Great Big Tiny Miracles…

On October 1^st, 2012, we entered the home and life of Kiryat.  This little girl, just over a month old, had a big problem.  Kiryat had a malignant tumor on the underside of her liver that grew more fatal everyday it went untreated.  Her family: mother, father, and grandfather had set a date for an operation in Tijuana, Mexico to have the tumor removed but had not yet gathered the 50,000 pesos (nearly $4,000 US) needed for the procedure.  To help the family raise money, Coca-Cola donated 40 cases of Coke to them to sell for 10 pesos a piece.  This loving donation did help them with their fundraising goal, but they were still short.  LiveDifferent heard about this little girl when a friend of her family contacted Santiago, our liaison in Mexico, and brought forward Kiryat’s situation.  LiveDifferent jumped at the opportunity to help.

Upon entering Kiryat’s grandfather’s house, a calm fell over our group.  We watched silently as the mother sat and cradled little Kiryat in her arms while the father sat next to her.  Both parents seemed to still be in awe of their fragile little baby girl.  The grandfather brought out chairs for us to sit and hear about Kiryat’s problem.  He brought out X-Rays that showed a baseball-sized tumor in the middle of Kiryat’s torso and told us of the startling rate at which it was growing.  He told us that when the mother was 8 months pregnant, an ultrasound showed the first signs of the tumor and although it was not cancerous, it would eventually be fatal.  He also recounted the fevers, urinary problems and pain it was causing Kiryat.  We hung on every word of our translator Santiago as he retold stories and described the emotional pain of the family.  But where there was pain, there also was great love.  The grandfather said he was going to sell his house and property to pay for the surgery if the fundraising goal was not achieved.  The stories and facts behind Kiryat’s problem left all of us in a state of shock.  But our feeling of unrest was quickly hushed by a simple glance into Kiryat’s eyes.  We each got a chance to marvel at the wide eyed infant as she lay serene in our arms. 

Finally, nearing the end of our visit, the time came to make the donation.   I was given an envelope that I passed to the grandfather saying: “This is our donation, on behalf the organization that we’re all a part of.  The sum is 10,000 pesos”.  As Santiago translated, the grandfather’s face filled with joy.  “You have saved this little girl” he exclaimed, tears filling his eyes.  This donation would top off their goal and complete the 50,000 pesos needed for Kiryat’s operation.  The surgery was said to take 12 hours and was scheduled for October 8^th at 9:00am.  Afterwards, she would recover at the hospital in Tijuana for 2 weeks.   

LiveDifferent’s “Emergency Relief Fund” is used to help families in our community financially who have sustained hardships like that of Kiryat.  It is a collection of donations from volunteers and leaders who support our cause.  Without LiveDifferent’s “Emergency Relief Fund”, Kiryat’s operation would not have been possible so thank you to all of those who have donated to this over the years. You are really making a difference to those less fortunate than us.

Kevin – LiveDifferent Academy Student 2012

Mom! We built a house! And so much more!

What started out as just a concrete pad on the ground, turned into so much more…Build week isn’t all about just getting the job done; it’s about connecting with the family, giving out numerous capouchies (piggy backs) a day and building close friendships. The experience really teaches you about family and how fortunate we are. These Mexican families teach us so much about love, what life is about and shows us that there’s so much more to life than materialistic things.

This big family of 12 was shy and quiet the first few days, but their smiles were always bright and so full of life. As we started to progress with building, the father, Librado, showed great interest in being a part of this new chapter in his family’s life. He enthusiastically helped hammer in nails, put up the walls and paint. Slowly the children of the family began to help alongside their father and soon enough alongside all of us. Having the family be a part of the building is one of the best things to see and allowed for us to use what little Spanish we knew to build a small conversation with them each day. I had asked the oldest daughter and the mother what they were most excited about when they were finally in their new home, and they replied by saying, “We are excited to cook for our family, and just be together.” To some people, that may be so simple, but here, being able to do that is a huge thing and it’s a time that brings the family all together. Slowly, we were beginning to bond with this family.

Each day as we saw our progress, we saw how happy the family was every second we were there. The kids began to get more and more excited and they began to become our friends. Just the same as a child you would find anywhere else in the world, they loved to play, they loved to laugh, and they loved capouchies. Putting down the hammer for a few minutes was always a highlight of the day, it meant we got to spend time playing with all the cute kids. Hearing their laughs was the best sound ever, because by doing something so simple made them so happy. It’s crazy how much of an impact you can have on someone by taking a few minutes to spend with them. The kids here are absolutely amazing and are never seen without a smile on their faces.

Juanito, one of the children in the family, stood out to me like the brightest star in the sky. Where to even begin to describe this little boy… His love for his family was so clear and inspiring. He showed such love for every person in his family, especially his father. As I was in the middle of giving him a capouchie he saw that his father had arrived back home and right away he had an even bigger smile on his face, quickly wanted down and he ran to his father, hugged him and looked up at him with such a bright, loving face. It made me think about my family and made me wish that I was a little more like Juanito. He has such a big heart for such a little boy.

And then here it was – dedication day, the day we handed over a new future to a family who was so deserving of it and so thankful for it. Of course this is always the most emotional part, but also a really happy part. As we went shopping for beds, food and some toys we saw that concrete pad now as a home, a place for security and a place where they could have happy new memories. As we all stood outside their house sharing words of how much this week has impacted us and our wishes for them, I couldn’t help but shed a few tears- tears that were happy. I was so proud that I was a part of such an amazing thing and that we had transformed this families future. Building that house wasn’t work, it was something we all looked forward to each day; and in my opinion, one of the best memories that we will treasure from this four month experience.

Chey – LiveDifferent Academy Student 2012

Taco’s with a side of awesome please!

Day 38 of Mexican life and it’s been muy bien! I can still remember the day we met Kent, one of LiveDifferent’s Mexico staff, at the airport and we all loaded into the bus to begin our six hour drive to our new home. Some of us had been to Mexico before and were familiar with Mexican sights and cultures, but some of us had never been and everything was new. Regardless of experience, we were all glued to the bus windows with cameras in our hands as we crossed the border into Mexico. The exhilaration and anticipation of our upcoming adventure was evident on everyone’s faces!

Sarah’s Blog – Being Home (MX Intern 2012)

It’s funny how a place you go only once a year can become your home – more so than where you are actually from. I have spent the last month interning in Mexico and it has been beyond amazing. The people I have met for the first time or once again all have a special place in my heart.

Coming home to Mexico every year is what keeps me going when I’m back in Canada. It is my motivation to do well in school and save money for next summer to come back and do it all again. However each time is different – new people, new families, and new experiences. The diversity amongst those three things alone is something I yearn for.

Not only do I learn from the families I build for, which is a given, but I learn from the people I meet on each trip. Each of us has a purpose in life, and when we can all join together for the same purpose, we accomplish so much. 

Each night we have debriefing where we talk about our day or discuss global awareness. You never do know what people will say when talking about poverty, statelessness or the like. Things you never expect from some people just blow you away at what they think. And when someone else says exactly what you are thinking, you know that you’re in the right place.

Something that keeps me coming back every year is getting to visit families I’ve built for in previous years. Going to see how they are doing, what has changed and how they have made their house a home is so rewarding. You get to see how you made a significant difference in their lives through them telling you how school is going for the kids, how work is going for the parents and many other things.

However the best out of all of this is their smiles. When they recognize you and realize that you’ve come back, there is nothing to compare that to. These families may hope that one day they will see you again, but they can never know for sure. But when you do go back to visit, they are beyond happy. You can become so much closer with them even within a short time, because the bond you share becomes stronger and they truly realize that you haven’t forgotten about them.

Being an intern means I’m here for a month and last year that was a perfect amount of time. But being here this year there’s something different – I want to be here longer. I want to meet more local people, create bonds with new families and be happy for longer. It’s often hard to bring the happiness I experience here back to Canada because there aren’t many people to talk about my experiences with. Sure I can talk about my tan or how my month was so amazing, but details don’t get shared often. But if I could be here for longer, maybe just move here, I can retain this happiness for much longer.

The other night while I was leading debriefing I got to listen to everyone talk. I mean I do that all the time, but it’s different here. Here I get to listen to people talk about what they love, what they are passionate about. There is nothing better than the look in someone’s eyes when they tell a story from their day that I know they will remember for a long time. Their eyes light up and their smile is contagious. If I could even just do that for the rest of my life, my time would be well spent.

Sarah – LiveDifferent Hero Holiday Mexico Intern 2012

Building more than a house, building a home

My Hero Holiday experience in Mexico has been absolutely surreal and amazing. I came on the trip with an open mind and I can honestly say my perspective has been completely changed.

Firstly, the people who I have met on my trip have become my second family. Everyone is so friendly and supportive, and we have become close knit teams. The staff and interns have also made the entire experience great by always being there to answer our questions and keep us going. Secondly, it was crazy how a group of 16 people could become so close over such a short period of time and work together to build a house in 4 days. But by far the most amazing part of my trip was building a connection with our family. Our family consisted of the mother Eva, the father Domingo, their son, their daughter Anna, and their oldest daughter Susana. I am so honored I was able to become a part of their life and share this experience with them. Hearing about their hopes and dreams has truly inspired me to always have hope and fight for my dreams and work hard to achieve them. I think the moment I really connected with them was when the oldest daughter was when she told me her dream was to be a biologist and pursue scientific research. It hit me that although we were from such different worlds and places, we shared the same dream. This was very eye opening for me, and I felt like I could relate to the family and really connect with them.

I could not think of a more deserving family to get this home, they are so kind, loving and deserving. The moment we gave the family the keys to their new house on dedication day is unparalleled to any other feeling I have ever experienced. This family has changed my life, and the way I view the world. I have learned to appreciate what I have, and to live every day with purpose and to not talk life for granted. I am so glad I got to experience this trip and that I was able to meet all the wonderful people I have met!

Asha – LiveDifferent Hero Holiday Mexico Volunteer 2012

A Smile is the Shortest Distance Between Two People

Trying out a circular saw for the first time, laughing at every bent nail while hammering through the frames, putting up the walls, the roof, and after plenty of painting…at last, we’ve reached the final building day at the worksite! It’s amazing to see how far things have come since Day 1 and how fast time flies by on this trip. The newly built house is ready for dedication tomorrow to a very deserving and a loving family and I can’t wait to see their reactions upon receiving their new house keys.  Ely the father, is a dedicated family man who devotes strenuous hours to work in the field and his wife Ilda is one of the sweetest women I’ve ever known. Despite the little they had, Ilda and Margarita (Ely’s mother) wanted to cook for everyone at the worksite and it was so heartwarming to see how loving and generous they can be. Ilda and Ely’s 20-month-old son Michel too, has been getting his share of the attention (especially from the girls!) as he has one of the cutest smiles that can surely brighten up anyone’s day – I’m definitely going to miss his penguin walks and random outbursts of infectious giggles.

When we were given the opportunity to interview the family, Ilda was asked about what she was looking forward to the most upon receiving their new home. Both Ilda and Ely had hoped the new house will help mitigate Michel’s breathing problems (as he coughs fairly often during the day) and the risks of burglary around the neighbourhood. She also shared her values in education, her goals in wanting to start a business in the fashion industry after graduation, and how she wants to continue to set a good example for Michel. Ilda would also not mind having another girl in the family while Ely wants another boy! 🙂 I really wish the best for this family and I pray that they will be blessed with everything good as they begin a new chapter in their lives. I hope they are stoked as I am with the house dedication just around the corner!! I’m too excited to sleep haha 🙂

Thinking back to my Day 1 at the worksite, I remember being filled with excitement mixed with a touch of confusion (since house-building let alone hammering in a nail properly wasn’t my forte) but working alongside Saul (our translator/construction leader), “Papa Kent”, the family and the ever so hard-working teammates, I was able to learn so much from everyone within the week. The family has been a huge encouragement in many ways and they reminded me of all the things I can really appreciate having back at home. I am truly grateful for all the relationships I’ve been able to build and most of all, grateful to have made an impact on Ely, Ilda and Michel’s lives. Being on this journey with great staff, interns, participants and a welcoming community have definitely made this trip worthwhile and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience in the past few days.

“A smile is the shortest distance between two people” – and it really is. Even though we come from two different places with two different languages, this community has never ceased to remind us that a smile is the same in every language. 

I will remember their welcoming “holas” and bittersweet “adios” and a part of my heart will always stay here in Mexico. Thank you for the unforgettable experience Hero Holiday!

Con mucho amor,

Sabrina – LiveDifferent Hero Holiday Mexico Trip 2012

Nicki’s Blog – Dedication Day (MX Intern 2012)

Dedication day’, two words that no one knows the meaning of until they get the amazing opportunity to experience it for themselves.

To put it shortly, Its a day where you’re able to give a deserving family their brand new home that — in just four days– was built for them. There is much more too it though, it is a day full of pleasure and emotions.

The day begins with everyone wondering what they’re going to say to the family, as you will want to have a small speech prepared that will express your time with them in those short four days. So many emotions running through everyone’s minds as they picture what will happen on that part of the journey; both good and bad. Good because you have done an amazing thing by providing these wonderful people with a new home to grow and love their family. A place where they’re safe. More emotions come from the feeling of accomplishment when you see the joy on their faces after handing over the keys to their new home. As everyone lines up in a semicircle surrounding the family and home, the dedication begins. One by one everyone that built the house speaks about how they interpreted the experience and how they hope that the family will enjoy their new place they call home. I personally get emotional because of how bittersweet it is to see their faces light up because of what we have just done for them. Bitter because I hate to see us go knowing it won’t be at least a year until we meet again.

Doing this for the third time in a span of two years is the most fantastic and heartwarming feeling I have ever felt. Even though I’ve been through it more than once, I still don’t know what to expect until I actually do experience it again. You cannot put the feelings down in writing, you cannot tell someone what you and everyone else has felt on that day no matter how hard you try. It’s unexplainable, you’re speechless. I highly recommend that everyone gets to go through this at least once in their lives, it changes you, forever.

Love-Hope-Change.

Nicki – LiveDifferent Hero Holiday Intern, Mexico, Summer 2012

Chelsea’s Blog – I’ve Learned My Purpose (MX Intern 2012)

If I were to look back five years ago, and said I’d be spending my last summer before university in Mexico interning for a humanitarian organization, I would’ve thought it was a dream and an aspiration that was never going to happen. Ever since I was little I knew I wanted to do something with my life that was directly involved with other people. At first I thought I wanted to be a lawyer, then politics, and for a while maybe a diplomat for Canada. In September I’m going to Dalhousie University in Halifax to study International Development. Everyone has a purpose in life; over the last year I’ve learned my purpose is to give other people a purpose to their life, to give them hope, to give them dreams.

Last summer I spent 10 days in the Dominican Republic on a Hero Holiday, I am currently halfway through my internship on a Hero Holiday but this time I’m in Mexico. I’m sitting in the muggy San Diego weather thinking about the past two weeks of my life. First time on the West Coast, first time seeing, and peeing in the Pacific Ocean, and going to a new country. The night before I left for my trip one of the past interns on my Dominican trip told me not to have any expectations for Mexico, that way I could go into it with a clear head and not compare it to my past trip. I’m very happy I listened to him. I came down here completely open to the new idea of new friends and a new experience. It’s funny how fast you forget the impact these trips have on you. I’ve yet to shut up about Dominican as my close friends know, but going back into impoverished areas never gets easier.

I helped build a house for a family of four. The children were aged 15 and 5. The family spoke a Mexican dialect which made translating difficult as it’s different than Spanish. The fifteen year old son however has been going to school and speaks Spanish. Most 15 year olds are roughly in grade 10. Raoul is only in grade 6. The family was very shy, and very short. Even me standing at 5’’2 I was taller then the father. I thought translating was going to be very difficult because they for one didn’t speak English and two, were so shy I didn’t think they would open up and let us into their life. On our last day however, even just after a couple days we had this amazing bond with our family. They opened up, let us into their life, and let us give them hope. On the second day of working, I didn’t get much working done. The kids just flocked to me, so many years of babysitting really paid off I guess! I had one special friend, Yolanda. She lived next door to the family I was building. As I was playing with her and Rosalia, the little girl I was building the house for, I was listening to them talk and realized Yolanda spoke Spanish and the Mexican dialect my family spoke. She stuck to my side all week. We had a special bond with secret handshakes and jokes despite the fact we don’t even speak the same language. On the day of house dedication after we gave our family the keys I took Yolanda off to the side and gave her a sleeping bag. I have never seen such a genuine smile of love and appreciation as the look she gave me that day.

After we said our sad goodbyes to the first week participants, intern week began. We affectionately have called it, Blood, Sweat, and Tears. We spent a day cleaning up the community we built for earlier that week. After we cleaned we went back to visit our families. I hadn’t even made it halfway down the hill when Yolanda ran up to me, and as we approached the house, Paulina, the mother was holding back tears as she was so happy to see us. She mentioned earlier in the week how sad she was to see us go because she wasn’t going to have as many friends anymore. They were so proud to show us their new home. They adjusted very well after spending their days before LiveDifferent helped them in less then desirable living conditions. I’d love to go back in five years to see how they’re doing and to see how improved their life will become. Even just after a few days Paulina looked so much healthier and happier then she did the previous week when we first met here. 

The other night we walked up the hill in the community and watched the sunset from on top of a water tower. One thing I’ve always loved is watching the sunset no matter where I am, and watching the lights of the city come on. On my left all of the lights came on, and sadly just a couple of miles further away on my right there were no lights at all, and then I realized it was the community we built in just days before. No electricity at all. And I thought it was a bummer when the wifi was down. It’s amazing how guilty I feel for how wonderful my life is compared to theirs. However, even though I may have more material things then they do. Material things only go so far. On these trips is where I’ve met the people who are happiest in life, with literally nothing. Yet back home people are mad at the world because they don’t have the newest video game. It’s just interesting and frustrating at times the barriers and differences between Mexico and Canada.

Tomorrow starts a new week of participants as we make the airport runs, I’m looking forward to meeting more amazing people and changing the lives of a family completely around. I’m building a house for a family of three, the son is just 20 months old and they live in a very small house. I’m going home in 11 days. I have mixed emotions about going home. I’ve made a big new family and love the life of the Mexicans, except the food. I’m too picky and like my Canadian, Westernized food. Our main translator lives across the road from us and his wife, Julia is our cook. They have a two year old son named Edwin who will for sure be a heartbreaker. There are two dogs living with us that are just like my dogs, so it’s like I’m at home. The only difference is the fact that I can wake up here every morning knowing I’m going to make a positive impact on someone’s life. That someone will be happier at the end of the day because of something I did. This is my passion and I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life changing the lives of those who deserve it the most. I may be helping to give these people homes, but they don’t realize how much they are giving me in return. Words cannot describe the feeling I get from seeing the smiles on their faces. 

Chelsea – LiveDifferent Hero Holiday Intern, Mexico, Summer 2012

Grace Baptist Mexico 2012 – Dedication Day!

Zirk Team Updates – Hero Holiday Mexico

What does “LiveDifferent” mean?  To me it meant that I would help to build a home for a family, provide them with a shower and an outhouse and furniture, and complete an Extreme Home Makeover, Mexican style!  Once our week was completed we felt assured that a family would be able to “LiveDifferently.”

We boarded the bus to go to the neighbourhood to meet the families that we would build with.  We all knew that the people in this area lived in poverty and we had seen pictures of the families in front of their present home.  The current living conditions for these families literally took my breath away.  My vision of poverty did not even come close to what we were surrounded by.  It brought tears to my eyes to see four young children and their parents who called an eight foot rectangle made out of cardboard, tarp, and a blanket their “casa.”  The Mexican people are very proud and the family invited us in to see their home and show us how they had fixed it up.  Seeing is believing; yet I still could not imagine living in this structure with four young children.   The one room home held one bed for all the family to sleep in. All cooking, washing, and family time was spent outdoors in the oppressive heat.  I kept asking myself, how do these people live under these conditions?  Almost every waking moment must be focused on survival for this family. 

Each day dawned hot and humid and the week passed quickly.  As we arrived at the property we were greeted by six smiling faces who worked beside us sawing, hammering, painting, and playing, while we shared key Spanish and English phrases. Little did I know that this experience would change my heart and my view of the world. Over the course of the week I learned that a group of people with love in their hearts, a desire to bring about change, and a week of time can make an impact on the course of poverty.   But more importantly I learned that I had stretched myself in many ways and built connections with these hard working, happy people.  Their gratitude and willingness to share overwhelmed me. I know that I will not look at my standard of living the same way for a long time.

What does “LiveDifferent” mean?  For me it now means that I need to LiveDifferent on a day to day basis and know that I can impact change for a family in poverty. It also means that I will LiveDifferently because of the people and my experiences during this week.  It is my hope and prayer that the differences that I helped to initiate in Mexico will be felt for years to come for me as well as that family I grew to love in five short days.

Edna – LiveDifferent Hero Holiday Volunteer – Zirk Team Mexico

Today was a good day for the family of group two. I believe our stick frame of a house is now complete with trim and roofing. The family seemed very happy today as they toured their nearly completed home in what our translator described as ‘awe.’ The walls and banos were painted and the window trim looked spectacular. The highlight of the day however had to have been the arrival of the ice cream man. Kids appeared as if from nowhere to collect their sweet treat, and we all enjoyed a moment of rest while soaking up the especially hot sun. The anticipation in the group is building as we just can’t wait to purchase things for our families and their homes. With each day our relationships with our family grow stronger and our arms get longer twirling our kids around:) Looking forward to a final couple of days in the sun!

Shelby – LiveDifferent Hero Holiday Volunteer, Zirk Team Mexico