1000 Homes Partnership: HFH Paraguay Global Village Trips

Mid-Week Update

2011-02-14T16:50:00.000-08:00

Today was an interesting and very productive day. I was part of a group to meet the Minister of Housing (aka Secretary of Housing) for Paraguay. Senor Gerardo Eugenio Rolon Pose was much younger than I expected and very accessible (from a security prospective) than our friends at HUD. I have never personnally met Shaun Donovan but envision it would be more difficult that walking up two flights of stairs to meet him. We endorsed our support of the Paraguay affiliate as well as spoke about our strong government/quai-government partnership with the affiliates in Colorado. The Paraguay affiliate has entered into an agreement with the government to build 80 units for the indiginous people of the Chacao region (northern part of the state encompassing over 60% of the total land mass). These individuals would be comparable to our Native Americans. Most do not have education, skills or an ability to sustain themselves. A large Mennonite community donated the land and will teach the homeowners to become self-sufficient - including providing livestock, teaching them farming, etc. The government has verbally committed to the project but to date has not delivered any $$$$. Sound familiar???

We did end the meeting with the hope of the Secretary coming to the job site tomorrow afternoon. We were psyched about that, as he brings media with him.

After our outing we returned to the job site. Although cooler today, we were "hot" to finish this house. Everyday we learn/relearn a little more about our house and our family. As I now understand it (and my Spanish is very poor) our family had already paid their downpayment to Habitat so Habitat hired the masons for the build. The other four families had not paid their downpayment so their contribution toward the home would be the payment to the masons. So these families contracted directly with a masonry cooperative - a group of masons working under the same business, rather than having it done through Habitat.

I am on the same team as Gwen is, House 5. I personally have found a way to satisfy my OCD niche - cleaning brick. I do this for hours and I am very good at it - I can´t stop the incesssent brushing, scraping and wiping. I was fortunate enough to work with Habitat Colorado´s Executive Director Stefka Fanchi to "raise" the first ceiling. As a team, she placed terra cotta tongue and groove tiles on a stake that I raised up to an awaiting mason on the roof. The mason fitted the tiles together. It was so cool to watch Carlos and Leandro see the rooms take shape. She is a kindergarden teacher but he is not a semi-pro soccer player as he told was (used to be) but rather a third year Columbia law student studying family law. And they are the hardest workers of all.

We closed tonight with a board/Executive Director dinner. Lots of Habitat Colorado representation, but a little light on the Paraguay side. The board president is 76 year old German immigrant who now owns a 2000 cow dairy farm. We enjoyed a wonderful Brazilian steakhouse dinner with plenty of meat. We quietly ended the evening in a peaceful "beef coma".
It has been a blessing for me to meet such wonderful people and to have a great team to work with and great homeowners to work for. This is truly workforce housing at its finest.

Karen Harkin
Habitat Colorado Board President
CHFA Director, Home Finance

The Housing Minister is the bearded gentleman in the center.

Day Four - Refreshed with Cool Weather-But Much More to Do!

2011-02-13T20:54:00.000-08:00

Most of us had not heard of Paraguay before our trip here. But now, it seems to consume our thoughts and conversation. As we travel to our construction site in Limpio, we see stark contrasts of the modern and the antiquated; of wealth and of poverty. It is not unusual to see an ox-drawn cart amongst the frantic traffic or well-appointed estates next to small and rustic homes.

As we arrive on the site for day four of building, we are refreshed by the cooler weather and break we had the day before. We are also struck by the amount of work before us. The masons have placed the beams on most houses and are now ready to put the tiles on the rooves. We have much to accomplish to reach our goal of five houses in five days! Unfortunately, several of the volunteers are ill today. We miss them and hope they feel better soon.

Volunteers spring into action and help finish the tasks of scrubbing bricks, scraping floors, transporting tiles to the tops of the homes, digging and bricking the holes for the septic systems- and more. Windows have been set in some homes-along with other "finishing touches". We are also so thankful to members of the Paraguay military who have helped in so many ways.

Today, we also were entertained. During lunch, a famous harpist played several beautiful songs and at night, the Habitat families and staff hosted a celebration filled with dance and good food. We have been so well taken care of here. We are thankful to the staff, the families and the Paraguaian people for their loving spirit and hospitality. We leave part of our hearts with them all.

I highly recommend a Global Village trip. It will make you sweat, smile, and maybe even cry- yes it will change you! God's Blessings......

Gwen Stephneson, Loveland Habitat for Humanity

A fairly common sight on our way to the construction site.

One of our proud team leaders- Julieann

Masons place beams on the house! (sorry it's sideways)

Brad is almost finished laying brick inside the septic "hole"

Lunch entertainment- wow!

More work after lunch- placing tiles on the roof.

Greetings From Our Tired and Victorious Group-Day Three

2011-02-13T19:59:00.000-08:00

Greetings from our tired, but victorious group. We have overcome two100-degree days and all the sites now have septic system holes at least five feet deep. The homes are taking shape with the masterfully laid bricks - and are at least 10 feet tall.

Today, we woke up to a drenching and cool rain which gave us an unexpected break. Most of the group was able to tour Asuncion and learn more about this wonderful and amazing place. Many were struck by the opulance of the Presidential Palace, which sits in contrast, between a large shanty town on the water. Evidence of Paraguay's Bicential Celebration of Indepence from Spain was also splashed across the city.

Another group toured an area north of Asuncion, where Habitat Paraguay will eventually help build 240 homes. The name of this upcoming neighborhood is "For the Future of the Children." and is located in an abundant rain forest. As we traveled there, it seemed we were driving back in time to this place untouched and pristine- with lush tall trees and brilliant flowers.

Here, were greeted by beautiful, smiling children and their parents at their community center. Several of them led us on a rather long hike through their neighborhood (in the rain forest )where the homes seemed to be miles apart. The two homes we saw showed the incredible inguinuity of the families who built them. However, each were only two rooms, with dirt floors and leaking roofs.

Habitat's plan is to negotiate with the government to transfer title to the land to the families living there. Once this is accomplished, Habitat will partner with families to build homes that will accomodate the number of people living in them - with concrete floors and running water.

We all returned from that trip awestruck and encouraged that Habitat could offer so much hope to the proud families who have built a strong and close-knit community.

Signing off- a changed person- Gwen Stephenson, Loveland Habitat for Humanity.

Some photos to share!

Finally, the first hole is dug!

The masons working hard

Progress-Smiling volunteers with the Colonel

The Presidential Palace in Asuncion

The Shanty Town next to the Presidential Palace

Group standing in front of home

SECOND DAY BUILDING

2011-02-07T15:09:00.000-08:00

Greetings from the Gunnison Habitat affiliate,
Not as hot today. We must be doing a good job because our masons ate lunch with us today. Our homeowner is a professional soccer player for Bolivia, and his wife is a teacher. He has never seen women work as hard as us and wanted to take our picture in the 4 foot hole we had dug for the septic tank.
The canals are filled with debris, because when it rains the people put their trash in the streets to wash it away.
Pedestrians do not have the right of way and the drivers and motorcyclists are muy loco.
Our house is coming along very well. Our brick walls are almost complete, and we hope to be ready for the roof sometime tomorrow.
ADIOS

Work Day One: hot and happy

2011-02-06T15:46:00.000-08:00

No idea why this picture is sideways. Enjoy!

Kimberly here... fundraising staff person from Habitat Metro Denver in my first blog post from Paraguay. This is my first GV trip and I am enjoying it a lot.

The first day on the site proved to be very challenging but also very interesting, fun and hot. Always hot. This will be our theme. But I´m happy to say that we fought the heat stroke and won. The above photo was taken at the end of the day. I was clean at the beginning! But still smiling at the end.

Our team is #1 (that´s right and we rock!!!) and we spent the day assisting the masons in building brick houses. While they did the technical building, we hauled bricks, tiles and mud, scraped and cleaned walls, painted roof tiles, and spent some excruciating hours digging two holes that will hold the septic and sewer system. One has to be three feet and the other eight feet... we have quite a bit to go. The site holds five houses and there were more than 100 people working - masons, the Paraguay Habitat staff and the five families. Most of the women in the families spend the day in the makeshift kitchen cooking our food. Our family is Roberto and Zila. Roberto worked with today and he is a very hard worker, choosing to work the pick ax in the hole most of the day. He has spent some time in Texas so he practiced his English while we practiced our Spanish. Pointing down to his feet, he said, "alli" and pointing away said "alla" and I finally got "here" vs "there" which was always hard for me. My college Spanish is coming back quickly. I also took some time trying to tell him how there was snow in Texas and that it was negative 8 in Denver two weeks ago. When he finally realized I was saying 60 degrees Celsius in the NEGATIVE, he jumped back shocked. MUY FRIO!!! Yes. And now muy caliente.

Aside from the work, we are experiencing a lot of culture right up close. The custom of Yerba Mate or Terere (mate but drank cold) is shared among the staff and masons. The site where we are staying is beautiful with palm trees and mangos falling right onto the ground. Lots of butterflies and interesting birds to watch. And everyone we have met has been very, very nice.

But I would say the drive to and from work is my favorite. We are in 4 vans and our drivers are very good and safe. However... everywhere else, the locals drive like crazy! There are tons of motorcycles weaving in between the cars and buses and most of them have 2-4 people on them. Parents with two or three kids in their arms and bags of items they have bought hanging and strapped to the back. I don´t know why... but it just makes me laugh out loud. Completely hilarious to watch. And of course, the roads are all made of busted up rock and sand AND the cars are super old - so no one is going very fast. Top speed seems to be around 30 or 40 and that´s on the long stretches. So we´re okay. The neighborhoods are filled with people walking, kids playing, folks on porches enjoying their mate and fellowship with family. I watch with my eyes wide open and my brain trying to absorb it all.

I´m still sort of pinching myself that I am really here. I can tell already that this trip is sinking into me like the red clay that I can´t quite wash off my hands. It´ll be there long after I leave here.

Thanks you for reading. And if you haven´t done so already... get yourself over to www.habitat.org and sign up for a Global Village trip today. You´ll be so happy that you did. -kimberly

Greeting from Paraguay

2011-02-06T01:59:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone. All 41 of us arrived safely yesterday afternoon. No luggage lost so that was a good start to the trip.

My name is Michele and for me, this is my return trip to Paraguay. I served in the Peace Corps in Paraguay from May 1991 to August 1993. As this is my first return trip, you can imagine how excited I am to have this opportunity to return after nearly 20 years. The smells and sounds of the area have sparked a flood of memories from my earlier time here. It was so calming to wake up this morning to the medly of bird song outside our window. That isn´t something I often hear from my Denver home.

We are all now preparing for what will be our first day of construction. It´s an early start. Best to beat the heat of summer.

While in country we will be staying at a place called Ykua Sati. It is a retreat center within the capital city. I stayed here in May 1991 after first arriving in Paraguay. The place has changed greatly since my first visit. It has been expanded to include conference center, a pool and new dormitories. It will be a nice calming excape from the days work.

Throughout the week we will be updating our progress and posting pictures of the group, the families we are building the homes for and the progress of the construction. This should be an eventful week so stay tooned.

Colorado to Paraguay: An Introduction

2011-02-03T11:26:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow forty-one Coloradoans will depart from Denver en route to Paraguay, where we will build five homes, and hopefully will build friendships and memories that will last a lifetime.

The journey began long before today. In November of 2008, the thirty Habitat for Humanity affiliates in Colorado celebrated the 1,000th home built here in partnership with families seeking the opportunity to stabilize their housing and improve their lives. On that day we pledged that together we would build the next 1,000 homes in just three short years - even as the economy began to falter. Today, just past the midpoint of the 1000 Homes campaign, we have met approximately 45% of that goal.

Half a world away, Habitat for Humanity of Paraguay was undertaking a similar challenge to build 1,000 homes in a country where poverty housing has a very different and dire meaning. Paraguay in the third poorest country in South America, and more than 1.1 million individuals suffer from extreme poverty, earning less that $1 US per day. More than half of the houses in Paraguay are considered inadequate, and
745,000 families in Paraguay lack decent housing. Less than 50% of the population has access to water service, and only 34% of Paraguay's total population has access to garbage disposal - resulting in a major sanitation crisis and high infant mortality rates. Compounding this housing crisis is a dearth of public policy supporting affordable and decent housing. Nearly 21% of existing homes lack legal land tenure and are illegally situated in public areas such as streets, parks, riverbanks, or on the private property of a corporation.

But we have much in common with our friends in Paraguay, and we discover more each time we meet. In Paraguay and Colorado, we know that access to safe, decent, and affordable housing has a profound impact on education, which is so critical to breaking the cycle of poverty. In Paraguay they have made this a special ministry of theirs, and are building homes in partnership with teachers in order to integrate them with the communities they serve and ensure longer tenures and continuity in the lives of the children they teach. Our Global Village Team will be building homes with five teachers, including Zila and Roberto, who recorded this message for us:

Zila's story is like so many stories we have heard in Colorado - even my own. My parents were both teachers, and collectively dedicated nearly 70 years to public education. Homeownership was highly valued by my family, and was a dream of mine as I built a family - a dream I was able to realize. Zila and I are the same age, and we each have two children. What else will we have in common? As we carry bricks and cement together, and share a cup of terere after a hard day's work, I hope to discover much more.

I hope you'll join us on our journey of discovery by following this blog. Each day, a different team member will give their unique personal perspective, and share photos and video taken along the way. You can participate by commenting and asking questions, and by sharing the blog with your friends. Please keep our team in your thoughts and prayers, that we may be safe, healthy, and forever changed as we change the lives of five families on the other side of the world.

Stefka Czarnecki Fanchi

Executive Director, Habitat for Humanity of Colorado

Global Village Wrap Up

2009-10-19T07:26:00.000-07:00

We have been back in the US for two days now and I think it is safe to speak for everyone in our group when I say that the readjustment to “reality” has not been easy. This is not to say that I am not happy to be home with family, friends, and my beloved dog. However, the day to day reality of being an American living in a luxury ski resort has changed.

I got a facial yesterday in an effort to undo 10 days of dirt and too much sun. When I paid the bill, I realized that my 90 minutes of pampering and products cost the equivalent of an entire year of mortgage payments for the family for whom we built a home in Paraguay. With feelings of guilt, I then went to a meeting with the team of architects and contractors who are helping me to build my dream home. Although I didn’t request that we change the “mountain modern” home to simple brick and concrete block; I have to admit I held back tears as we talked about where to put the outlets for the treadmill in the exercise room which is in reality is almost as big as the entire home we built in Paraguay. My exercise room is just another amenity in a luxury home built for one person and one dog. The home we built in Paraguay will house two adults and two children and boasts running water and simple electricity as its amenities. It also has a toilet that actually flushes with the septic tank only 10 feet from the back door. It is hard not to feel ridiculous while talking about motorized window shades and Venetian plaster when running water and a toilet that flushes is unattainable by over one third of the world’s population. But I digress…..

In a nutshell, our Habitat build in Paraguay was amazing, life changing, humbling and unforgettable. I remember discussing the pros and cons of our first build day with the group two weeks ago. The discussion focused on frustrations with the inefficiencies of the way the masons were building the home. The team discussed strategies for speeding up the process with hopes of building the home “faster than any other volunteer group”. Our debrief session just three days later focused on the socio-economic factors that contribute to poverty and the horrible inequalities that exist in Paraguay and the rest of the world. It doesn’t take long to realize that building a home is really about something much larger. It is about realizing every human being’s common need for food, water, shelter and at least minimal comfort; and perhaps something more spiritual. I won’t dwell on religion here, because that would require an entire blog! However, I think we all felt the stirrings of a universal connection much larger than our group and the individuals it comprised. Leaving the comforts of life in the US to give your time to a family in need half way around the world requires a major leap of faith. Every member of our team took that leap and as a result, I hope, will never be the same. I thank them for trusting me to lead them in this journey.

We are all back at home safe, cozy and enjoying our relatively pampered lives. But I know that each one of us has changed. Whether that means making a career of giving your time to others, donating your time and/or money to a cause you love, or simply smiling at the ornery person in line in front of you at Starbucks, we all know that we CAN create change. It may not happen overnight. But change does happen; one family and one smile at a time.

-Amanda Precourt, Team Leader

Global Village Reflections

2009-10-19T07:21:00.001-07:00

"That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil-this is the gift of God."Ecclesiastes 3:13

We all do it: we create and carry images in our mind of those times that shape us as humans. For many of us it’s those simple moments; maybe that home run when we were five or a summer vacation with our Grand Parents; maybe as simple as just an ice cream cone with a friend. Yes, simple, but great moments that will forever be of and create who and what we are as individuals.

Today, as I sit here, the images of the past ten days are becoming many of those moments, as it is now, for this first time, that I truly begin to awake from this experience. So many images shuffle in my mind and I struggle to fully understand their meaning. Was our mission to help one family or to understand the greater need of a community? Was it the cultural connections made to the indigenous people of Paraguay or the capturing of the deep internal beauty of the children of the slums? Today it is unclear; my eyes have not yet focused upon the meaning.

I know as the time passes, and my blurry vision of this experience focuses onto my simple moments, I will find clarity. Will it be focused solely in the moments of our conversations, the laughing children, the bright smiles or the simple joy of the human experience? I don’t know. Will it be the time spent surrounded by the Teams passionate heartfelt dialog, so emotional and sincere it could only be broken with the laughter of others? I don’t know.

As I feel a longing for the understanding I open my camera and search for reflection, clarity, and direction. I believe the camera captures the moment, it allows us to recall and remember the people and times of our lives. Just like our own memories, photographs can become forged into a greater message. The pictures begin with getting to know our team. It was the time to share stories of why we have come and what we expected. No one really knew for sure; it was unclear. It was a time to share food and drink; to laugh and mask some of the unknown. It was a time to ease into this new found relationship and create openness for the relationship to come. Discussions were plentiful on topics of biology, the Supreme Court, our aging bodies, our anticipation, the future and a unified desire to give.

I must continue to search the pictures for that moment, the moment I long for, the one that lasts, creates the meaning of all of this. They are great pictures of our hard work. The ones that months and years of others work lead up to this week of labor and love. There are many pictures of the “project” that brought us all here at this time and place. I dig deeper into these photos and see our Habitat Family, the creators of such a wonderful future Home they will call theirs, a family of strength and courage. Images of their children with such open laughter, images clearly full of Love, images of a mother whose barriers are being overcome and a family that will soon have a hearth they will call home. Sure there are images of the Team working, of the relationships with the masons, even the neighbors, images of the cultural history of Paraguay, images of the hardships of so many, images that can truly move your soul. But, where will I find my moment? As is shuffle the hundreds of photos the answer becomes clear, it is not just one image but it is many. This is my moment, my image, the one I will have forever and they are the images of us all together. Together with Nina and her children, together as a Team, together as a Habitat family, together with Claudia and her family. Images of us all together after our toil; after our work, photos of us physically exhausted, but not one of us emotionally removed, photos overcoming our language barriers, photos of us laughing, dancing, singing and holding one another. Photos of the clear emotional connections made as we created our relationships over “family” meals, doing our part, all sharing openly as we eat and drink, laugh and cry.

These are clearly the moments I recall in the short time since they have a passed. The moments of our sitting together sharing our food, our drink our conversations of love, family, future. It is the breaking of this bread and this time spent together, the time playing with a ball or simply a tree, these clear images-moments, are the ones that shape who I have become.

I am unsure on how to expound upon this emotion, but I am sure I will continue to reflect in my mind on how the experiences I shared in Paraguay will affect my future. What I do know is that we can’t do it alone. It takes that connection; a connection to share these simple moments and a devotion to something larger than oneself. It takes a true Love, a passion in something and someone to hold these moments. Maybe it’s folklore, maybe it’s religion or maybe it was just a movie, but I have heard you can take these moments; this Love, with you when we leave this earth. I surely hope so as these are the ones I will take with me forever.

Brian Judge. October 13, 2009.

Dia # 5

2009-10-11T15:45:00.000-07:00

Day 5 is almost over and I don't even know where to begin with this blog! So much has happened since we arrived. New names, hard labor, great food, new friends, Indian tribe visit and then the slum visit today. I feel like it has been longer than 5 days but here we are... sun burnt, exhausted, wanting more.

Today was about getting as much done with the house as possible. It is the last day for us to build and yet there is so much still to be done. We were greeted this morning with a new driver. Less safe and not the same. I think we all missed Miguel. We loved the slow drive, friendly music and most of all, the stop at his mothers store to buy chipa. Arriving at the site was different today too. We were missing one very important person, el jefe. Even Brian mentioned it tonight in our diamond and dookie recap. He is our fearless leader on-site! So I would say that we hit the ground running but with a new calmness over us...as if this was REALLY our last day to make a difference.

We hauled over 1200 bricks, 1500 tiles and I can't even begin to explain the amount of broken materials that are used to fill "the gaps". I speak for myself when I say "I am exhausted". I know the group feels tired but today the sun beat me down more than I could imagine.

I'll regress in this blog to say that I take the most breaks. Breaks mean snack time. I accrued many nicknames in the short 5 days here: (Katalina, Pix Axe women, Piggy, Bottomless Pit...and the list goes on). I can't eat or drink enough to keep the energy level I know back home. I don't know what is going on but the physical labor with the sun is harder to take then I imagined. Still, with no questions, I would do it again.

After we finished our time at the site we headed to the slums. I think, even as well traveled as this group is, we were all touched by what we saw. This community has little to look forward to. In fact, there was so much violence the day before that we were almost not aloud to visit today. I think what originally opened my eyes was a used condom laying on the stairs as we headed upstairs of the community center/ after school program building. I was following a few teachers and not one budged to pick it up. There was trash everywhere, hungry kids and little to do. For many of us in the group, this is where we made our connections with the kids in Paraguay. They were all so happy to have us there.

What I would like to focus on in the rest of this blog is the overall sincerity and passion this group contains. It has been overwhelming to hear, see and experience the amount of love each one us has for helping others. We are so very fortunate to experience this together. We will forever be changed by the recaps (what I call the camp fires from my job at First Descents). We are changing other lives and simultaneously changing our own at the same time.

Thank you to Martha for keeping it funny, to Brian for keeping it light, Corey for keeping it real, Emily for keeping it calm. Leanna for keeping it educational, Lorenzo for keeping it entertaining and Amanda for being our fearless leader. Thank you all for the opportunity and the stories I will cherish for life!

-- Kelley Brupbacher

Dia # 4

2009-10-08T20:33:00.000-07:00

Today things progressed as we had hoped they would – the walls got higher, we prepared tiles to be placed on the roof, the septic hole was finally finished (a huge victory!). All of that was great, but what really happened today was much, much bigger. Beyond the advancement made on the house, progress was made on so many more levels.

First, of course, are the relationships. Today Lorenzo came to a new place in his connection with Camila and Juan, the 2 children who will be inhabiting the house we’re building. All of them were working together for a while removing dirt from the septic hole, and then they started having an incredible Spanish-English dialogue. It started with all three sharing their nicknames. With a bit of my help translating, they learned that Camila is “Cami”, Juan is “Juanre”, and Lorenzo is “Zo”. This was a way of saying, “now we are friends. We are comfortable with each other”. Then Cami would point to something, Juanre would say the word in Spanish, and Zo would say it in English. Lorenzo shared being so excited about how much they were all able to learn. And this was only the beginning. At lunch, it was sweet to see little Camila requesting to sit next to Brian, and at one point Saturnina came up behind Emily and rubbed her shoulders – providing an opening for them to share a wonderful conversation. Though it’s only been a few short days, we are all seeing and feeling the relationships grow.

The second level of progression was our increasing understanding of the Paraguayan culture and socio-economic reality. By this point we have had a few days of experiencing the rural neighborhood where we are building the house as well as the city where we are staying. This afternoon we added to the picture by visiting the community of the indigenous Maka tribe. While our group undoubtedly consists of some very seasoned travelers, it is hard to ever really get over that punch in the stomach you experience when coming face to face with such intense poverty. Yes, we relished the joy of passing clusters of adorable children shouting “hola, hola!”, young women playing volleyball, the boys playing soccer, and witnessing some native dances. But this was accompanied by scenes of tremendous squalor, rows of wood and plastic shacks, trash filled yards, and limited and inadequate bathroom and shower facilities. Though it took away a few hours of our building time, we all agreed that this was an important part of our understanding the “big picture” of need in this country.

Lastly and perhaps most importantly, today was a day of personal progression for each one of us. We had such an incredible conversation over dinner about the great sociological and anthropological questions, “What is our role here? How can we help to make a difference in the lives of people who are suffering? What kind of assistance will have the biggest impact on these communities?” It was truly remarkable to hear the passionate, intense, and compassionate dialogue that took place. By the end of the evening we all agreed that there are no easy answers, but vowed that each of us will take our new understanding and renewed commitment back to our own philanthropic, charitable, and professional work.

In every way, progress has meant an increased understanding by the group that we are here for much, much more than building a house. Yes, it is amazing to start with an empty lot and see a house there by the end of the week. It is wonderful to push ourselves physically in ways we never thought possible. It is incredible to know that we are helping to make the lives of a family better by providing them with the opportunity to invest in their own future. But to ask ourselves the hard questions, to become ever impassioned about the cause of social justice, to renew and reinvigorate our commitment to serve others – these are the things that will have a lasting and wide spread impact, whether here in Paraguay, back home in Colorado, or where ever else our pursuits may take us.

This is the intersection between the gift we give and the gift we receive.

Leanna Harris

Dia # 3

2009-10-08T15:52:00.000-07:00

Building day 3 in Paraguay and it is raining! The morning started similarly to our previous two with a quick breakfast and off to the site with the exception of the low grade headache we were all experiencing after celebrating Brian Judge’s birthday for the third night in a row. During our commute I reviewed my new Spanish words from the previous day (sandia = watermelon, roto = broken, sueno = dream and merienda = snack) with our fluent Spanish speakers, Emily Peyton and Leanna Harris and chose a few new words to assimilate my vocabulary for the day (limpio = clean, sucio = dirty, lluevia = rain and dona = miss). I am determined to expand my vocabulary on this trip but still struggle with linking the appropriate words; exemplified later in the day when I told our driver that I had beer for breakfast. As we approached the work site the weather magically transformed; the rain stopped and a light refreshing breeze cleared the air. Perfect weather for building a home!

Everyone got into their groove as if we had been working as a team for weeks. Each member has found their own niche that works for their personal strengths and particular disabilities, after all this group is from a ski town and we all have our battle wounds from years of ripping it up. The piles of sand, bricks, dirt and tile that greeted us just two days ago have taken the likeness of a house. The masons, the family that is to inhabit the home and our team seemed closer today as we joked and worked; cultural barriers have disintegrated. We have discovered a reciprocal appreciation for each other’s humor; in particular capturing each other on film “jowling” or doing the “shake face!” If you are not familiar with this practice (custom) it is not because it hails from Paraguay it is actually an exercise that we have brought with us from the “United States.” We have Kelly Brupbacher to thank for the introduction, I must admit we are all hooked and the photos occupy most of the memory on our cameras. It is near impossible to describe so you will have to track down someone from our Eagle County based Habitat for Humanity Global Village Team for the experience. Lorenzo, the youngest member of our team at age 12, takes no prisoners and has convinced everyone to participate. I’m guessing that tomorrow morning the entire village will show up to our site to have their photo taken.

Lunch today was a beef soup served in a corn based broth with sweet potatoes and corn dumplings. Baked yucca, served with all of our lunches (almuerzo) thus far, was also served as part of the meal. I am amazed at the new flavors and tastes that we have experienced on this trip, finding a deep appreciation for unprocessed foods that we tend to consume in the United States with such regularity. After lunch we learned to make traditional Paraguayan chipa. Though it sounds like it might be poultry it is actually a bread made with eggs, yucca flour, cheese and butter - delicious to snack on while building a house (and gluten free).

Upon our return to the hotel we settled in for an exciting recap of the day. We decided that we would meet on the roof where there is a great view of the city. We took turns sharing our daily “dookie” (low point of the day), “diamond” (high point of the day) and “wild card” (surprise). Very few “dookies” were expressed and everyone agreed with the diamonds that were shared, concluding that we had all chosen the perfect alternate vacation and this group of people was meant to share this adventure.

Martha Brassel

Dia # 2

2009-10-06T21:17:00.000-07:00

Before I actually write I will give you our nicknames:

Amanda is “el jefe” which means the boss.
Corey is “the lifter”
My mom, Leanna, is “the cistern digger”
Brian is “the pick axe man.”
Martha is “the tile crusher “
Kelly is “the pick axe woman”
Emily is “the shovaller”
Lorenzo [me, age 12] is “the cemente amigo”

the cemente amigo

This is my second day building and my second day failing at communicating with the Paraguayan masons. Both were hard the first day and harder the next. Working has been a really fun challenge for me so far. I really don’t like moving bricks because you see no progress for about an hour of work. The job that I most enjoy most is making and shoveling the cement for everyone to stick the bricks together. My dominating this job has not become a problem yet because no one [besides the masons] enjoys or considers them selves any good at it.

The family that we are building the house for is very poor. They have 3 kids and are amazing cooks. Juan is 9 and the oldest, Camila is 5 and the little boy is 3. Juan and Camila are very shy but today I felt that I really connected with both of them. With Juan I played soccer right before lunch. It was a beat up ball either from the trash or about 10 years old. This really showed me that there is no spare money for things like soccer balls - money is spent on food and clothes. Aside from not being able to talk a whole lot we played and had a lot of fun. For lunch the family prepared empanadas of which I ate six of (what a pig!). Even our Pick Axe Man only ate four. After lunch, before it was time to head back to the work site, I chased Camila around outside until she went into the only bedroom in the house that the family now rents. Then I snuck up on her and we had a little bit of a pillow fight with the two of us and her little brother.

Here are some of our “words of the day”. Number uno, MAS. This means more, and the whole day when the masons wanted me to do something I would do it and then ask, “mas?” Nine out of ten times the answer was “si”. And the other one was “no mas”. My friendly co-workers were laughing every time because they knew the answer was yes, or si, but I was just making sure. Word number dos, CEMENTE. The masons call cement “mezcla” or “mix”, so we decided instead to make up our own word. The family we’re building the house for thought that it was hilarious. I probably said it only ten times but they would go on and on about it, so it was one of the “words of the day”.

Probably the most important part of this whole story is me sharing my experience with you. When you look at the little town or neighborhood that we are building in, it really jumps out at you. At first you think, “wow, this is obviously a poor town - there are cows in yards, broken stuff everywhere and the houses are very small for the amount of people”. But once you really get into it, it becomes really sad and you start to think, “what if I were one of those people and I had a very small amount of money to feed my family, pay rent and buy clothes, kitchen materials etc… what would I do? How would I survive?” Because we are so used to having enough money to eat and having a little extra to spend but then you look at the other side and think, “how can people live like this?” I am so glad we are down here helping to build a house and to provide a better future for this great family.

Dia # 1

2009-10-05T18:54:00.000-07:00

After 28 hours of traveling from Vail to Asuncion, we arrived in the city. The sun had already gone down and we were exhausted. After orientation, our team had dinner and South American wine. Needless to say, we all turned in for a good night of sleep before our first day of work. When we awoke, we were enamored by the Paraguayan skyline. We enjoyed a traditional breakfast and set out for our day's adventure.

The ladies with Saturnina

Upon arriving at the site, we were greeted by the soon-to-be homeowner, Saturnina ("Nina"), and her two beautiful children. The temperature didn't hesitate to reach the mid 90's in the early hours of our workday. Dust filled the air from the dirt roads, where cattle roamed freely. We weren't exactly sure at what stage we would inherit the house and to our excitement we started from ground zero. We began by moving by thousands of pounds of rock for the foundation. After we successfully moved all of the rocks, w took a break from the hot sun and enjoyed snacks at the neighbor's house. During our break, we played with the children and began the process of getting to know the family better.

We then returned to the site and dug three feet into the ground and began the process of filling in the foundation. Before we knew it, it was lunch time. In order to experience traditional lunch fare, Nina had prepared a delicious meal of “tallarine,” pasta, potatoes and beef. We enjoyed lunch with Nina’s extended family and children.

Back at the worksite, our foremen had continued to work and all of the rocks were in place for the foundation. We spent the remainder of the afternoon moving dirt and sand from the side of the road to where we were going to be mixing cement from scratch. Much more labor intensive that we had planned, it took us a while to find our rhythm and individual roles. However, once we successfully had our team in place, we were able to make substantial progress on the foundation.

Hard at work.

In order to help us combat the heat of the afternoon sun, our driver, Miguel, spent his time following us around the worksite giving us terere, a drink similar to mate but made with cold water. While the majority of us were working on the foundation, two of our team members, Brian and Leanna, spent the afternoon chiseling away at the clay hardened earth in order to dig a 6 foot deep hole for the septic system. Poor Brian, we left him with the hardest job of all on his birthday.

4 o’clock was our quitting time and our team was tired and beat from the sun, but excited about the progress that we made and what is to come. We traveled back to the hotel and celebrated Brian’s birthday, while recapping our accomplishments of the day.

Our team.

Open Letter

2009-08-23T21:21:00.000-07:00

Dear Habitat for Humanity of Colorado,

I really appreciate your collaboration since the first time we contacted one another. The Habitat Paraguay Program now has the opportunity to show our own country, which was often forgotten in the past. Personally, I value all the effort that you are exerting toward the project, along with the partnership that we have recently created. Between both Projects that today are working together we have no doubts that both countries have necessities and resources. Thus, we can join hands and pray together that our challenges will give us the opportunity to receive blessings and with the hand of God beside us we will continue working to help out more vulnerable families.

I thank God for being able to know so many great people with such large hearts. You and everyone else from Colorado have been very generous and it has been a pleasure to work with you all.

In June of the year, we were fortunate enough to give 55 teachers their own house. Today, all of those teachers are enjoying their new lives with their families. They are pleased that their new home has given them a safe place for their children to grow and a place to create memories that will last a lifetime. Accordingly, this was all possible due to our collaboration with the Colorado Affiliates.

Those months, we were constructing with teachers from all over the country. Our goal is to construct 100 houses in the fiscal year. We confide in God and hope that he will help turn these families dream of having their own home into a reality.

Mary Lechenuk, Country Director
Habitat for Humanity of Paraguay