This video is a must see. Just when I felt like the world's problems could not be solved, I found a ray of hope.
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
Sunday, September 06, 2009
Waffle Search in Google
When I woke up this morning, I headed to my computer to do a quick email check. I had to smile as I noticed the following search terms already in Google:
"how to make belgian waffles crispy krusteaz"
Danny had already been on the computer this morning using Google to improve our waffle recipe... whatever he learned caused him to dump a bunch of sugar into the waffle mix. The waffles may have turned out crispier this time... but the most noticeable difference was the sweetness! :)
"how to make belgian waffles crispy krusteaz"
Danny had already been on the computer this morning using Google to improve our waffle recipe... whatever he learned caused him to dump a bunch of sugar into the waffle mix. The waffles may have turned out crispier this time... but the most noticeable difference was the sweetness! :)
Monday, July 06, 2009
Action Shot - Tearing Off Form Boards
I uploaded a bunch of pictures throughout the blog of Danny and me working in Macedonia. Challenging but rewarding! Here's a 5-part shot of John and I tearing form board from the concrete with a crow bar.
SUCCESS!!!!
SUCCESS!!!!
Sunday, July 05, 2009
Reflections on Macedonia
We are home! We are back in the United States after our 2 1/2 week trip to London and Macedonia. Both parts of the trip were wonderful - I feel so so so very blessed for these opportunities. It was not an accident that Danny learned about the Habitat for Humanity trip from his flight instructor. We were meant to go and learn.
As I sit at home now, I can't help but reflect on how my life has to be different after this trip... it should be different, it must be different. If I allow myself, I could slip back into the same old routine and thought processes... not that there was anything drastically wrong with the way I lived before but I know too much now. I know too much about how the Macedonians/Albanians are living abroad. So, here are my goals:
1) Look up information about Habitat for Humanity in Dallas. Find out what I can do to support the organization locally.
2) Be more conscientious of needs around me. Look for opportunities to serve my family, neighbors, church members, community, etc.
3) Complain less. Pray each night that I won't forget what I saw. Pray for strength to make changes.
As I sit at home now, I can't help but reflect on how my life has to be different after this trip... it should be different, it must be different. If I allow myself, I could slip back into the same old routine and thought processes... not that there was anything drastically wrong with the way I lived before but I know too much now. I know too much about how the Macedonians/Albanians are living abroad. So, here are my goals:
1) Look up information about Habitat for Humanity in Dallas. Find out what I can do to support the organization locally.
2) Be more conscientious of needs around me. Look for opportunities to serve my family, neighbors, church members, community, etc.
3) Complain less. Pray each night that I won't forget what I saw. Pray for strength to make changes.
Thursday, July 02, 2009
Last Day in Macedonia
On our last day in Macedonia, we traveled around the country visiting families that have benefited from Habitat projects. HFH Macedonia only recently started work on new construction projects. In the past, they have administered two programs for the community: 1) Water Supply and Sanitation Hookups and 2) Renovation/Reconstruction of Existing Housing. The organization gives homeowners small loans to make these housing improvements and the homeowner pays them back over a number of years.
It was a wonderful but emotionally draining day. We started by traveling to a couple's home (the Gelevskis) that had been built by Habitat workers the year before. When the Gelevskis applied for the Habitat program, they only had a foundation poured on a small lot. A Habitat crew of a dozen people or so showed up and built the house from the bottom up in two weeks. This couple has two small children who now have a bedroom and places to learn and play. Before, the whole family was crammed into a small home with their parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, extended family, etc. The family was so grateful for the assistance they received last year - they lavished us with food. The table was overflowing with meats, breads, creamy salads, vegetables, etc. Wonderful people. Delicious food.
We next traveled to the small village of Roshko to meet people Habitat for Humanity has been helping connect to the village's water and sewage lines. Access to potable water and sewerage is scarce in rural areas in Macedonia and in many urban slums. Living conditions for the rural poor are especially bad and are related to a higher incidence of communicable disease including tuberculosis and water-borne diseases. People simply don't have the funds to connect a water line or sewage line to their houses, so they make do the best they can.
Nothing prepared me for what I saw. I had heard descriptions of what people do when they don't have plumbing for water and toilets... but to see it is something else. As soon as I got out of the van to go to the first house, I could smell the stench in the air. It is the stench of human waste. Without a sewage connection, the poverty-stricken families are forced to let the human waste run off into the side yard of the house. It contaminates the soil and infects the ground water which brings in all sorts of diseases. Even though Habitat helped the owner of the first house install sewage pipes, it will be some time before the smell wears off.
The second home we visited was much worse. Like most houses in the area, the house was constructed of stacked cinder blocks with a corrugated tin roof. There were only three rooms in what could at most be 800 square feet of space. There was only one or two pieces of furniture with dirty mats laid out on the floor for sleeping spaces. Habitat helped this family install water and sewer connections the year before. To bring in running water, a hole had been drilled into the side of the house to run the pipes in from outside. I stared at the gaping hole in the wall and wondered why such drastic measures had to be taken to bring the family clean water, an amenity I previously thought of as standard and not luxurious.
The tour continued to the outside of the house where a sewage connection had been installed with Habitat funds. Although this is good news, we were informed that the ground is so contaminated from previous waste that the family is not able to maintain a garden thus worsening their impoverished condition. At one point in the visit, the wife came out of the bedroom and was rambling incoherently. The Habitat guide who was showing our group around said he could not understand what she was saying. He said she was very sick and had been for a very long time. Shocker. I can't imagine how someone could be ill in these filthy conditions (sarcasm intended). Both the husband and wife were rail thin, and their teeth were completely rotted out.
I couldn't bear it anymore. I had been fighting tears all afternoon but they began to roll down my cheeks. I felt embarrassed. I didn't want this family to seeing me crying over their condition. I really don't know if I was crying over the sadness of their condition or if I was crying over the shame that mankind had failed these people. It is the 21st century, and we have failed because there is still a large population in the world that lives in these conditions.
Through my tears, I fumbled in my camera bag and pulled out every last denar I could find (Macedonian money). I checked with the group leader to make sure this would be appropriate - he nodded as he fumbled for money as well. I walked over to the oldest daughter in the house (in her twenties maybe?) and handed her the money. I was looking at the ground so she would not see my tears. She waited until I looked up and then pulled me in for a hug. She kissed both of my cheeks and hugged me again. I hugged her back. As we held on to each other, the realization of this moment sunk in - this is what is was all about. Taken as a whole, the poor housing conditions in Macedonia look insurmountable (not to mention the rest of the world). However, taken one at a time, a difference can be made... house by house, family by family. Habitat for Humanity had made a difference in this girl's life by simply giving them a water connection and sewage connection. There is no dollar amount that can be attached to the value of healthy living conditions.
The last family we visited had built a bathroom on their house with funds from Habitat. The wife was Macedonian and has been ostracized by her family for marrying an ethnic Albanian and living in an ethnic Albanian village. They have six kids who all sleep in one room on the floor. As I stood in their house admiring the new bathroom, I kept having to slap away flies and bugs. There was no kitchen table and the walls were stained with some dark substance. It was just unimaginable to think of 8 people living in that small house and just now having access to a real toilet and sewage connection. The husband is willing and able to work but there are no steady jobs available. The only way the family survives is on a small stipend the government sends to them monthly.
Roshko is considered a "forgotten village." Since the village is 99% ethnic Albanian, the government seems to do little in the way of improving these people's lives. Not many people come to visit this small town, especially outsiders like us. Our group was stared at as were traveled around the village. With a high unemployment rate and little income, it feels like people have little else to do. Everyone was friendly though but just confused as to why strangers would take an interest in their situation. I am so proud of Habitat for Humanity for making a difference in this village. There are new people signing up for the water and sanitation programs every week. Way to go!
It was a wonderful but emotionally draining day. We started by traveling to a couple's home (the Gelevskis) that had been built by Habitat workers the year before. When the Gelevskis applied for the Habitat program, they only had a foundation poured on a small lot. A Habitat crew of a dozen people or so showed up and built the house from the bottom up in two weeks. This couple has two small children who now have a bedroom and places to learn and play. Before, the whole family was crammed into a small home with their parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, extended family, etc. The family was so grateful for the assistance they received last year - they lavished us with food. The table was overflowing with meats, breads, creamy salads, vegetables, etc. Wonderful people. Delicious food.
We next traveled to the small village of Roshko to meet people Habitat for Humanity has been helping connect to the village's water and sewage lines. Access to potable water and sewerage is scarce in rural areas in Macedonia and in many urban slums. Living conditions for the rural poor are especially bad and are related to a higher incidence of communicable disease including tuberculosis and water-borne diseases. People simply don't have the funds to connect a water line or sewage line to their houses, so they make do the best they can.
Nothing prepared me for what I saw. I had heard descriptions of what people do when they don't have plumbing for water and toilets... but to see it is something else. As soon as I got out of the van to go to the first house, I could smell the stench in the air. It is the stench of human waste. Without a sewage connection, the poverty-stricken families are forced to let the human waste run off into the side yard of the house. It contaminates the soil and infects the ground water which brings in all sorts of diseases. Even though Habitat helped the owner of the first house install sewage pipes, it will be some time before the smell wears off.
The second home we visited was much worse. Like most houses in the area, the house was constructed of stacked cinder blocks with a corrugated tin roof. There were only three rooms in what could at most be 800 square feet of space. There was only one or two pieces of furniture with dirty mats laid out on the floor for sleeping spaces. Habitat helped this family install water and sewer connections the year before. To bring in running water, a hole had been drilled into the side of the house to run the pipes in from outside. I stared at the gaping hole in the wall and wondered why such drastic measures had to be taken to bring the family clean water, an amenity I previously thought of as standard and not luxurious.
The tour continued to the outside of the house where a sewage connection had been installed with Habitat funds. Although this is good news, we were informed that the ground is so contaminated from previous waste that the family is not able to maintain a garden thus worsening their impoverished condition. At one point in the visit, the wife came out of the bedroom and was rambling incoherently. The Habitat guide who was showing our group around said he could not understand what she was saying. He said she was very sick and had been for a very long time. Shocker. I can't imagine how someone could be ill in these filthy conditions (sarcasm intended). Both the husband and wife were rail thin, and their teeth were completely rotted out.
I couldn't bear it anymore. I had been fighting tears all afternoon but they began to roll down my cheeks. I felt embarrassed. I didn't want this family to seeing me crying over their condition. I really don't know if I was crying over the sadness of their condition or if I was crying over the shame that mankind had failed these people. It is the 21st century, and we have failed because there is still a large population in the world that lives in these conditions.
Through my tears, I fumbled in my camera bag and pulled out every last denar I could find (Macedonian money). I checked with the group leader to make sure this would be appropriate - he nodded as he fumbled for money as well. I walked over to the oldest daughter in the house (in her twenties maybe?) and handed her the money. I was looking at the ground so she would not see my tears. She waited until I looked up and then pulled me in for a hug. She kissed both of my cheeks and hugged me again. I hugged her back. As we held on to each other, the realization of this moment sunk in - this is what is was all about. Taken as a whole, the poor housing conditions in Macedonia look insurmountable (not to mention the rest of the world). However, taken one at a time, a difference can be made... house by house, family by family. Habitat for Humanity had made a difference in this girl's life by simply giving them a water connection and sewage connection. There is no dollar amount that can be attached to the value of healthy living conditions.
The last family we visited had built a bathroom on their house with funds from Habitat. The wife was Macedonian and has been ostracized by her family for marrying an ethnic Albanian and living in an ethnic Albanian village. They have six kids who all sleep in one room on the floor. As I stood in their house admiring the new bathroom, I kept having to slap away flies and bugs. There was no kitchen table and the walls were stained with some dark substance. It was just unimaginable to think of 8 people living in that small house and just now having access to a real toilet and sewage connection. The husband is willing and able to work but there are no steady jobs available. The only way the family survives is on a small stipend the government sends to them monthly.
Roshko is considered a "forgotten village." Since the village is 99% ethnic Albanian, the government seems to do little in the way of improving these people's lives. Not many people come to visit this small town, especially outsiders like us. Our group was stared at as were traveled around the village. With a high unemployment rate and little income, it feels like people have little else to do. Everyone was friendly though but just confused as to why strangers would take an interest in their situation. I am so proud of Habitat for Humanity for making a difference in this village. There are new people signing up for the water and sanitation programs every week. Way to go!
Saturday, June 27, 2009
HFH Macedonia Families
One quick note about the Habitat for Humanity families... On Saturday, Danny and I got the opportunity to work alongside some of the families that will be moving into the Habitat for Humanity houses once complete. The families have to contribute a certain amount of hours to the project as their down payment. After they move into the housing, they pay a nominal fee of about $140 per month for 20-25 years (like a mortgage).
Two families joined us on the job site on Saturday. One family had a dad, mom, and two kids. The other family was a young man and his two parents. A lot of the Habitat for Humanity staff and board of directors came to help with the build on Saturday as well. The small office where we normally eat lunch was packed with people. A few people stood up to make short speeches on how grateful they were for every one's participation in the build. The feeling of love, charity, and support in the room was incredible. It was one of those awesome moments in life where I felt that I had made a difference - a difference to someone, somewhere.
It reminded me of something the local director of Habitat for Humanity Macedonia said at dinner a few nights ago. He is Macedonian, and his name is Zoran. He gave us a presentation about Macedonia and HFH's programs. Zoran also spoke about the shock that the Macedonian people feel when they are told that Americans are paying to travel to their country to build houses for them. Zoran said this level of "volunteerism" is not understood by the Macedonian people because it is not part of their culture. He said although the primary goal of Habitat for Humanity is to build good housing in Macedonia, a second and equally important goal is to demonstrate "volunteerism" to the Macedonians to help develop this quality in the local community. He believes the local people will be inspired by our work.
Zoran also thanked John Finnerty, our team leader, for his repeated trips to Macedonia. John has led several teams to Macedonia and plans to lead more in the future. Zoran said John is a mystery to the local community - here is a man who comes to an obscure country like Macedonia over and over again at his own expense to work on housing development for people he does not know. At one point, Zoran turned to John and clapped his hand on John's shoulder. He said, "Thank you John. Thank you again and again and AGAIN." I was a wreck. Giant tears rolled down my face as I felt this man's gratitude. I bit my lip to try to keep myself together.
No one in the world should feel alone. No one should feel that their miserable situation in life is unchangeable. I feel so strongly that those of us who have so much are morally obligated to give back. And the irony of it all? I have felt so happy and fulfilled on this trip that I think I took more for myself than I ever gave.
Two families joined us on the job site on Saturday. One family had a dad, mom, and two kids. The other family was a young man and his two parents. A lot of the Habitat for Humanity staff and board of directors came to help with the build on Saturday as well. The small office where we normally eat lunch was packed with people. A few people stood up to make short speeches on how grateful they were for every one's participation in the build. The feeling of love, charity, and support in the room was incredible. It was one of those awesome moments in life where I felt that I had made a difference - a difference to someone, somewhere.
It reminded me of something the local director of Habitat for Humanity Macedonia said at dinner a few nights ago. He is Macedonian, and his name is Zoran. He gave us a presentation about Macedonia and HFH's programs. Zoran also spoke about the shock that the Macedonian people feel when they are told that Americans are paying to travel to their country to build houses for them. Zoran said this level of "volunteerism" is not understood by the Macedonian people because it is not part of their culture. He said although the primary goal of Habitat for Humanity is to build good housing in Macedonia, a second and equally important goal is to demonstrate "volunteerism" to the Macedonians to help develop this quality in the local community. He believes the local people will be inspired by our work.
Zoran also thanked John Finnerty, our team leader, for his repeated trips to Macedonia. John has led several teams to Macedonia and plans to lead more in the future. Zoran said John is a mystery to the local community - here is a man who comes to an obscure country like Macedonia over and over again at his own expense to work on housing development for people he does not know. At one point, Zoran turned to John and clapped his hand on John's shoulder. He said, "Thank you John. Thank you again and again and AGAIN." I was a wreck. Giant tears rolled down my face as I felt this man's gratitude. I bit my lip to try to keep myself together.
No one in the world should feel alone. No one should feel that their miserable situation in life is unchangeable. I feel so strongly that those of us who have so much are morally obligated to give back. And the irony of it all? I have felt so happy and fulfilled on this trip that I think I took more for myself than I ever gave.
Working, Working, Eating, Working, Working, and Eating
Well, the last few workdays have gone unbelievably fast. Danny and I wake up each morning around 6:30 am and are picked up by a shuttle bus at 7:45 am. The drive to the job site is about 15 minutes so we arrive by 8 am to begin work. We are usually divided into 2-3 groups working on different parts of the job site. The work choices always involve concrete, rebar, dirt, or form boards. The available tasks these last few days have been rebar, rebar, rebar, rebar, and some form board removal. :) All of these tasks are very labor intensive but we have been blessed with overcast skies so the weather has stayed cool. The work wraps up about 4 pm.
Each night we eat like kings and queens. Macedonia was the bread basket of the former Yugoslavia. Macedonia's contribution to the Yugoslavia confederation was food production. Hence, the country is capable of producing mass quantities of food of which it has no export market for now. Each night at dinner, the table is overflowing with food and the bill averages to maybe $4 per person. So cheap and DELICIOUS. We eat a lot of meats, cheeses, breads, and vegetables. I am convinced that for every calorie I burn at the job site, I add two back on at dinner.
We had a special treat two nights ago for dinner. We drove to Popova Kula Winery in Southern Macedonia for dinner and wine tasting... well, Danny and I watched everyone else taste wine as we sampled local varieties of water. :) The winery was located only about 20 minutes from the Macedonia/Greece border. We were so close it was painful... I want to go to Greece so badly. Oh well, some day. We took a tour of the winery, and the guide describe the wine-making process. The guide accidentally double corked a bottle during his demonstration, so he gave it to me as a souvenir. Fitting, right? An empty wine bottle for a LDS church member? :)
The winery was set on a hill top with vineyards as far as the eye can see. We ate out on a terraced roof top with the whole valley of vineyards stretched out beneath us. It had just rained so everything was lush and green, and a rainbow stretched across the sky. The hillsides were dotted with little white houses with orange rooftops. It literally goes down as the most beautiful setting I have ever had dinner in. Hands down. No debate. No topping this. I stuffed myself with cheeses, bread, chicken, creamy sauces, and water. :)
Well, we are wrapping up work here and don't have much time left on Macedonia. Only one more day, and we will be heading back to the United States. I can't believe the time has gone so fast.
Each night we eat like kings and queens. Macedonia was the bread basket of the former Yugoslavia. Macedonia's contribution to the Yugoslavia confederation was food production. Hence, the country is capable of producing mass quantities of food of which it has no export market for now. Each night at dinner, the table is overflowing with food and the bill averages to maybe $4 per person. So cheap and DELICIOUS. We eat a lot of meats, cheeses, breads, and vegetables. I am convinced that for every calorie I burn at the job site, I add two back on at dinner.
We had a special treat two nights ago for dinner. We drove to Popova Kula Winery in Southern Macedonia for dinner and wine tasting... well, Danny and I watched everyone else taste wine as we sampled local varieties of water. :) The winery was located only about 20 minutes from the Macedonia/Greece border. We were so close it was painful... I want to go to Greece so badly. Oh well, some day. We took a tour of the winery, and the guide describe the wine-making process. The guide accidentally double corked a bottle during his demonstration, so he gave it to me as a souvenir. Fitting, right? An empty wine bottle for a LDS church member? :)
The winery was set on a hill top with vineyards as far as the eye can see. We ate out on a terraced roof top with the whole valley of vineyards stretched out beneath us. It had just rained so everything was lush and green, and a rainbow stretched across the sky. The hillsides were dotted with little white houses with orange rooftops. It literally goes down as the most beautiful setting I have ever had dinner in. Hands down. No debate. No topping this. I stuffed myself with cheeses, bread, chicken, creamy sauces, and water. :)
Well, we are wrapping up work here and don't have much time left on Macedonia. Only one more day, and we will be heading back to the United States. I can't believe the time has gone so fast.
R&R in Skopje
Today was a day of R&R to recover from our first three workdays. It was great to relax my aching muscles before heading back to work tomorrow. Our group traveled north from Veles to Skopje (the capital) to spend our day off there. Macedonia is a multi-ethnic country. The population is primarily Macedonian who are Christian Orthodox (65%), Albanian who are Muslim (30%), and Roma who are also Muslim (5%). The Roma are gypsies who migrated many years ago from India. They are discriminated against since they have darker skin, and they live in the poorest parts of town.
We drove through a Roma community as part of trip today, and I was overwhelmed by the level of poverty. A dozen plus people are crammed into small houses that have tins roofs and unfinished walls. I saw a lot of houses that used sheets as dividers between houses because there were no walls. Donkeys pulled wooden carts on the street. It was just unreal. It looked like a scene from a medieval times. I couldn't believe people were still living like that in the 21st century. It definitely made me want to work harder on our housing project to get people out of those conditions.
Our group traveled to Matka Canyon just past Skopje. Matka Canyon is one of the most magnificent regions in Macedonia. The sides of the canyon are sheer cliffs, which house ancient temples, medieval churches, and monasteries. We visited two monasteries on our way up to see the canyon. The monasteries have small churches in the shape of a cross - typical Byzantium architecture I am told. The tops of the hills have huge crosses which can be seen from all over the city. It seems people here like to display their religious commitment in a loud way. I also saw numerous mosques with the high towers where the Muslims are called to pray 5 times a day (in theory).
We took a boat out in the Matka waters to visit a cave system. We couldn't climb too far into the caves since most of it was underwater. We had a guide who tried to narrate about the formation of the caves, but I had a difficult time concentrating.... any guesses as to why? Yes, BATS! There were bats squeaking around in the distance and flying occasionally over my head. It was all I could do to not go running out of the cave screaming. I kept shuddering in fear as the nasty little creatures flew over me, but Danny seemed unaffected. He kept saying, "Awweessoommmme."
After a delicious lunch of kebabs, we headed down to the city of Skopje for a tour. To me, Skopje looks like a lot of other Eastern European capitals I have seen but slightly more run down. They have a fortress that towers over the city that was built up over thousands of years - from Neolithic times to the Ottomans. They have a very narrow Old Quarter crammed with shops and eateries. They also have a newer part of town with wider streets, a few museums, and a few hotels. Like many developing countries, Macedonia is trying to encourage tourism to bring more money into the economy. The country hopes to eventually join the European Union (EU) but that lofty goal is at least a decade away.
The highlight of our city tour was probably seeing the Mother Theresa museum. Mother Theresa was born in Macedonia and baptized in Skopje. The city is very proud of their physical connection to this great woman. I also loved seeing the Turkish baths... I will definitely have to add Turkey as a place to visit.
Skopje was wonderful but it is back to Veles and back to work tomorrow!
We drove through a Roma community as part of trip today, and I was overwhelmed by the level of poverty. A dozen plus people are crammed into small houses that have tins roofs and unfinished walls. I saw a lot of houses that used sheets as dividers between houses because there were no walls. Donkeys pulled wooden carts on the street. It was just unreal. It looked like a scene from a medieval times. I couldn't believe people were still living like that in the 21st century. It definitely made me want to work harder on our housing project to get people out of those conditions.
Our group traveled to Matka Canyon just past Skopje. Matka Canyon is one of the most magnificent regions in Macedonia. The sides of the canyon are sheer cliffs, which house ancient temples, medieval churches, and monasteries. We visited two monasteries on our way up to see the canyon. The monasteries have small churches in the shape of a cross - typical Byzantium architecture I am told. The tops of the hills have huge crosses which can be seen from all over the city. It seems people here like to display their religious commitment in a loud way. I also saw numerous mosques with the high towers where the Muslims are called to pray 5 times a day (in theory).
We took a boat out in the Matka waters to visit a cave system. We couldn't climb too far into the caves since most of it was underwater. We had a guide who tried to narrate about the formation of the caves, but I had a difficult time concentrating.... any guesses as to why? Yes, BATS! There were bats squeaking around in the distance and flying occasionally over my head. It was all I could do to not go running out of the cave screaming. I kept shuddering in fear as the nasty little creatures flew over me, but Danny seemed unaffected. He kept saying, "Awweessoommmme."
After a delicious lunch of kebabs, we headed down to the city of Skopje for a tour. To me, Skopje looks like a lot of other Eastern European capitals I have seen but slightly more run down. They have a fortress that towers over the city that was built up over thousands of years - from Neolithic times to the Ottomans. They have a very narrow Old Quarter crammed with shops and eateries. They also have a newer part of town with wider streets, a few museums, and a few hotels. Like many developing countries, Macedonia is trying to encourage tourism to bring more money into the economy. The country hopes to eventually join the European Union (EU) but that lofty goal is at least a decade away.
The highlight of our city tour was probably seeing the Mother Theresa museum. Mother Theresa was born in Macedonia and baptized in Skopje. The city is very proud of their physical connection to this great woman. I also loved seeing the Turkish baths... I will definitely have to add Turkey as a place to visit.
Skopje was wonderful but it is back to Veles and back to work tomorrow!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
HFH Macedonia - Workday 3
Today I hauled wooden beams up and down the job site sloshing through mud.
I used the crow bar to knock wooden forms off the dry concrete.
I shoveled more dirt and rocks into wheelbarrows and used a pick axe to break up the large chunks of rock.
I am exhausted beyond belief.
Every muscle in my body aches with pain.
It takes a great deal of effort to sit down in a chair.
It takes even more effort to get up from the chair.
I have two huge bruises on my right leg where I hit myself with the hammer (and many scratches from nails).
I ripped a hole in my pants today when I fell on a sharp piece of rebar.
I fixed my pants using duct tape and creativity.
My hands are blistered, and my fingers seem to be permanently bent.
And I am TRULY the happiest I have ever been. I only wish we could stay longer.
I used the crow bar to knock wooden forms off the dry concrete.
I shoveled more dirt and rocks into wheelbarrows and used a pick axe to break up the large chunks of rock.
I am exhausted beyond belief.
Every muscle in my body aches with pain.
It takes a great deal of effort to sit down in a chair.
It takes even more effort to get up from the chair.
I have two huge bruises on my right leg where I hit myself with the hammer (and many scratches from nails).
I ripped a hole in my pants today when I fell on a sharp piece of rebar.
I fixed my pants using duct tape and creativity.
My hands are blistered, and my fingers seem to be permanently bent.
And I am TRULY the happiest I have ever been. I only wish we could stay longer.
HFH Macedonia - Workday 2
The second workday started off very different from the first. As soon as we reached the jobsite, we were each given a hammer and asked to start pounding off the wooden forms used to shape the concrete foundation of the second building. The concrete had been poured last week and was now dry. We started by pounding off metal clamps that held the wooden forms tightly in place. Then we began to rip the wooden forms from the dried concrete using hammers, cutters, and crow bars. Once the wooden forms were down, we hammered the nails out backwards so the wood could be re-used on the next building. We then carried the wood out of the building and stacked it elsewhere for later use.
The amount of pounding on the clamps, boards, and posts to free them from the dried concrete is unbelievable. I beat and beat on the boards with my hammer until I had nothing left. My arm and back muscles ache in a way I not thought possible... and yet there is such an immense satisfaction from the work that kept me pushing forward for hours.
After lunch, a few of us changed tasks and began loading dirt and rocks into wheelbarrows. Once full, the wheelbarrow contents were dumped on the first floor of a building to raise the level before the concrete is poured. Again, a grueling task... but made easier by the cheerful attitude and dedication of the team we are with. Our Habitat team is made up of 12 Americans (including Danny and me) who came from all over the United States with one purpose in mind - to improve someone else's life. It is a pleasure to work alongside these people.
One interesting story - we had two Macedonian contractors working alongside us as we moved the dirt and rocks into the wheelbarrows. They were very friendly and spoke a little bit of English. They had a lot of questions for us. Where are you from? How old are you? Do you like Macedonia? When I told them I was married to Danny, they asked how long. I said we had been married for 8 years. They asked how many kids we had. I said none. They just stared at me in disbelief - I'm sure they had concluded that I was broken. Seeing their shocked expressions, I felt obligated to add the sentence, "We will in the future! We will have kids in the future for sure!" There was an office worker from Habitat for Humanity with us at that point who had been listening to the whole conversation. She spoke both English and Macedonian fluently. One of the workers turned to the girl and began to speak in rapid fire Macedonian. She shook her head disapprovingly at whatever he said and looked at me uncomfortably. I asked her to translate, and she shook her head no. I pleaded with her to translate, and she finally consented although reluctantly. She said the worker did not approve of my decision to wait on having children (he blamed me apparently and not Danny). He said now was my time to be a mother, and I should be at home with children and not digging in a ditch in Macedonia. What else he said I will never know. The worker kept arguing with the office girl, and she kept shaking her head disapprovingly. She would not translate anything else for me.
I was amused by this interchange but somewhat saddened that I had offended the man so. Macedonia is a very traditional country with Orthodox Christianity and Islam being the two major faiths. I'm sure there is no way this worker could understand our decision to wait to have children. Nevertheless, it is my goal to befriend him the rest of the week as to leave no hard feelings.
The amount of pounding on the clamps, boards, and posts to free them from the dried concrete is unbelievable. I beat and beat on the boards with my hammer until I had nothing left. My arm and back muscles ache in a way I not thought possible... and yet there is such an immense satisfaction from the work that kept me pushing forward for hours.
After lunch, a few of us changed tasks and began loading dirt and rocks into wheelbarrows. Once full, the wheelbarrow contents were dumped on the first floor of a building to raise the level before the concrete is poured. Again, a grueling task... but made easier by the cheerful attitude and dedication of the team we are with. Our Habitat team is made up of 12 Americans (including Danny and me) who came from all over the United States with one purpose in mind - to improve someone else's life. It is a pleasure to work alongside these people.
One interesting story - we had two Macedonian contractors working alongside us as we moved the dirt and rocks into the wheelbarrows. They were very friendly and spoke a little bit of English. They had a lot of questions for us. Where are you from? How old are you? Do you like Macedonia? When I told them I was married to Danny, they asked how long. I said we had been married for 8 years. They asked how many kids we had. I said none. They just stared at me in disbelief - I'm sure they had concluded that I was broken. Seeing their shocked expressions, I felt obligated to add the sentence, "We will in the future! We will have kids in the future for sure!" There was an office worker from Habitat for Humanity with us at that point who had been listening to the whole conversation. She spoke both English and Macedonian fluently. One of the workers turned to the girl and began to speak in rapid fire Macedonian. She shook her head disapprovingly at whatever he said and looked at me uncomfortably. I asked her to translate, and she shook her head no. I pleaded with her to translate, and she finally consented although reluctantly. She said the worker did not approve of my decision to wait on having children (he blamed me apparently and not Danny). He said now was my time to be a mother, and I should be at home with children and not digging in a ditch in Macedonia. What else he said I will never know. The worker kept arguing with the office girl, and she kept shaking her head disapprovingly. She would not translate anything else for me.
I was amused by this interchange but somewhat saddened that I had offended the man so. Macedonia is a very traditional country with Orthodox Christianity and Islam being the two major faiths. I'm sure there is no way this worker could understand our decision to wait to have children. Nevertheless, it is my goal to befriend him the rest of the week as to leave no hard feelings.
Habitat for Humanity Macedonia - Workday 1
What a warm welcome we have received from Habitat for Humanity Macedonia! Habitat for Humanity Macedonia is the local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity USA that is heading up the program to build simple, decent, and affordable homes in Macedonia. The country is approximately the size of Vermont and is the second poorest country in Europe (Albania is the first). In 2006, the gross national income per capita was around $3,090.
Macedonia was part of the former Yugoslavia that broke up in the 1990s. Yugoslavia was a communist country with a centrally planned economy. Macedonia's transition from a planned economy to a market economy combined with ethnic strife has resulted in high unemployment, overcrowded cities, and substandard housing. Many homes simply do not have access to water, sewage networks, and waste collection although they house multiple families/generations. In 2004, Macedonia's unemployment rate reached 36 percent with at least a quarter of the population living below the poverty level.
Habitat for Humanity Macedonia started in 2005 with its primary purpose to replace and rebuild existing substandard housing. The organization gradually expanded to include a micro-loan program and a new builds program. Danny and I are working on the new housing development in Veles, a city about 30 minutes south of the capital Skopje. The new housing will have 90 units (in the form of duplexes) and is set to be completed by 2011.
Since it is the very beginning of the construction process, we spent our first workday laying grids of rebar on the third floor of one of the buildings to prep for concrete. Now let's be honest - have my soft accountant hands ever touched coarse rebar before? Have I even been on the third floor of a building under construction? NO. I didn't know what I was in for.
The work was absolutely back breaking. We tied together layers and layers of rebar that will eventually have concrete poured into it. The rebar strengthens the concrete to prevent it from breaking later. We worked alongside sub-contractors who actually knew what they were doing. I was one of the least qualified people on the job site, but I tied rebar and laid grids with the best of them. One of the workers kept trying to show me how to better use my rebar tool but I think he eventually gave up. :) Oh well, just let me go... :)
The weather was very overcast on our first workday, and it rained intermittently. The rain was fairly light, and we were able to keep working with a light jacket. However, near the end of the day, the storm became more severe and started moving rapidly towards the job site. It was at that moment that I realized I was standing on top of a grid of metal rebar on the third story of a building in a city with not a lot of tall buildings. Catch my drift? It wasn't safe. The sky started to light up with thunder and lightning, and workers began to yell for everyone to get down from the building and get inside. I was frantically climbing down a wooden ladder and racing for cover when a massive lightning bolt zig-zagged across the sky and hit somewhere very close. The sound was deafening. Everyone was running. I was running so fast that I practically slammed into Danny who was running from another area of the job site. I didn't notice until later that he was sort of limping. I asked him what had happened, and he said he was running by a pile of rebar when the huge bolt of lightning hit. Some of the electricity must have transferred to the rebar on the ground, and his foot was electrocuted as he ran by. Unbelievable, right? But it is true. His foot throbbed for about an hour as he tried to shake off the shock.
Besides that dramatic story, our first workday went smooth without a hitch. Danny and I are immensely glad to be here and are grateful to contribute our time to a worthy cause. The project is real to me now. I can see the buildings, and I know the end goal. It is great to feel like we can make a difference.
Macedonia was part of the former Yugoslavia that broke up in the 1990s. Yugoslavia was a communist country with a centrally planned economy. Macedonia's transition from a planned economy to a market economy combined with ethnic strife has resulted in high unemployment, overcrowded cities, and substandard housing. Many homes simply do not have access to water, sewage networks, and waste collection although they house multiple families/generations. In 2004, Macedonia's unemployment rate reached 36 percent with at least a quarter of the population living below the poverty level.
Habitat for Humanity Macedonia started in 2005 with its primary purpose to replace and rebuild existing substandard housing. The organization gradually expanded to include a micro-loan program and a new builds program. Danny and I are working on the new housing development in Veles, a city about 30 minutes south of the capital Skopje. The new housing will have 90 units (in the form of duplexes) and is set to be completed by 2011.
Since it is the very beginning of the construction process, we spent our first workday laying grids of rebar on the third floor of one of the buildings to prep for concrete. Now let's be honest - have my soft accountant hands ever touched coarse rebar before? Have I even been on the third floor of a building under construction? NO. I didn't know what I was in for.
The work was absolutely back breaking. We tied together layers and layers of rebar that will eventually have concrete poured into it. The rebar strengthens the concrete to prevent it from breaking later. We worked alongside sub-contractors who actually knew what they were doing. I was one of the least qualified people on the job site, but I tied rebar and laid grids with the best of them. One of the workers kept trying to show me how to better use my rebar tool but I think he eventually gave up. :) Oh well, just let me go... :)
The weather was very overcast on our first workday, and it rained intermittently. The rain was fairly light, and we were able to keep working with a light jacket. However, near the end of the day, the storm became more severe and started moving rapidly towards the job site. It was at that moment that I realized I was standing on top of a grid of metal rebar on the third story of a building in a city with not a lot of tall buildings. Catch my drift? It wasn't safe. The sky started to light up with thunder and lightning, and workers began to yell for everyone to get down from the building and get inside. I was frantically climbing down a wooden ladder and racing for cover when a massive lightning bolt zig-zagged across the sky and hit somewhere very close. The sound was deafening. Everyone was running. I was running so fast that I practically slammed into Danny who was running from another area of the job site. I didn't notice until later that he was sort of limping. I asked him what had happened, and he said he was running by a pile of rebar when the huge bolt of lightning hit. Some of the electricity must have transferred to the rebar on the ground, and his foot was electrocuted as he ran by. Unbelievable, right? But it is true. His foot throbbed for about an hour as he tried to shake off the shock.
Besides that dramatic story, our first workday went smooth without a hitch. Danny and I are immensely glad to be here and are grateful to contribute our time to a worthy cause. The project is real to me now. I can see the buildings, and I know the end goal. It is great to feel like we can make a difference.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
