Bitter Sweet

Today we woke up as if it were a regular morning… we got to finally sleep in, enjoy a great breakfast and relax with our friends but today was one of the most memorable days of our lives. After a week of spending time with two amazing families from the beautiful village of Arroyo Seco and building with blood, sweat & tears, we got to do what we have been working so hard for. This has been our third LiveDifferent Build, but today was the day that two fantastic families would finally be living in a safe, sturdy and clean new home.

The ceremony for Dedication day approached more and more closely as the afternoon went on and the nerves and excitement started to kick in when we all hopped onto the bus one last time for a drive to our beloved village community. Today was one of the most emotional days because as Grade 12 students who will be graduating soon, it meant it was the last Gonzaga trip for us this year. We were honored and so thankful to be the two individuals to hand the keys over to each family. It may seem like a simple gesture, but for each of us it meant we handed both families a new future, a fresh start as well as a safe new home. 

Hugging and congratulating each one of them was the biggest example of raw love that someone could ever experience. The gratitude that you could feel from each family was radiated right back to each one of them. Over this past week, they have taught both of us the importance of love, hope, and family. Seeing both of our families open the door to their brand new homes was a sight that we know everyone will never forget. The excitement in all of their eyes to see a solid roof and concrete floor was something that gave us all a reality check of how much we all take for granted.

As the afternoon went on, it became harder and harder to say goodbye to the family we now call our own after 3 years. The whole community of Arroyo Seco holds a big piece of our hearts. Today was one of the toughest days for us to go through because we don’t know when we will be able to do another LiveDifferent Build but it was also one of the most memorable and meaningful days in our lives. We are so thankful to LiveDifferent, our high school Gonzaga and most importantly the village of Arroyo Seco for our experience.

-Sloan & Lisa, LiveDifferent Builds Volunteers, Gonzaga 2015