Making A House A Home

Between yesterday and today, the houses have been pieced together rapidly. Lots of hard work, painting and sawing have brought the group two standing houses. Everyone is experimenting with different ways to help out; whether it be playing with the kids, roofing or helping with the interiors. The work days so far have been amazing, and it is very fulfilling to see everyone working together as one well oiled machine. This experience has me doubting that any of us will ever be able to forget this community and the families within. Each member of this town is doing what they can to help; the kids are always eager to help paint to their maximum height and parents willing to help us communicate. Piggy-Back after piggy-back we are creating trust and relationships with these kids despite the language barrier. Weather tonight canceled our evening activity of candy and beach time, but an interesting group discussion had everyone soon forgetting the sugar craze. Readers, I challenge you to balance your wants and needs and see how those may fluctuate to those of something living in the conditions of a developing area.Until Tomorrow, Greer C-WTo see more pictures, click here.

The Butterfly Effect

One tiny little movement, practically imperceptible to the human eye, so slight you would hardly feel it and yet so powerful you would never believe what it is capable of accomplishing. One day it was shy and unsure of itself, the next day it was beautiful, liberated and secretly powerful. That’s kind of what the “Butterfly Effect” is like.When you meet her you would never guess how she ended up there, arriving at a place where few would have chosen; yet it is here that she is planted and making a difference. Roxy has a smile that is disarming and a demeanour that is gentle and inviting. Always open and non-judgmental, she immediately puts people at ease. You would never have guessed at where she has come from or what brought her to that place, because you would only see the outcome today.A freak accident changed it all. Diagnosed with epilepsy at a young age, Roxy was always careful of her surroundings, as epilepsy is no respecter of time, location or dignity. But she never considered it would happen like this. She was 15 and their family had just moved into their new home, and she was about to take a bath. As she stepped into the tub, a grand mal seizure hit. But as it came on, Roxy’s limbs hit the hot water tap that had not yet been adjusted for temperature safety. As the seizure took over, Roxy unknowingly slid deeper into scalding water, and as it dragged on, so did the irreversible damage to nearly half of her body. As she emerged from the seizure, pain engulfed her. Within moments she found herself hospitalized, a victim of third degree burns. As the days wore on and the healing process seemed to never come, depression began to set in. Life would never be the same and she would always live with the emotional pain of shame at her appearance, feeling as if no one would ever see past it. Finally, one day, unable to deal with it anymore, Roxy’s mom confronted her with a choice: to allow her pain to determine her future or to embrace what her life can become. Somehow, she chose life and she chose to live past where circumstance had left her. That was when the butterfly effect began. No one else may have noticed it at first, but the change had been started nonetheless.The term “Butterfly Effect” refers to the small change that can happen in the atmosphere that can ultimately determine weather patterns or prevent them. Something as small as the wings on a butterfly can be enough to cause a chain of events with huge consequences. That day in that hospital, Roxy’s life experienced the butterfly effect: by making one choice to see past her circumstance, she began a chain of events that has led to countless lives being touched and changed by hope and inspiration. After finishing high school, Roxy joined LiveDifferent (formerly Absolute)’s leadership development program and never looked back. She began to share her story with youth across Canada and began to envision what life can look like beyond pain and disappointment. It has been a long, unpredictable road, but it has always been worth it. Along with her husband, Brett, she is currently helping to give leadership at our School of Leadership base in Mexico. Here she gives direction, mentorship and encouragement to our students and to the numerous students that join us in Mexico for Hero Holiday.Roxy’s life is the reflection of hope that we are about in LiveDifferent (formerly Absolute). And like any large movement that can change life as we know it, it started with one tiny choice, one simple flutter of a butterfly’s wings.You can bring LiveDifferent (formerly Absolute) to your local high school! Our Think Day presentation is currently touring across Canada and we want to partner with schools to bring this message of hope and let students know that change is possible. To find out more about what Think Day is about, our School of Leadership, or how to get involved in what we do, check out www.livedifferent.com.

We Finally Made It!

Hola! We have arrived safe and sound, with a few minor speed bumps.Friday started out with an all too familiar ferry ride to Vancouver followed by an unfamiliar ride down to the border crossing and then on to Seattle. From SeaTac we endured a three hour long flight, no movies mind you, to San Diego. Upon arrival, we were greeted by our Hero Holiday leader, Charles,  who gave us a brief introduction of what we were getting ourselves into. After our 12 hour travels, we mobbed the local supermarket for late night snacks, ranging from veggies to cold canned soup. Finally, we arrived at the hotel and crawled into our beds by 12 am. However, our deep sleeps were rudely interrupted by a 5 am wake up call (prank courtesy of an unknown mischievous caller.) Little did we know, that was not going to be our only problem.Morning came all to soon for some of us, but thankfully after a kick start of caffeine we were out the door…Maybe a little too quickly. Upon boarding the bus Charles asked for everyone to have their passports on hand for our arrival into Mexico. So here I was, settled into the bus and ready to go when I realized my passport was not on hand. Not only was my passport not on hand, it wasn’t anywhere in my hotel room, nor was it in my bag, Sam’s or Emily’s. After a mild panic attack and belongings sprawled across the Best Western parking lot, Brett (our driver and other facilitator) called the airport to track down my missing identification. A quick phone call later we were informed the Alaska Airways staff wouldn’t be able to look around for about an hour. Not taking no for an answer off we went to the airport, and thankfully along the way we got a phone call and YES my passport had been found on the plane. Turns out I did return my tray table to the upright and locked position but however I did not check the seat pocket in front of me. Lesson learned. (Sorry mom and dad, lots of love…Greer)After the morning mishap, the bus full of tired travelers started the journey to the Mexican border crossing.  San Diego had clean streets and structured houses, giving no foresight into what we would encounter on the other side of the border.  At the crossing we were unloaded from our bus for a random bag search, initiated from a button that picked the lucky travelers to be investigated by armed military forces.  After the border we finally saw the poverty that we were expecting.  Dirt roads, broken down houses and rusty cars were the beginnings to this huge eye-opening experience.  In one case, the fences in Tijuana were bordered with makeshift glass in place of wire. The bus ride was both fascinating and saddening. Our home here is in divvied into a girls and boys dorm which we should probably be heading to sleep soon in. It is 10:20 p.m. which means lights out! We will report more tomorrow, about the families and constructing of the houses.Hasta Manana!Layla, Britny, Greer and Angela

Breaking Boundaries

Breaking Boundaries; a line that roots to many different causes of conflict. What are boundaries? Sometimes they guidelines set up to protect us from harmful situations. Other times and the context I am talking about, they are things that are built up within society preventing us from things that could actually be a positive experience. They are walls that we even build up within ourselves, where we tell ourselves that we can’t do something when really if we set our minds to it we could do things that we never thought imaginable.This past week, the School of Leadership students took a break from the road tour and headed to Parkview High School. While there, we sat in their leadership class, helped at the lunch program and tutored in the different classes throughout the afternoon. When sitting in the morning leadership class, we got to know the students quite well, they had already become a family but they welcomed us quickly into the clan. These students showed me the true meaning of perseverance. Some of their stories that they were willing to share with the group were things that some of us could not imagine happening to us in a lifetime, and here it is a norm for these teenagers. You see, this school is located in one of the roughest neighbourhoods in Canada.Yet, these leadership students chose to go to school, they choose to get out of bed and get an education. They aren’t handed a lunch and sent merily to school, they choose to be there. They persevere through the struggles of their life and still choose to do something positive, they choose to speak for those who can’t speak up, they choose to be leaders in their school. I thought back to my own high school experience, where a lot of people would just skip school because they didn’t feel like going to class. My time at this school really put things into perspective for me, if these students can get up and go to school with all the struggles that they have, why shouldn’t I be able to get my work done on-time?Which brings me back to these boundaries. I always tell myself that I can’t or that its okay to be lazy sometimes, I was building up these walls and day by day the walls are slowly diminishing because of these leaders showing me meaning of true perseverance.A special thanks to the student’s teacher. He really believes in the students and is making such an impact at the school.~ Laura, A School of Leadership Student

A Job Well Done.

Dear Blog,

   The build at Adoffo Lopez Mateos is now completed! The last couple days were very busy for our team. Thursday we put the roof panels on, and then the asphalt roofing. This took awhile because of the sizing on the panels needed to be adjusted but together under Randy, Brett, and Andrew’s guidance for the 5 of us, all hammering like crazy, got everything done on time. I have went on the Hero Holiday in 2007 but only got as far as the ladder. I was too chicken to walk out on the roof. This year I was brave and took those steps off the ladder. Not only did I help nail down the roof but got to enjoy the breeze and amazing view! 

  The rest of Thursday and Friday we finished putting the inside walls up, painting, also painting the bano and shower, putting in the windows and doors and a lot of finishing touches. Randy’s boots after 14 years of loyal service have finally hit the dust during this build and rather then scrap them entirely he used duct tape to hold them together, so maybe they will make it to 15 years. 

   Now today, we put everything together in the house- all the beautiful things that were sent down from Canada and additional items for the family bought at the Mexican Wal-Mart. The beds were complete with frames, mattresses and beautiful handmade quilts. The family and we builders enjoyed a wonderful dedication together, along with tears and hugs of appreciation from all. Then Marcia turned over the keys to Anastasia who opened the door and the family went in to see everything. The game of checkers were a real hit. The strawberries in a lovely keepsake dish from Lance and Pat were also a favorite.The family then introduced us to a special sit down with home made Mexican soup. The skies then opened up and the rain came down. Just as we finished. Now this family has a safe and dry place to get away from the rain. 

   Tonight we gathered at Don Diego’s and reminisced about what the high points were during the week as well as feasted on our last meal in Mexico. What a great trip.

~ Nora, a participant headed home from a Mexico Hero Holiday

Delivery of aid to Haiti

Your kindness made a difference! Our Haitian friends needed to know that they are not forgotten, and thanks to the kindness and sacrifice of so many of you, we were not only able to help them out right now, but we are able to help them begin to rebuild for a stronger future. Thank you for responding to those who need it most. We are honored to be able to deliver aid and compassion that was made possible by the friends of LiveDifferent (formerly Absolute).

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Timeline:

• January 15 – We arrived in Port-au-Prince to assist the orphanages which we support. We spent five days helping and assessing the best ways we could be a support to both them and the families which they are now helping to survive.
• January 21 – We reached out to our LiveDifferent (formerly Absolute) network to assist in helping those we are connected with in Port-au-Prince and you responded with compassion and love.
• February 3 – We left for Port-au-prince with the first $10,000 raised for Haiti through LiveDifferent (formerly Absolute). In The Dominican Republic we filled a commercial truck with approx. $8,000 worth of aid.
• February 5th – We were delivering the aid to the orphanages and tent cities.

 Aid supplies (approximately)

• 200 cases of water
• 400 packs of rice
• 400 bottles of oil
• 400 bags of ban
• 600 bars of soap
• 1000 pack of soup mix
• 900 roles of toilet paper
• 1000 packs of cookies and crackers
• 6 cases of milk
• 600 packs of pasta
• 400 small bags of detergent
• 300 cans of sardines
• 900 bags if corn mix
• 5 Large tarps
• 2 tents
• 6 Large boxes of medical supplies. (donated by servant heart min.)
• 4 boxes of clothes (donated by Servant’s Heart Ministries)
• 500 candles
• 2200 Honda generator

Other Giving and Expenses

• $1600 went to support the orphanage (orphanage staff, orphanage vehicle maintenance, baby supplies and orphanage bills)
• $400 went to pay translators, travel expenses, border fees, and other misc. items needed for this project

The Aid was divided into 4 different places: two different tent towns, the orphanage and a displacement camp.
Most of the tent towns we delivered aid to hadn’t seen any aid yet. LiveDifferent (formerly Absolute) is now preparing for our Hero Holiday in Haiti for May. We will also be working with participants on the boys orphanage, installing doors, building a kitchen and replacing a roof on the children’s school.