Reality Check

This month has been a whirlwind. Eight houses have been built so far for very deserving families in Las Avez and Padre Kino. It’s been an emotional month, but almost all the tears have been happy tears. I don’t think there’s anything that could replace the feeling in my heart when a family has been told their land payments have been paid up to date and now they don’t have to worry for a few months. That they can focus on starting their new life and being able to support their families. Live Different really prides themselves on the fact that this is a hand up not a hand out. We have no intentions of abandoning these families and saying: “fend for yourselves”. It’s about helping and teaching a community to be healthy and look after each other.  

I've had the honour of getting to build for two families this month. They both had this way of showing me love like I had never seen before. They love each other so much and with such passion. It’s beautiful to watch how they've been through the absolute worse situations but stuck together because love saves the day. They lean on each other for everything. You can see in their eyes how much they love each other and how much they appreciate us being around for a week as well. They think we’re the heroes; the one making a “difference” but honestly, the people who deserve the recognition is these families. Their living conditions are unimaginable to most in Canada. What they live with everyday is what we like to do for fun and go camping. Yet, these families are forced to live this way everyday for years and years. They’re admirable. They make me want to become a better person. They have the simplest of things yet are the most happy. That’s always struck a nerve for me about my culture and Mexican culture. They’re just generally happier with less. Yet, Canadians are constantly complaining about not having the newest iPhone, biggest house, best paying job, etc.  

Being here gives me a reality check everyday. Things like using less water, to finishing everything on my plate. Or enjoying the company of others and appreciating my family more. I've been sick for about a week, and I feel guilty about it. I can buy antibiotics and go see a doctor, whereas people die all the time from little things that could easily been cured with clean water or something as simple as check up with a doctor to see what’s wrong. Being here is definitely making me open my eyes and see the world in a different light. Like I said before, just being here makes me want to be a better person. Not for the recognition of being so, or to feel good about myself, but simply because the strongest people I know live here. They’re living and surviving better than I will ever be able to. They make me want to be a better person so I can continue to bring awareness about poverty and to help make poverty an old statistic, instead of my friends that live down the road. People may say I’m only one person, how in the world would I be able to make a change? Or that Hero Holidays’ don’t really make a difference as they’re only helping one family. I know it’s hard not being able to help on a larger scale, but it always must start somewhere. Any thing can help. You just have to start somewhere. Margaret Mead said: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has”