House Dedication Ceremony - Our Global Village Team
After
arriving home, it took some time to settle back into my routine. It also took time
for my body to re-adjust and for my mind to process the emotional journey. Volunteering on a humanitarian trip in a third-world country is challenging
and rewarding, but if you are like me, and you allow yourself to feel
everything you experience, then re-adjusting to life at home becomes a
challenge. The emotions that typically follow an experience like this are known
as “reverse culture-shock” and I'm grateful that I've learned to recognise this. For
example, while enroute to Canada, during my flight connection in London, I watched shoppers enter the numerous designer stores of “The Queen’s
Terminal” and I felt perplexed, dismayed, frustrated and even angry. The world
felt…unjust. I also felt an overwhelming urge to shake them all awake, so they would make more conscientious choices. Then, I arrived back in Canada, where my
children were just beginning March Break. We had pre-planned a winter getaway and
had rented a log cabin in Nova Scotia….but it felt wrong to be having fun and celebrating
when I felt so guilty for the very privileged life we lead: the day of skiing, the
contents of our fridge, my happy and healthy family, the wood-stove that kept us
warm, the fuzzy bath towels, the lovely meal we shared with friends, my dogs
who are irresistibly spoiled with affection. I hadn’t anticipated feeling this
intense guilt, and I soon realised that fitting back into my life would take
time. Habitat for Humanity advises volunteers not to make any life-altering
decisions for at least a few months after returning. I get it! As I have experienced
this before with previous “re-entries”, I have learned that the best way to
relieve the guilt/shame is to identify the areas of your life that you feel are
excessive (or those that no longer match your values) and work to change those that affect you on a daily basis...consumption of energy, water, reduction of waste, reevaluating your priorities, redefining quality time, etc. For me, one of the most effective ways to reduce the burden of unjust
privilege is to continue to give back. “Habitatitis”...hopelessly addicted to
these experiences...yup, that's me. One of the most thrilling post-build moments were my
daughter’s words, “Mommy, I can’t wait until I am old enough to go on a Habitat
for Humanity build with you!”. Sweet girl...me either.
House Dedication Ceremony - Lele's Grandson
What I have learned,
post Lesotho:
That
for however brief a time, thirteen volunteers, many of them beginning as
strangers, can become one team and share an authentic and enriching life
experience. In fact, an entire community of volunteers came together on
this build and it was beautiful to witness.
That
regardless of the assigned work tasks, the blisters, and no matter how hot
the temperature, on any given day, building this home didn’t feel like
work.
That I
will continue to process and accept the lessons the journey has brought,
most especially the perspective reminders.
That my
comfort zones were challenged, my limitations and weaknesses exposed, but
regardless of how tough some days were that I am proud that I was mindful,
aware and still brave enough to face them.
That
the sightseeing experiences in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Kruger National
Park were more than a dream come true. I have always known my journey
included exploring the world, but this gift feels surreal. I only hope
that the memories will not fade.
That
capturing the treasured moments with a few megabytes of digital memory was
unrealistic…but there was joy in the attempt.
That
once in Lesotho, I realised that I had brought expectations with me based
on my previous Global Village experiences. I regret not recognising this
sooner as my acceptance of a new experience, rather than a desire for a
similar one, would have made certain challenges easier. Now that I am
home, I see the lesson.
That
giving is not a completely selfless act...my sentimental tears were often
quietly wiped away during this experience, and what I find amazing is that
the majority of those tears reflected love, compassion and joy.
More so
than on any other build I learned that where my heart goes, my family goes
too. Most of what I experienced didn’t feel real until I was able to share
it with them.
That
I’m grateful to each and every star that aligned. I’m sure it took those
in both hemispheres to make this happen.
I am in the
process of uploading a few of my photos of the build in Roma. Should you be interested in viewing them,
click on: Habitat Lesotho - Gratitude Photos
Thank you to
everyone that supported this build in Lesotho…you helped build hope! On behalf of Lele and her family, the staff at Habitat for Humanity Lesotho, the community of Roma, our rock'in build team, the staff at Global Village Canada...we all thank you.
We have
received word that due to unforeseen circumstances our Habitat Lesotho partner
family has changed. We have not yet been informed of the reason but we have
been provided a summary of the family (below). I expect we'll know more once we
arrive in Lesotho.
For this
family, life has not been easy. Lele is a forty-two year old, single mother
who lives with her two daughters (19 & 11) and her two year-old grandson.
Lele has a physical disability which requires her to use a wheelchair, however,
at home, she prefers to crawl. The family lives in a thatched-roof home without
windows (poor ventilation) and do not have access to proper sanitation. Lele's
disability makes accessing her community very difficult as road conditions are
poor. As her employment opportunities are limited due to her disability her
family relies on social assistance which provides them with approximately $25
cad/month.
Most of our
team arrives in Johannesburg tomorrow. We depart for Lesotho early on Sunday
(full-day drive) and the build commences on Monday! Looking forward to meeting
the family and getting started on this build!
With only one week until departure, the anticipation is definitely building! Our team has received a number of important updates over the last week, some of which are: the addition of a new team member, our anticipated itinerary, confirmation of our accommodation, and finally, the details regarding the family that is in need of a safe, clean and affordable home.
Nerea standing outside of her family home.
First and foremost, I’d like to introduce to you the Habitat for Humanity
partner family. Nerea is an 80 year old grandmother who lives in a small
village in the Roma Valley, where she cares for three orphaned grandchildren,
ages 19, 16 and 12. Their home is a hut, made of mud and stones, with thatch
roofing, cracked walls, covered windows (which prevent proper ventilation) and no
access to sanitation facilities, all of which increase the family's risk of serious
health concerns. Nerea has lost three of her four children and her only surviving
child, a daughter, lives in a nearby village (with her husband and child). To support
her family, Nerea works to supplement her pension by tending to nearby agricultural
fields. She is paid 60 Lesotho Loti ($6 CAD) for two days work and due to a recent
drought, she has not been able to earn significant wages. All of her grandchildren
attend school, but the education of her eldest grandson is no longer supported
by the Ministry of Education (as he has struggled with his academics), so Nerea
pays for his school fees in order to support his future.
For more information regarding the Orphaned & Vulnerable Children Project with Habitat for Humanity Lesotho, click here.
Global Village Canada - www.habitatglobalvillage.ca
Our team has not yet been provided with the specific details regarding the build plans, or our build tasks, but I do know that I am eager to help Nerea's family. We expect that the construction will include work relating to concrete blocks and mortar as this was mentioned in previous documents received from HFH Lesotho. Regardless of the type of work, I suspect there will be a number of blissfully dishevelled smiles in my future! The
first Canadian GV team of volunteers just returned from Lesotho; should you be interested, see the HFH Lesotho Facebook page for photos.
Our team has received confirmation of our accommodation while in Lesotho.We
will be staying in a modest guesthouse that offers basic, clean, bed &
breakfast style accommodation with shared facilities. In 1903, the guest house
was established as a pioneering trading post and donkeys are still herded to the store daily, to bring gain for grinding. Horsemen still visit the trading post while
cattle, pigs and chickens roam freely. For some reason, I feel like I’m about
to travel through time.
In only a few short days, I’ll be preparing for a 36 hour journey to Southern Africa,
covering a flight distance of more than 14,400 km. I know that I have prepared as best as anyone possibly
can. As with previous builds, I also know that this experience is not only
going to change the lives of a family in need, it is going to change me. I am so
grateful for this opportunity and I’m looking forward to the many adventures, challenges, and precious moments of
the journey ahead. ♥
jp
"The
real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having
new eyes."
To support the Habitat for Humanity build in Lesotho, please see My Fundraising Page!
Note: Donations are being accepted until the end of March.
While specific details have been slow to arrive from Habitat for Humanity Lesotho, it has been confirmed that our build team will be based in the Roma Valley, approximately 35 km from the country’s
capital city of Maseru.
Roma is a
small valley town that was established by missionaries in the 1860s. While the town of Roma is considered to be the
educational and spiritual heart of Lesotho, it is primarily an agricultural area surrounded by a barrier of broad, rugged, sandstone mountains. An exciting bit of geological
information...I might have an opportunity to walk among dinosaur footprints!
Images of Roma Valley, Lesotho
Packing, Weather & Currency
Preparation Update...
Packing: My Habitat for Humanity T-shirts!
Weather: It’s looking like our build days could be an
interesting mix of warm-n-humid with potential for daily thunderstorms. I’ve
packed an umbrella and a rain parka...but not my wellies, as I'm hoping I won't need
them!
Currency: The South African Rand is quite possibly
the most thrilling currency I have ever held in my hand! Exchange rate: 1 CAD = 10.2 ZAR. The equivalent to our "toonie" features Nelson Mandela and an African Elephant!
Our team is eagerly awaiting specific details regarding the build and partner family...and with only a couple weeks until departure, I should have more information soon! ♥ jp
To make a financial donation and support the building of a home for a family in need, see: My Fundraising Page
One month
until departure…and packing has commenced! I already have a pair of broken-in
work boots, but I did recently purchase a few work clothes (awesome thrift store finds) as well as a couple pairs
of tough, yet comfortable, work gloves. I was told to hold-off on purchasing the portable
solar-shower, which may mean we don’t need one. Horray! An actual shower at the
end of a hot-n-dirty workday is a complete and welcome luxury!! To be honest,
on previous builds, it was the time of day that made me feel the most like
myself. The routine felt familiar and grounded me on days that were emotionally
intense or physically exhausting. Those few minutes alone to relax and process
the events of the day were re-energizing and propelled me into each new build day.
Man, I hope we have access to a shower!
Packing!
I’ve also
collected a few other items: a poncho, journal, first-aid & laundry
supplies, insect repellent, a refillable water bottle and chocolate protein
bars. It’s an interesting perspective to pack for a trip, knowing your
suitcases will be a lot lighter on the return journey. On a previous Global
Village build, our team left behind sleeping bags, pillows, mosquito nets,
books, footwear, clothes and so on…it was really quite incredible to witness 16 people donating most of what they had brought with them from Canada. Oh, some very exciting news...I learned that our post-build R&R activity includes a bush walk! Seriously. Me, trekking through a national park...in Africa! I wonder if lions can sense which people are about to faint from pure joy. Sometimes, life simply amazes me. Apocolyst...check!
Yesterday, I received an update from our team leader and was encouraged to learn that all of our original volunteers are still confirmed to
go! Yeeee-A team!! We still haven’t received details regarding the build
location, the partner family, where we are staying or the specific project
work…so much of our plan remains unclear. Having said that, the very first Canadian HFH
team has arrived and is currently building in Lesotho! As they didn’t receive
firm details regarding their build until 1 week prior to departure, we are expecting the same. I'll be thinking of them and am so very eager to learn more about their experience.
Fundraising...I need something resembling a touchdown happy dance because I can't express my gratitude enough. Each donation is helping “build hope”! Thank you so very much for your support. Additional donations are greatly appreciated and will be accepted until the end of March! Click on My Fundraising Page to donate! As always, I'll be in touch when I know more. Until then, you'll likely find me preparing...and wish'in-n-hope'in for a shower.
My arm hurts! I dropped by
The Travel Clinic yesterday and, it’s official, they've freaked me out. I was
provided with a list of twenty-seven potential disease concerns, including
their risk factors, preventative measures and vaccination recommendations. Thankfully,
the consultant determined that I only required one additional vaccination, an
update for Typhoid Fever (to prevent food and waterborne illness due to
salmonella). The initial injection was quick and painless, but after a few
hours my left arm seemed to disapprove of movement. In addition to the vaccination, The Travel Clinic also
recommended Dukoral, an oral vaccine to prevent e-coli related illness and
Malarone as an anti-malarial medication. I was also provided with confirmation
of my Yellow Fever vaccination (often requested and sometimes required when
travelling within Africa), as well as a list of helpful suggestions for my
first aid kit. As a few considerations are extremely low risk, I am resolved to
ignore the words “scorpions”, “snakes” and “spiders”!
I had an
opportunity this week to extend my 30 hour stop-over in Cape Town, and while
the city offers many tempting sites to explore, the idea of travelling on my own
made me feel a bit uneasy. This island girl has adapted well to her life in
rural PEI and I’m not entirely comfortable in large cities, let alone those in a foreign
destination. Someone recently told me that I'm “brave” to be going on this
adventure. To be honest, I’m nervous-as-heck...this type of experience definitely
tests your comfort zones and challenges your perspective.
In other
news, I have reached my initial fundraising goal!! Thank you to
everyone that is supporting this build! Both your donations and encouraging
words are truly appreciated. Given my current apprehensive state, a recent note
had my eyes glistening, "You are doing a great thing for humanity. God bless you."
I received a recent inquiry regarding the allocation of donated funds, so
after contacting my team leader, I thought I’d share additional information to provide more clarity.
For each participant of the Habitat Lesotho build, the Global Village tour costs
are distributed as follows:
Charitable Donation (Habitat Lesotho
& Habitat Canada): 37%, or approximately $1000 per participant.
Local Arrangements: accommodation (18%), transport (10%) and meals (15%).This works out to approximately $95/day, most
of which provides economic support to local families. For example, on a previous
build our team stayed in basic, dormitory style rooms with shared bathrooms (previously a convent) and meals were basic and prepared on-site by local volunteers. Our van drivers
became part of our team, and we learned that they were often away from their
families for months at a time.
Additional/Miscellaneous: 20%. This
includes expenses related to participant insurance, cultural events, health & safety supplies,
coordinator meals/accommodation, contingency, in-country coordination,
emergency cell phone service, etc.
Labour: FREE!J
In addition to the Global Village tour costs, volunteers are responsible for the post-build R&R activity (mandatory, as the volunteer experience can be intense), return airfare, personal insurance and all other travel related expenses.
I hope the information is helpful, and as always,
should you have any additional questions, please don’t hesitate to let me know.
Only six weeks until departure! Anyone know where I can find some bold, daring and boundless courage? I'm packing, and might need to fill a suitcase.
♥
jp
To donate to Habitat for Humanity and support the build in Lesotho, see: My Fundraising Page!
Welcome to
the New Year!! I hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful holiday with friends and
family. In my quiet time over the holiday, I learned a bit more about Lesotho and I thought I’d
share a few details, but before I start, I just wanted forward my thanks to the
sponsors of this build. Due to the generous nature of friends, family and
coworkers, I am currently at 57% of my fundraising goal!! Imma start'in the new year optimistic and profoundly grateful...thank you, thank you, and Kea leboha!
Our Team Update
In December,
I received our second team newsletter which contained a wealth of information including an introduction to our twelve team members.
Among them are: an Irish cabinet maker from Vancouver, a commercial real estate
analyst from Toronto, a Romanian Project Manager for a large construction company,
a bartender working on her PhD in Global Development specializing in fetal and
maternal health, a teacher of English as a second language, and a social worker
for a non-profit organization. Of the twelve team members, nine have participated
in previous Global Village builds! I have a feeling I am going to learn a lot
on this adventure.
Learning about Lesotho
I have
recently realized that this will be my first trip south of the equator! It's going to feel strange to experience the beginning of autumn in March! As Lesotho is an
alpine region with a temperate climate, the country experiences all four seasons
(including cold, harsh winters). In summer, the valley temperatures can exceed
30C (while the alpine regions can drop below freezing) and dramatic thunderstorms
are common.
Lesotho (pronounced,
le-soo-too) is known as the “The Mountian Kingdom” or the “Kingdom in the Sky”. The country's area is approximately 30,588 square kilometres, about 5.4 times larger than Prince Edward Island, with a population of approximately 1.8 million. If you’d like a visual, check out this beautiful drone footage of a Basotho pony
trek.
As you may
have noticed from the video, Lesotho’s most significant natural
resource is water. The Lesotho Highlands Water Project generates almost 100% of
Lesotho’s electricity and also transfers high volumes of water into neighbouring
South Africa. This has a significant economic impact for Lesotho however,
there are also significant environmental and social effects. Even with the seemingly
abundant water supply, many of the countries citizens still do not have access
to safe and clean drinking water and often have to walk for hours to reach
water access points.
Agriculture
is the country’s main source of livelihood with most of the citizens working in
subsistence farming. Agricultural crops include a variety of grains (barley,
maize, sorghum, pulses, wheat) and livestock is often raised in the highlands
by herd-boys. Should you be interested, check out this short video clip depicting
daily life in Lesotho. Life is basic, hard and is reminiscent of a previous
century.
Poverty
housing in Lesotho is prevalent. There are several barriers that families are faced
with as acquiring land is very complex and expensive and the HIV/AIDS pandemic
has made people more vulnerable than ever. The need for decent housing is particularly
crucial for orphans, vulnerable children, elderly caregivers and widows who are
especially defenseless against forced eviction and abuse. I have posted another short
video, this one is of a typical grandmother, raising two orphaned children, in a
rural area with no access to electricity or clean water. In it, she is describing
how charitable support is changing their lives.
The final
video, is a 35 minute clip of a documentary called The Forgotten Kingdom, which
started out as a private video diary chronicling Prince Harry’s first visit to
Lesotho, when he was just 19 years old. It is very moving introduction to
Lesotho’s people and their hardships. Royal watchers, the crush continues...but
just a word of caution, have a few tissues ready.
In the team
newsletter, we also received information regarding cultural courtesies, language,
weather, services such as electricity and internet/phone availability, safety, the
gift giving policy, a packing list, etc. Included was a list of traditional and
staple foods such as: Papa (a starchy maize meal), Moroho (cooked, leafy greens), Bohoobe (bread), Motoho (sorghum
porridge), Likahara (tripe) and Mafi (sour milk). Also included, was a list of
the type of work to expect: mixing mortar, moving bricks, building walls,
pouring cement floor slab, plastering interior walls, fitting window and door
frames and roofing. The handbook also mentioned that there may be an
opportunity to visit with the family at their previous home, which I anticipate will be an incredibly moving experience.
I imagine
there will be many updates over the next few weeks as our team prepares for the
journey ahead. Should you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to drop me
a note! Oh…almost
forgot! Congratulations to The Travel Store for winning the Happy New Year
Incentive! They are going to be receiving a $50 Tim Horton’s gift card as a
thank you for their generosity and support of this build!!
Cheers to all, here's to a happy-n-healthy new year!
♥ jp
To donate and support the building of a house for a family in Lesotho, see: My Fundraising Page
