How to Get your Heart Stolen

I never thought building a house would change my life; I thought my team and I would change the life of a deserving family and feel great about it. I was so wrong, the family did more for me then I could’ve ever done for them. When we first pulled up to the house I couldn’t believe the conditions they lived in, I was so anxious to start hammering some nails, little did I know the family would steal my heart. On the first day I kept to my work, hammering and measuring away, I talked to my team mates a lot and had a ton of fun. I became very close with them over the course of the trip; I’m going to miss them so much when they leave.I didn’t talk to the family too much on the first day. Coming back to next day I spent some time with the kids and in the first 5 minutes I was in love with the family but David, one of the sons, stole my heart. I love that little boy so much, I couldn’t wait to go back and be able to play with him. He is the cutest and happiest little boy! I cannot describe how beautiful his smile is, and even with his two front teeth barely there it’s still amazingly beautiful. Every day I spent more and more time with him, whether it was just holding his hand while our team leader Kent was talking or chasing him around with the truck. It was always the time of my life! I still helped a lot with the house build of course.We showed up one day and he was playing with a beetle tied to a string, he was so happy and it amazed me that something so simple could make a kid grin from ear to ear. It makes me appreciate all that I have back home (although I now consider Mexico my home as well). Continuing on through the week we kept working hard and playing with the kids, I know we all fell more and more in love with the family, the saddest part of the day was always going home. I could not get over my excitement when all the walls were built and it was time for them to go up, I was like a kid in a candy store the way my heart was pounding. I had never been so excited in my whole life, at least not for a couple more days. After getting the final touches done on the house we went shopping for food and furniture for the house, we also sorted the clothes we had brought down as donations and divided them up for the houses the two teams working on.We headed over to the house on August 7, 2010, dedication day. We brought all the clothes and food, the furniture was delivered. We took an hour or so to set up everything and lock the house before the family showed up. After we were done, we all stood outside the house and said our good-byes and told the family how much they meant to all of us. Everyone was in tears, but the good tears. I couldn’t stop looking at David, the look on his face, he was so happy. At least what I could see through the tears streaming down my face. Their faces filled with more excited and tears as they were presented the keys and walked into their house, we let them go in by themselves but peered in the windows, I will never forget all their smiles. We went into the house to play with the kids and their new toys. I gave David a hug and never wanted to let him go, I wanted to stay with him forever. I will never forget him or his family, they made me realize how lucky I am to be so privileged to have been born in Canada, it’s that simple I was born in a country with wealth and they weren’t. They love each other so much and appreciate what they have; it made me think and re-evaluate my life.I hope I’m able to come back and see them on my next Hero Holiday or visit when I’m in Mexico some day. Trust me no matter how tough you think you are, a little kid or a whole family will change your life in ways you can’t imagine.~ Shelby, a summer intern in Mexico