Home in Pixebaj

This past week I constructed the first complete home of the new design. In San Juan Bautista we had already constructed the walls but not the roof and not the stucco. I was constructing with a team I had never met so this was bound to be an adventure!

Pixebaj is an indigenous community up the mountains from Los Encuentros which is on the east side of Lake Atitlan. We built a home three families that had homes on the side of the mountain that were destroyed by the mudslides. These three families were all relatives and Roberto was the patriach of the family. We built a home in a different location on the land of Roberto's brother who was sharing his land next to his home. The families would now live in his home and this newly constructed home.

Luckily the team was primarily skilled labor. (Much more skilled than myself) so it was a good team to build a test home with. The first day was rough with a late start and stiff wind and stinging rain. I had to leave the crew finishing the foundation because I had my van and family up the hill and I feared that I would not make it down again because of the rough dirt road. We left just in time and, though slipping and sliding down the hillside, made it back to the Fernandez home.

During this week we stayed with some friends in Chichicastenango, Carlos and Heidi Fernandez. Heather stayed there with the kids while I worked up the mountain. One of the days Heather went with Heidi to the Chichi market.

It was a hard few days but the home was built in 3 days! It was touching to see Roberto crying in gratitude. He, his wife, and 7 children will be staying in the 320sf home we built.