Chincha House Building Project

It is an amazing experience to build a home for a family in two days. To feel your hard work and energy go into something you were a part of creating. But it is even more amazing when you meet the family the house is for and work and laugh along side them. To know that you had a part in creating that, that smile on their face, you can't explain that feeling.

It was extremely hot since it was summer which made the work all the more intense however we knew we needed to get the house up by Sunday and we understood how important this was to all those affected by earthquakes who lose everything to them. It was challenging for me since I do not have much physical strength to lift the planks or walls or roofs or even for merely hammering. In the end I found that what I lacked in strength I could make up for in initiative. I didn't have to wait to be told what to do or ask what was next because I had been to a Chincha house building project before so I was always doing something because there was always something to do and with my initiative I could make up for my strength (or lack there of). I did however keep working on my hammering and by the end of the weekend it had improved significantly, which is something to keep working on for the next time.

All in all it was an unforgettable experience that I will remember for the lovely family who helped the whole time to build the house and welcomed us so well. They made us all lunch on the last day and we painted flowers in the youngest girl's room as a surprise. I can't wait for next year.