First journey for Carpenteros
Two teams of volunteers assist in remote El Salvador village
'Home for Christmas' took on a whole new meaning in December 2001 for four families in a remote village in El Salvador.
Assisted by two nine-member teams of volunteers from Calvary Christian Reformed Church in Flamborough, the four families in the town of Pushtan were able to celebrate Christmas inside their small, but new, concrete and corrugated tin homes. Nearly 500 homes in Pushtan were destroyed by earthquakes which struck January 13 and February 13, 2001.
Just travelling to Pushtan was an adventure for the 'Calvary Carpenteros'. The only road leading to the town ends abruptly at a bridge, left half built more than 20 years ago. If the water level is low enough, vehicles can carefully navigate through the river to reach the town.
"Many people in our group had previously been to developing countries, and had travelled away from the typical tourist areas, but we weren't prepared for what we saw in Pushtan," said team member Cal Bosveld. "Pushtan is a scattering of shacks in a jungle clearing, connected by paths and trails. There are no vehicles, and the best houses are made of mud and straw bricks. But the people of Pushtan are as warm and welcoming as you could ever imagine. As we walked into town, we could see smiling and giggling children peeking through a fence or out from behind a tree, looking to catch a glimpse of 'los gringos' who have come to build houses."
Aside from its poverty, Pushtan is also afflicted by a tremendous lack of men. Those who didn't fight for the guerrilla forces were enlisted by the Salvadoran army during the 1980-92 civil war. Very few men returned home. Of Pushtan's 6,000 inhabitants, less than a quarter are male, and most of those are teenagers or younger.
Since the four-wheel drive trucks bringing construction materials weren't able to climb the rough road into Pushtan, 30-40 villagers and the Canadian volunteers spent nearly two days carrying concrete blocks and bags of mortar mix to the home sites.
"We cleared trees, carried blocks, dug foundations, mixed and poured cement and built concrete block walls," said co-organizer Bas Hania. "We shared in the laughter and sufferings of the people of Pushtan. But I think the most important thing we brought them was hope and encouragement."
The new, two-room homes built by the 'Carpenteros' sit on a dug foundation with reinforcing bars, concrete block walls, and are designed to withstand future earthquakes. Both rooms will serve as bedrooms, since cooking is done outdoors, and will therefore accommodate for as many as 10 people.
Co-organizer Ken VanderLaan light-heartedly counts himself fortunate to be among the first team of Carpenteros to arrive in Pushtan. "Our sleeping accommodations were on the floor of the three-room school, and our group quickly decided that we'd take the one room that had a tile floor. When team two arrived, they got one of the rooms with a dirt floor. But I'm sure they moved the minute we left for home.
"The one thing you don't need in Pushtan is an alarm clock. I think every dog and rooster in town knew when it was 5 a.m., and the sun was starting to brighten the sky beyond the volcano."
"There is no doubt that all 18 people who went to Pushtan to work were profoundly emotionally affected by the experience," said Ken VanderLaan. "Our challenge now is to find other ways to continue to help the people of Pushtan to become self-sufficient."
Members of the Carpenteros' 2001 work teams in Pushtan
Team 1 (Nov. 24-Dec. 8); Nick Groen, Wilma Hartman, Marcel VanLochem, Carel Geleynse, Jerry Wassink, Greg VanderZwaag, Bas Hania, Ken VanderLaan and Cal Bosveld with the recipient of the home constructed in Pushtan.
Team 2 (Dec. 1-14); Randy Slump, Dave VanderMeulen, Rob Groen, John DeWaard, Chris Mantel, Nick Burlie, Nathan VanLochem, Clarence Visser and Eric Norg.
