A Habitat for Humanity Poem
This post was written by undergraduate students Lauren Garey ’12 and Chandra Kelley ’12 from El Salvador on the Habitat for Humanity Spring Break trip.
Building houses for those in need?
Can we do it with unbeatable speed?
Can we make a difference in just one week?
You wonder and now a student will speak…
There are 14 of us here working 8 hours a day.
The peoples’ joy is our only pay.
We are building two houses in El Salvador.
In the future, we hope to do more.
We are making cement and carrying blocks.
At night we have long reflection talks.
We are painting the house and putting in the floor.
We are climbing on scaffolding above the door.
We have helmets and gloves – have no fear.
The good news is our work site is finally clear!
We hauled dirt for many hours
Before returning to our warm showers.
Every night when we return to the hotel, we talk about the day.
Everyone has a lot to say.
In our reflection tonight we said how we were feeling
To check up on how everyone was dealing.
Everyone felt comfortable and calm.
Not speaking Spanish seemed to be the only qualm.
The families and kids love to help us at our sites
And the local people always want to teach us how to cook their delights.
We made a local dish called papusas (after washing each hand!)
And enjoyed all the culture there is to absorb in a foreign land.
It is hard be here without feeling bad
For all that we have that others should have had.
But when we see the strong community and all the smiles
We know it was worth traveling so many miles.
For we have brought with us labor, help, and love
And the people of the town repeatedly refer to us as angels from above.