One of the most painful things that we saw on the trip was the housing situation. Most of the people that we met live in houses made of mud and sticks. They are about the size of a one car garage and have dirt floors with a metal roof. If the rains fall or the wind blows hard, these homes can be damages very easily.
The homes were usually divided up into a front room, a bed room and a kitchen area. The pottys are outside. [see picture] Some houses had chickens running around inside of them. The rooms might be divided by a stick wall but more often than not, they were divided by a sheet hanging from a piece of barbed wire. If there were clothes hanging on the wire, that was like their closet for extra items. If there were no clothes on the wire, they probably just owned the clothes on their backs. I saw no extra shoes, no extra socks, not much in the way of possessions.
The beds were made of sticks. No mattress. Not real comfy. They mostly served to keep you up off of the floor and away from the bugs, chickens and rats. The smoke of the open fire in the kitchen blackened that corner of the home and provided ongoing respiratory issues for those who live there.
typical kitchen
Contrast this with the new homes that the Rainbow Network is helping the families to build. New homes have a concrete floor, cinder block walls and a well near by. The kitchen is constructed outside with remnants from the old house. Solid walls and doors keep out unwanted critters. The homes are arranges in a village and community is established.new village under construction
Most of the people I know, your home is worth more than all 70 homes in the village of Los Pinos. What ever your challenges this day, Please know that you are greatly blessed by God.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
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