The day we have been waiting for has finally come! Over the last five days we have been given the opportunity to give a family the gift of a home. I cannot explain all of the lessons our team has learned from them. From the beginning they embraced and welcomed us as if we were a part of the family. The energy was contagious for all of us. Because of this experience, the family and community have a special place in all of our hearts. It saddens us that we could only be here for a short time; we wish we could stay here much longer.

 

The family taught us these three things: love, compassion, and generosity. This family taught us love through the connections they have within their family and community, and the connections they made with us. They taught us compassion through their personal stories and way of life. Lastly they taught us generosity through everything they offered us. There are many lessons left unlearned and this is why we hope one day our paths will cross again. We hope this house is a stepping stone towards a healthier life for the family and generations to come. Within these concrete walls we hope the family can find feeling of comfort and safety. We want this family to create many memories. We feel that we are now a part of their family and we have welcomed them into ours. We hope for years to come that this family adds their personality to what began as a pile of bricks, and then became a house, and now a home.

 

Handing the keys of the house over to the family was the greatest feeling ever! We sang a song, gave our speech, and presented them family photos. There were a lot of tears today, mostly tears of joy. This family may have never have had a door which they could close and lock at night. The family was very thankful for the gift of a home. We spent time after the dedication with the family, dancing, listening to music, and just having a good time. It strengthened our relationships with the family members that much more. I am looking forward to doing everything again with the next team. Until then we have a fun five days planned for the interns.

 

Reggie – LiveDifferent Hero Holiday Intern, Dominican Republic 2012