Global Village Wrap Up

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