Casa (house)

I spent the past two weeks in Honduras having my first experience on a World Accord build. World Accord building projects are having a positive impact on life in rural Honduras, especially the school builds. Life is improving there, although many people still live in real poverty. Our project was to provide additional space to an existing technical school in the village of Horcancitos. This is excellent because teaching students how to do electrical and other work in the trades gives them skills with which to earn a good living. Education is clearly the key to the future.

On the first day of this adventure, we took a trip, riding in the back of Al Wigood’s pickup truck, up through the beautiful mountain country near La Buena Fe.

It was in one of the small villages there that I met Reyna, a woman whose situation touched me deeply. Reyna stood on her one leg and crutches, shook my hand, looked me directly in the eye and spoke to me in Spanish. My limited Spanish did not allow me to understand many of her words, but the passion and gratitude she was expressing for the work of World Accord was unmistakable. She then invited us to visit her in her casa (home).

Reyna lives with her husband Pablo in their mud and stick house up on a hill on the side of the mountain. It is accessed up a rough, stony path, which Reyna navigates easily on her crutches. Pablo earns a subsistence living working in the coffee fields. Al tells me that Pablo is crippled up with arthritis which means they both have physical barriers they cheerfully overcome.

Reyna’s house is one of the poorest I have ever seen. She did not seem to be the least bit self-conscious or embarrassed about that, but warmly welcomed us in for a visit. Clearly her attitude was, “Me casa es tu casa”, My home is your home.

The exterior walls are leaning and falling apart, making the house look like it could fall down at any minute, which is probably true. The interior walls consist of a plastic tarp, suspended from the roof to provide rooms. There is a dirt floor and no chimney, which means the smoke from the cooking fire fills the house and eventually finds its way out under the eaves of the tin roof, which it has no trouble doing.

As the days progressed, I could not help thinking of Reyna’s house. I talked with Al and we both agreed that, clearly, something needs to be done. Al and Freddie, our foreman on the build, said they would build her a new home, starting as early as February. I said I would try to raise the money.

If this story has touched your heart at all, you are invited to help. The cost of building a new, cement block home for Reyna and Pablo is approximately $2,000 Canadian. Its not a huge sum, and we can do this. If you would like to assist, please send your cheque, payable to World Accord and mail it to:

World Accord
1C-185 Frobisher Dr.
Waterloo, Ontario
Canada N2V 2E6.

Mark you donation for the “Families for Families” program. All donations are tax deductible, and receipts will be issued at the appropriate time. Thank you for even being willing to consider this request.

Together we can help abolish poverty and end suffering for this gracious lady and gentleman.

Posted by Carman