Learning the culture

What an amazing day starting with a Common Hope staff introduction. At around 8:30 a.m. Eduardo, Chris & I got into a van filled with laughter from a group of cheerful social workers. It was quite the contrast to social workers in the US who seem so bitter and beaten down. Eduardo and I were the first to be dropped off with Lidia. Our first sight was the Volcano Fuego smoking. We spent our afternoon visiting three families seeing how they live and the challenges they face. The most remarkable part of the day was Lidias statement that the best part of doing social work for Common Hope is she sees the improvement in the families over time.
The afternoon was spent with a drive out to a local town to pick up wood and then building two wall panels. A humbling experience for me as I basically put in one nail to Chris & Eduardo{s five. Fortunately, Charlie the Foreman, was exceptionally kind and patient.
This is truly an amazing place and I am so thankful I am able to be here with a group of enthuistiac and flexible volunteers. The experience is already proving to be life altering for many of us.