Día Cinco

Today was an emotional day for all of us. We had to say goodbye to the people we really have grown to love in the short time we have had with them. The day began putting finishing touches on our houses--brick walkways, shelving, final painting, mosaics, landscaping, etc. We then filled the houses with all the gifts that were so generously donated to turn the houses into real homes. We fitted beds with sheets, put groceries on shelves, hung curtains in the windows, put toys in the loft, and decorated the homes with various artistic touches.
After the houses were all finished, each team gathered outside the house to dedicate the houses to the family for whom they had built. Each team member had the opportunity to share from his/her heart how the building experience moved them and what getting to know the family meant. Each team then formed a circle and prayed a prayer of dedication over the house. This was a very moving and emotional experience, both for our SLUH teams and for our families in the colonia. After the prayer, the keys to the house were handed to each head of household, who led the rest of their family into their new home for the first time. For most of these people, they had never had a house that had a door, much less a lock on it. This moment represents for many people a real opportunity to change, and gives them a chance to get their feet off the ground.
Today, every family provided lunch for each team--again sharing not from their surplus but from their basic necessities. Some teams feasted on some of the most delicious tamales they had ever had, others had various chicken dishes, and even molé made another appearance. The food was delicious, but what was even more striking was the atmosphere surrounding the feast. Each family was so proud to be able to host a party in their new homes. One man, Jose, was busily opening up Cokes for his guests and making sure that each person had enough to eat. Extended family members were there as well as neighbors and other SLUH, Cor Jesu, and St. Joe's team members. No one was turned away, and there was plenty for everyone to eat.
The actual saying of goodbye to the kids we played with and the people we had grown so close to was difficult. Many kids came to tears when they found out this was our last day. The kids clung tightly to us, giving that one last hug, to show us how much we meant to them. Tonight after dinner, Roland opened the floor for anyone to talk about what was in their hearts about the last day of the trip. Many of our SLUH guys got up and spoke about how much our work had meant. Junior Kevin Murphy likened the feeling of carrying a child on his shoulders from one end of the colonia to another to the kind of love that Jesus showed for us in shouldering the heavy load of the cross on the way to Calvary. Both are done out of great love, without thinking twice about doing it again. Many words of thanksgiving were shared for the students, faculty, and parents that attended the trip. In the end, Roland invited Mr. Stewart to "bring us home" with a closing prayer. The rest of the night was spent sharing memories of the trip and strengthening the bonds we made with all of the members of the St. Louis contingent of Homes for the Homeless 2008.
We are all very exhausted from our hard week of work, and are ready for the long day of traveling back to St. Louis. We all have a Reynosa-shaped hole in our hearts that we will try to fill by remembering the friends we have made here and especially by carrying their love, generosity, kindness, and community back to our lives in St. Louis. Hasta mañana amigos.

Buenas noches San Luís.