Some extra help.

Our house is going so well Karemeos, we are such a great team!Since being on the house build, we have had lots of help from the father of our family, Jesus (pronounced Hey-Zeus). You can tell that he desperately wants to provide everything for his wife and kids. the other day some of us were tarring the roof, and he was helping to hammer down the roll out shingling. Daniel had instructed us to put the nails in about a hammer-head’s width apart. So Jesus would put a nail in, carefully measure the next spot with his hammer and gently but thoroughly pound another in another nail. His wife Miriam spends most of her day walking around the site with her son Oscar, wearing a joyful but modest smile. Both of her daughters wear the same exuberant smile as their parents, and are very sociable, helping us to nail the walls together and to paint them afterwords.Our entire group has been completely blown away, countless times, by the simple lives Mexican people live. And our entire group continues to be left speechless by the family we are helping this week. The other day Oscar was crying in his stroller. One thing I should explain before I tell you this is that he is an adorable little boy who is blind, can barely walk and is very sick. when he started crying, Emily walked over to him and took his hand. His response was to bring her hand to his face, to try and identify her by scent…using other senses to make up for his lack of sight. Quickly after discovering that she was not his mom, he threw her hand away and started crying again. Miriam came over and tended to him, and he quickly calmed down. It was such a beautiful moment, to see how he is adapting to life without sight and to see how his family cares for him. They would gladly give up all they have for him alone, and continue smiling just because all of their children are smiling.It’s things like this that are so inspiring. A child that is blind, and so sick that his parents are quickly going broke can impact a group of rowdy teens so incredibly deeply. We were privileged enough to enter into the families old house the other day, and once again we were put aback. It was very tidy, the family was definitely caring for what little they had, but it was cramped and small. There was a double bed in the corner, which the parents let their two daughters sleep on, while they humbly slept on a worn out mat on the floor. Ariela asked them if it gets cold at night, after noticing their were barely any blankets. Jesus closed his eyes and nodded, as Miriam explained how incredibly cold it really gets.To give you and idea, think of this. I get to sleep in a large, thick sleeping bag with an extra quilt while I’m here, and I still get pretty cold. I cannot imagine how they feel. They have a dirt floor, cardboard walls, and tarps for a ceiling. I cannot begin to explain how privileged I feel to be helping Jesus, Miriam and their family. They are so happy, even in their most desperate times. I feel that we can learn so much from them, and I love that we as a team get to experience everything that this trip has offered us. I am sure it will impact us all, and we will walk away changed for the better.We are all so grateful for you guys at home, and all the support you have given us in so many ways! Thank you all so much! =)Ashley