Construimos esperanzas

Today we were not able to go to our worksite so we went to the site where the other group was building. We had an opportunity to meet their family who were living in a tiny wooden shack behind the current build. It was a 10x10 one-room house with dirt floors. Their new house will be a huge improvement to their current situation. Felipe, their "Woody", lead us in a great morning devotion and despite how tough it was to not be working he made us feel great about still being here. 

We then came back into downtown Buenos Aires and got to go to the Habitat office and meet their two staff. The expressed sincere apologies for the fact that we were not able to build today. We had an opportunity to talk to them an ask questions about their building process and everything that goes on behind the scenes at HFHCR in their region. They said if there was one message we could bring back to the states it would be that its great to know habitat exists in so many countries and by sending volunteers down to Costa Rica it gives them hope. We went to see another house near the office that was at the end of phase two. It needed a coat of paint and some finish work inside and it was ready for a family. 

Our team with the local HFHCR staff outside their office. 

In the afternoon we went to a farm/zoo and drove through an area of Costa Rican indigenous people. The farm had all kinds of animals. We saw a parrot, touched the horns of a longhorn, Woody had a moment with an ostrich and we all got to ride a water buffalo bareback!

Woody has a moment with an ostrich. 

Riding water buffalo at the farm. 

I'm not gonna lie, it was tough to come back to the hotel and hear the other group tell us how they'd finished putting the panels in for all of their walls, and it took some effort to remember that we are still here building hope for the families, the HFHCR staff and in each other. Right before dinner Woody pulled us aside and said that they had rearranged the floor plan for our house, done a ton of work today and we were going to be able to build on Friday! 

After dinner our team went and did karaoke at a local bar. We had a good balance of Spanish songs (sung by Carlota and Walter, our driver) and obnoxious american songs sung by the rest of us.