Day of relaxation at the beach

It is Saturday morning and we are all packed. We stop by the market place and shop for about an hour before we hit the road. The market place is huge. It covers many blocks. Some have actual shops and some are just stalls.

On the way to the beach resort we stopped at a local gas station for snacks and to use the facilities. That is where we met the gentleman with the shotgun. He was the guard for the station. I am not sure you ever get used to seeing as many guns as we did here. One night I locked my keys in my hotel room and went to the desk clerk to get him to let me in my room. He was sitting at the desk with a shotgun over his shoulder.

The beach resort was great. My room had it's own private balcony complete with hammock. I woke up in the middle of the night as usual hearing allot of wind in the trees. I went up on the deck and watched the night ocean waves crash on the beach. That was the noise I had been hearing, not wind in the trees. At sunset the group got together for a picture on the beach. If you count there are only 13 people in the picture. I was in my room. I was taking my first hot shower of the week and calling home.

The food here was great. Ordering drinks at the bar involved allot of pointing at the menu and gesturing. But the staff was friendly even if most of them did not speak English. Next time I go I really want to be able to speak some Spanish.

All in all it was a great trip, one I will remember forever. We are all determined to return as a group to build in Santiago de Maria. With our busy lives that will be a challenge but I think God put this group together and will help us go back if it is meant to be.

Check out the video  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xxgsuw5xE_g&feature=plcp

As always money is the issue, I will need help to go back. I have attached links to my money raising site below. Also Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity has pledged to provide 25 houses in Santiago de Maria.
Help provide a Simple and Decent Place for these people to live.

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/119473?key=c7b79c4e0d9170a58bd8cae9bf435c459f9b4a50

See what we did

Start of day one. 

Friday morning. We accomplished allot but would have given anything for the house to have been done when we left.

Time for a little celebration back at the Usulutan Habitat office. 

Traditional EL SALVADORIAN food was served. It was delicious.

The Grandmother receives a t-shirt and a picture of the ES14 gang to remember us by.

The time in El Salvador has flown by. It seems like we just got here and it is time to head home. We started with pretty much bare ground and when we left the house was head high. They held a little celebration for us and the host families at the Usulutan Habitat for Humanity office. They served wonderful local food. We were all given t-shirts and pictures of our group as a remembrance of our time here. By the time I am writing this blog of our trip the house has been completed and the family has moved in and begun to make the house a home. Edwin our head mason should be a new father as his wife was due with their first baby not long after we left. He proudly told us he and his wife were having a boy.

We packed and headed to a new hotel for Saturday night. We went to a resort on the Pacific Ocean for our final night in El Salvador. About it on our next visit.

More on Santiago de Maria

Check out this video put out by Habitat for Humanity El Salvador.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xxgsuw5xE_g&feature=plcp

Watching this video brings back a flood of emotion. Our group as a whole wants to return to El Salvador and build in the Santiago de Maria project. Those families deserve a decent place to live. Imagine a 375 square foot house the is smaller then the average 2 car garage. Yet to these families that will be a castle. No more getting wet in the rain, No more black plastic on the walls and ceiling (remember this was not to keep out the rain. Make a small donation and I will email you the answer to the question what it is for), Just a simple decent place to live that is theirs. 

The roads and electricity are now in place so construction is poised to start. Just imagine logistics of just over 400 house to build. Deciding who get the first house. Working with the volunteer teams that want to come down and build. 

Once a family gets a new home the shack they were living in will be torn down so as not to perpetuate the temporary community. In their place a new school will be built. Greater Des Moines has pledged to pay for 25 houses in Santiago de Maria. If you are interested in helping pay for these houses or volunteering please contact the office. They would love to hear from you. Please tell them I sent you.

I am also trying to get together enough money to go back. I have attached the link to my fund raising page.

ttp://www.indiegogo.com/projects/119473?key=c7b79c4e0d9170a58bd8cae9bf435c459f9b4a50

Visit to Santiago de Maria

On Wednesday we only worked until lunch. After lunch we boarded 2 mini-buses for the long ride to Santiago de Maria. The drive through the country side was very beautiful. More than once we passed people doing their laundry in a stream or river. Santiago de Maria is right next to a volcano. A pretty common occurrence considering there are 14 volcano's in El Salvador. The other side of this particular volcano is the little town of Berlin. I had hoped we could make it there to visit Kathy. She has been here  from Des Moines doing work for several churches. Over 2 years in country is one long time. We toured the town that was thrown together over 10 years ago as a place for these people to live after their homes were wiped out in earthquakes. Many children living here know no other life. They are planning to build houses for these people over the next 4 years.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xxgsuw5xE_g&feature=plcp

We visited with a young mother in her one room shack. Her children and a friend were watching TV. Dora the Explorer Disney is everywhere.

We did notice allot of black plastic on the walls and ceiling. We asked the mother what the purpose was of the plastic. You will be shocked when you find out. And it was not to keep out the rain. Some of the mothers in our group were so moved by the answer they had to step outside to gather themselves.


The picture at the right shows another group of houses built in El Salvador. The houses in Santiago de Maria will be 375 square feet. Just over 400 of them. Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity has pledged to pay for 25 of the homes at a cost of $7000 each. If you would make a donation contact Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity at 515-471-8686. Remember cash is good but the ReStore sells your slightly used merchandise. 


I am also looking for help to pay my way back to El Salvador. Send me an email at wkursch@aol.com. 


Next the walls go up.

Waking up in Usulutan, El Salvador

I set my alarm to be up early for my first work day. I went into take a shower and what a wake up that was. The hotel did not have hot water. They did not even pretend to have hot water. There was only one faucet in the shower and sink. It made for a very quick shower. Breakfast was served in the courtyard. It was eggs, bacon, refried beans, fried plantains and plain toast. There was plenty of hot coffee and fresh juice. Once breakfast was over we all boarded the bus for the drive to our work site.

The bus drivers in Usulutan are interesting to ride with. We went down those residential streets just a flying and honking the horn. Somehow we made it each day to the construction site without hitting anyone. We met  our masons Alberto and Edwin. Edwin did not say much and rarely smiled. He explained the tasks through our interpreters. So we started on our house. He asked "The Ladies" to move the dirt away from the foundation. We mixed the concrete for the foundation in the street in front of the house. It was all mixed by hand. There seemed to be a method to how to mix the two kinds of concrete in the street. A pile of dry materials was stacked in the street with a area hollowed out in the middle for water. It was then mixed with shovels with everyone taking turns.

Some of us tied rebar together to make ladder type structures. The use of rebar in the build helps to insure the house will be earthquake proof. The time went by very quickly. Lunch was catered by a local restaurant. Lunch included chicken, coleslaw and beans. Every meal included hand made tortillas. Several of the group brought snacks along with peanut butter. So no matter what was prepared we had peanut butter tortillas.

Usulutan - Home for the next week.

After a nice breakfast at the hotel we all boarded 2 mini-vans for the 2 hour trip from San Salvador to Usulutan. We arrived at Hotel Campo Real. I had asked for a single room since I do not sleep well and am up many nights. The room was OK it has a TV that actually had 3 English speaking channels with Spanish subtitles of course.The hotel even had a swimming pool.

After getting settled in we had a lunch with the family that we were going to be building the house for. It was a Grandmother and 2 Grandchildren (Jessica and Oscar). That afternoon we were given orientation about the area and our family. The Grandmother worked for the "Mayor". Her job was that of a street cleaner. She was very proud of the fact she had a job working for the mayor.

After orientation we all went up town to the square. Here there was a large Catholic Church. Many of our group decided to attend the evening worship. Some of us choose to go down the street with Ronald our host from Habitat for Humanity. We stopped in at a local bar and visited. We tried the local brew but did not eat any food there as this was not an approved restaurant.

There was a celebration going on out in front of the church. We incurred the reason for the street entertainment. It seems one of the local ladies needed an operation so they were raising money to help pay her medical expenses. Some of us donated to the cause but again did not eat the street food. I was sure tempted to try a local pupusa. They were 3 for $1. We had been told not to eat food from unapproved vendors or to drink the local water. Since it was only day 1 in Usulutan it seemed not to be the time to press my luck.

On the way back to the hotel we stopped at the grocery store for snacks and beer. It seemed if someone was going to break the rules on this trip it was me. First my bags were the only bags searched at customs.
Now as we walk in to the grocery store I am stopped by an armed guard. It seems backpacks are not allowed in the store. So I had to take it out to the van so I could shop.

Back at the hotel we had dinner and settled in around the pool to visit and reflect on the day prior to heading off to bed.

Next the morning shower.

El Salvador at Last

Headed to the Des Moines Airport after pretty much no sleep last night. I could hardly wait to get this adventure started. Met with several of my team members at the airport for the flight to Dallas. In Dallas all team members met for the flight to El Salvador. All flights went well and we arrived in El Salvador. I am pretty nervous as I have never been through this kind of security before. The line to the immigration desk went like a snail. Once it was my turn I presented my paper work along with a ten dollar bill to pay for my Visa into the country. The agent at the desk was very friendly and made going through immigration quick and easy.

Well, immigration went ok, now I have to get my luggage and take it through . Oh I forgot to tell you, everyone on the trip brought 1 suitcase and a backpack. But me the rookie at this kind of travel had 2 large suitcases plus a backpack. Next time I will pack lighter.Next customs, You walked up to what looked like a stop light. If when you pushed the button it was green you just entered without baggage search. Of course, when I pushed the button it came up red so off to screening. So I put my stuff through the x-ray machine, the agent had me open one bag that he looked through. Again the agent was very friendly but I need to know some Spanish before the next trip. He asked me about the cement trowels in my bag. I had a little trouble getting across to him what they were. Finally I though masons and told him they were for the masons and he understood and I was allowed to enter the country..

After a short wait our host from Habitat for Humanity El Salvador arrived and led us to our transportation. We were going to stay at a bed and breakfast in San Salvador and then make the 2 hour trip to Usulutan in the morning. Since this is a bed and breakfast they had our dinner catered by a local chef. he turned out to be great fun. He called himself "Chef Azure (blue)". He was a local TV chef. He fixed us a wonderful vegetarian lasagna. His English was excellent and shared allot of stories and some useful information to help make our stay better.

Next arriving in Usulutan.

What about El Salvador?

I saw an informational meeting listed in the newsletter for Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity. They were planning a trip to El Salvador to build houses there. It sounded interesting to me so I decided to attend, even though I had not yet completed the treatment for my stomach cancer. They had some interesting food at the meeting, something called a pupusa. Kind of a stuffed hand made corn tortilla. They were served with 2 different kinds of sauce and an EL Salvadorian cold slaw. They were very good even though I was unable to eat much. They told us the story of El Salvador and the poverty there. We saw a video from Habitat Global Village. After the meeting I decided if I was healthy enough and able to raise the money I would go. The trip would cost just under $2000. I ordered my passport (bald head and all, chemo you know) and set forth to raise enough money to go.

I sent letters to everyone I could think of friends, family and my various doctors. My family surprised me with a card and $500 to get my fund raising started. I think in the end I raised about 2/3 of the trip. As it was getting close I received a donation from our Team Leaders church with that I was able to put the necessary funds together.

As the trip approached we received a call from the airlines that they had changed the schedule for the flight to El Salvador. The new schedule did not work so now our Team Leader had to scramble and find another airline that could get us to EL Salvador when we needed to get there. No easy task since we were a group of 14, 11 from Des Moines, 1 from Chicago, 1 from LA, and 1 from Cincinnati. He did a great job found flights athat worked for all and even saced us a little money.

I will write about the actual trip in my next blog. Check out my fund raiser on Twitter. I want to go back in 2013.

Making a House a Home

I recently attended my first house dedications. In all the houses I have worked on I had never come back for the house dedication. I attended 4 house dedications in the past month. Three were new houses and one was a rehab. The older home was first. This house took more then the normal amount of time to rehab due to the amount of lead paint found in the house. But when it was done the Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity house leaders, Americorp, and volunteers had done an amazing job. Hundreds of hours were spent on the original woodwork, the end result was a beautiful house and a very proud and happy HOME owner.

The other 2 houses were next to each other. the third house was down the block. It was so fun to see all the families standing together to receive the keys to their new HOMES. Now the houses were indeed homes. Complete with new bicycles for the children and a new John Deer Mower for the yard.

And as a bonus the food was plentiful and delicious.

Volunteering with Habitat for Humanity

Several houses later it was time for the 2010 Blitz build. 20 houses in 10 days. Week one was rainy and muddy. I am glad that I had decided to volunteer for all of week 2. I was assigned to house #1 with Kim. After working a day on that house. Kim asked me to work on House #2 as that house leader needed some assistance. We had great volunteers all week. One of the groups had brothers. One worked for the company that was providing the volunteers and the other one was home on leave from the service. How cool was that he took one of his precious days on leave and spent it building with his brother. The days were long and hard but worth it. Check-in was at the neighborhood park 2 blocks away. They also served lunch there. So either you parked by the house or in the park's lot. I choose to park by the house I was assigned to work it. Even though Habitat provided tools to work with. I still brought several of my own. It seems easier to have some of your own tools rather then hunt for the tool in the tool trailer. The end of the last day found our house painted, landscaped, and carpeted. The houses were all beautiful.

Volunteering with Habitat for Humanity

Kim is one of the house construction leaders that works for Habitat. Like I said before he took me under his wing and helped me learn allot about Habitats way of building a house. He also encouraged me to attend the Volunteer Crew Leader classes. So I did. After attending the classes I was looking forward to my first time working on a new house build.

Habitat was going to build a house on the steps of the capital. So I signed up for both shifts on day 2 the final day of the build. I was assigned the task of getting the siding onto the back of the house. I must have been living right. As I sat in an all day meeting on the first day of the build I watched out the window at the rain that came down quite hard at times. When I arrived at the build site for my day of building I was hoping for better weather then the day before. It was cool and damp but after the sun was up a while it dried out and was warm that day. Most of my volunteers that day were ladies from Wells Fargo and a couple from the Governors office. They did a great job and at the end of the day we had the back side on the house insulated with foam board and sided. I felt really good about how everything went that day.

I will be back again.

Another day another house

It was still winter when I volunteered on another house. This was house number 3 I had worked on that winter. I was excited because this house had the furnace installed and running so the house would be warm. We were going to be working on the walls and floor. After the usual safety talk and prayer we were assigned tasks or actually the tasks were detailed out and various volunteers took on each one. Well, I volunteered to work on the garage doors.

Of course, back out in the cold. We got the overhead door back on its track and rehung the walk through door that someone had kicked off the hinges. With that done we turned our attention to the front wall in the garage where someone had tried to drive a car through it and knocked if off the foundation. It took us a while and some additional muscle but we did manage to get the wall repaired and straightened up.

One of the house leaders had kind of taken me under his wing on these first houses, I have some construction skills but I am not a carpenter by any stretch of the imagine. He talked to me about become a Volunteer Crew Leader. I was kind of hesitant at first but he sais they have classes to show you how things are done in a Habitat build. So I decided to sign up for the classes and continuew to volunteer and see where it goes.

Next the Captol Build.

Getting Started

I had always wanted to volunteer some of my time but I just did not know just where to do it. I had heard about Habitat for Humanity but just did not get around to contacting them. Then Disney came out with their "Give a Day, Get a Day" program. If you volunteered at a non-profit on their list you earned a free day in the park. Being a giant Disney fan this was the incentive that pushed me over the edge to volunteer. I contacted the Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity and set-up a day to volunteer. I arrived at the house. It turned out to be an old house that Habitat for Humanity was do a rehab on. It was middle of winter below zero outside and not much warmed in the house since there was no furnace yet. The house manager greeted me and made me feel welcome.

The day started with an explanation of Habitat's mission and a short prayer. Volunteers were then assigned tasks and everyone went to work. It was cold, dirty work. But I had a great time and scheduled additional volunteer days.