Closer to the end of the day Johnny finally spoke to us, and all he could say was, “I’m hungry”. It was disheartening to think that everyday we slide food off our plates into the garbage because we’re full, or throw out a banana because it is bruised. Especially when there are children like Johnny who are hungry and suffer from malnutrition because they are only able to eat once a day and the meal generally consists of rice & beans (and loaded with salt).

Halfway through the clinic the time came for use to switch stations and our new position was taking vitals. Within minutes the language barrier became evident. We were trying so hard to explain, “no shoes on the scale” or “open wide and close your mouth for the thermometer”. Luckily for us, two young moms stepped up to the plate and helped us out. It was hard to even explain how beautifully people can work together even when they speak very different languages. In addition it was amazing that these two ladies had such mothering qualities at such a young age.

As the clinic was wrapping up we were able (via an interpreter) to talk to our helpers more and learn about their personal lives. One of the young moms was only 13 years old and pregnant with her first child. She aspired to be a nurse, but with their living and financial situation, it was evident that might not be possible. It opened our eyes to the idea that we often take advantage of our education opportunities, and that because of poverty, people that could possibly cure cancer or invent a new way to conserve our resources are being held back from accomplishing something great!

All in all we had an amazing and life changing day. We leave with memories that will stick with us forever.

~ Katie and Tanja

This clinic’s location was a new one to Hero Holiday and was somewhat more remote than what previous trips had experienced. The community members were predominately Haitian, which created an excitement in our team as some of them are bilingual in French and could converse with some of the patients. The day started off smoothly with a little rain and because of our organizational skills plus the respect, positive attitude, and patience of our staff and the patient’s, our first clinic was a success.

The community was very gracious for the medcine that they received, while the children got to enjoy the company and fun that our team was only too happy to give! The children loved the stickers and suckers they got after seeing the doctor (some things are the same in all cultures!).

We would have loved to keep the clinic open all day but due to the weather we had to head back to the resort early. However, this didn’t stop the overwhelming help, hope, and appreciation that we exchanged with this Haitian community.

~ Megan, Emily, and Amanda

This morning our team leaders thought it would be better that we all stay in while people were cleaning up the streets and any power lines that had fallen. We cancelled the clinic we had scheduled for the day, as most people were not in the frame of mind to attend it, as they were more focused on cleaning up the streets and their homes.

In the afternoon we headed over to the village of Nuevo Renacir to see how we could help. Most of the community was fine and the rain water had receded but as we turned the corner to get the ocean all you could see was garbage and debris everywhere. Some of the houses we had seen just three days ago were half gone. The waves were still really big too, most of us got splashed once or twice by them and got soaked. We divided into two groups and helped to move three families’ belongings out of their destroyed homes and into a dry church around the corner. Everything they owned was wet and dirty. They had all the garbage that was washed in from the storm by the ocean in their houses too.

I got to sit down with the mother of one of the families, Margalina, and asked her how she felt about what had just happened. Margalina, her husband, and two children, have lived in their ‘ocean view’ house in Nuevo Renacir for the past three years. Whenever it rained their house and belongings would all get wet and ruined. There have been times when the waves have gotten close to their home in the past too. She said that the storm had started around 8pm for them, and a cousin later came and got the family to stay in his home during the storm, as it was further away from the water. They did not sleep the entire night because of the noise and fear for their home. Now that their house has been destroyed and all their belongings damaged, Margalina seemed like she was in shock, and yet said that the family plans to fix and clean the house and move back in when it is ready.

Our team also spent some time moving large logs, rocks, tires, and other debris that the ocean had washed ashore in order to build breaks so the waves would not wash up into the homes even more. Water logged branches are heavy!! By the time we left the waves were being held at bay. I am so proud of our team, they worked their butts off!!! On the bus ride home everyone was pretty sober. One team member, Alex, had this to say:

We all struggled to hold back tears as we transferred anything salvagable to a church near by. Were are fortunate enough to be able to return to a comfortable hotel after a few hours of work but the people of Nuevo Renacir never have that option.

Hero Holiday is committed to the community of Nuevo Renacir, and while we are happy to say that all of the homes we built this summer are still standing safe and strong after Hurricane Irene, there are so many other families in this village who constantly live at risk of devastation by natural disasters such as this. The silly thing is that it’s entirely preventable. If families have homes that are well-built, with proper materials, and are located far enough away from shore, they would be able to avoid all but the most extreme catastrophes.

Hero Holiday is determined to give the people of Neuvo Renacir that chance. Right now, we’re going to do what we can to meet the immediate needs of this community as they clean up and salvage what is left. But we will continue to build homes for deserving families in this town so that they won’t have to face the next hurricane in fear, and we need your help to do it! Please consider supporting us by clicking on the ‘donate’ button above, or think about attending a Hero Holiday trip yourself! You can bring hope, love, and change to this community!

- Nettie Brown, Hero Holiday Adminstrator

I shared a moment with one Mexican worker that was relatively the same age as me. I was cracking my back and I simply looked at him and he sighed showing that he was feeling the same effects as I was. I wish that I could talk to him about what I was feeling and express how sorry I am that he works in the fields all day. It makes me think that just because I was born in Canada I automatically have a higher standard of living. Canadians tend to take what they have for granted and I cannot stress that enough. I am 17 years old and I DO NOT have to work to provide for my family. I DO NOT have to prepare dinners while my parents are out working in the field. I DO NOT live on a low daily budget, making sure that I have enough money for food. These people get paid 120 Pesos a day, which is roughly 10 American Dollars. The minimum wage in Canada per hour is right around what these people make in a day. There is no other way to describe this other than ‘crazy’. How do these people live comfortably at all…the answer is they don’t. They struggle everyday to get by, but they always have a smile on their face and they are always the friendliest people.

Towards the middle of our morning shift we began to struggle pretty hard, but our spirits were still up. As lunch was coming everyone was just about fried. We began to sit on the buckets while we were filling them, which took double the time per bucket. As lunch came along we piled onto the bus, finally thrilled that we had could rest. Santi came on the bus and asked us “How are you all feeling?” We heard the same response from everyone basically “Tired, sore, exhausted”. We had worked six hours, and even though we were not finishing the full nine hour shift, we were relieved to be going home.
Later that day in debriefing we had a long discussion about what we had witnessed in the tomato fields. It was filled with lots of emotion. When you do something like that for 6 hours and realize that these people pick tomatoes for 9 hours a day everyday of the week, it is hard to put that into words. It was especially hard hearing that there were 13 and 14 year old girls in the fields picking tomatoes as well. Everything about this experience is just so difficult to transfer into words and it is easier to keep it just as thoughts, but when you do get it out, you feel much better. Working in the fields has forever changed my life, I have never had an experience like it before.

By Liam McDonough

Starting the day we filled up our water bottles, loaded up our backpacks, and jumped on the truck for the ride to Augas Negras. When we arrived we checked out the progress that had been made on the homes – once again we were amazed at how much was accomplished … the houses were ready to be painted! We each went into our homes and discovered the paint cans waiting to be opened, the brushes, rollers and trays. Before we could get started we had to sand down the walls… we were given a quick demonstration – go out and find a rock or piece of cement that is flat and in a circular motion go over everything that is going to be painted – who knew you could use cement to sand cement?

Next – how to open the paint cans? We were handed a nail – and to our surprise it worked perfectly! With no stir sticks it was important to shake the can before we opened it. Since the floors were already finished and painted – we asked about drop cloths – this brought a smile to their face and we were told to look for cardboard, cement bags or plastic out and about the job site that we could use… and it is amazing at how creative you can be when needed, and it works out just fine. When we did get any paint on the floor it was important to wipe it up right away…from house two there was frequent cries for “Michelle” to come running with the sponge and water to clean up yet another paint drop on the floor!

Throughout the day the crowds at the worksite increased…everyone was so excited to see the final product. The daughter that is going to live in one of the homes with her Mom and younger brother kept coming in the house and talking to her friends through the windows. She helped by holding the paint can and kept saying “Gracias” - she is so happy. Her family will live in this house - two rooms plus a bathroom - in total the house is about 20′ x 15′ - and they couldn’t be happier!

The day went by so fast, and before we knew it, it was time to pack up and leave. We were so close to being done - two coats on all the walls and the outside of the house. What a transformation! the bright colours made such a difference…these buildings were now homes and ready to be moved into. None of us wanted to leave until the job was done, yet off we went, trusting that the contractors would finish the job just like they had done all week.

Tomorrow we will be furnishing the homes, dedicating them to the families and celebrating with the community – what an amazing day it will be!

Jacquie & Kathie

Coming face to face with the task at hand for the morning, we were partnered with many Haitian workers, who tenaciously survive in the midst of this wasteland. I was given the privilege of being partnered with a Haitain woman who welcomed me to join her in search of plastic bags and bottles amongst the rubbish. I now understand the true meaning of “one mans trash is another man’s treasure”. While they are paid practically nothing to collect recyclables, finding a bag of beans, a ripped packsack, or matching shoes brought them just as much hope. As we worked our way through the mounds of garbage, ripping bags, choosing or discarding contents, we began to converse in broken, Creole/French/Spanish - simple words to connect our lives, “Como se Llama?”, “Des enfants? Combien?” While our lives are not comparable, we discovered similarities in our different worlds. We worked companionably together sifting through the trash, deep in stench and buzzing flies, whacking the rumps of the rummaging cattle to clear them off the better piles of offerings. Once we had our bags filled, we would head up the small hill on the outskirts of the dump, where each of the workers made their own personal piles for the day. At one point Roslyn took my hand and led me to a place where she and 3 other women had made a great find - a very large bag of white beans which they gladly shared with each other.

Many of us left the site barefoot and hatless, as our socks, shoes and hats were the only material things we felt we could offer under the immediate circumstances. Smiles and tears were shed on the silent bus ride home. After an emotionally draining morning we set off on any afternoon hike to a beautiful waterfall. The day finished up with an evening of kareoke making us mindful of how lucky we are.

Cheryl

I had no idea there was a tradesman inside me. I’ve learned to build walls with mortar and cinderblock; mix concrete, and haul it by bucket-loads; and sieve sand for wall mud. But, what surprised me even more was the participation of the community, who join us each morning with smiles, to work hard to build homes for their neighbours.

Our labour intensive days are broken up by time to play with the children and interact with the community. While most of our Spanish vocabulary is limited to “Hola” and “Por Favor”, the children are most receptive to the universal language of “play”. Game boys, Ipods, and gaming systems are substituted by basic skipping ropes, colouring books, and frisbees, bringing joyful shouts of delight from the children and “gringos” alike. By the end of the day we climb back onto our trucks, tired, dirty and sweaty, but a happy crew.

This evening we were treated to an open-air theatre in a small Haitian/Dominican community. Each one of us had at least one or more children in our laps to share the movie experience with. Half-way into the movie I recall looking around, and thinking that there was no other place I’d rather have been at that very moment. I was covered in sweat again, but this time not from the sun or the hard work we’d been enduring all day long, but from the body heat generated from the four little humans that surrounded me. A blue tarp was laid out on the ground in front of a big white screen featuring “Kung-Fu Panda”, where we sat still for the next two hours under the star and moon lit sky. I’m not sure who enjoyed this evening most…

Julie

Well the time has come and our 26 participants and 4 interpreters and 4 Hero Holiday leaders boarded the open air trucks and began our 1st annual BPF Hero Holiday.

This afternoon would introduce us to to three families and some other projects that Hero Holiday has worked with in the past. Our first stop, with excited anticipation, was a town that had previously been called Augas Negras, also know as “Black Water”. The town’s name reflects the awful reality of what happens when the rains come and the river floods leaving the community and its inhabitants in six inches of septic water. This community has recently been renamed Nuevo Renacir, which means “rebirth”, and we are so excited to be able to be a part of the transformation in the lives of the families living there. Our three house builds will include raised foundations, providing a safe home for these families we now call friends.

The anxiety of our participants was quickly relieved as children and families welcomed us with open arms. On our quick walk through the town it was not long before every participant was holding the small hand of an excited child or arm and arm with smiling teenagers. As one participant said so eloquently, “we felt as welcomed in this new place as a family member would be welcomed back at home.” In this town we also met Marie, (the mother of one of these three families), and when asked if she had anything to say to the group the only words she could get out were “thank you for making my dreams come true.” As tears were shed we boarded the buses and headed off to destination number two, the community of La Union.

La Union is community made up of Dominican and Hatian individuals who work predominantly in the garbage dump, a one hour walk from their homes. As this is a town that the Hero Holiday teams regularly partner with, the noise of the trucks brought out all the children, excited to meet the new “Gringos” (foreigners). As we exited the back of the trucks each participant was met with open arms, warm smiles, tight embraces, and hands to hold. Young men and women eagerly piggy backed, tossed in the air, and cuddled each and every child that came their way. It was very clear just on day one that this experience would change our lives forever. Shortly after our tour of the village we met the “Mayor” Beto, who welcomed us so graciously and thanked us, even thought we didn’t bring anything but ourselves! This stop also was all too short and soon it was time for us to get on the truck and depart to the next destination. As our truck drove away tears streamed down participants faces as they wrestled with the harsh reality of what they had seen.

Our third and final stop was Arroyo Seco, a town built and proudly led by a saint called Pastor Garica. Arroyo Seco has been the recipient of help and support from Hero Holiday for a number of years and the people of this community reflect a feeling of hope. Arroyo Seco is made up of over 800 people who live in just over 250 dwellings. Pastor Garcia is the ambassador of hope and change and now most in the community are able to read and write and enjoy many opportunities that have been made possible by the love and support of this very giving man. During our short time at the church and community centre, playing on the newly built basketball court, the laughter and the smiles of all the children who had now gathered truly reflects that the community that has strong ties. We played basketball, jumped rope, threw frisbees, inflated beach balls, pushed children on the swings, and we just held hands. All too soon it was again time to leave and as we lined up the children to receive our last small gift of a candy, many familiar with the children exclaimed, they have never seen them sit so well!

It was a very special day and we look forward to many more on this journey!

Emotionally exhausted but happily content, we could tell that this trip was going to be so much more than anyone anticipated and as one participant said, “we have been doing this only one day and it is already more than I had ever thought it would be!”

Cheryl and Michelle

First Post From Mexico!

Today we lived the Flexico life…(Translation - Flexible Mexicans). The day started off with our bus breaking down on the way to build. But most of us used the time to get to know each other better and some even played in the streets with their football…don’t worry, the elders reminded them of what mom would say. Despite arriving at the house late, we accomplished a lot…painting the interior, the shower room & the baño, putting windows in and building beds. We decided to take off early and head to the beach (despite the fact that it was cool and really windy). It was a nice break from the hard work we have been doing the past 3 days. After that we headed back to have the most delicious fajitas made by Dawn & Julia. Then we headed back out to San Quintin (where we are building)
to watch “How to Train a Dragon” with all the children. However, the day wouldn’t have been complete without one last adventure…where Andrew found the one wet piece of land in San Quintin to drive the bus over & get stuck. We have so many young men on the trip that they were almost able to push it out…but we ended up getting towed despite their efforts. Today was definitely a day of unknowns and ADVENTURE!

Dallas Johnson

Saturday, May 21st
We awoke and ate breakfast, then it was a speedy departure…off to Mexico. It was about a five hour bus ride. Along the way we stopped and I ate one of the most fantastic tacos I’ve ever eaten. When we arrived at the Hero Holiday house we went to our rooms and got settled. Next we finally got to meet with the family we were building for. You should have seen the house they lived in and their standard of living, it all seemed so bad compared to what we have, yet they were still really happy and joyful. The locals were kind, proving many of our thoughts wrong. The bus driver and our trip leader, Andrew, gave us a surprise on the way home…we were going to meet the School of Leadership students who were living in Mexico and then going to a masked wrestling match! The wrestling match was awesome! The loochadores were wild and crazy, it was something we’d never forget.

Sunday, May 22nd
Today was the day we starting to build on the house, we discussed the rules and safety measures and then we were off. Throughout this 6 hour work time we built all the walls and roof panels. It was shocking, yet encouraging how much we accomplished as a team. It seemed as we worked, the family grew closer and friendlier towards us. After we finished working we went back to the house and ate some the largest pizzas I’ve ever seen. Then we were off to church, they spoke in Spanish, but there were headsets to translate what was being said in English for us gringos. The preacher was up lifting, and the music gave a different feeling being in an alternative language. When we got home we had a campfire and sang more songs.

Monday, May 23rd
We were off work to again! Today we got the 4 walls and roof up (lots of hard work!). Some of us climbed up and built the roof, others helped set up the walls, cut out a square for the windows, and painted the outside of the house. At the end of the work day we were off to eat some authentic Mexican tacos. Many of us went right to bed when we got back to the house…this kind of work tires you out! 

The UCM Hero Holiday team =  amazing. Great people, great conversations, great hugs, great love. It felt good to feel such love. I loved that every day we had to re-plan meals to match their evolving plans. One day I made berry-protein smoothies with Antonio, and tried to teach him how important it is to clean up after himself. (And the next day, I smiled to myself when I was over at his house & saw that he’d not only made another one by himself, but cleaned up like a champ!) I spent the afternoon with Julia & Nohemy on Cinqo De Mayo, and got a hair cut (it was seriously necessary!)

Planning to watch “Toy Story 3″ with the group – and then forgetting all of the equipment at the house. Going back, getting the equipment, and watching the movie en espanol at the build site with the community members. Matt & Sandra, Tyson & Amber – the group leaders and their constant encouragement. That the group was grateful for all the work we did – and told us.

Friday morning pancakes for the group, and Tuesday morning French Toast for my family! Cooking as per order; chocolate chip or regular. Making special pancakes – Mickey Mouse for Sarah, and Smiley face for Jo. Writing LOVE in chocolate when the smiley face all melted together! The pineapple juice at Smokey’s Taco Stand ROCKING my world. Pedro asking ‘you happy?’ Working on my resume & getting places on it! An amazing Friday afternoon at El Eden pool, complete with a manicure and a veggie burger. Reading happy messages from friends & asking lots of questions.

Zumba class with Gabby and the girls. (I KID YOU NOT – EARLIER THIS WEEK I LEGIT RIPPED A PAIR OF PANTS I WAS DANCING SO HARDCORE. THIS CLASS IS NOT A JOKE.) We had a girls night at Old Mill; complete with…UFC? How were we to know a big fight would replace our live music and dancing? Watching “In Her Shoes” at Nohemy’s house and talking about boys on Sunday afternoon. Talking to my mom on Skype. Walking with my roommates in whatever direction we felt like. Stopping at Maggie & David’s house. Eating cake at Maggie & David’s for Dia de Las Madres. Learning to play Uno. Looking at prospective families for groups to build for this summer.

I was leader of the day yesterday! It was fun but stressful. My favorite expenditure was the giant box of strawberries for $5. Last night I slept in a hammock under the stars!!!..until I woke up and had to pee. Today I pushed kids on swings & made Chai Tea Concentrate. Now, I’m going to go sit and relax & then fall asleep early so that manana (tomorrow)...I can do more things that I love.

I love Mexico, I love learning who I am, and I love not having any idea who that is. And as per Maggie’s instructions…I’m enjoying life along the way.

All peace and love and positive & a side of SUNSHINE, Leah

We pulled up to a cement wall with a battered red gate separating us from all the children on the other side. Before we could get off Cole told us that today we were parents, that we should love, hold, play with as many children as possible. Then we met Mme Paul, to explain her look would be to say she is everyone’s grandmother. She greeted us with open arms, smiles and kisses. Frantzo was able to translate the story of the orphanage to us.  Mme. Paul started her orphanage 20 years ago with 15 children and today she has over 120 (121 to be exact). It was amazing how this women just bursted with love!

Off to the side we could see the make shift classrooms lined up along the outside wall of the yard. Even with a bus full of blanc’s pulling in, they kept their cool and continued with their studies. At least until the bell rang. Then with stampedes of laughter the children quickly found someone to hang on to. As we played it was hot to say the least, but these children, our new friends, didn’t mind and neither did we. Imagine having only a few people to say goodnight to 121 kids…some of my most cherished moments as a child were night time stories spent with my father. How would they be able to share so much time with such little resources? However they managed, these children had a family, Mme Paul made sure of it.

There was laughter, crying and confusions throughout the yard as we passed out toys, water and bags of chips. Looking at these kids is unlike anything I could explain. What is their story? There are kids looking after babies and babies learning how to look after themselves. It was a pleasure to see them playing jump rope and have their little faces light up when you play the simplest of games. All good things must come to an end though, and with hugs we said our goodbyes.

Before the night could be over we had our final debrief, followed by a slide show of our days spent together in Haiti.

Time to pack!

By Liz

When we got to Port-au-Prince we quickly got on our bus that took us to our new home for the last few days of our trip. After we were all settled in Cole took us on a tour of Port-au-Prince. The first thing we saw was the Palace which is where the Haitian President is supposed to reside, but because of structural damage caused by the earthquake this is impossible. When we first saw this building it literally looked like it had fallen yesterday because of the small changes that have been done. In front of the Palace there were a bunch of posters, these posters showed plans that the Haitian Government has for the rebuilding of their nation.

From there we went to the Port-au-Prince Cathedral, which had been completely destroyed during the earthquake. As we walked through the devastation we noticed all the broken windows that were once stained glass, and the massive amounts of rubble that were once the walls and roof of this building. While we were walking around we witnessed the Haitian community worshiping the one part of the church left untouched, this demonstrates the level of faith they have even when it seems like they have nothing.

We left downtown Port-au-Prince and headed to Cite Soleil (city of the sun), which is the poorest slum in the western hemisphere. One of the first things that hit us was a smell that was so bad it’s truly indescribable. There was tent after tent that house hundreds of thousands of people even almost a year and a half after the earthquake. At first glance we were comforted by the simple thought of shelter; but when we really thought about the details we realized how hard it would be to live in that situation. A lack of hygiene, privacy, security, and comfort…not to mention the stifling heat and the amount of people confined to one tent would be unheard of in North America.

At the end of the day during our debriefing session, what seemed to be the most common thought was how different Cap Haitien and Port-au-Prince are. We never imagined to be in two different worlds that are so close together. As a group we are looking forward to getting to work in such a vulnerable city.

By Chad

In the evening we took the bittersweet last walk up the mountain to the school to distribute some of our donations. Said a goodbye to the community we have grown to love and eat some cake. After they thanked us for coming and doing the work that we did we showed off our high class talents by preforming the hokey pokey. When the laughter of confused looks were over with we handed out donations. With never doing this in Cap Haitien we did not really know what to expect. It is truly hard to explain the sheer desperation you witness during these events. People pushing and shoving, dirty looks thrown to one another just at the off chance of receiving something as insignificant to us as a hat. It’s hard to believe these are the same loving people we only met the other day. Once the chaos was settled we had to say our final goodbyes. But we left happy knowing that every family in the community got at least one thing. But most of all we left with them having a school!!!

By Chad and Liz

Yesterday was day four of construction, the last day of work. All that was left in the houses to do was putting in inner walls, bed frames, a bit of roofing and painting. We split into two crews, the shopping crew and building crew. While the building crew finished up working on last touches and fixes, the shopping crew shopped for furniture, groceries and household items. Shopping was an experience. We first stopped at the furniture place. We needed basic furniture like a table, mattresses, chairs and shelves or dressers. It was an incredible feeling having to pick a dinner table knowing that this family would sit around it for every dinner. Although picking a table that could fit a family of 9  (or more!) was kind of tricky but we managed to find something suitable. After all the mattress “testing” (which was basically us jumping up and down on them to make sure they were good enough) and dresser picking was done we did some bargaining to get them as low as possible. And then we were off to the grocery store. There we picked about a months supply of groceries and necessities for them. It was nice to see and pick what things were going into the house, and more and more the house became a reality. 

The shopping crew joined the building crew in the afternoon to help put in those final touches. And voila! The houses were all done and they were beautiful. Most of the rest of the afternoon was spent with the family and children. Playing with the kids proved to be as tiring as hammering in nails all day. They wanted to be taken on never ending piggyback rides. And even though we were panting, trying to catch our breaths they wanted go again and again (they seemed to run on an impossible amount of energy). And who could say no to those eager adorable faces? 

For supper, we were invited by the lady who mortgaged the pieces of land we were building on, to her place. Traditional fish and chicken taco, dinner couldn’t have been better. After the traditional and fun dinner we headed to a house where we would be playing a movie on a big screen projector for the local community. We watched ‘Toy Story 3′ in Spanish. It was sweet to see the kids so excited about the movie. 

Overall it was a packed day and we were exhausted by the end of it. But all of us had a sense of accomplishment and that was calming. Today we are dedicating the houses to the families and we’re so excited! I have a feeling we won’t ever forget this day, and neither will the families.

-From Baja Mexico

We arrived to admire the work that had been conducted in our absence. The support beams had been applied along with steel sheet roofs. The majority of the stucco had been applied and the school was truly becoming realized to what it would become. We said our greetings to the Haitian builders and set to work. We began with our usual production line to bring sand down the mountain. From our experience we learned to make it far more efficient – although with a lot less resting! After we had retrieved an impressive amount of sand we took a water break.

Following this water break we ironically set off to get more water! We went on a hike down to the local water well with a few local companions where we were greeted by a large group showering, doing laundry, and collecting drinking water. They kindly greeted us and allowed us to retrieve our water in turn and leave on our way. At this point we had collected an entourage of children who were greeting us like family and accompanying us back up to the school. I am always impressed at the skill of the Haitian people to walk up what seems like cliffs to us with buckets on their heads - they are truly a strong people. Some children were kind enough to “guide” those of us lacking sure footing and would push us up if we ever slipped or needed help.

The ability to be welcomed into a community without even speaking the same language is truly an indescribably touching experience. We arrived back from our water run with our new posse in tow and were soon surprised by a new arrival. A large group of women – which we assumed to be from a church- arrived to our work site and began filing into the school and trapping a few of our group inside. They then spontaneously burst into song and brought smiles to many of ours faces. They said ‘thank you to our group before departing on their trek. We quickly formed another production line and finished off a pile of sand before departing for our lunch break.

After a delicious meal of sandwiches, pasta, chicken, and potatoes we said our goodbyes to our under-the-weather companions and set off back to work. We were happy to find that the recently constructed windows and doors for the school were being delivered and began getting attached. We broke our group into specific work groups – mixing cement, applying stucco, adding cinder block walls, and even just moving water buckets and cement bags. It was great to see that we were all becoming friends with the locals and learning each others names. We sweat, laughed and talked with each other; both learning new languages and new ways to work more efficiently. After a short period we split our group into two teams to play with the large groups of children that were migrating towards us.

Both groups quickly began breaking out the balls, crayons and paper. The joy in a child’s eyes from such simple games and connection is an extremely heartfelt experience. The second group even brought out kites to fly – which the Haitians were far superior at flying then any of our attempts. It was full of laughs, hugs, “monkey-in-the-middle”, colouring out of the lines, and various fun activities. The way these children laugh, smile, and embrace us so openly and instantly is one of the most amazing experiences of my life. The feeling it gives and the connection it creates cannot be described in this blog – you have to be here to experience it yourself. Holding their hands, sharing their laughs, and seeing a glimpse of their daily life. They are a people who have very little in the sense of material possessions or wealth, but they are rich in their appreciation for each other and the value they place on what they do have. They live life to it’s fullest and cherish each moment in spite of the challenges they face. Because it is all they know. I showed my new Haitian friends pictures of a birds eye view photo of their city I took from our plane and saw their eyes light up. It was touching… but also sad because it is unlikely that they will ever see that view with their own eyes.

We left that day knowing we had worked hard and headed back to our hotel. I left smiling with children in tow and proud of the school to be. Prouder still knowing that these children shared that feeling. “This is my school, This is our school” the children had said – and the school was not yet completed!

After dinner the group met upstairs for our usual debriefing. Our focus today was on empathy. On never jumping to conclusions but instead seeing things from another’s perspective and share their feelings. We discussed how we can sometimes place higher value on those we relate to. We used American rescue worker’s as an example – they were sent to Haiti to recover the American dead bodies trapped in the rubble. While at the same time there was still hundreds of Haitians trapped alive in the rubble; 60 in one collapsed supermarket. We all place our priorities differently and we talked more about how we have to put faces to statistics so we can better relate and understand them.

An example of statistics that was mentioned was the 9-11 attack and how 2,973 people died. This got massive media coverage and attention. Where as the fact that each day over twice that; 6,000 Africans die from AIDS. Each day, an additional 11,000 are infected. On top of that once every six seconds someone dies of starvation; this can be in the upwards of 50,000 every day. Thess statistics do not even phase most “well off” people. Because they don’t relate or understand those numbers; they’re just too big to truly understand.

But now I have faces, names and memories to put beside those statistics and I understand that it our responsibility to recognize the wrongs in this world and the luxuries I live with. It is our generation that must live and make these changes. Because we are all people… we’re just born in different places and indifferent situations. Besides that, there’s not much different. We all eat, we all sleep, we all struggle, we all love, and we all care.

Dustin

Filling a few bags with candy and coloring books we traveled to the work site.  It was decided that we would travel to Calvaire in two teams so that we could still be productive at all times:
Team 1
Including kids of all ages we were able to bond through basketball, football, patty cake and duck duck goose. Besides the physical interaction there were moments to just hang out with one another. Even though we could barely speak there language it was comforting to see how a simple wave, high five or hug could bring two people from other cultures so close.  At the end of the time together we were able to hand out “silly bands” as a reminder of our time together.
Team 2
The second team got down to the kids and immediately broke out the skipping ropes, basketball and football, the kids were so excited! Then we brought out the coloring books, and everything dropped. There was a mad dash for the crayons and a picture to color in. When they were finished all the kids were so proud to show off their new colorful creations. At the end of all the coloring and fun was over we headed back up to the work site to finish up the day.

The work day was finished so we started our trek home eager for showers and a bed to take a nap in. Upon finishing supper we busted out the many suitcases full of donations collected by the team. We sorted them by gender, then age, and then by who it would be going to. We will be giving some of our donations to the community we are building for and some to an orphanage in Port Au Prince.

By Chad, Liz, and Shannon

As we reached this new coastline and its view I was awestruck with the potential this country has to become an outstanding tourist destination. The beautiful crystal clear water, the coconut and palm trees, the wildlife and most of all the kind and smiling locals. As soon as we approached Royal Caribbean International’s private beach resort/dock at Labadee we realized this potential has been realized. Unfortunately it was also selfishly guarded behind a barbed wired fence. With it’s own miles of white sand beaches, a 50 million dollar dock, its fleet of sea-dos, water toys, tour guide boats, a massive multi-wired zip line and a rail slide. Yet all these luxuries and more were cut off from the Haitian people who could little afford or imagine it. It is located just 7 hours away from Port-au-Prince; the epicenter of the 2010 earthquake and its devastation and continued to bring in guests while others were struggling to survive. RCI does bring in 6 dollars per client to the Haitian government; but I just find it to somehow not be enough to this country that is in such great need and provides them with such an amazing destination. I feel it should instead be used as a Haitian vacation spot run and benefited by the Haitian people. But it is a complex issue and nothing is black and white.

We arrived at a small beach located beside the fenced off resort section on the Haiti side. We unloaded off of our bus and onto two water taxi’s. In our two groups we left shore and got a better look at the RCI beach and it’s massive dock. We quickly continued with our journey towards a beach farther down which we had all to ourselves. Everyone quickly stripped down to our bathing suites and went into beach mode. Whether it was playing king of the hill on our own little float pad, canoeing around, or just swimming out – everyone had a blast. After finding and admiring various wildlife (starfish, sea urchins, fish, chameleons, turtles, snakes, and even jellyfish) we took a lunch break and ate some delicious pizza the hotel had prepared for us. We broke into two groups and began playing Frisbee. After some final suntanning and photo taking we packed up onto our boats and departed. We also had to carry our two translators Franzo and Joes - who are not the most “confident” in water situations – their boats.

We arrived back at the hotel in time for dinner and a bit of down time after an exciting day away. After dinner we all got together to watch a slide show of pictures from Cole’s travels and adventures. It’s heart breaking to hear about the suffering and pain the country has gone through; but also inspiring to hear about the things the Haitian people have gone through and how they persevere and continue forward towards something brighter. We also discussed Absolute’s various trips and the great things they do.

Overall it was a truly beautiful day where the entire team continued to bond and become greater friends. Although truthfully I felt slightly guilty at being able to enjoy myself to such an extent while so many others cannot. But that thought made me look forward to getting back to work tomorrow even more. Thank you Hero Holiday for that truly exotic and beautiful beach day. It was a side of Haiti I am very fortunate to have experienced and hope others get to also in the future.

Dustin

We began by dividing the group into two teams; one was delegated to mix cement Haitian style; which is conducted on the floor and with shovels. This cement was used for the rough coat of the classroom walls and smooth out the cinder blocks underneath. The second and larger team formed an assembly line to transport cinder blocks and sand from farther up the mountain. This was quite the production line and took up several hours of labor intensive hauling over rocks and passing down a small cliff. This venture went extremely smoothly and fast thanks to amazing teamwork and the help of two Haitian children K’Vincent and George who were extremely kind and helpful… and only 14. The cinder blocks and sand being transported was to be used on the production of the walls inside which the first team was constructing.

The ultimate goal of our group and the community is for the completion of at least two classrooms. This construction will allow many of the children in the community to attend school as it will allow far easier access to education instead of forcing the children to walk down the mountain to the schools farther in Cap Haitien. This school will also be more affordable and allow child sponsorship to those children and families who are in greater need.

The cement team inside experienced a different interaction with the local workers as they patiently demonstrated how to mix the cement and slap it on the walls. The local Haitian construction workers were quite impressed and surprised with the fact that the majority of our group is females who were working just as labor intensive as everyone else. This is due to the fact that in local Haitian culture the only manual labor women ever do is to fetch water. It was a great exchange of culture and also gave the group inside a taste of local working songs.

Outside the rest of the team really bonded together and created an efficient method of transporting the cinder blocks and buckets of sand from the top of the hill to the school. The team was even able to keep a positive attitude and integrate fun into the hard work at hand. The group would tell jokes, sing songs, and even dance during our production line. We may have made our two local helpers think we were a bit crazy but even they became great friends and joined in the fun with some beat boxing.

Later in the afternoon after we had finished most of the jobs we were able to complete at the time, we split the group in half and took turns walking down to the community to play a few games with the children and talk with the people in the community. We brought a basketball and a football and quickly the kids started to come and play. Although the basketball became a soccer ball in no time at all. Word quickly spread that the “blancs” were playing and several more people arrived; we were then able to play larger games. The second group was even able to teach the children to play ‘Duck, Duck, Goose’ which the community found extremely entertaining… although it had multiple mishaps while being learned.

Today was such a powerful experience. The entire group bonded through the labor, learned through the sweat and the laughs and bonded through the mutual experience. It was a day I wouldn’t trade for anything and I cannot wait for the rest to come. Thank you Hero Holiday, thank you Haiti for your hospitality, and thank you to everyone in this great group for working so hard and becoming such great friends in such a short time.

Once we were done at the school we filled up our water bottles and headed into the community eager to meet the children we will be providing a school for.  Turning ourselves towards the opposite side of the mountain we rejoiced in the thought of a downhill trek into the community. Standing on the pavement steps Cole (our trip leader) told us he was going to take us to a home where a single mother was raising 5 children, as well as another home where the father is unable to work due to an injury which prevents him from walking now. While visiting these homes Cole had wanted to show us where they got their water so we grabbed some buckets from both houses and starting walking, and walking, and walking. In the beginning we could never fathom how hard a little walk for water could be. Standing at the top on the paved steps in the community we thought the most difficult part was behind us but then we continued into the mountains. Along the way we stopped for a quick game of soccer with the local children in a flat patch beside the path. Following the excitement of the soccer game we got our second wind and continued on towards the well. Looking back on the walk for water it seems too easy to say, “it took us 20 minutes just to reach the well”.  In this country you don’t “just” do anything.  You have to compensate for the sweltering heat and the unforgiving terrain. Walking up and down hills, on paths that when you take a step you wouldn’t know if the rock you just stepped on would move from underneath you, or if you would slip on a slight decline in the ground, or look up at the scenery and trip over something protruding from the ground.

We reached the ‘well’ only to find out that this well was a spring from the side of the mountain. Standing on the rocks watching as one after the other filled their buckets from the spring it was hard to see that ten feet away there were people washing their laundry and themselves. Finding out that the blanco’s we here to carry water back to the community we were greeted with more containers and enthusiastic children. Having the jugs full we turned back to the community.  If we thought the walk was challenging before, we were in for a treat! We didn’t know it then but as we carried the water we realized, this isn’t just a one time thing for them. The people of this community have to do this all the time. It was at this point that the buckets didn’t feel so heavy. Each one of us picked up a bucket and start the hike into the community along side many of the local children doing there everyday walk for water. As we were huffing, puffing and struggling to get through rough mountain paths the kind eyes and warming smiles of the children as they passed us on their way gave us a second wind. At the end of the hike we were thanked by the families for what we did, it showed us how grateful they were for the fact they had water today.

In the afternoon we drove into Cap Haitien to look around a little. We had the opportunity to see some of the Cap Haitien Cathedral, as well as some of the french influenced architecture and historical sites. When the day was over we sat down for dinner and discussed how excited we were to start our project tomorrow.

By Chad, Liz and Safen

Once we arrived at the second airport to take a short little flight to our final destination, we met up with two other members. We were told it would be just a few minutes until the final member of our group would arrive. We got off the bus and immediately noticed the simplicity of the Haitian airport compared to our North American standards; the one door on the back wall that was both the departure and arrival gate, the one check in desk for the 5 airlines you could fly with, and the fact that we could inform our pilot when we were ready to take off is quite different then any major airport in North America to say the least. After 3 and a half hours of snacking, talking, and people watching we were told due to many delays that our team would be meeting our final member the next day. When we were informed about this we gave our pilot the heads up that we were ready to go, and packed our plane full of luggage, donations, and our team members.

Traveling through the clouds above Haiti was incredible. Getting to see all the mountains and landscape was beautiful but eye opening compared to the deforestation happening so close by. Port-au-Prince to Cap Haitien was only about 45 minutes, where we truly got our first real look at poverty. On our way out to the bus that was to take us to our hotel, there were people hoping for some sort of handout. The trip from the airport to the hotel was the first glimpse of everyday life in Cap Haitien. Even something simple like driving over a bridge and looking down, seeing the reflections in the black mucky water that people bath and swim in really showed us how great the need is in this city.

We got to our hotel and settled in, had a delicious supper, hung out, and talked about whats ahead got us really excited for the days to come.

Chad Dalley and Liz Dorey

4:12 am, Saturday night, or Sunday morning. In the hotel lobby I see my cohorts standing around, bleary eyed, but filled with a undeniable energy, a silent excitement, and a bewildered look that can only come from the exhaustion of travel coupled with a mid-night wake up. We are leaving shortly, catching a shuttle to the airport. The air outside the hotel lobby is tight and chilled, our anticipatory breath hanging visibly in the air as we shuffle out onto the bus. A kindly gentlemen gets out of the shuttle bus and begins to load our luggage. His face bears an amiable countenance and his hair is slicked back, white as the snowy north from which we are leaving. After a quick ride, the airport looms in front of us, a behemoth of modern technological prestige. We have met the other half of our crew at this point; they come from UBC Vancouver. New faces; however there eyes are identical to ours, beaming with excitement. Check in a security flows smoothly for all of us…well, Adam has his body wash and sunscreen taken away, but apart from forcing the rest of us to share our anti lobster lotion with him, it all goes well.

On the plane we are much like small children. Not that we behave as they do, we are not childish (not mostly), but childlike. A stewardess comes by and says we have bright cheerful faces. I do not disagree.

Touchdown. Safely landed. God has brought us to San Diego. From the dreary cool Seattle to the north we have arrived in the southern United States, and the sun beams down on us like a smile from God, welcoming us to the warmth of our trip. Shortly after, Matt and Andrew arrive along with their wives. Bob and Sarah are there as well, from Hero Holiday. With the six of them, and Andrew and Dawn’s son Anthony, we students from the north pile onto a bus and begin winding our way south through the beautiful summery city of San Diego. Andrew informs us we are going to stop in south San Diego right before the border. We will be going into a posh store called (phonetically) ‘tarshay,’ he announces over the bus’ intercom. It is actually the superstore ‘Target’ that we stop at. This reminds me of the power of pronunciation, and simultaneously shows Andrew’s rather clever sense of reality.
After spending some time buying supplies at ‘tarshay’, and having lunch in the surrounding area, we get back onto the bus, better acquainted with one another, and with no division of campus’ remaining. From here, it is but a quick vehicular jaunt to the border. As we close in, there is that slight tension in the air: will we be stopped…hassles, large guns, it is on our minds.  No issues whatsoever!

Now in Mexico, the reality is devastatingly clear. Opulence and prosperity give way to sharply visible stratification, where mansions dot one part of a hill and structurally unsafe slums ensconce it. This Tijuana is real, it is not the poverty of studies or of textbooks, it is the poverty of reality, and it is a shock. But the colors are vibrant and Andrew informs us that these people we see sitting about looking dejected and sunbeaten, are warm, kind and loving people, with an inherent cultural altruism. I would find out later that evening, that the majority of us were fairly touched and shocked by this disparity, one created by a fence and a notion of non-united nations.

A new day. Monday, the first day of building. It was hot, it was dry, the wind was whipping strongly around us, and the sun lotion and water coated our insides and outsides…respectively. There is so much I could say about this day that I am finishing as I sit here and type with a semi groggy mind, but for the sake of concision I will mention just a few amazing points from our day. Sitting around the fire as the hot day descended into a cool night, reflections on the day were shared. There were many comments, but a few recurring themes. We were all struck by the reality of what we were doing, and how blessed we are to have the wealth we experience as north americans. Not that we necessarily relished our large homes and myriad vehicles and gadgets, but we did recognize the opportunities this wealth affords us. We are all in extended programs of education and most of us have cameras that cost more money than these families make in a month. It is hard to tell whether these realizations were high points or low points, perhaps they were simultaneously both. Personally I am being humbled and being shown a truth that can’t be recognized in the snapshots we see in magazines, but must be experienced firsthand.

Today was a roofing day. I like this day, my favourite place to be is the roof and there is yet to be a build I am part of where I have not been on the roof. I don’t know if it’s the tar that is impossible to get off, or the scratches you acquire all over your legs from the plywood and shingles, or maybe even it’s the cramped hands and sore wrists you have by the time you are done hammering hundreds of 1/2 inch nails in, something about it is just appealing to me.
Emily, Leah, Sarah and myself (Deryn) made up the roofing crew, I was sort of the leader since I knew how to do everything where as the other girls had only been on the roof once before, or in Sarah’s case not ever. We worked great together and it was more of a team effort than anything. We did the first 3/8 rows before lunch and then got right back up there after lunch to keep working on the roof. When we finished it would be time to leave. We did nothing but work all day, while the boys stood around a lot (claiming to be working) and spent at least the last 30 minutes of the day watching us and heckling us from the ground.
In the end, I think we did a fabulous job with really no mistakes. I think Emily hit her fingers more than she hit the nails but other then that… oh wait, there may have been an incident involving the leftover piece of shingle and some wind, but no one was injured.
During the day Ponchito’s dad stopped by, it was really cool because he is the man that started the volunteer ambulance organization we were building for. This team of volunteers which Ponchito is now the head of and whose son, Noe, is a part of the team of paramedics. It is just amazing to see how it has evolved over the generations and hopefully it continues to grow and be a huge help to the people of this community.

After our day of work we got come home and scrapped the tar off our legs and got ready to go out for tacos! We went to Smokeys and La Taqueria Diferencia, they are really close to each other so you could eat at whichever you wanted, or both if you’re the boys. Then the girls got ready for Zumba!  Definitely can’t move my hips like those Spanish chikas. But we got sweaty and had a blast, it’s too bad it only lasts an hour!

~ Deryn, a School of Leadership student living in Mexico

Thursday was our last day of building and consisted mainly of spreading and smoothing skim-coat on the walls. We had a late start and then spent the day filling all the corners and cracks with cement, of course there wasn’t much to do so we got off track a few times. Onesimo (our Mexican friend helping on the worksite) and I got in minor water fights all day (whilst being yelled at by people working to get to work) and were generally not productive, it was a great day. I decided to end the day dumping water on Onesimo and then running to the van as it drove off, I got him nice and soaked and then ran off. However, we realized that we had taken all the drills and they needed one for the door. When we got back Onesimo was waiting with a bucket but got more water on himself than me. A great end to a great day.

~ Colin

With the roofing under our belts come lunchtime, we headed back to the house for some food. As soon as we got back to the site, we were ready to put the roof on! A few of us left early on in the afternoon to make 99 bags of popcorn for our movie night at the wonderful school in San Quintin. Trying to avoid work you might ask? I guess I forgot to tell you that this isn’t your regular microwavable popcorn, it was all made on the stove top! After our hours of work, the popcorn was gone in just minutes.

Sitting on a tarp under the stars, watching Megamind on the side of the school, listening to the chomping of popcorn, and having kids giggle while sitting on your lap.  That’s something that is irreplaceable. Much like any building project, in this case an ambulance station, we won’t fully understand how much of an impact we have just by setting aside a week to use our hands and feet to help others out. Today, while on the work site, one of the paramedic’s that’s helping us build this week received a message on his walkie-talkie about a car accident that happened: a car rolled 100 metres. The ambulance came to take the patients to the main hospital, which was hours away, and found out that one of them had passed away in the vehicle on the way.

I will never know how much the four walls I’ve been building mean to them, but it feels good knowing that I’m helping to play my part. It’s not hard to pick up a tool and just do it, and trust me, if I can do it, anyone else can.

Mucholovefrommexico,

-sarah! : )

Day 3 of the SOL build didn’t commence until around 10am, YAY! we got to sleep in… kinda. I was up at 7:30am so I guess I didn’t really get to sleep in. Once the work day started we began applying fiberglass panels to the outside walls of the Ambulance station and finishing screwing in the other half of the roof’s plywood. All in all it was another productive day. It’s so cool having my Dad around to help out and I even got to take advantage of his saw-abilities while I was on the roof needing some specially cut pieces of plywood. Luke has been a big help as well! He has been up to doing whatever he can to get the job done. Luckily he’s tall so he helped a lot with placing the roof structure on top of the walls of the building. It’s just so awesome having my family here with me in Mexico! After working until about 3 p.m. we returned to the big house where Ma and I started on dinner, Fetticcini Alfredo! I had to run to the store to get a few more veggies and then we began dinner prep. It was so much fun rocking out to Creed and Default while making dinner with my Ma, something I didn’t do enough back home. Once dinner was ready to eat, we waited until Julia, Edwin, Dawn and Anthonie showed up then we began to dig in. Dinner was DELISH!!
Later that night Ma, Luke, Nettie, Der, Lee and myself played 6-way dutch blitz, BEST GAME EVER. Because there was six of us, we partnered up and it was a big tourney up to 200. It was soo much fun!

Emily, a School of Leadership student living in Mexico

To you, it was Sunday, April 16th, 2011 - jus’ a regular ol’ Sunday. But for us Absolute-rs down in Mexico…it was work day number one! And more importantly, for the volunteer paramedics from Vincente Guerrero - it was the first build day of their new centre. This week, we’re building an 8 x 8 foot building for a group of people that volunteer their time & effort to saving people. Ambulance services are privatized in Mexico, and there aren’t many. So in Vincente Guerrero, there’s a group of people that work as volunteers on a very small budget for saving a lot of lives.

After a morning of standard Hero Holiday sandwich making (you know we love our bimbo bread!) & packing lunch into the cooler, we grabbed our water bottles and headed for the site. This build is different than others for a few reasons - one of them being that the land we’re building on is just 5 minutes away!

With the concrete pad so close, we got to the site quickly and jumped out of Gus (our trusty van), ready to build. Deryn, Sarah, Josh, Colin, Emily and I, alongside Nettie, Andrew, Dawn, Anthonie, and Santiago are working this week. All of us SOL’s are pretty excited about this project because it’s one that we’ll leave behind knowing we did as a team, a building that binds us all together a little more. Other reasons we’re excited? Well, this isn’t just ANY old build project - like I said, it’s different! This building isn’t just an experience for us SOL’s, it’s a learning experience for everyone involved.

Usually, when you arrive at a build site, there are lots of people to meet, tool belts to put on, instructions to give, and work crews to join. But today, what met us wasn’t a family or any tools belts. Instead, we met Noe, his brother & father - our teachers for the day & the leaders of the build. Noe runs a steel construction company - he builds houses & buildings, out of steel rather than wood. So, rather than strap on tool belts and start hammering, we unloaded a trailer full of steel studs and set to laying out the framework.Using steel as an alternative to wood is an experiment we’re trying this week; and it involves some serious teaching because none of us have ever worked with it before! Although neither Noe or his family speaks that much English, they communicate well in what I’ve deemed ‘build site Spanglish’ - a mix of Spanish, hand gestures and Santiago translating! All day these 3 were really patient, teaching us & laughing with us, instructing us where to place screws and chalk lines.

At first, I was really startled by how few tools there were. We only had one tool box, and there were more tape measures than anything else in it! But, as the day went on, I came to see that one of the benefits of steel built houses is that you only need a few items - power drills and screws are important, but those tape measures turned out to be our MVP - getting the screw on the line & into the stud is hard without them!

Speaking of tools… holding a power drill feels pretty cool. Not only do you look really awesome, you can get A LOT of work done in a very short amount of time. Did I mention that you look REALLY AWESOME?! Another plus of power tools is that all day you don’t hear the sound of hammers banging - rather, the site sounds like…home to a Nascar PIT CREW! Which of course means that at least once, a race is necessary. Kudos to Nettie for beating Anthonie that one time! I was feeling pretty ‘superhero’d’ out with my special steel work gloves (all of us were issued a pair for maximum hand protection!) and my yellow drill - and a favourite phrase of Sarah’s, drill in hand? ‘If I can do this, anyone can do this!’

The work seemed to go incredibly fast and by the end of the day, we had all 4 walls framed, sheeted, and standing! Plus, we’d had time for A LOT of joking, and some ice cream on the side. Noe & his family are involved with the Paramedicos and really care about the work they’re doing, both at the build site and in their ambulances - you can tell by the intent that they do it with and the care they put into each piece. Today was a collection day (the paramedics budget is made up of donations, with no extra funding. They wait at the busiest intersection in town and collect change from passing cars - so this is an important day of the month!) but at the end of their day, a couple of them in their crisp white shirts showed up, bearing cold drinks and smiles.

The best thing about this build is that we get to work right in the community, close to home, and with people that really care about helping others - and for a cause that truly deserves it. These paramedics save upwards of 600 people a year, running off donations and often volunteering alongside other jobs. This building will mean they can move out of the space they rent & use that money for improved medical technology, as well as keep the ambulances running.

Sunday, April 16th - day 1 for the Paramedico Pit crew (and the use of super cool power tools!) and we’re proud - the 4 walls of a better future are screwed in & raised.

~ Leah, a School of Leadership student living in Mexico

Job Description: Manager of Mexico Operations

Click here to apply

-Jeremy: Group Participant

Monday night we had a little bit of a fiesta for Ben, one of the guys who had his birthday during the trip. We broke a piñata, roasted marshmallows and danced to a pretty interesting mix of mariachi and dub-
step. We all enjoyed ourselves, but one of the things that struck me most was the sense of comfort we all found in one another as a group. Coming into this, not a lot of people knew most other people and most socialization consisted of small talk around the dinner table, and shy smiles on the bus. But after just a week and a half together, there was a full throttle dance party happening on the porch, and it was amazing to see.

We’re now heading back, after stopping in Bakersfield Wednesday night, we drove all Thursday night and we’ve finally arrived in Abbotsford. We have duck taped a girl to a seat, given enormous group
goodbye hugs to our newly-made friends and almost made it through a Starbucks drive through in a shopping cart. All in all, we’re a pretty great group of friends now. It’s been really incredible to see how these experiences have affected the people who had never seen or walked through poverty before. Lives have been changed, not only those of the people we have helped, but also those of the ones who have given their time and love to those in need. Its been an awesome trip and I’m so grateful to have experienced it with everyone.

After a nice afternoon filled with smiles and laughter, we left with the promise of coming back again tomorrow. Once we left, we were off to a grave yard. Once we arrived we were told about the realities of the high rate of infant mortality here in Mexico. We were also told about a personal experience that one had with this reality. The story was very upsetting and opened my eyes to the problems of an average citizen in Baja California.

DAY DOS (2). We finally started to build the house and school. As much as I would like to say I worked hard, I will admit that the eager little Mexican boys worked harder at hammering down nails in an hour than I did the whole day! It’s not that I didn’t want to work, it’s that there was simply not enough hammers and tool belts for everyone. Not only did I learn how to properly use a hammer on this day, I also learned how to use a chop saw thanks to Cody. Even though my day will filled with lots of smiles from the children, my favorite part of the day was at the very beginning. While I was listening to Les teach is how to use a hammer and telling us which part of the nail goes down, I was greeted by Yolanda. Yolanda is eleven years old, and one of the daughters in the family receiving the home this year. While I was standing, I felt a little hand creep into mine. I have only spent a couple of hours with this girl the previous day and she ready feels comfortable enough to hold my hand. In Canada we are taught not to associate ourselves with people we don’t know. In Mexico, you know everyone!

DAY NÚMERO TRES (3). I worked on the family’s house instead of the school. I helped assemble a roof and improved the number of hits it takes to hammer a nail in. I went from about fifty hits to around ten. After a full day of building and playing, we headed back to the house to eat dinner and then got ready for the movie night Hero Holiday hosts for a small village of kids. With a kid or two in everyone’s lap, together we watched Toy Story 3 en Español under the stars. Even though I miss my mom and dad very much I wouldn’t give this experience up for anything. I have learned so much on this trip and will probably keep learning. Sure, two weeks of skiing and partying would have been nice, but this is so much better.

~ Marissa

P.s. Mom, don’t be surprised if I don’t come back.

One of the unique things about this group is that every year they insist of traveling to and from Mexico on our Hero Holiday bus!  They can share countless stories with you about the good times on the road together!  They left Penticton yesterday morning and were slowed up for a few hours with traffic at the border in the Seattle area.  After getting out of that they spent a few hours of the side of the road this morning in Northern California because one of the mountain passes were experiencing some poor weather.  They just texted me from the road a few minutes ago to let everyone know that conditions have improved and they are on the go again.  The delays were insignificant and they should still arrive in San Diego this evening as planned.  Stay tuned for more updates of their trip, both here and on our Facebook page (FB-Absolute.org).

Not only are we anticipating another successful year of building and fun, but this group has many local friends in Mexico who are eagerly waiting their arrival!

In the afternoon we were split into groups of 3 and asked to prepare an English lesson for the local school. My group decided to teach numbers and fruits. Other people taught the colors, animals, and members of the family. It was fun and the students were fast learners. We drew posters and stuff to make our class more interesting. It was cool because some of the students could speak French so were able to speak a bit with them. Over all we had a great day and it is awesome to see the progress our team is making on the washrooms and showers facility.

~ Sophie

This morning we went back to La Union for a sports camp. It was fantastic, we brought lots of toys with us such as soccer balls, tennis balls and skipping ropes. It touched my heart to see how much all the kids appreciated these little toys. When we arrived we ventured down the hill to the field and all the kids came out of nowhere and claimed their “gringo” for the day.  It made me feel so special how much they loved us all.  Our time there was incredibly eye opening. It is amazing to see how happy these kids are when they hardly have anything and they constantly face tragedy in their lives. This really made my problems seem microscopic. We played all morning and when it was time to leave, all the kids were given some small gifts, pencils, candy and tennis balls. Then we said our goodbyes. Which was very hard….

After lunch we went to Chichigua to start our work project - building a shower and washroom facility for the community. I have to say it was back breaking work! We shoveled dirt away from the hole that had been dug to house the refuse. I thought about how people have to do this for 10 hours a day. For $7-10 per day…one hour was more than enough for me. After our work, we rotated and were able to sit with the kids and color in the books we brought or play ball. It was really nice. I have started to see things through a new lens. I am really looking forward to discovering more new things about the culture here and gain a better understanding of the struggles the local people face. Plus to see how much this Hero Holiday is going to change me! At the end of the day we all were very tired. So much to think about so far…

Additional Comments submitted by student participant Lucas:

I just got back from the village where we are building the washroom units. It was a tedious task to shovel a pile of rocks and dirt away from around the foundation of the building. We had to use shovels and picks to move large and small rocks.

In the morning, we went to the very first village that we went to yesterday and played numerous different sports. There was a boy that loved me and I got lots of pictures of him and I. We played soccer, basketball, frisbee, and I let him use my camera. I have about 25 pics taken by him.

The morning was amazing because I was surprised of how high the kids spirits are despite living in pretty much a dump. The houses are made of metal sheets that rust and disintegrate, leaving holes in roofs and wall panels. Half the houses have no bathroom and some rarely have a kitchen. Sleeping on the floor isn’t uncommon and a lot of the time people suffer from malnutrition. All of that is 15-30 minutes away from our all inclusive resort…it is a shocking difference.

I have really enjoyed trying to communicate with the kids, adults, and the jefe (head) of the villages. My petite French skills are coming in handy at times and I feel like I’m learning tons of Spanish and Creole.

Today was really tough because I wasn’t feeling well at all. My stomach wasn’t where it should have been and I had an upset you know what. Linda, the nurse, gave me Imodium or something along those terms. Feeling better now but still not great. Apparently it’s from the heat and lack of sleep. I had a tough sleep because Vancouver is 4 hours behind and it is hard to fall asleep at 8:00pm Vancouver time.

Last night was karaoke night…it was…interesting. I was able to get my teachers to sing Stop by the Spice Girls. That was hilarious. I sung Imagine by John Lennon with all the other guys. I thought the song suited why we are here. It is 5:10pm ish here and it is still a very nice temperature. I have been getting some color but mainly on my burnt neck.

Loving all aspects of my trip so far! Hugs!

Nothing could prepare me for what I was about to see today. The entire day was a constant wave of emotions sweeping me of to new adventures. The first place the trucks took us to was a poor community that was bursting with friendliness, and surprisingly high spirits. Who would have ever guessed that people could be so happy with so little?
As we stepped off the truck, we were greeted by an array of shining faces that belonged to children. The children were thrilled to hold our hands and join us “gringos” on a tour of their village.  A little boy who held my hand for some of the walk was quite a camera star. He was totally over joyed to pose for pictures, and gave a BIG grin when I showed him the picture I had taken of him. I also found it hilarious when he laughed menacingly and pointed at a boy on our teams braces. I don’t think I will ever forget the girl who came and gave me a hug before it was time for our team to leave.
Back tracking a little, this is village is home to most of the people we will be working with in the garbage dump. The community is quite a site, definitely opposite of what you would find in a Canadian town. The houses are tiny, spacing is uneven, clothe lines hang from most homes (which by the way are extremely bare looking inside). You will also see pigs, dogs, chickens, and other animals roaming freely in the lane ways. The people who lived there have cut wire from the main power line and connected it to their home. It is an easy way to get free power but very dangerous. In fact, we were told that electrocution is often the 2nd leading cause of accidental death in the Dominican Republic.
We hopped back on the trucks again waving randomly at citizens as we drove across the scenic landscape. Then it occurred to me how strange it was that nearly everyone we waved to waved back or smiled. If we were to wave like that through a community in Canada people would be all weirded out and just stare. We pulled to a halt at our next stop around 11am. It was a community centre, school, and church in one building that other Hero Holidayers have helped build on past trips like ours. Behind this facility there was a small basketball court were some teen-aged guys were playing basketball. Our group challenged them to a game after taking a peek at the school. It was fun! Also, when playing a sport, you don’t need language to communicate. Lucky for me, since I do not speak any Spanish. Later when I sat down next to a new little friend I attempted to ask what her name was in Spanish, “Como se Llama?”. Or at least that’s what I thought I said but my pronunciation must have been disastrous since she stared back clueless. After that it was time to return back to the resort for lunch. I dragged my feet to the bus because I really did not want to leave my new friends just yet.
After a buffet lunch, we drove off to our final stop of the Awareness Tour. We stopped at a tiny community of primarily Haitians that have are extremely poor and many without work since the sugar cane industry took a bad hit. The house were in rough shape with patch work tin roofs that apparently leak during rain falls. We meet the “heffa (boss in Spanish), a kind hearted man who never goes anywhere without his horse. We also got to meet his daughter, a pretty young girl with mental and physical disabilities that have put her in a wheel chair. Her smile and joy could light up a room! She enjoyed our company and watched us from her wheel chair as we played a game of soccer with a group of teen-aged boys. We got to see our building project for our trip. We will be constructing a bathroom and shower facility for the community since at this time they do not have any in the entire village. Up until we complete this project they have been using the field behind the community.
We drove back to our hotel after that. Our minds lost in thought. I finally feel like I am beginning to see through my heart, not just my eyes.

~ Cholena