A final farewell to our families and masons

Today was our last day on the build sites. It is a bittersweet moment for all of us. We have come to know and love our families and masons. When you only have a short time, you get real close real fast. We will miss them.

When we came there was only a foundation. Today, the houses are two rows short of the gable ends and the roofs. We all wish we could see the final result, but the masons have two more weeks of work to do.

Throughout the week we wondered if we were actually helping or if we were just in the way of the professionals. Today, we knew we made a difference and were actually helping. We knew we made a difference as we formed the "bucket brigade" to send "mescela" or mortar from one end of the build site to the top of the scaffolding where the head mason poured it into the walls. We knew we made a difference when we formed another brigade to move a pile of gravel. We knew we made a difference as we moved the last block out of the yard and into the house. We knew we made a difference when we saw a pile of rebar ribs ready for the masons to use while we were gone. We knew we made a difference when we turned in our work gloves and trowels for our masons to use long after we´ve gone. We knew we made a difference when we turned in 6 garbage bags full of clothes, a box of shoes and several boxes of children´s toys and craft supplies to Habitat Guatemala. Yes, our work here made a difference.

The closing ceremonies where the families, the masons and Habitat Guatemala expressed their gratitude also showed us that we made a difference in these families' lives. Their gratitude was expressed with gifts, prayers, tears and food for all of us.

As much as we tried - and boy did we try with our own words and prayers - , I don't think we succeeded in expressing how much we appreciated being here, how much we are taking away from this experience and what an honour it was to be a part of building a home for these families.

It was a day of blessings for all.