I’m collecting hugs

Drinking humanitarian flavoured Kool-Aid

Making More Change 2 – Dedication Day Song!

The Making More Change 2 team had a unique gift for their family on their dedication – a song! 

Change – so much more than a six letter word

Feel Your Calling

Hero Holiday is getting a New Name!

We have an exciting announcement to make…Hero Holiday is getting a new name!

As some of you will know, a few years ago, LiveDifferent transitioned from what we were formerly known as – Absolute Leadership Development. This was largely because we wanted a name that truly described the call to action we were sending out to both young and old across Canada; to live a life that really was different, that was about people, not stuff. At the time, we chose not to change the name of our international humanitarian program – Hero Holiday – due to how well-known it was, and because the original intent of that title, to encourage people to selflessly ‘be a hero’ to someone else, fell exactly in line with LiveDifferent’s values.

However, as LiveDifferent has grown over the years, the world around us has changed, with more and more people becoming aware of global issues. To our staff, nothing could be better than having more people invested in social justice causes, and we’ve welcomed questions about our programs, never shying away from the difficult ones, and even admitting with humility that we do not always have all the answers. One question that has come up frequently was whether the title ‘Hero Holiday’ accurately reflected the way we aim to partner with families and communities as equals, building with them, and not just for them.

This got us thinking…while we knew what a Hero Holiday was supposed to mean, it was a problem if it wasn’t representing our values clearly. We wanted to be sure that when people came on a trip with us, that they were left with the understanding that the true heroes were the families they were building with – those who struggled daily to provide for their children, to get an education, to change their communities for the better – those were the ones who inspired us! Finally, we realized that we would never want the people we partnered with in the local community to feel like they were any lesser than our staff or our teams simply because of a program title.

Maybe it was time for a change. Our team started brainstorming, trying to think of names that best described what our trips were about. What was our goal when we built in a community? What was it that we were building when we built a home for a family? What was built among a group of people as they came together for one week to build a home or a school?

In all of this, one word stood out…build. That is the one thing that is central to what LiveDifferent does in all of our host countries, we do building projects. But what we build is so much more than bricks and cement or a wooden frame. With each home or school we build, we’re building a community. We’re building health for the families and students who will have proper shelter and be able to get an education. We’re building dignity for the people who will have a place they will be proud to live in and to go to school. We’re building hope for a group of people who may not have believed that they had any value, or that anyone else cared about their community. We’re building a future for that community filled with people who are each just as valuable as I am, and as you are – who each have the potential to make a difference, whether we were born in Canada, or Dominican Republic, or Mexico, or Haiti, or Thailand.

So, you’ve probably worked it out by now…Hero Holiday’s new name is LiveDifferent Builds!

We’re really excited to embrace this new name, and to have you all come along with us as we continue to build a lifestyle that is about people, not stuff.

We’d love to hear from you too! What do you think of the new name? Send us an email and let us know!

 – LiveDifferent Team 

Parksville Rotary Team Mexico – Dedicated To The Ones We Love

It has been a day of many emotions as we dedicated a new home to our new family, Policarpio, Augustina, Jennifer and Puol.

The day started with a flurry of shopping – beds, furniture, groceries, dishes, cutlery and household supplies. Then it was off to the house to install everything and set up bedrooms with bedding (including beautiful quilts handmade by Louise), and lay out donations of clothing and personal items, including teddy bears for the children.

And before we knew it, it was showtime. The family had not yet seen inside the house, and we all gathered around in a semi-circle around the front door. The keys were passed from team member to team member, each of us who wished to do so saying a few words to the family, with translation by our co- worker and amigo, Isaak. It was a time of honest emotion and more than a few tears.

Working alongside the family as a team, all our lives had been changed forever…and the Rotary Club of Parksville AM has been changed, as this project marks the beginning of what will undoubtedly be a long and successful partnership with LiveDifferent.  This project was but the beginning – Rotarians are now engaged!

After the dedication, we ate together – chicken and fish with salsa, pasta salad and tortillas – all prepared by Policarpio and Augustina. It was a gesture of gracious hospitality that was unexpected but so appreciated.

And now for some final thoughts from the team:

– Definite highlight of the day – the smiles on the faces of the family as they entered their new home, leaving behind 120 sq feet of space for a 484 sq ft 3 room home.

– Long lasting impact – a feeling of truly bonding with the family and we could always come back and feel welcome.

– The biggest OMG moment came from Louise when a roll of toilet paper she was unwrapping flew out of her hands and landed in the toilet bowl – a major “oops” since toilet paper is not to be flushed.  Bring out the tongs!!

–  Favorite Mexican taste sensation – Jamaica – pronounced ha-micah – a delicious and refreshing drink brewed from hibiscus flowers.  another first – fresh caught mercado caught by Policarpio the night before the dedication, cooked whole and served in a huge pot.

– And we could not end this blog without mentioning someone who was with us every step of the way. Pedro and his family had their home built 2 years ago and, as his way of giving back, has participated in every home build as a volunteer since then. He an his wife also sell local crafts, and this evening he brought his beautiful merchandise to our compound. At the end of the evening, he gave us all a hand-braided bracelet as a gift. Such generosity was a wonderful end to our visit and a heartwarming highlight.

Adios Amigos,

Rotary team Mexico, LiveDifferent Trip, 2014

Parksville Rotary Team Mexico – Casa Finito!

Three days ago, we began our build and today at noon, we locked the doors until tomorrow when we will set up the new home and present the keys to Policarpio, Augustina, Jennifer and Puol.

This morning was a last minute frenzy of paint touch-ups, finishing cabinets, caulking, and moving the outhouse into place. But then, this should be no surprise – Rotarians are known for “getting er done”!

With an unexpected free afternoon, our intrepid LiveDifferent leader, Steve, took us on a lovely drive through the mountains – on some very narrow roads with a few hairpin turns – to visit La Mision Santa Domingo. It’s an idyllic spot with bouganvillia blooming in colours of magenta, peach, purple and white. The area was once lush and green but with little rain in past years, it is now very dry and desert-like. We visited the cemetery there and Steve explained the great importance of proper burial rites to the Mexican people. Our daily libation was enjoyed under a pepper tree, something none of us had seen before.

And speaking of Steve, this blog would be incomplete if we didn’t mention the joke he played on us all when we arrived here. He told us that we should speak a few words of Spanish and say “con queso”, meaning “see you tomorrow“. We finally clued in the “con queso” actually means “with cheese”, but not before we received many a startled look.

Dinner tonight was at a local taco stand, after which we walked a block or so to the largest candy store in Vicente Guerrero. There were giant pinatas everywhere and every type of candy imaginable!

Our last stop of the night was the compound where the students from the LiveDifferent Academy are staying. There are 17 students in the program right now, and what an amazing group of young people the are! They have come from all parts of Canada and will spend the next 3 months studying social justice issues through hands on experience, learning Spanish, and participating in a house build. The energy in that group of 17-21 year olds is something to behold and leaves no doubt in our minds that they will LiveDifferent and in so doing will be a catalyst to change the world!

We are all so looking forward to the dedication tomorrow. Just as the lives of one family will change, so too have all of our lives changed forever.

Rotary Team Mexico, LiveDifferent Trip, 2014

Rotarians Up On The Roof

After just 3 days of work, we are all amazed at how well the house is coming together. This morning saw all available Rotarians up on the roof of the house, pounding nails and spreading tar. After lunch, the swarm moved into the house in a flurry of painting, building shelves, installing windows and hanging doors. Tomorrow will be a day to finish all the interior fittings before going shopping for furnishings and household goods in preparation for dedication day on Sunday.

Memorable moments from today included:

– From Diana – the sweetest moment of the day was when Policarpo and Augustina looked at their nearly completed home, then looked at each other and smiled, and he reached over and touched her cheek.

– From Louise – her memorable moment was to consign the work shirt she’s worn to the work site each day – dirty and paint stained – to the firepit.

– From those on the ground – the scariest moment was watching the intrepid Rotarians descend from the roof – easier said than done.

From Marlin – the cheekiest moment was when an unnamed Rotarian told her that the reason she didn’t get any paint on her clothes was because she didn’t put any on her brush, an accusation that she vehemently denies!

From Tim – Communication across cultures – Tim spent 45 minutes today laying sheeting on the roof with Pedro who speaks no English, while Tim speaks no Spanish. Yet they worked together in perfect harmony, each understanding exactly what was needed from the other.

– Our cooks, Rocio A. M and Ana continue to outdo themselves on a nightly basis, serving the most sumptuous Mexican delicacies, always welcoming us with beautiful smiles and accommodating our every need. Tonight we had Ceviche which was mucho delicioso!!

From Jane and Angela – the most heartwarming moment of the day – doing a puzzle with Jennifer and Puol who were then joined by Policarpo. Their pride and excitement upon completing something they had never seen before was a touching moment.

The most photographed event of the day had to be that of Augustina and Diana painting the outhouse – for some strange reason, the paparazzi were out in full force!

Rotary Team Mexico

Parksville Rotary in Mexico!

Now everyone get your minds out of the gutter – today was a huge day for Rotary Team Mexico as we now have a house where once stood a bare cement pad.  Amazing teamwork was in evidence throughout the day as the walls were raised, rooms were divided, interior and exterior walls were painted, the roof panels are on, and windows are cut.  We are amazed at what happened today and we can’t wait to see how much we accomplish tomorrow!

We have had so many experiences, as a team and individually, and so our blog will recap the highlights of each team member on each day of this incredible experience.  Here goes:

• Jo Dunn – totally impressed by the children – from being shy and timid when we first met them, they have now warmed up to us and are totally into the experience.  Jennifer is painting like a trooper while Puol entertains us with his antics and high fives.  The love and respect in the family is evident in everything they do, and their anticipation is palpable.

  
   

• Gord Svenson – “Dusty, very dusty.”
   
• Marlin McTavish – putting paint on the backside of a wall with mother Augustina and Jennifer as we shared painting techniques.  I also had a opportunity to use my kindergarten Spanish, as I learned about Augustina’s parents and their life – a chance to explore the language and learn words about thoughts and feelings – not your usual tourist language lesson.
   
• Garry Cox – Trying not to blow away in the wind … seriously, putting up those four walls and seeing the house coming together was an incredible experience.
   
• Massey Matsuda – Observing the amazing wealth of construction expertise and talent among our team and seeing what can be accomplished when a group of seniors put their heads together and their skills into action.
   
• Angela Dadoush – Playing with the children, visiting the school, and realizing how fortunate our children in Canada are … and yet how wonderfully happy these children are despite having very little.
   
• Tim Andres – After the second day of building, I am impressed with the large impact we can have with such a minimal amount of effort and financial contribution.

  
   

• Don Luke – It amazes me that a group who have never done this can get together and build a complete house.  It’s phenomenal and it’s fun!  And the tacos are great!!
   
• Linda Cox – I can’t believe how much sand comes out in the shower at the end of the day!
   
• Louise Wright, Jane Walker, Angela Dadoush & Diana Matsuda – We walked along a dirt road with Jennifer and Puol to the local Grade 1-6 school to meet the students and staff and deliver school supplies. The government has cut off their supply budget so the supplies were greatly appreciated. There were 3 classrooms with 2 grades in each class, around 35 students per room.  The enthusiasm from the students was infectious as they responded to questions, cheered, clapped and loved looking at their pictures on our cameras. We all loved the hugs! Great to see Canadian flags stuck on their lapels and foreheads.
   
• Diane Luke –  glass of wine on the beach at the end of a long hot day!
   
• Dierdre Micheal – Puol teaching me to do the bumping high five, sharing wine with Diane and Louise, and getting drenched by the waves.

  
   

• Diana Matsuda – learning from the LiveDifferent team – observing Steve’s calm and dedication, enjoying breakfast with Carlos, and receiving personal instruction from Isaak on proper nail set-up and painting technique.
   
• Bill Rawlins – The incredible teamwork of this group has left me in awe – seeing those roof panels go up with everyone moving in unison was an amazing experience!

So that’s our day as we saw it – more to follow tomorrow.

– Parksville AM Rotary Club, LiveDifferent Trip, 2014