Team of teens and adults travelled to El Salvador to build homes

By Joan Janzen

LEADER - A group comprised primarily of locals from southwestern Saskatchewan ventured to El Salvador during the school break to help build homes for Salvadorian families. El Salvador is a country in Central America bordered by Guatemala and Honduras.

Keith Dale and his wife and two sons, aged 16 and 13, were part of the team. They were accompanied by two couples from Alberta, the Field family of six from Burstall, and a young lady from Leader. The six students on the trip ranged in age from 12 to 17.

“If you can hold a drill, you can help build,” Keith Dale said. He was a member of the team that travelled to El Salvador to build tiny homes during the February school break. The team’s primary purpose was to build relationships and let the people know there’s a God and people who care for them. Photo submitted by Keith Dale

“This is the third time my oldest son has gone. He’s quite enamoured with the idea and appreciates the opportunity,” Keith said. The group left on February 13th and returned on February 23rd.

During that short amount of time, they built ten tiny homes. “The homes we built, by Canadian standards, wouldn’t be more than a shed. There’s no electrical, no running water, just locking windows and doors, and a rainproof structure,” he explained. “Safety and stability are the major concerns.”

The area receives 300 inches of a rain a year, so a home with a solid floor is a big improvement from a structure slapped together using cardboard and tarps.

The team of volunteers worked with Shelter, a non-profit organization whose motto is “Building hope for the people of El Salvador, one house at a time.” Local community leaders work in conjunction with the Shelter organization to determine who gets a home through an application process.

Keith explained, “We go there to build homes, but the primary purpose is to build relationships and let the people know there’s a God who cares for them, and people who care for them.”

Part of that care entailed fundraising prior to the team’s arrival. They were able to raise enough funds to cover the entire cost of building ten tiny homes. In addition to raising funds online, “We had one major fundraiser because we only had four or five months to get ready,” he added.

Upon their arrival, Shelter delivered all the materials needed for the pre-fab structures. The organization also provided a couple of construction workers who directed the site. “We provided the labour and did whatever they told us,” Keith said. “There’s no expectation of anyone having building knowledge, just a willingness to go. If you can hold a drill, you can help build.” Shelter also provided a number of volunteers from the area who helped quicken the construction process.

The group split into two teams, with each team completing the construction of one home in the morning and one in the afternoon. Team members were accommodated in dormitories located at the Shelter’s office headquarters.

They would bring their own lunch to the work site, which usually consisted of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. “Breakfast was typically eggs, beans and toast,” Keith said. They also ate a lot of Mexican-style food, such as tacos and tortillas. “But I did eat iguana while I was there. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Was a cross between chicken and fish.”

The team of adults and teens gave an update about their trip on Sunday evening at Leader Alliance Church. “This is the first time we have led a team from here, and it was very well received,” Keith said. “We’re planning on making this an annual event. We might even have a bigger team next year.”