 18, all slept together in the same double-sized bed. My first assignment was to wash some of the family’s clothes ,by hand’ which ended with the family laughing at my futile attempt. Next I was charged with the task of cutting up a chicken (no, I did not have to catch & kill it first) with a knife that wasn’t exactly the sharpest. Again, laughing aimed at me. The eldest daughter took me under her wing and patiently walked me through the rest of the lunch preparation. The few “taste tests” that I had were delicious. As the food was simmering away on the stove we sat with the family and talked about all sorts of things. I found it funny how I had only just met these people yet I felt as though I was a part of the family. This really hit home for me when the mother of the family thanked us for what we are doing and said “our door is always open to you”. Even as I am writing this I find I am still processing the whole experience. It was definitely one that will not be soon forgotten.
Tomorrow is already house dedication; it will be hard to say goodbye but we are all very excited for the adventure that lies ahead in Haiti.
Lisa, LiveDifferent Hero Holiday Volunteer, GBC, 2014