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Truth and Reconciliation

 I have been doing volunteer work for the majority of my mature life. But never before, have I felt my emotions shift from sorrow, remorse, pity, and frustration… to outright fury. I walked hand in hand with an eleven-year-old boy today. He works seven hours a day. He works six days a week. He works in a garbage dump, fumbling through it to find plastic bottles. He makes, if he is lucky, a dollar fifty a day. He has two brothers, and two dead parents. He is the sole provider for his two younger siblings, and the worst part is… he seems to assume that his role is justified, when it is so obviously not. Our world has forced him to think this way, forced him to push out his desire to learn and play, and forced him to accept the responsibility of being the breadwinner… at the age of eleven. He said he chose me out of our group because I looked strong, and if him and I could pick up the bottles fast enough, he might have time to rest before he wakes up, and repeats the next morning.I went to the dump for about two hours, and by the end of it, I was sweaty, tired, and frustrated. He will probably do it every day of his life. Imagine that, waking up every morning… no soccer practice, no basketball tournament, no dance lesson, no sleepovers, no school, no holidays… just walking the hour and a half to a garbage dump, and picking up other people’s trash. The stench of it is vomit inducing, and the sorrow in the eyes of the people who work there makes me cringe every time I make eye contact. It is impossible for us to reconcile that sort of life no matter how hard we try. Complete empathy is impossible, because of the way we were raised, and the opportunities we were provided with. Nevertheless, try. Try to imagine that life, every second, of every hour, of every day. Waking up, telling your little brothers that your off to the dump, and then walking by yourself, picking bottles, getting your dollar fifty for a long day’s labor, and then returning home in an attempt to find food for your two awaiting siblings… the only family you have left.     This boy, at the age of eleven, lives this life. Every single day he gets up, walks to the dump, and picks trash. He does not even understand that there is more to the world then what.If I were to ask people back home what their aspirations are, some common answers might be: ‘I want to become a doctor. I want to see China. I want to write a book. I want to become an actor.’ People back home do not even understand that because of where we are born, we are given the opportunity to comprehend those dreams. I asked this boy what his dream was… it was to have his own bed. Literally; that was his dream. He desired a place to sleep, so he could have a good nights rest for the next days work. Our aspirations will always begin with ‘I want,’ whereas his will always begin with ‘I need.’ The contrast between the two is astronomical in its simplicity, yet our world chooses to ignore it. Their lives are so restrained by the world’s failings that they are not able to expand, hope, and flourish we are.So commonly a misconception of the wealthy is that the impoverished are lazy, and have forced themselves into that sort of life. But that is not the case.  Whereas at home there are many things we ‘half-ass,’ in places like this they are not even allowed to. Their circumstances stifle their ability to enjoy life. They are forced to apply themselves as hard as they can, with what is given to them. They are born into this world without consultation, as we are; yet we won the lottery of life. We have been blessed and born into a nation that provides us with our basic needs. We spend almost all of our time pursuing our materialistic, or social status-based desires, whereas these people spend all of their time pursuing the means to have food at night. This child, which I walked hand-in-hand through the dump with; has done nothing wrong. He has not failed in any way to deserve the life he has been forced to live. We have failed him.The world has failed these people; we have overlooked the fact that they are identical to us in terms of value. We assume subconsciously that our lives have more significance because we have more ‘stuff’ then they do. But they love, smile, cry, hate, and feel the same way we do. They are human beings.     It was in this truth, and in the reconciliation of this fact, that I became angry. What right do we have to push them further into the dirt, and lift ourselves higher towards the clouds? What right do we have to turn a cold shoulder to them when they cry out for help? What right do we have to live fully, when they are surviving emptily?If we are reborn into new lives upon our deaths, I pray for most of our sake that we win the lottery of life once again. Because if we don’t, then maybe… just maybe, we might have to live as they do, and we might have to reconcile how they feel. A nightmare for us to imagine, a reality that they are forced to live.~ Mason

Author: LiveDifferent

Date: July 24th, 2010

Interning in the Dominican Republic

I have been with Hero Holiday in the Dominican Republic since the beginning of July. So far, I have had an awesome experience and am really proud of all the work that is being accomplished by all participants. I came on a Hero Holiday last year and thought that I was therefore prepared for everything, I wasn’t worried that I would become emotional or that I would have a hard time dealing with my surroundings. The more that I have been experiencing this week, the more I really connect with the people and am reminded of how good I have it back in Canada. I do not use up a lot of my time fulfilling my needs, but most of my time is taken up by fulfilling my wants, this is the opposite with most of the people that I have met so far.

 One particular person who has remained in my memory is Jeffery, he lives in a community where most of the people are forced to collect plastic bottles from a dump in order to earn an income, making about a dollar a day. Jeffery is only fourteen years old and is faced with having to work in a garbage dump in order to survive. Jeffery’s story is typical of many Haitians living in Dominican communities after the earthquake. He was in his home when the earthquake hit, he said that he only broke his arm because a brick fell on it as he was trying to escape but that his father passed away after being hit in the head by rubble. Jeffery and his mother were able to leave Haiti eight days after the earthquake but had to leave five other siblings behind. Now they live in a small community and walk very far each day in order to get to the garbage dump, if they have enough money saved up they are able to call their family in Haiti, but that is not very often. I worked alongside Jeffery for about an hour and had a hard time comprehending what it would be like for him to do that job six days a week and about six to seven hours a day, with very little food in his tummy.

It doesn’t seem fair that I am fortunate enough to live in Canada and that a brilliant boy like Jeffery will never be able to go to school because of his unfortunate circumstances. After meeting Jeffery I feel as though it is my responsibility to do whatever I can to make the world a better place for those who are stuck in the cycle of poverty. I gave Jeffery, a pair of my gloves and my shoes (which fit him) because it was all that I could do and felt that I needed to do at the moment. As the truck drove away from the dump and everyone was waving to us, I caught Jeffery’s eye and he was smiling at me, with such a beautiful smile. Seeing that smile gave me hope that we as a society and as individuals can make a huge impact on people in the smallest ways and that the world can change for the better.

-Brianna, DR Intern

Author: LiveDifferent

Date:

Buddy Bonding(including: interns, kids, families, and yes- horses!)

Thursday morning (July 15) was a strikingly heartfelt day as we watched our friends from first week drive off in the rain towards the airport. Some heading back to the west coast, others to the east. Although we were sad to say good-bye each intern left behind knew that it was the beginning to new and lasting friendships. All eighteen interns and a few team leaders spent the next four to five days bonding as a Dominican family! On one of our days off we were to go to the different communities such as La Union and Agua Negra to drop off some extra donations such as clothes or shoes. This night turned in to so much more than just putting smiles on a hundred little faces.We were all on our way to Agua Negra, which translates to black water, where we are currently building a home for a family. This time was a little different- as it was pouring rain and the streets and homes were flooding. I had always heard about how bad this community gets when it rains but to experience it first hand was unbelievable. It was difficult to process the thoughts and feelings that I experienced that night as I walked through the streets with black water up to my ankles. I remember being able to come back to the hotel to rinse off my feet from the dirt and debris it was exposed to while considering those families who go through this weekly. We complain about rain and how it ruins our hair, not thinking about how it can ruin someone’s home. The people in Agua Negra, some of the kindest people I have ever met, are forced to deal with these unfortunate circumstances everyday. Many of them spend hours trying to remove the water from their homes with a broom or a small pale while others place buckets on the ground to catch the drops leaking in from the roof. Although this night was hard to grasp, it was also opened my eyes as to what I am doing here. We toured the village and ended up standing in front of a home that we built last year with Hero Holiday. The grandmother and her grandson who were currently living in this home were completely dry and safe from any flooding roads or leaking ceilings. It was amazing to see how all of our hard work last summer really helps those who need it the most.Early Saturday morning all of the interns loaded up on the bus and headed out to the ranch! we spent the day horseback riding through the town. Our final destination was along a gorgeous beach where you could hear the waves from a mile away. We stopped at a restaurant by the beach to get some refreshments and then headed back out! This was our first day together and it was great to finally bond as interns. Although we had already spent the week together with our teams, it was a totally different experience getting to know one another more personally. There are so many amazing people out there and this excursion gave us the chance to realize that. I learned more about each individual and our Dominican family became stronger as we prepared for the next group. Nothing will be able to break the bond between us as we went through the month of July experiencing mixed emotions and tough times together.Saturday night was something extraordinary for every intern. We packed up a white sheet, laptop, and a projector and headed off to La Union. With those three items we created a movie theatre for approximately seventy-five people. We set up “Finding Nemo” on the computer and hung the sheet from the railing of a balcony. I sat with Jessie during the entire movie and couldn’t help but to constantly look around at every single smiling person there. Not only the kids, but the parents as well were all gathered around gazing at the movie. You think about back home when we go to the movies all the time or see the premiere of movies at midnight and all the excitement builds up- it was like that, only it had a different excitement for me. I was excited to see the kids’ reactions, hear them laugh, and share this memory with them. This experience was fun and uplifting and allowed for us to create relationships with the locals. So far this has been my favourite Hero Holiday memory as I spent the night with Jessie on my lap never letting go of my hand. It’s a feeling difficult to describe but one that I assure you will stay close to my heart forever.Sunday evening was an interesting night to say the least. Some of the interns were interested in going to experience the cultural aspect of Dominican church. My friend, Megan and I were discussing church and how there is something unusual but amazing about it- it’s universal. Everybody there believed in a God and that he was there to guide each individual in their path as they struggle with their circumstances. As we walked into the church we heard the band playing and all of the locals singing and chanting along with them. This service was special because a couple of our translators that we work alongside were taking part in it. One of them was in the band while the other was being welcomed back from a retreat. After being at church for a little while I started to feel very warm and happy. I couldn’t help but to smile as I saw each individual in the crowd praising the Lord and having such strong faith. As I was sitting there I remembered a lady I interviewed last year who continued to tell me that she believes her life and her family will have a wonderful life because of God. I couldn’t help but to think that each person there was thinking the same way and how this one belief can bring so much joy and happiness to people who barely have food for dinner. It was amazing to see how different their mass was compared to back home. It was upbeat and informal but was an incredible experience that we all enjoyed and hope to do again sometime.Our five days in between the trips was awesome. I learned more about each individual and our Dominican family became stronger as we prepared for the next group. Nothing will be able to break the bond between us as we went through the month of July experiencing mixed emotions and tough times together. We will always have each other to lean on and discuss the struggles we may have once we go back home. Overall, we have met faces we will never forget, created friendships that will last a lifetime, and have a summer that will forever be engraved on our hearts.~ Bianca, a Dominican summer intern

Author: LiveDifferent

Date: July 21st, 2010

Temporary Miracle

She had no money, barely an education, but enough passion and determination to change the world. She was fifteen when I first met her. We were walking through a Dominican village, the road was rugged and the dusty, but she was barefoot. The excruciating heat was almost unbearable, but her face didn’t show it. I noticed her right away for two reasons: she looked almost my age with a glowing smile and she was pregnant. I walked over to here, and unknowingly and ignorant of what I was about to hear. Immediately, she took me into a gracious embrace as she recognized the similarities between us. We were the same age, the only difference being that she was born in the Dominican Republic, and I was born in Canada. This reality was overwhelming and almost impossible to empathize with.Right away, we started talking. Her words resonate in my head to this day, and I can’t bring my thoughts away from her will and raw desire to learn and thrive in the world that she was born into. She explained in the simplest way she could that she wanted help. This astonished me because the idea that the helped was wanting to help in return. This fifteen year old girl was heavily pregnant, and was going to night school everyday in hopes of one day becoming a teacher and sharing her wisdom with her community. I was and continue to be unbelievably inspired by her maturity and consciousness of everything around her. Although I only knew her for a day, I could already see right into her selfless heart through the words that she spoke. I felt as though we had known each other for a life time.Even though her circumstances, she was a teenager like myself, she loved to laugh, to dance, and just be surrounded by love. We continued to talk, and the conversation led us to where she called home. We sat down, and if you could just hear us, you would think that we were two teenagers chatting over a cup of coffee. But when the lights of reality sunk in, you could see the walls of her house eaten away by termites, bug carcasses scattered across the dirt floor, and the table that was laden with a single basket of food that was meant to feed a family of over ten for a possibly a week. Inevitably, it was eventually time to leave. As she stood up from the table, I was suddenly reminded of yet another burden that she carried that was unlike mine: her baby to be…Now, over a year later, I saw her. The brightness in her eyes instantly drew me in. Once again, I was taken in by her maturity and sense of purpose. I watched in awe as she balanced a healthy looking baby in her arms. Although she may not reach her potential in terms of an education, a miracle had occurred: her baby made it. Her safety, and that of the baby was extremely uncertain due to the Dominican health care system, an the disease rate that could easily sever her pregnancy. But a sigh bigger than words can describe what was let out when I knew that she was okay. Currently sixteen, she continues to go to school, pursue her dreams, and now, care for another life apart from her own. The idea of miracles happening in everyday life can come about in unexpected situations, but in a way, it can bring us back down to where we really are. I am now content in the fact that she is alright and safe. I know now that year of endless worrying and constant fear is now over, at least for the time being.~ Megan, an intern in the DR.Many of the lives the our participants encounter on their Hero Holidays change their lives and views on our world. Now longer is poverty something that they hear about and see on TV, it is the faces and stories of the people they encounter each day on our work sites. Theses moment then fuel them to make a difference in the lives of people and communities back home but often continue these kind of humanitarian experiences in the future.

Author: LiveDifferent

Date: July 13th, 2010

Thunderstruck

 When the opportunity to write a blog for Hero Holiday came up, a spark lit up inside of me. I am a guy who passionately enjoys writing, and passionately enjoys everything that LiveDifferent (formerly Absolute) stands for, so how I never realized the potential for combining the two is beyond me.I have been on three Hero Holiday humanitarian trips prior to this one, and each one has held substantial significance in my eighteen year-old life. It is almost hard for me to reconcile my own state of mind prior to my first experience in Mexico. It seems like maturity could not have happened if my eyes were not opened up to the things I’ve seen, or the atrocities I’ve experienced.This trip brings a whole new perspective to my life that I hadn’t before had the ability to comprehend.     The fact first hit me when the first crack of thunder rolled through the hills of the Dominican Republic. It was as if my heart stalled as the impossibly loud boom echoed throughout the skies (I later found out that this was one of the most violent storms in a very long time, according to the one of the locals). The reason the thunder struck fear in me was not because of its obvious awesome appeal; instead it was because of a story Cole Brown had told my ‘team’ earlier that day.We toured through the village of Agua Negra (Black Water) and as we did Cole showed us his true passion. A passion I will never cease to admire, respect, and envy. He explained to us that the low setting most of the impoverished community resided on provided an inescapable vice. A nearby river, which was flooded with trash, dead animals, sewage, toxins… and swimming children, was incredibly susceptible to flooding if the down poor of Dominican rain was heavy. He explained that most of these families would find themselves at least ankle deep in water, and many of them would have to resort to climbing up on mattresses and shivering as a feeble attempt to obtain any sort of comfort.A story is a story, and words are words. When Cole shared these facts of Agua Negra with us, I listened intently, and I felt an immense flood of sympathy and pity for the people forced to reconcile that sort of lifestyle. But the true reality of the situation did not hit me until that first crack of thunder.That crack of thunder, followed by a heavy rainfall, forced me to think about the people of that poor town. I contrasted their dismal situation in regards to nature’s wrath with my own back home. I thought about the fact that if a storm stirs in Edmonton, I need simply to hoof it home, or to a friend’s, and wait it out. For these people however, the nearest haven is not enough… and for their entire lives it never has been.That is a fact I have trouble reconciling; that people in this world cannot even get out of the rain. I remember reading books when I was young about hiding from the rain, and finding sanctity in the nearest building. That is how I always saw it, it was something I had overlooked and taken for granted. I cannot even imagine having an inability to simply be dry. It is such a small concept to the people of wealthy North America, getting out of the rain. Fleeing from the elements is an easy feat for the fortunate, and I never realized that because of the location others were born, it proves to be an impossibility. These people are not stupider than anyone else, they are not lesser than anyone else, they are not less deserving than anyone else, yet it is them who are forced to reconcile a life of fear, caution, and struggle. I have always been thankful for being born into a blessed environment the way I was, but I have never been as grateful as I was when that thunder struck. Imagining the faces of the children forced to shiver in the cold, forced to frantically move about in their cramped homes and move their food to higher ground. I cannot even imagine back home being in a situation where I am forced to attempt a futile salvage of my household necessities.I have experienced and dealt with the drastically poor before, but it was not until then that I understood why people like those who work at LiveDifferent (formerly Absolute) are as passionate as they are. I truly saw the disparity of our world clearly, and my own reality made me sick to my stomach. The people we are helping down here are amazing. Back home one of our biggest fears is that we will not try hard enough to achieve all the goals we wish to in life… but down here these people are not given the chance to even progress and make their own lives better. These people are not even granted the foundation to reach their potential.  These poor people have not failed in any way to deserve the world they were born into; instead the world they were born into has failed them. I have always personally believed that a fundamental human right should be having the foundation to reach ones full potential… whether they achieve that potential is up to the individual. The fact that these people do not have that foundation sickens me, and it is the primary reason driving my purpose of being here.I have fallen in love with the unfortunate not out of pity, but out of hope. Hope that one day the world will realize its failings and salvage the purity left in it. A hope that one day it will be possible for an average American, to serve an Average Dominican or Haitian. A hope that one day humanity will see eye to eye, and flourish in this complicated dilemma we call life… together.~ Mason, an intern in the DR

Author: LiveDifferent

Date: July 11th, 2010

A Day with Madeleine

Only a few days in and already this has been one of the best experiences I have ever had. I know Hero Holiday is going to change my life.  Of all the worksites and projects we’ve been a part of yesterday’s visit to the dump was definitely one of the hardest. At the dump we paired up with Haitian refugees who work there.  They collect recyclable materials and earn a meagre 85 cents per bag. As soon as we drove up I was shocked by how much garbage there actually was.  There were literally mountains of garbage.  I teamed up with a little Haitian girl named Madeleine who’s 12 years old.  She was incredibly helpful and an amazing inspiration to me.  As we helped them find recyclables I found I kept picking up the wrong things.  Digging through the piles and opening up bag after bag of garbage only to be met with disappointment.  It was hard to find anything useful.  Madeleine had a great eye for finding plastic bottles though; she could spot them from miles away.Madeleine had a smile the entire time.  She laughed every time I celebrated the fact that I had (finally) found an acceptable addition to our bag.  She was wearing 2 different shoes – a ballet flat and a runner- but she didn’t think anything of it.  Some of the other Haitians were barefoot or wearing flip flops which hindered their work.  I can’t believe that Madeleine is considered lucky to have 2 closed-toe shoes even though they didn’t match and probably didn’t fit.   I kept thinking about how I had bought 3 new matching pairs of shoes for this trip while Madeleine doesn’t own a single one.The most heartbreaking part of the dump was the discoveries Madeleine kept making.  First she found a battery-operated fan.  Her eyes lit up and for a second I think she thought it was going to work.  When it didn’t she laughed, as happy as ever, and held it to her face pretending she was feeling a breeze.  After that Madeleine came across another plastic bottle but this one still had some water in it.  She opened the bottle and started to drink it.  I stopped her before she could have any and brought her back to the truck for a cup of clean water.  It horrifies me that back home we won’t touch water that hasn’t been filtered, purified and bottled yet there was Madeleine about to drink from a disgusting bottle she found at the dump.My North-American reaction to the garbage was to back away and not touch anything.  At times I would turn something over and have to hold my nose for fear of vomiting.  It’s a terrible job to have with the smell and the heat and the incredibly unrewarding pay for such tireless work.  I only had to do it for an hour and half.  Madeleine does it for 7 or 8 hours every single day.  One look at the determined little girl beside me and I was right back at it, digging in the dumps.  In the time I spent there Madeleine, I earned less than a dollar.  At my job in Toronto, I would have earned $10 and not worked half as hard.  When it came time to leave I filled up Madeleine’s cup, left her my gloves and gave her my sunglasses.  She was shocked and really happy.  We said our goodbyes and as we drove away I saw Madeleine running back to the garbage truck that was dropping off fresh garbage.  I can’t fathom what keeps her going and what keeps her happy working and living in conditions like that.  It makes my problems at home seem so insignificant.  Madeleine is my inspiration.  If she can work as hard as she does every day for almost nothing then who am I to be complaining about late buses, homework or long commercial breaks?  I may have only helped Madeleine make an extra 50 cents or so but she has done so much more for me then she’ll ever know.~ Riana, an intern in DR

Author: LiveDifferent

Date: July 10th, 2010

First Day on the Work Sites in DR

WOW! Today was an amazing day! Lots of sun and sweat! The group started off with a quiet ride to the site, but as soon as we arrived, our energy was back to full blast. After the awareness tour yesterday, the group realized how much their hard work meant to the people so we worked extra hard. We also knew how much the kids love to play with us, so even though we were tired, we put on our best faces and fought with the sun! Our group today was split into 2 individual groups; one went to play with the kids, while one stayed behind for construction. Today, we were helping out at a house construction and it was TIRING! The blocks were quite heavy, but when we saw a nine-year old girl was running past us, we gained our energy right away! Due to the heat, many people were getting headaches from the sun even though we drank a lot of water, so that slowed us down a bit. While we sat in the shade, we played around with the kids and they loved us. No matter how tired we were, looking at the kids lifting and carrying buckets of rocks really motivated us to keep going and work even harder. For the playing group, the kids loved playing soccer and parachute! People there really enjoyed our company and everyone had a very bright smile. After a good 2 hours of hard work, we left for lunch where we ate some delicious pizza! Then, we head back to the same site for a switch around of tasks. The afternoon was very hot and the team had to take breaks frequently. When it was time to go, the kids chased the truck down and it was sad to say goodbye. Right now, everyone is treating themselves to a nice evening down at the beach! There will be more sweating and even more sun tomorrow, but our group will come through with no problem!~THOUGHTS BY TIFFANYToday was a big learning experience for me. We were helping out a family who desperately needed a new house to live in. Most of the work consisted of moving big buckets of dirt and gravel along with heavy cinder blocks. The hardest part wasn’t even the lifting, it was walking! We had to walk straight up and down a hill with all this stuff so that they could use it for their house. After 5 buckets I felt like I was going to pass out. I couldn’t really complain though, when a four year old boy could carry two buckets at once back and forth, back and forth. The work was rewarding of course, but what made it meaningful for me was the fact that we knew who we were helping. The mother of this family told us that she was grateful to each of us for what we were doing for all of them. It is easy for us to be frustrated by the problems in the world because it feels like we are helpless. I used to feel like my contributions were just microscopic specks when you compare them to the entire problem. Today helped me realize that even though this issue is gigantic, everything really does make a difference. I wasn’t just building a house. I was building a shelter for this mother, our new friend, so that she could know her children were safe. I was helping this young child sleep at night without the fear of his home falling to pieces on top of him. I felt LiveDifferent (formerly Absolute)ly blessed to be able to do this. The best part of the whole thing was realizing that these people are open to us and we are open to them. One of the young girls that I became close with drew me a picture. She wrote down her name and her parents names and her grandparents names. She even showed me her house. We really wanted to be a part of each others lives forever, and I truly believe that we will be.~ Tess

Author: LiveDifferent

Date: July 9th, 2010

Eyes WIDE Open: Awareness Tour Day

That is exactly what this day has done for me. It opened my eyes. Being at home before this trip, I had never truly understood poverty. But now, being with the people, the families, the children living in it, there are so many emotions running through me that I had never felt so strongly. Taking a walk through the villages and the homes of the Dominicans took my breath and words away from me. Everyone was just so friendly. During each bus ride to each village, building, and site we would be working in, we would wave and say Hola! to those we passed by and without a doubt they would say it back, with a beaming smile. It is just so refreshing to see such happiness especially in a place where to us, they have so little. I now realize how much we really do take for granted at home. We have so much more than we give credit for. Even our simple human rights, laws and customs at our home are completely different, and much more safe and secure. Talking with the people of the Dominican Republic – in what Spanish I could muster or with those who spoke English – really opened my mind to what really goes on here. Despite the fact that any day their house and village could be flooded by a rain storm, or their house could collapse from poor foundation, these people live with such energy and passion and pride that I am so grateful to be here and share this time with them.As we walked through these villages children would run up to us and smile, and grab our hands and hold them tight, or jump into our arms. We were first alarmed, of course, but once you see the joy in their eyes you can`t help but want to carry and hold every single child you see running past you. I really appreciate the fact that I am here and get to do whatever I can to lend a hand to those who need it. Not only are we helping the people, but they are also helping themselves with us. Together we are making a difference in their lives. It`s astounding that even a simple pair of shoes or drink of water can change a lifestyle hugely. I cannot say enough how amazed I am by the people here. They are truly extraordinary, and inspire me to be a stronger, gracious, joyful person. All I can do is wait anxiously for tomorrow where we get to see those beautiful faces again! And even THAT is difficult! Today we only got a piece of what this whole trip will bring. And spending even a small amount of time with these children it was hard to leave them. I can`t imagine a whole day or more of getting to know them and then leaving!! So, all I can really say is `wow`, and that I cannot wait for tomorrow morning :)Until next time,~ NicoleHey!Today we went out into the Dominican Republic into the villages and really got to see first-hand what the poverty level is really like and what people go through on a daily basis…I don’t know… but all of a sudden my problems at home all seem so small… actually I don’t even know if they should be referred to as “problems”…. I should really thank my lucky stars for being brought up in a place like Canada and for having the luxurious of life that I do and sometime take for granted….There are so many things out here that we North Americans are totally oblivious to…. Today I did a lot of things…. and got many opportunities to get to know people, I tried to put myself into their shoes and even picked up on some Spanish…One of our sites today was a hospital…. and I saw pre-mature babies.. there was one baby there that was delivered this morning 3 months premature. Can you believe it.. 3 months premature!!! That’s NOT the scary part… the scary part is the hospital that these kids are kept in and the conditions…Did you know that in the DR you could become a “nurse” with just 6months training? Did you know that there is only one nurse on duty in the children’s unit? Did you know that the nurse sits around and does nothing until it is time to give the kids the medicine (which is only twice that she has to administer it during the day), Did you know the hospital requires you to bring your own sheets, clothes, food and medication? There are at least 10 beds per hospital room with people just flooding in there… not to mention that the whole hospital has bars in it to protect the medical supplies so people will not come in and steal stuff…Back to this baby that was born 3 months premature… Take a minute and just take a guess at how much you think this little guy weighed? He only weighed 1.3 pounds not even 2 pounds…I looked at him at one point and he didn’t even look like he was breathing… premature babies just like in our country are also kept in incubators… but not incubators like these ones… These ones break your heart… there isn’t even enough IV out here to administer… that’s how horrible these conditions are….My hearts just broken tonight… I’m really trying really hard to be strong but it’s tough…. I wish I could just do something … something more… I don’t know…. I just want to bring these kids home with me…. but I’m so glad that I took this opportunity… and it’s making me more passionate about what I love… and that’s helping people and communities like these… I could totally see myself doing more of this type of humanitarian work… This is who I am… which really neat… because… I wondered who I was for a little while…It poured rain here last night, the thundershowers were crazy. We were in an open canopy bus and it was so much fun getting drenched. There is nothing like this experience… nothing at all in the world can compare to this… just watching the twinkle in these people’s eyes…just seeing there beautiful smiles is worth every moment… I can’t even explain it….One child came up to me… tugged my shirt and just gave me a peck on the cheek and it just made everything okay…. If this child is able to live in a home that is smaller than ones family room with 8 people and doesn’t have food for sometimes 3-4 days and this child is still smiling…. I have no reason at all to complain or not to smile….~ Pardeep

Author: LiveDifferent

Date: July 8th, 2010

From Naivety to Insight

The Self-Realizing Journey that is ‘Hero Holiday’-Mason There are many facts and insightful quotes that are recited to the youth of today, but these facts often ring in the empty heads of teens and lose their essential value. But I read one fact that I found riveting and eye opening. The fact that twenty-seven million slaves exist in a world I have prided myself with helping literally offends and disgusts me. I mean if you think about it, my city which has more people than I could ever hope to meet or understand in a hundred lifetime, is one twenty seventh the population of the world’s slaves. I cannot judge others and say they should be helping when they are oblivious to the cause. I can however, tell factual stories of my own encounters in various countries and hopefully sway the decision of these people from indifference to action.I have been blessed, and gifted. This ability has granted me the ability to have profound insight on all experiences that shape my life. The first time I went and worked in Mexico I was dumbfounded and awestruck that a nation in which my family unloads so much material wealth into recreationally, in reality is starving just for our leftovers.  Society plagues the youth of today into thinking that material gain and social status are the fundamental foundation to provide a long happy life. But societies vision is skewed. Prior to the experiences that LiveDifferent (formerly Absolute) provided to me I was lost. I was living in a world that seemed sheltering and almost imprisoning. My life was good, do not get me wrong. I have a solid family, amazing friends and a promising future. But there is more to life than the basics. I felt as though a huge component of my life was torn from me; as if some gaping hole had formed in my contentment that I did not know how to fill. I couldn’t ever quite describe the feeling I felt, and this only applies to me personally; not the general public, but the felling I now realize was essential meaninglessness. I felt as though my life held no purpose, and provided no change for the world. I felt as though no matter what I did, my life would not make a difference. Again it is a hard concept to explain, and to the recipients of this they might think I was depressed but this is not true. The trips I have gone on with Hero Holiday (this summer will be my fourth) have essentially lifted the shadowy veil of reality. The trips have shown me aspects of my own world I had only previously seen on television or newspapers. The kids I’ve played with, the fathers I’ve built homes for, the communities I’ve built schools for all have changed because of it. They are grateful and truly appreciate the gifts we have provided them with.  This is one of the small facts that makes me allow myself a smile. I was a student who had just finished grade nine at a local Junior High. I used my parents’ money for my first trip, but once my eyes were opened I understood that in order for my change to matter I had to earn the right to help these people. For me to even begin to feel worthy of helping them I had to earn it. I worked for every single cent that I put into these trips and brought the leftover money with the intention of donating it for the last three years. The way I see it, I could spend money here in Edmonton on clothes, fancy food, or expensive clubs or movies… or I could literally keep food on a table that provides for three children. It was an easy choice. Last time I interned in Mexico I got very sick. There was some sort of virus not allowing water to get into my cells (the doctor explained). And it was explained to me in broken English while I lay there alone in the hospital that I might not make it. The thought terrified me. Even imagining never seeing my friends or family again makes me shudder. The reason I had received this lovely virus is because I worked too hard, sweated too much, and in my ‘brilliant intellect’ did not drink nearly enough water. I had no one to blame but myself, and that may have been the worst part. It’s a long story but nevertheless I got through it, and was allowed to leave the hospital later the day after.At first I was brought to the project in which my digging of the outhouse provided my sickness. A few of the other workers had happily finished the nearly completed hole in my absence out of respect to me; which was an amazing compliment. However the biggest compliment I have ever gotten was when I went in the family’s terrible shanty of a home. Sheet metal attached to chicken wire and cardboard built up a small box-like frame. My house is three stories, with a vast backyard and a hot tub. I say this not out of conceit or arrogance, first of all I did not earn it, my dad did, and secondly because I know that I would give all this extra space, and all these extra materialistic innovations up if this family was given even an un-leaky roof to sleep under. I walked in the house and immediately the mother had started to cry, she wrapped her arms around me and I could feel her appreciation with every shake, and every harsh sobbing breath she took in. She then showed me a drawing her daughter had made.Her daughter had been with me every day that I worked in that hole, she had ‘helped’ me dig (though usually she ended up pushing more dirt into my half-dug outhouse hole) and she made me smile and feel as though the project was worth doing. She was only about six or seven, and would clumsily walk hand in hand with me whenever I visited the water cooler or other students. She provided me with motivation to keep swinging the pickaxe into the devastatingly hard clay even when I thought my muscles would burst from exertion. Anyways, her mother showed me a drawing that the little girl had made while I was in the hospital. Apparently they had heard that I was hospitalized because I worked to hard and they understood it was serious. The drawing was of her and her family holding hands in front of a brand new house. They were unskillfully drawn stick figures, with crazy hair and misinformed coloring… but the picture was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. Her family and her stood happily in front of their home and I was drawn above them… with a Halo and angel wings.Hero Holiday provides an amazing opportunity for people. Whether they are happy but need something more like me, or depressed and need to realize the beauty of their own lives, Hero Holiday works. The main thing it does is provide homes, schools, shelters, food, and general affection to those in the world. I understand that and I see the amazing beauty in that. We are helping those who essentially are not able to help themselves. But Hero Holiday does so much more. It provides hope, purpose, and the sense of feeling whole to people. This is a lesson that has changed my life.When I first got back from the hospital I couldn’t work .I ended up writing a small note down as an attempt to organized my mixed thoughts.                   “North American Society is plagued by malcontent and misery in direct contradiction to the amount of the worlds wealth it has obtained; wealth that is supposed to naturally create the byproduct of happiness. In hindsight of its material fortune North American Society has lost sight of the essence of life’s true beauty. To the wealthy the meaning of life is to compete, impress, achieve, and sustain wealth for their eventual use as they age, or the eventual use of their children. Understandably, however, countries that do not have that fortune and wealth have held on to something of much more intricate value: the true meaning of life, which is to enjoy it. In absence of our material superficial goods they retain a philosophy of intimate satisfaction with the simplistic things in life, ergo causing them to enable themselves, and guarantee themselves a general contentment throughout the entirety of their lives.The poor will always envy the wealthy for their material goods, yet the wealthy once exposed to the world’s poverty will always envy the poor for who they are as people. Which is more valuable?

Author: LiveDifferent

Date: May 28th, 2010

Absolute in Haiti

I am sure you have all heard, in some form or another, about the great tragedy that has occurred in Haiti. Many of you, including myself, probably thought to yourself, “Really! This is the last thing this country needs!” It is true, parts of Port-au-Prince had looked like a 7.0 earthquake already hit it before January 12th and we can only imagine the state it is in now.I have been quite impressed by the volumes of messages and emails I have been receiving from people who want to do something to help. Everyone’s heart is broken for this nation and no one wants to sit by and let the people of Haiti deal with this disaster by themselves. LiveDifferent (formerly Absolute) has been directly involved with an orphanage of 60+ children in Port-au-Prince run by a man we know and love named David. You can read all about him in our 52 blog: http://52.livedifferent.com/2009/04/19/what-do-you-do-with-a-lost-pearl/. Currently, we have not been able to contact David or anyone connected to his orphanage. Some volunteers of LiveDifferent (formerly Absolute) have decided to jump into action and travel directly to where the orphanage is (or once was…) to make sure that all the children are safe and taken care of. Once this is done they will assess if there is something that LiveDifferent (formerly Absolute) can do to take care of our extended family. We will keep you posted on the progress of the team and will let you know if there is anything you can do to help.Please keep an eye on our website and facebook page (livedifferent.com) for more updates. Thank you for your concern and desire to help.  To give towards this pressing need please contact our office, or donate online here.Hero Holiday is traveling to Haiti in May 2010. Check out the trip details on our website: haitiCheck out our 52 story on the earthquake: http://52.livedifferent.com/2010/01/14/but-a-breath/**UPDATE: LiveDifferent (formerly Absolute) has received word that the children at the orphanage are all safe and accounted for. This is great news! We are going to hear from our volunteers as to how their homes are but will keep you informed.

Author: LiveDifferent

Date: January 14th, 2010