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Punched in the heart by love

Last November my life changed forever; I began to see the world through a new lens, I learned what it meant to “LiveDifferent”. A group of 50 came to Auguas Negras (meaning black water) to build 5 homes for truly amazing people with our organization, WestJet (the second trip of it’s kind for WJA). When I returned from our trip in November the only way I could articulate the experience to others was to say “it’s like being punched in the heart by love”, the kind of love that literally sucks the air out of your lungs and leaves you breathless. It was building life long friendships, strengthening the knot that already tied some together, and it was finding family, community, and generosity like I have never seen before.  

 

 

And now here I am, 6 months later, sitting in a place that’s as familiar as home. This is a place that I knew I would see again, but I could never imagine what I would feel when I returned. The undertones of anxiety on the plane ride over nagged at me, as I wondered how this trip could possibly compare. It has all felt surreal until today; today we saw “our families” again, the families that each of our teams built a home for. Cole, one of the LiveDifferent leaders here said in our debriefing tonight that with every brick that we lay and house that we build, “we are just trying to catch up with what they are giving to us”. That could not be more true of what I experienced today. As I hugged our proud home owners Jolanda and Obidio, I saw the joy and pride in their faces, and I felt that punch even stronger than before. We are truly given the greatest gift in this experience, the gift of a new pair of eyes – the ones that I will forever see through. 

 

 

Since my experience on my first Hero Holiday, I have felt that love in every single day of my life, and seemingly I have a little more patience at every traffic light, with the way my boyfriend loads the dishwasher, or my dogs when they track mud on our freshly mopped floor. And I have a lot more love and appreciation for the people in my life, not the things. I have a job to drive to, a home with a dishwasher to load, and a floor to mop. More importantly though, an organization full of amazing and inspiring people that foster our infectious culture of care, (insert koolaid jokes here:), and a family, a boyfriend, and two amazing dogs to love completely and unconditionally. I can only imagine what this next chapter of Hero Holiday will bring…

 

 

This experience has taught me more about gratitude than any other moment in my life, so it might be strange to say thank you in a blog post but I would be remiss if I didn’t take this opportunity. Thank you to the people who put this all together – to ALL of the amazing staff at LiveDifferent who made this possible, to WestJet for supporting this initiative and bringing us all together the first time, to Justin for initiating this trip where many of us are returning together, to Donna and Glenn for coordinating and to the friends and family who joined us this week for their first Hero Holiday experience. To those from April and November 2012 who couldn’t be with us on this trip, those who fundraised with us, donated time, money, effort, and even copious amounts of cheese (yes, cheese!) – you are in our hearts with every brick that is laid and every hug that we give. They say “It takes a village”, and there is a village here at Sousa By the Sea, (and back home, but in our hearts), who will have helped to build these homes, brick by brick. There is a village here that doesn’t know they will be leaving as a family. 

 

 

It’s easy to get caught up in our world of work, text messages, and PVR’d episodes of our favourite shows, but just take a moment to turn it all off and appreciate why we are here. And ask yourself this, “In 5 years, will this really matter?”. In 5 years I see this community prospering. It is already on the road to a new life, quite literally, being re-named Nuevo Renacer (meaning new life). This is what matters – community, connections and being present in the moment. As my coach and good friend Kim would say “What are you watering, the flowers, or the weeds?” You don’t have to build a house to make a difference (but you can!), just spend some time with your village of people, raise awareness for something you believe in, support a local charity, or just plain smile at a stranger. The flowers will matter 5 years from now, so why not give them a little love?

 

Laurel Myers ~ Hero Holiday volunteer 2013

 

Author: LiveDifferent

Date: April 6th, 2013

Love beyond measure

The experience we’ve had seeing the contrast between the drastic living conditions and amazing hearts of the people of Vicente Guerrero is one that words can hardly encapsulate. One can barely fathom how a family could have next to nothing, and yet, in terms of hope and love, everything. Those we built for were a beautiful family of seven: Javier and Silvia, and their five children, Isabel, Araceli, Susanna, Javier, and Silvia.

The gratitude they displayed to us was beyond measure. Not only were they thankful for the house they would, and now do, have, but they eagerly participated in helping to build it. Even Javier, the three year old son, grabbed nail after nail to pound in alongside his dad. Wistfully and sadly he cried “More!” when he was told the row was finished. It’s one of the sweetest memories from the build. Every moment of the time we spent with this family, we saw a smile on all of their faces. When the kids fell while playing, they laughed. When the heat inside their old house was unbearable, not once did they complain.

I think is safe to claim that Dedication day was our entire team’s highlight of the week. Sweet Silvia holding back tears in her thanks, the young girls’ sheer excitement at their brand new bedroom, and all that was laid out for them, and Javier calling out “Mi casa es mucho forte!” (My house is so strong!) was a heartwarming experience that we will never forget. Seeing them walk from plastic and cardboard to a building that would brighten their future, and the awe and joy they beheld, was indescribable.

One of the biggest things I’ve learned from this week was the irrevocable joy present in the humblest of circumstances. Going home felt like going to a foreign country – the widespread consumerism, disruption, and indifference in our culture is something our family had made me forget entirely…and, moreover, not want to remember. Every member of the family we built for changed my perspective in a way I had not known possible. The way they opened up to and trusted us, and showed us such love and appreciation, was so touching. I want to live as thankfully, lovingly, generously, and simply as they and my biggest wish with that is to return to see them someday.

Michaela ~ Hero Holiday Volunteer 2013

Author: LiveDifferent

Date: April 4th, 2013

Laughter and Tears

For some of us, this trip was a new experience. For others, it was a return to a “home away from home”. Regardless, the impact has been substantial for us all. Upon arrival, we learned we would be building a home for a very deserving family of four. Fidel and Leticia are the proud parents of thirteen year old David, and two year old Jesus. Immediately, the entire team adored little Jesus. Like many families before them, they had very little and lived in a manner which many would see as unimaginable. Their previous “house” was composed of cardboard boxes and plastic bags.

When we arrived on day one, many mixed emotions were present. In one way, there was an intense emotion of excitement; however, at the same time there was an overhang of shock and sadness. The conditions which the family and the community were living in were outstandingly different compared to those we were used to in our home nation. However, the family took great pride in their possessions and this was clear to us through the immaculate condition of their double plot property. The fence which Fidel had built consisted of sticks and plastic. Although this may not seem to be much in words, the detail was astonishing. On top of this, they had planted gardens around their house and property.

Throughout the week, the family took part in the build. Hammering, sawing, cutting and tarring, they took ownership of their new home.  Even little Jesus got some painting done, not only with a brush, but also his hands! Relationships with the family and the team blossomed beyond anyone’s expectations. Another highlight for the team throughout the week was playing with all the neighbor kids. They would come up to us saying “capuche, capuche” and calling us “monkey loco”. We had so much fun playing soccer with all of them.

When dedication day finally rolled around, many of us were filled with emotion. As we began to share our thoughts with the family, Jesus decided it was his turn to have the floor. Speaking and gesturing with his hands, he brought laughter to each of us through our tears. This experience has taught me to not only be thankful for all that I have but to also be thankful for all that I can give. The family was truly grateful. We as a team have definitely been challenged by LiveDifferent to actually LiveDifferent. A desire to help others does not have to stay here in Mexico, but rather should follow us home, and wherever else in the world we may be. 

Aaron – LiveDifferent Hero Holiday Volunteer, Mexico, 2013

 

Author: LiveDifferent

Date: April 2nd, 2013

LiveDifferent Reunion!

It has been an amazing experience being back in Mexico again.  The highlight of our trip so far has been visiting with the beautiful family we had the chance to build for last year.  The connections that we made with Jesus, Katherine, and Abdiel were beyond our expectations.  It was the greatest feeling seeing them standing outside this year’s house build after walking all the way from their home to see us.  Even though it was a quick visit, it was a breathtaking moment seeing their faces after a year. 

Later on in the week we got the opportunity to go visit them and see how they’ve turned their house into a home.  Unfortunately Jesus wasn’t home, but we were able to speak with Katherine.  Walking around their home and seeing how well they are doing brought tears to our eyes.  The fact that they have bought a car, a fridge, and many toys for Abdiel, goes to show how we’ve given them a hand up instead of a hand out.  Being able to talk with Katherine and hearing her say she hasn’t forgot about us, and how grateful she was that we hadn’t forgotten about her, was a feeling that words can’t describe.

Not only did we get to know Jesus, Katherine, and Abdiel last year, but we got the chance to know Katherine’s brother, Jonathan, as well.  For our recent house build, knowing that Jonathan was our translator was exciting, but when we saw him for the first time in a year it didn’t seem real.  We were so overwhelmed with happiness that we got the chance to reconnect with him.  Overall, we’ve had an amazing time, but nothing beats the feeling of being reunited with a family that made such an impact on our lives and seeing the progress that they’ve made in a year.

Tayler and Sarah – LiveDifferent Hero Holiday Volunteers, Mexico,  2013

Author: LiveDifferent

Date:

Carson Graham – An Amazing Adventure

Today was an amazing adventure, we started off the day with an hour drive to a beach in a small bay. We spent all day tanning on the sand and drinking piña coladas (virgin ones, of course). We swam and snorkelled along the shore and saw tiny fish almost everywhere.

Later in the day, we took a small boat ride down a canal. From there we went to a reptile zoo, and as soon as we got there the owner brought out 8 week old puppies. One of the boys that worked there was joking around and pretended to feed a puppy to a crocodile; I screamed my face off as tears ran down my cheeks. I really believed he was going to do it, but he was just kidding. We finished off the day with a yummy dinner on the beach.

This trip has been just as amazing as last years, full of laughter, hope, and many tears. I will always remember this trip in a part of my heart. The Dominican has been so life changing and has given me many different outlooks on the world. The trip is nearing an end but I’m just as excited to be home and continue my journey to help.

Megan – LiveDifferent Hero Holiday Volunteer, Domincan Republic, 2013

Author: LiveDifferent

Date: March 22nd, 2013

Carson Graham – Keys for a couple and caring for people

Today was a very hard and emotional day. We did the dedications for the dental clinic at monkey jungle, as well as Freddie and Mamas new home. We all got onto our busses at one o’clock and went to the dental center. The final project was so amazing it warmed my heart, everyone there was so happy and full of life. Chuck and Candy, the operators of Monkey Jungle where we were building the dental clinic, were both so happy about what we all accomplished there. I can’t put into words how it felt to walk into a room that would be saving peoples lives and helping people in need who never got the care they truly deserved, and then on top of that knowing that I contributed in making that happen. I am forever changed and will see things with such a different attitude and mindset, I am hoping to take that home with me and keep those thoughts and memories with me for the rest of my life. A couple of people were chosen to prepare a few words for Chuck and Candy as well as the head dentist at the clinic. Listening to what the people had written inspired me and made me so emotional. It was so nice to see those three people’s faces light up as well as everyone around them who contributed to make this all happen.

 
After saying goodbye and our thank you’s to everyone there, we hopped back on the bus and went down to Mama and Freddie’s new home. I will never forget coming down the last road before Freddie and Mama’s house, and seeing the house that just the day before was incomplete had become a beautiful turquoise home. It looked like the house that Freddie and mama deserved to spend their lives in. Once we got off the bus we all went to hug Freddie and Mama. They were so unbelievably happy. I have never seen anyone so genuinely happy in my entire life. It brought so much joy and emotion to me and everyone else who worked so well as a team to make this all happen. After everyone settled in we did our second round of appreciation, and It was so overwhelming. Everyone there was crying, some tears of joy, and some people were just so changed and moved – it was impossible not to be. The things people wrote for the translators and mama and Freddie were amazing. After the appreciation we all had cake and talked to all the translators and workers and said thank you and gave them our hugs and goodbyes. One of the things that impacted me most today was just before we left, we were all saying bye to Freddie and he started to cry. I have never felt anything like that in my entire life, seeing that made me feel every single emotion all at once and it was so overwhelming and moving. We got on the bus and left watching their house get smaller and smaller as we drove away. Everyone was so emotional when we left but once we had been driving for a while we did appreciations for each other which made everyone very happy and positive. It was great seeing everyone who had put blood, sweat, and tears into this experience become happy and realize what a positive impact we had all made.
 
 
I couldn’t have picked a better group of people to have gone on a trip like this with. I really enjoyed becoming such close friends with people I had hardly ever talked to as well as strengthening the bonds I already had with my very close friends. This has without a doubt been one of the best experiences that I have ever had in my life. I would like to say my biggest thank you to Mr. Olson for believing in me and bringing me on this trip and helping everyone and motivating everyone in every way possible. I have full respect for him as a teacher and a mentor, as well as a man. I would also like to say a huge thank you to Nettie and Cole for this amazing opportunity and giving me a chance to experience all of this and become a better person. I hope I can take everything I learned on this trip to my life back in Canada and apply it to my daily life and not take so many things for granted. Lastly I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who came with me on this trip, you’re all very amazing and unique people and I respect all of you. Thank you for letting me take part in such and amazing experience with all of you and for being such amazing people to me. I am so thankful for this experience and will be for the rest of my life.
 
 
Andrew – LiveDifferent Hero Holiday Volunteer, Dominican Republic, 2013

Author: LiveDifferent

Date:

Carson Graham – The Ultimate Thrill

There’s nothing better than working together, alongside a group of people all for a common purpose. A rush of wanting and needing to complete the task overwhelms, and in that moment nothing feels better. I sometimes find myself complaining at home, whether it’s about school, work, or ‘there’s no food in my fridge’. On this trip, I’ve come to realize all of those are trivial and I should be so grateful. In the Dominican and many other parts of the world, there are kids who can’t go to school, Haitians who work in garbage dumps in order to make an income, and families that don’t even own proper refrigerators since they only get electricity 4 hours a day. 

The people here in the Dominican have made a great impact on me. All of those involved on both worksites and at the dump will always bring me fond memories and crazy emotions. Today, the Monkey Jungle crew drove down to the farm and we were able to check out the cows, pigs, birds, et cetera. What really stuck out to me were the two young boys who live in the house adjacent to the farm. Once we got out of the truck and checked out the the animals, the boys were hanging out and goofing around. When we were transferring over to the area that houses the pigs, we spotted a cryptic old doll’s head with one eye and a bald spot on the ground in front of us. We then heard giggling coming from the young boys and realized that they had put the head there! I couldn’t stop laughing, I thought it was so hilarious. We then got back on the truck and they chased after us, and you could tell they were having so much fun.
 
 
Even though they don’t have some of the material goods we had when we were kids, they’re still able to have a good time and be so full of life and joy. I feel that I have learned so much from them, and before the trip that wasn’t something I was expecting. I see how the boys smiled when we were with them, and so I feel that we have influenced them as well, which gives me the ultimate thrill. This LiveDifferent trip has made me feel things I’ve never experienced before and I’m so thankful for the opportunity. I don’t want it to end!

Sophie – LiveDifferent Hero Holiday Volunteer, Dominican Republic, 2013

Author: LiveDifferent

Date: March 21st, 2013

Carson Graham – Things to Ponder…

Today was interesting! I really enjoyed my time at the medical clinic today! The mixing of the concrete was tough as usual and personally I have never seen a bigger concrete mix than the one we made today! The two different sites are very different from each other because of their location. Mama and Freddy’s house is completely remote from many other houses in the area. Monkey Jungle is some distance away, however with the medical clinic being so important it becomes a distance people are willing to travel. I had a weird moment today also, when I was hungry and I chose to buy a twix bar. This made me stop and think, because I didn’t realize how easy and normal it seemed for me to stop and buy a chocolate bar, but then I felt a sense of guilt come over me when I thought about how out of the ordinary it would be for Mama and Freddy. This was something so insignificant, but helped me see the reality of what poverty really means for so many people. Even more motivation to finish the clinic which will help thousands in the future!

The weather was amazing today, but that also comes with the consequence of it being really hot! The sun is something that I don’t think that I will ever get tired of. I am impressed with the ability of many of the site workers to wear long pants. I remember in the past someone told me while I was in Ecuador that the reason why they wear pants and not shorts is because they are used to the heat. I guess I understand.
 

With this being my third trip and my second one to the Dominican Republic, I have to address the comparisons between the trips. With Mexico being very different in many ways it is hard for me to make many connections although the two Dominican trips are very different. In my last trip I was building a latrine for a small village and this time a house for a beautiful couple. These projects are different yet similar in their own ways. I have really enjoyed both these trips although I credit the first one as being the most life-changing experience as it was the first time I was exposed to extreme poverty. This evening is the movie in a village and my recollection is that it will be truly amazing for both myself and the others with me!

Lucas – LiveDifferent Hero Holiday Volunteer, Dominican Republic, 2013

 

Author: LiveDifferent

Date:

Carson Graham – Day 6 – In Their Shoes

Today was a hard day. As a group we saw a lot of difficult things and worked alongside some very strong people. Today we went and worked in a garbage dump to pick out recyclables. This activity is called In Their Shoes, because it is able to give us a bit of a glimpse at how some of the people live. 

When we drove into the dump the first thing I noticed was the flies. Then the smell. And then the size. And then the people. I had never been to a garbage dump before, so I had no idea what to expect. The dump was much bigger than I had pictured, and very flat with most of the ground covered in trash. When we got off the buses a couple kids came over and stood by us. One little boy walked over and grabbed my hand. He became my partner for the next few hours!

Before we came we were told that many Haitians and Dominicans worked in the garbage dump and that it was hard labour. These are the types of people that you may think of when you think about poverty. But seeing it in person was so different than hearing a number or a fact. These people have names, faces, families, and stories. The boy I worked with was only 10 years old and his name was Manuel. What we needed to do was to search through the garbage for plastic bottles that he could trade in for money for his family. 10 year old is so young to have that kind of a responsibility. When he told me his age I thought back to my brother at home who is almost the same age and I couldn’t imagine him being in this place. I hate that, how there is such a disparity in the world. How some kids can live easily and go to school and play sports, while others like Manuel have to work in a dump. From the dump you could also see a beautiful view. This made me think of how often we go on vacation to places of poverty but don’t see beyond what is in front of our eyes. There is so much beauty, but there is also so much poverty. And this is something a lot of people can’t see or choose not to acknowledge. 

What stood out to me was how young and innocent this boy was and how fast he had to grow up. While we were working he seemed so sure of himself and confident. We were waking down the road when a military man drove by. Manuel stood very close to me and held my hand again. I hope that today I was able to show him that people care about him and that it’s ok for him to still be a little boy. But at the end of the day we went back to our resort and Manuel went back to his home. I may have helped him a bit but this will probably be his job for most of his life and that hurts. 

Finally The moment the stood out to me the most, and made me the most sad and angry about this life was when the translator was asking him some questions for me. I asked him what he liked to do for fun, and he didn’t understand what that meant. This broke my heart. How could a 10 year old boy not know what fun is. After a lot of explaining he told me that he liked to listen to music. This cheered me up because music is something important to me too. This is also something he can have forever. While we were working so many people were singing and it really helped make the day a little bit better. I think this experience was one of the most eye opening I have ever had. I really loved being able to help out Manuel and really feel what it was like to be a Haitian or Dominican in poverty. 

Sarah – LiveDifferent Hero Holiday Volunteer, Dominican Republic, 2013

Author: LiveDifferent

Date:

Carson Graham – Day 5, still on the worksite!

Today was another eventful day on the worksite!  After breakfast we loaded back up on the trucks and headed out. The worksite is surrounded by beautiful forest and palm trees, and there are chickens running around everywhere!

We picked up where we left off yesterday creating long assembly lines to bring “caliché” and sand into the house mixing endless mounds of concrete. It’s hard work but everyone works together and smiles through the tougher times with the motivation that we want to finish the house for Mama and Freddie. They are really amazing people and it seems that they are sort of the heart of the community.

The team has really started to become closer and better friends over the course of this trip as well.  After a few hours we drove up to meet the other half of the group at monkey jungle for lunch, and once we were refueled, we went back to the worksite and continued. It was hotter today, but we were briefly relieved by some cool rain in the morning. In the afternoon we were visited by some local kids and we played frisbee and soccer together, despite the language barrier, which was fun. So far this trip has been an amazing experience and I’m looking forward to the rest!  

Taylor – LiveDifferent Hero Holiday Volunteer, Dominican Republic, 2013

Author: LiveDifferent

Date: March 18th, 2013