Day 6: Crashing

Hey, Guys. This is Zach, Evie, and Camille. Today’s theme was crashing and indeed, we crashed. It was hot and it was tiring, but we were also really productive. At the site of Raphael’s house, Zach helped put a window in, and straightened out nails to recycle and use again. This first house is a temporary one for Raphael to live in while the permanent structured is constructed. Camille worked with others to finish the majority of the walls of a shed and successfully hammered in a nail without losing any fingers. 

Down the road at Barbara’s house, Evie laid sod in the side yard and put grout in the tile on the floor of the main room. Evie’s group also saw two huge iguanas eating mangos in the backyard. They’re great to look at, but their nails and tails we learned from stories our leader Hector told us are dangerous.  Everyone, at all three building sites took a break just before 11 am to buy doughnuts out of the back of Jesus’ car.  Have you ever tried a guava cheese doughnut? 

At lunch time at least half the group, both and girls, played basketball. The adults were amazed and entertained. Lunch and a show!

We’re really grateful to the men from the St. Louis church, who arrived on this trip with construction skills, and are the only reason we have built standing structures this week. They also taught us how to use power tools. Watch out! Hide your saws! If you’re wondering about our safety, we still have all our fingers and toes. No trips to the emergency room!

And then there’s the bus. Not only does it provide LOUD Puerto Rican music, but it looks like a disco ball traveling down the highway. The lights flash inside and out.  

We were previously wondering why FEMA did not help the people in Sector La Hormiga after Hurricane Maria wrecked their houses.  They started to, but then found out that the residents did not have deeds to their property because they had been passed down from generations to generation without anything official ever being filed. FEMA said if you don’t have paperwork, we can’t work on your houses, and they left.  HUNGER, the organization who planned our trip, moved in with volunteers to help people rebuild and get their papers. We’re glad to help this community of people we know and care about, rebuild their houses into new homes.

P.S. In case you were wondering, Justin, Stefan, and Matt are continuing with their egg eating challenge.  They took a breakfast break this morning, but made up for it this evening.  Matt bested them, however, by eating a full dozen before dinner.