Madawaska Arrived in Mexico!

We arrived at Toronto airport three hours before our flight left so we had plenty of time to weigh luggage, move some stuff around so no one’s bag was over 50 pounds and convince US Immigration that Pia (an Austrian exchange student) was safe to allow into their country!

After our customs ordeal, we boarded a miniature plane bound for Minneapolis. After a two hour flight that landed in a strong cross wind, we had three hours of walking around the mall, which amazingly was inside the airport! Soon we were all on a plane heading to Los Angeles, California. We then quickly boarded a bus, driven by our very accommodating guide, Charles. He took us to our hotel for some needed one-on-one time with our pillows. At 6:30am we got back on our bus, and greeted Charles with sleepy smiles. Within an hour we were all craving some breakfast, so we made a stop at an IHOP just off of the highway, where they were surprisingly patient with our group of twenty-two!

We finally arrived in Vicente Guerrero, our base of operations. We found the accommodations to be much nicer than expected, we were given two beautiful houses, and they even had bunk beds! After our debriefing we tucked into our bunks, dreaming of the day to come.

 

In the morning, we woke up to bacon, pancakes, sausage, eggs, and bowls full of delicious fresh fruit. After breakfast we had a quick information session and then hopped on the “Charles bus” for a quick five minute ride to our two building sites. Once we arrived we were greeted by the smiling faces of the two families. They were so excited to have a new house – even the children were picking up hammers and pounding in nails like little construction workers!

 

The houses are 20’ x 21’ and the process of taking mostly rookies and teaching them how to build a house is well honed. The concrete pad was already laid when we arrived. Today we cut lots of boards, painted trim, and managed to nail together and paint the four roof components and two of the walls. The walls even have siding on them already! Most of the houses in Mexico are very brightly coloured. Apparently our two families have chosen sky blue and deep red for their houses.

 

 

 

 

Charles says that tomorrow the walls go up and the roof goes on. It sounds ambitious but doable with our great Madawaska teams!

Carson Graham – This trip so far has been really amazing!

This trip so far has been really amazing!

Just getting to the place we are building was a huge shock. It is a big open desert field with a collection of small houses and huts, some of them made of cardboard or loose boards. The families have been great – Jose, the father in the family, has been incredibly kind to us and every day he has brought our group something different for lunch or a snack. One of the other families made us some traditional Mexican food on the first and second days of building. Everyone in the community is very friendly and social, and even though we are only building for four of the families, everyone who isn’t working and even some of the shopkeepers come out to help us paint or lift things. It’s a lot of hard work in the hot sun and dust, but from the reaction of our family when they saw the progress at the end of the day it was totally worth the effort! Our group’s house is almost completed with the walls up, the roof on and half covered in tar paper, the interior and exterior walls painted, and the windows put in. All we need to do is install half the tar paper and put up the last interior wall!

Everyone seems to say this and it’s completely true, this trip so far has had a huge effect on me, It’s a huge blast of perspective seeing people living in these conditions being so generous to us –  the gifts of food, their sharing with each other, and just the way they act towards us. The thing that has stood out for me the most is that we have it really, really good back home in Vancouver. When a person here has something they’re extremely thankful for it and happy that they have it, while back home people are never satisfied with anything. Even when they have something simple like a cell phone that would cost months of wages for someone working in a field down here, they are still wanting the next new expensive thing. The thing that I want to take from this the most is that I shouldn’t be complaining about any of the little inconveniences of life back in Vancouver because there are a lot of people here who have so little, but who have modeled thankfulness and cooperation in such amazing ways. 

– Edward

Today I worked for the third day. I’m starting to get tired in the morning, but I’m still feeling great! Last night my roommates and I had a great story sharing session, and it was a ton of fun.

I’m working on painting the inside of the houses right now – at first I was trying to hammer nails into the window trim but apparently I’m really terrible at that! The family that I’m helping to build a house for has two little boys who speak english which so far has come in handy! Juan is an adorable 12 year old little boy, who might possibly have a career in photography! Today he bought me a chicken flavored lollypop, in between laughing at me trying to hammer in nails. 

I’m feeling really good so far, the walls to the house are up, and the roof is being put together. The community has started to get to know us better and we all seem to be coming together. It’s a really welcoming environment! Sidenote – I think Hero Holiday has a thing for painting bathrooms bright blue, as this was the second one in 2 trips! 

Today we also went to a candy shop and everyone went NUTS! The coca cola here is really great, as there is something a little different about it. All the girls are going to be doing a lot of early morning walks with Mrs. B to work off all that sugar!

– Riley

Carson Graham – March-11-12, 2012

Today we continued our journey of building houses. Throughout the past two days, we have greatly enlarged our perspective of the world. Our emotions are fluctuating, we’re happy to see the smiles on the faces of the families, yet it is discouraging to see that people live in circumstances like this even in the present day. 

Today, excitement and courage took over our team! We all took roles in building the house, be it measuring and cutting the wood, painting, or framing. Once everything was framed together and painted, the next step we took was standing the house up. Anxiety then took over! We were afraid the measurements would be too short or a nail would collapse the whole house – but in the end, it was a success. 

Meeting the families was an experience that completely shook most of us. Observing the shacks that the families live in, produced of wood and any scraps found, around hit us hard inside. For example, a family of six live in a dark shack almost a quarter the size of a high school classroom. However, the families weren’t ashamed to invite us into their homes, they were open and welcoming. All our hearts were shining with passion and empathy. These are extraordinary people living in harsh circumstances, and yet they will not give up; they take care of their families, feeding them, providing some sort of shelter over their heads, and most importantly, they have an extreme bond with one another. That was something that truly inspired all of us. 

Carson Graham Team has arrived!

So here we are, much anticipated and it is all worth it. Already I can see the euphoric expressions on both our students faces and also the families. I have had the pleasure to meet one of the four families and learn about their humble ways – and to see how content they are with what they have is truly admirable. We were only able to spend fifteen minutes with the family and I believe I speak for everyone when I say we already have a special connection. I can only imagine what the atmosphere is going to be like on day 8 or so!

– Terry-Dayne

This is my first time coming to Mexico, and so far I am loving it. The mountains are so beautiful and the weather is amazing! On the bus ride in we passed many horses and cows along the side of the road, and I also made some new friends. Many of the houses that we drove by were painted in very bright colours, and this brought a smile to my face. The bus ride was long and dusty, but very, very entertaining. 🙂

Hampers of Hope 2011

On our Hero Holidays, LiveDifferent volunteers partner with families and communities to start a momentum that drives them towards a better life – one full of purpose and hope. We build homes, schools, and offer free medical care to communities. As each year passes, we enjoy visiting the families we have worked with, and are always told with a warm welcome that “Mi casa es tu casa” (my home is your home). For the past two years, we have given all of our LiveDifferent volunteers the chance to give a Christmas gift of groceries and supplies to each family who received a home that year. Last year we enjoyed the surprise of each family when we arrived with a hamper overflowing with food and gifts, but this year we went for something a little different…a shopping spree! We thought, why not take all of the women from each house shopping and let them pick out all the groceries they really needed for their families? It would be a fun day, and besides, what woman doesn’t love a shopping spree?

So, we met the Moms, along with some dads or older children, at Supermercado Jose Luis and sent them off shopping. They were so excited! Armed with lists and calculators they took off down the isles. As they shopped I chatted with some of the women. Many if not all told me that they had never been able to spend this amount on groceries. They would often spend around 200 Pesos ($4.50 CND) a day, and buy small things like rice and beans to feed their families. As I was speaking to Angel Domingues (Father to the family of a home built by the Ontario Home Builder’s Association) he told me that this was his first time even being in a supermarket. He was close to 60yrs old! He said that he and his family only visited the little corner stores in their community of Nuevo Renacer (formally Augas Negras). He and his son, Chicquito, pushed their cart around, amazed at the amount of food on the shelves. When it came time to check out they didn’t know how to load up their groceries on the conveyor belt and giggled like little school girls when the cashier turned the belt on to bring their groceries forward. I get hit with many reality checks as we work in the communities in Dominican Republic and Haiti and this was one of them. I grew up going to the grocery store. I have vague memories of sitting in the child seat getting pushed around the store and reaching as far as I could to try and sneak a bag of Oreos into the cart before my Mom would notice. It is a luxury that I just had figured was a part of everyone’s life. I was wrong. Next time you walk through a grocery store, stop and try to imagine being there for the first time in your life. Look at all of that food, and try to picture the thoughts that must have been racing through Angel’s head. Let your heart be full of gratitude and be thankful for the privilege of being able to do a weekly ‘chore’ like grocery shopping.

As we spent time with our Hero Holiday families, we also took some time to see how each family was doing – to ask them what changes their new house has brought to their lives, any memories of the teams that built their homes, and if they had any future plans. Here is what they shared with us:

Christmas 2010 Family: Agagpito, Noelia, Jalyssa, Anfernie.
Noelia says, “When we see the clouds coming in we used to be afraid but we are no longer afraid of them because we know our home will stay dry. We have a much better roof and a higher house. Sometimes when it use to rain we could not tell if we were inside or out but not any more. Our family is more at peace. I remember that just before we found out that we were getting a new house I had to have heart surgery. I was concerned that going back to my old house would be unhealthy for my healing process. But instead I got to recovery in a new house and it was much more comfortable. Currently Jalyssa is in the Nuevo Renacer school. Anfernie will be attending again in the fall. I plan to go back to school to be a nurse and learn other languages”.

February 2011 St Louis Travel Club. Family: Garcia and Lucia Verinoez and their daughters Marcel and Meilini
Lucia says, “Life is good now that we live in our new house. Our girls do not get as sick as often. We love having a bathroom in the house and that we do not have to bother our neighbours to use theirs. My house use to flood with the small creek behind my house but now that our home is raised and has proper walls I no longer worry about this. I remember the team working so hard on our new house. I remember the kindness that they showed to me and my family. Plus all their hugs! Please tell the team that the tears I cried at the House Dedication ceremony were tears of joy. My husband and I still speak of how grateful we are for the new house. My hope is that my daughters are now able to finish school”.

February 2011 St Louis Travel Club. Family: Janny, Ambioly, and their son Kendry (2)
Janny says, “My family is happy in their new home. We feel much more content and I am expecting our second child. I am 7 months pregnant and am happy that my new baby will not have a house with a dirt floor or water in it from the rain. I remember the team’s friendly faces. I want my children to live in peace and happiness. I want them to be educated and able to take care of me when I am old and not able to provide for myself”.

July #1 2011 – Arroyo Seco. Family: Ana & Martin Martinez. Their Children: Josue (22), Raoul (20), Elisaou (20), Golda (19), Jose Luis (18), Victor (16), Anaily (12), Mailine (7)
Ana says, “My family is much more happy in our new home. We love having a bathroom. When it use to rain we had to cover our roof with tarps and plastic bags. Now the house stays dry and we don’t have the extra work. I remember the group being so happy to be there working. My family loved to watch them and visit with them. They worked so hard. It is good that Canadians come to the DR to help, I thank God for them. I hope that my children continue their education and find good jobs. Raoul drives a moto taxi and the 3 youngest are attending the Arroyo Seco School”.

July #1 2011 – Arroyo Seco. Family: Ramone & Yohany. Children: Janilly (19) & Alexandra (14)
Yohany says, “Our family use to worry when it use to rain or storm. Our stuff would get wet and ruined all the time because of water damage. Now we feel safe and dry and do not worry about any rain or storms. I loved having the group here”. Alexandra said, “I always remember the Hero Holiday groups building the school. The teams that came made me feel special. I now get to go to school there”. Yohany would like to get a job as a cleaning lady so she can help support her family. Currently Ramone is the only source of income as he works at the city hall as a janitor.

July #1 2011 – Nuevo Renacer. Dila Family: Christino, Antonia and their son, Robert
Robert did not have as many words for these question as he did tears. He did say, “the thought of having to bail out my house again makes me cry because I no longer need to worry about this. My parents and I have been through many tough times and I am glad that they do not have to worry for the rain any longer. I remember the house dedication ceremony and all the people that were there. We was happy for the cake and all the gifts for my family. I thank God for sending the group to build for my family. Because I have no birth certificate or money it is tough for me to go to school. I do plans to learn more English and continue to educate myself”.

July #1 2011 – Nuevo Renacer. Family: Angela and Alfredo. Their children: Oscari (21), Caroline (18), Jamie (18), Darli (18), Jaroline (1)
Carolines says, “I am so happy that water does not flood our house anymore. Our old home was too small. Now we have more space. The walls of our old house had holes in them and so we could not keep the rats out but now we do not worry about this any longer. It was excellent to see how hard and well the team worked together. They had a lot of fun too! A lot of people in this community cannot afford to build their houses and having teams like yours come really is making a difference. My parents hope to build a second floor onto their house as us children start families of our own”.

July #2 2011 – Nuevo Renacer. Family: Juan & Jennifer. Their children: Jaden & Jaden Lee
Jennifer says, “Our home use to get wet every time it rained. My old house was falling down and I use to fear that it would collapse on us as we slept or when it stormed. We now have our own washroom and I do not have to bother my in-laws to use theirs all time. Both Juan and I are more relaxed and proud of our new house. I remember the team being very good to my children. I laugh when I remember them painting the walls and each other. I am so happy that the team came all the way to the Dominican Republic to help my family. I would someday like to finish university. I want my children to go to school and be educated. I hope Jaden plays baseball and that Jaden Lee can learn many languages”.

July #2 2011 – Nuevo Renacer. Castillo Family: Carlito & Erika. Their children: Jeremy (13), Alexander (17), Angelina (11), Carlo Alberto (7)
Erika says, “This new house has changed my family’s life 100%. We use to get sick very often from the dirty water and now we are much more healthy. Our house is dry and safe. When strong storms used to come we would have to leave our home for a stronger place. I use to worry and wonder what I would come back to. Now we can stay safe and dry in our own home and have others come and stay with us. I remember the team working together on my new house. I still cherish the gifts they gave is. It was a blessing to have the team travel all that way to give her family a new house. All of my children are in school but I hope that they all go to university and have bright futures”.

Boston Pizza Foundation August 2011. Family: Angelo & Angelina. Their children: Derelli (4), Angeli (1).
Angelina says, “Since moving into our new home everything has changed. We are now dry when it rains. Derelli is doing much better and is healthier too. The family does not get sick anymore and is much more healthy. I am now 4 months pregnant and am happy to bring my new child into a safe nice home. I remember the team working very hard. I am very thankful that they would come all this way to help my family. I hope that they are blessed as much as they have blessed us. I hope that each of my children have a better life and get a good education”.

Boston Pizza Foundation August 2011. Family: Ramone & Maria. Their children: Rachell (4), Marisol (2)
Maria says, “My family is happy and the change in our lives is BIG. We and all our belongings use to get wet every time it rained. The dampness of the house us to make us all sick all the time. I am proud of her new home and love taking care of it. I remember the team working together and that they didn’t care about anything, they just wanted to help. I respect that they left their home to give my family a new one. It is a blessing to have teams like them come to the Dominican Republic. Their help has truly changed my family’s life. I hope to some day move to a middle class community. I would like to get a job and go back to university. I want to bring an income into my family and see my children be educated professionals”.

Boston Pizza Foundation August 2011. Family: Girserda. Her children: Daisy (17), Miquelito (6)
Girserda says, “I have continued to receive treatments towards my medical issues and I am seeing some improvements but dealing with inflammation still. My family is happy in our new home. I am proud of my home and I think it is beautiful. I am so happy that when it rains I do not have to worry. I loved having the team in the community and seeing my house built. The processes made me hopeful. I was so happy to meet all the Canadians. Both my children are in school and Daisy would like to go to university. My husband died in 2005 but I would like to find a good husband again someday who can help me support my family.”

OHBA Simcoe County Team October 2011. Domingues Family: Angel & Angela. Their children: Chicquito (19), Manuel (30)
Manuel says, “Our old home was bad. The wood was rotten and the rains would fall in through the holes in the roof and leak up through the street. Now we do not worry about the rain and are much happier and healthier. (Laughs) I remember one man on the team painting or smooth coating and calling himself “Picasso”. We had lots of fun with the team and I remember them working hard but laughing a lot. I hope the team is blessed for all they have done for my family. This new home has changed our lives. I have a jewelry making shop in my room. I make them for a store. I hope to one day have my own store. I hope that both Chicquito and I can make enough money to support my parents as they grow old”.

OHBA Heathwood / Mikey Team October 2011. Family: Luisa & Diogene. Their children: Raoul (27), Brenda (19), Jenny (14), and Kimberely (7)
Brenda says, “My family is much happier in our new house. We feel more organized and have moved in all our belongings. This new house is much larger then our last house so we do not feel as crowded. When it use to rain, our house and things use to get wet but now we are safe and dry. I am not embarrassed to have friends over too. I was really impressed by how hard the team worked, especially the women. They did not care about getting dirty. I hope that the team continues to help others. Jenny wants to be a teacher someday and have 3 children. I would like to work as an administrator and have 3 kids as well. Raoul wants to have a family & wife and to support them well. Kimberely is currently attending the school in Nuevo Renacer”.

OHBA South Western Swingers October 2011: Maria, Fior, and their mom Laura
Maria says, “Us girls are very happy in our new home and feel very comfortable. We are glad to be in a house that we own and do not have to pay rent any longer. The house has more space and I feel free to be able to paint more pictures again. I loved seeing the team work hard but well together. They did such a good job and set a good example for the Dominicans working or helping on the project. Thank you so much to the team for traveling so far from their homes to help my family. I am currently a teacher at the Nuevo Renacer school. I speak a bit of English and hope to make it better. I am excited to get married in September. Fior is finishing school and is studying to be a teacher too.”

OHBA Marz Team October 2011. Family: Masamina (grandmother), Fabio Huma & Jose Lynn. Fabio’s children: Christopher (7), Miguel (6), Angel Luis (5 months)
Fabio says, “Everything has changed for my family. We have more happiness. Our old house had so many problems and I spent a lot of time and money trying to fix them. Now everything is good and I am free to do other things. I would have loved to have been able to give my family a new house but could not afford it. For this reason, I am grateful for all the things the team gave my family and we will take really good care of them. I remember speaking Spanish with one for the team members. My family and I had a lot of fun and laughed a lot with the team. I feel that Canadians have good hearts and I am thankful that they came to help our community. Our happiness was encouraged by seeing them care for the people of the Dominican Republic. It is incredible tto see how God has taken care of my family. I have designed and installed metal canopies for houses. It helps to keep the rain off the house. I have even put a small one on my new house (shows me and it looks pretty good!). I hope to one day make more and sell them in a shop. I want my children to complete school and become professionals.”

OHBA Brantford Team October 2011. Family: Enelda & Miguel. Their children: Andre (11), Grisneri (5)
Enelda says, “My family is happy in their new house. We take pride in it and have even added paint and a design to the outside of the house to make it more beautiful. There is a lot more space in our new house. My old house was lower to the ground and had very little air flow. This use to make it fell too hot and hard to breath. But in our new home, we have a nice breeze and it feels more open. I remember the Canadian children on the team who helped work on the house with their parents. My family still has all the souvenires that were given as gifts. I remember Miguel and I crying tears of joy at the house dedication ceremony. I was also worried that day because it was raining and all the mud that was tracked into her new house. I was scared it was not going to all come off. I pray that my family stays healthy so we can enjoy our future together. I want my children to finish school and become professionals”.

OHBA ON-Tarions October 2011. Family: Luz Maria. Her Children: Amboli (24) & Maria (23). Their children: Deangeli (10), Lou de Carmen (7), Andreanna (2)
Luz Maria says, “ I have set up my new home and love to keep it very clean. I am so proud of my new fridge and stove. I have a nice breeze that goes through my house and keeps the temperature cool. We all feel much more safe and happy in our new house. We no longer need to deal with the rain, rats, and mold. I was very emotional seeing the Canadian team working so hard on my house. It is a very good thing that they would come to help my family. They have changed our lives for the better. Someday I would like to have a business selling clothes to help contribute to the family. Right now I will continue to help to take care of the children while their parents work. Amboli drives a moto concho and the two oldest boys are in school”.

18 families in the Dominican Republic have brand new houses thanks to all our volunteers and their hard work! Thank you to all the supporters who made our 2011 year such a success. I hope you can all some someday share in the experience of giving a family this kind of happiness. Join us in 2012 or even 2013 on a Hero Holiday.

Paloma Michelle

Reality sinks as I sit in the land office going through applications of families who are all worthy of a Hero Holiday house and I begin to understand that not all families will be getting good news from us. We are only so many hands and we cannot build for all of them this year. As we sat in the office looking through applications a 17-year-old girl walks in with her 8-month-old boy. She starts filling out an application for a house and chatting with Santiago (our translator) and the landlady. Her name is Katheryne and she’s always smiling; despite the fact that two weeks ago her stepfather drowned trying to save his son, and despite the fact that she is living in poverty and struggles to pay for food and diapers because her 19-year-old husband Jesus was recently laid off from work. Half way through the application she says something and everyone laughs – she asks, “How many children do I say I have? One and a half?” That’s when we learned she’s six month pregnant with her second child.

That night this family was all I could think about. I wanted them to get a house from Hero Holiday so badly. The landlady has donated land to them but they are currently living with Katheryne’s mother and older brother in a small concrete house using a trailer as their kitchen.

The next morning my heart sank when I found out she had lost her baby. She went into labor at only 6 months and the baby didn’t make it. Her baby girl, Paloma Michelle, was too beautiful, too perfect for this world and was taken back before she even spent a day on earth.

When we got to the church for the funeral we were there before Katheryne and Jesus, and before the casket had been delivered. We walked in and laid flowers on the floor, and then took our seats taking up the whole fourth row in the church. I then watched as people took our flowers and placed them in 2 liter pop bottles for vases. I watched people slowly fill the front of the church, and then I watch a man carry in a tiny white casket and place it on a table surrounded by flowers. I didn’t understand much during the service as it was all in Spanish but I understood enough. I understood that the people in the room felt a deep loss; I understood the pain felt when tears swelled in Katheryne’s eyes and she looked up to the ceiling and I understood that when her baby boy began babbling and crawling around the church floor it was a reminder of the beauty of life.

The next day we told Katheryne and Jesus that they would be getting a house built for them in March, and that “it has nothing to do with the fact that you lost your baby, we knew when we first met you that you deserved a house.” They smiled from ear to ear, and I can’t even imagine all the thoughts that were running through their heads. A house won’t take away the hurt from the incredible loss they’ve experienced, but it will bring hope for the future. This is what LiveDifferent is all about; it’s about “Shining in the dark places, and lending the world your light.”

Written by LiveDifferent Academy student – Brittany Apolzer-Danis

The Faces of Dominican Republic

Our life is full of faces. Faces that in our society pass us by. How often do we see the faces that pass us by? It seems as if we are so focused on where we are going and putting one foot in front of the other, that we often forget where our foot is in a specific moment.

Here in the rural areas of Domincan Rebuplic, I often find myself looking down at my feet, for multiple reasons. At first, it was a foot full of concrete followed by a complaining thought. But what makes me look up at the face in front of me is when I see the people of this society running though the  dirt streets, cluttered with garbage in bare feet, and the realization that my concrete covered shoes can’t be described as anything other than fabulous. When I look up to a smiling face in front of me, it is one that I can not forget, and with that smile, the only person you feel sad for becomes yourself. For as I sit here ad listen to some debatable karaoke music and a slightly sore back, if those are my only complaints, there is really nothing to complain about!

The people I have met in this nation I often find myself troubled to feel sad for, for they are always smiling. It causes you to consider if possibly love can be a greater power than we believe. You hear words of happiness- and not just words, but voices. Specific voices, coming from a specific face,  coming from a specific identity. These people are not a statistic, they are individual identities, named Migueal, Anniette, and Klara. Along with their faces and voices you find joy and faith.

Last night as we had the privilege of taking part in multiple Haitian weddings, where they sang a prayer. A prayer that brought tears to my eyes. Although these tears were not brought on because it was a prayer of despair or complaint, it was the pure happiness that caused me to wipe my eyes. If it is possible to feel energy within a room, this room would not have been able to collect it all. Not because we were in a small room, but the energy and joy was too imense for even an NFL football stadium! As tears started in swell in my eyes, it was hard to think of a happier moment, because their happiness was all you could hear. To find out that the prayer was not only a prayer for them but a prayer for us, was truly warmed my heart. The fact that a stranger I just met has taken that time out of their day to put thought into my well being is astonishing because I come from a society that often screens phone calls from their own family members.

As we toasted the brides and grooms, I realized that their faces are more engraved in my mind than the students I pass each day at university. I think this is because you see happiness. Among hardships, there is always a smiling face waiting for you to come along here: to embrace you and welcome you to their home. To show you their pig, which brings them more pride than any owner of a flat screen TV at home. But maybe it’s because the pig even seemed happy. And why shouldn’t he, he is alive and loved. Really, what more do you need?

~Megan, D.R. Hero Holiday Volunteer

Hasta Luego!

During our last weeks in Mexico, we decided to take a trip down south of the Baja coast. Our first night was spent in a cute little cabin in Catavina, where we shared the house with a lovely little kangaroo rat and a friendly bat. The bat and I didn’t personally hit it off, and while Shane reassured me he was “just like a mouse but with wings”, I somehow still did not feel inclined to befriend him. The cabin was really awesome however, completely solar powered and even had hot showers and a balcony for stargazing complete with telescopes! We went on a hike through the desert and discovered literally every plant in the desert is prickly. We saw some 200 year old cave paintings and even learned that what the desert now used to be the bottom of the ocean, as our guide showed us remnants of shells and coral reefs!Our next stop was in a little village off the highway where we soon discovered they had horses – and we could ride them! I think this may have been more exciting for me than anyone else…but they waited patiently for me as I galloped alongside the Mexican highway over and over again. And then just one more time. Zoe and Allie also took a turn on the horses, and then we set off on our way to La Mision.La Mision is an enormous old church that has been looked after by the same family for 7 generations. While the original building has obviously disintegrated considerably, a replica of the building has been restored and it is gorgeous – all white stone with incredibly high ceilings. Our tour guide took us around the property and showed us the many fruit trees as well as the hot springs nearby!When we drove into El Baril the next afternoon, we all could not believe our eyes. We all thought with amazement: “No. One. Lives. Here.” It literally looked like a ghost town, and we could not imagine what on earth we would be doing here for two days. We pulled up to a little church where the teachers of the elementary and secondary schools lived together, and they let us stay in a spare room for the night. We didn’t know it yet, but this stop would turn out to be our highlight of the trip.We learned it looked like there was no one in the town because the sea had been too rough to go fishing for five days, and many people had left town to make a bit of money elsewhere. We hung out with the teachers for the evening, who took us on a little tour of the schools they taught in. Who would have thought that in the middle of nowhere Mexico, in a little fishing village on the Sea of Cortez, we would find a little school room stocked with hundreds of books and a Smartboard?! We were enthralled and spent the whole evening playing with our new toy under the guise of “looking through the English program we were going to teach”.The next day we all rose early to head off to school to teach the kids some English. Three of us headed to the secondary school, while the other three went to the elementary (where the Smartboard was). This would prove to be our favourite part of the trip. I personally went and taught the secondary school kids, all ranging from age 12-13. I might also note that when I refer to all, I mean all six of them. Their schoolroom was also very stocked, with shelves and shelves of books and even three computers! We went through the English textbooks that they already had and went over the pronunciations and taught them some basic conversational English. It was the first time we had taught without a translator and it proved to be easier than expected! We had a lot of fun and tons of laughs even with the language barrier. Even after just an hour with these kids, we really bonded and I was sad to leave them! Our time in El Baril was perfectly completed after a meal of lobster and scallops, prepared for us by the kindergarten teacher! Once again we were overwhelmed by the hospitality and generosity of people we had just met, but who welcomed us like long-lost friends.After El Baril, our last stop on our trip was in Guerrero Negro. We got there in time to grab a hotel for the night and sleep, and in the morning we headed off to see the world’s largest salt mine! It was really cool to see all the different steps that go into salt production, especially the fields full of pure salt – perfect for salt men and salt ball wars!After Guerrero Negro, we started our long drive back to Zapata. Overall, the trip was full of lots of sing-alongs (who knew Shane could belt out “I’m Every Woman” with the best of us?) good food, good company and laughter, and was definitely an awesome way to spend one of our last weeks in Mexico.Next came the task of saying goodbye to the places and people that we had fallen in love with. We could no longer say ‘Hasta luego – see you later’ but some chose to anyways because it was somehow easier than saying “Adios – Goodbye”. As we said farewell to Maria at the nursing home and Cesar at the school, we promised that our friends would come to visit them in the new year. School of Leadership students are taking a break over the Christmas holidays now to see friends and family at home in Canada but will soon be reconvening to start the next part of their experience. The group that was in Mexico is anxious to see what tour life on the road is like and the groups that toured Canada in the fall will be journeying to Mexico to meet Maria and Cesar. This new year is an amazing opportunity for these School of Leadership students as they give hope to teenagers in Canada, share love with families in Mexico and bring change in their lives and those around them. To find out how you could be part of LiveDifferent (formerly Absolute)’s School of Leadership, check out www.LiveDifferent (formerly Absolute).org.Alex, a School of Leadership student living in Mexico

Christmas for Jennifer (and many more families)

Jennifer is one of our newest friends. She is a young mother, barely 22 years old. She is married to Juan and together they have two small children. Jennifer and Juan live in Aguas Negras, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. Before this past July, they didn’t have much in this world to call their own – at least not in the way of shelter and protection. But that all changed this past summer.

Every day that our Hero Holiday team came to the worksite, Jennifer was already there, sometimes with her baby on her hip while she was working hard to help build her home. On the second day that we were working with Jennifer’s family to build them a new home, I pulled her aside for a few moments to interview her. I asked her what she was looking forward to the most about her new home. Without hesitation, she responded with a big smile, “I’m excited to be able to use our new home to help out other people. I’ve always dreamed of being able to do that.”

In August, Jennifer’s dream came true – but not how any of us expected it to happen. Hurricane “Irene” ravaged across the Caribbean, leaving a wake of destruction in her path. Due to their low lying areas along the water, Aguas Negra was hit hard. Jennifer and Juan were dry and safe with their family in their new home, but they still didn’t waste any time going into action. Within minutes of being warned about the impending storm, Jennifer opened their home and took in other families whose houses were unsafe for them to stay in. Through their kindness, Jennifer and Juan reminded many of us of why we do what we do: because we are all in this together.

This Christmas, Jennifer’s home will be receiving a Christmas hamper from us. We are bringing it to them to remind them of how much we believe in them – and of how proud we are of the volunteers who help us out on each and every Hero Holiday project.

The volunteers who helped to build Jennifer’s home and many others just like it,  hear about us through many channels – but none moreso than in the hundreds of high school presentations that we do across Canada each year. Many students joined us this past year because we were in their school, they were inspired by the possibilities of hope, and they worked hard to be able to join us. We believe that the story of Jennifer and the volunteers who worked together to build a dream is a story of hope. It’s proof that a changed heart truly can change the world.

Give a different gift this Christmas to Jennifer’s family or another family in need!

Dominican Medical Trip – Second Clinic

Today was our 2nd medical clinic and as far as we were concerned it was a great day! We started our day off at the registration table which was perfect for use since we got to meet all of the patients. It was an eye opening experience all around, but especially when we meet our little friend, Johnny. He decided to hangout with us all morning at our station and showed us no emotion, and nothing we did could make him smile. We made him a little paper airplane and although he showed no signs of gratitude, he would not let it go.

Closer to the end of the day Johnny finally spoke to us, and all he could say was, “I’m hungry”. It was disheartening to think that everyday we slide food off our plates into the garbage because we’re full, or throw out a banana because it is bruised. Especially when there are children like Johnny who are hungry and suffer from malnutrition because they are only able to eat once a day and the meal generally consists of rice & beans (and loaded with salt).

Halfway through the clinic the time came for use to switch stations and our new position was taking vitals. Within minutes the language barrier became evident. We were trying so hard to explain, “no shoes on the scale” or “open wide and close your mouth for the thermometer”. Luckily for us, two young moms stepped up to the plate and helped us out. It was hard to even explain how beautifully people can work together even when they speak very different languages. In addition it was amazing that these two ladies had such mothering qualities at such a young age.

As the clinic was wrapping up we were able (via an interpreter) to talk to our helpers more and learn about their personal lives. One of the young moms was only 13 years old and pregnant with her first child. She aspired to be a nurse, but with their living and financial situation, it was evident that might not be possible. It opened our eyes to the idea that we often take advantage of our education opportunities, and that because of poverty, people that could possibly cure cancer or invent a new way to conserve our resources are being held back from accomplishing something great!

All in all we had an amazing and life changing day. We leave with memories that will stick with us forever.

~ Katie and Tanja