As soon as we arrived in Manila we left. We traveled 3 hours, which incidentally was only 40 miles to a much smaller town called Lipa City. For the first week and a half we worked with four families that lived in a makeshift house that was smaller than many homes living rooms, more the size of most ordinary garden sheds. There was approximately 27 people that lived, ate and slept in a dirt floor building with scraps of aluminum and corrugated tin keeping the burning sun from peeking through the roof. Needless to say in 110 degree heat, I welcomed the slight relief from the sun the roof provided.

During that week and a half, although there were communication barriers, we became quite close with the families, kids, and neighbors. We provided materials, a contractor, and worked side by side with the family to help sure up the existing structure, add a second larger back house, kitchen area, and a new outhouse (although we almost took a plunge in the old outhouse locations “contents” due to faulty cardboard and concrete floor) Continue reading →