The hum of the generator and ring of ten hammers on the roof swirl around Lupe and me as we stand at the corner of the build site. After a delicious spread of carne asada tacos and sandwiches, the team is back at work. The walls are up, the trusses hung and flipped, and dry wall is being cut and nailed up inside as we talk about the menu for tomorrow’s lunch. Lupe specializes in making tamales, her friends from California buying 2-3 dozen at a time to bring home. She wants to make us some sweet corn tamales as a dessert follow up to the grilled chicken tacos tomorrow. Being a fan of these warm, corn-husk wrapped balls of goodness, I love the idea.
Our conversation turns toward her family, and I smile as I catch sight of her daughter and son-in-law hard at work on their new home. Lupe’s husband left her with seven children to raise. She eventually developed her tamale business as a way of supporting her children through school, which can be expensive here. Her dark eyes sparkle with fun and wisdom as we commiserate about our friends’ well-intentioned matchmaking attempts. She has been a light spot during this build, even bringing us coffee earlier in the morning as rain and cold weather had the paint running in rivulets off of the roof sheeting.
Carlos, Lupe’s son-in-law, hurt his back over a year ago, and since then hasn’t been able to get a good job. His wife, Lupita, cleans homes in the morning and goes to beauty school in the afternoon. Their daughter, Karla, is in kindergarten. The family is barely able to make ends meet. They’ve been living with Lupe as they couldn’t make payments on their house any longer. She’s donated the land that we’re building on to them. I can see the closeness of this family as sisters, brothers, nieces, nephews, and neighbors come to lend a hand at some point during the two days we’re there. This Saskatchewan based team is small but has raised extra money to help Carlos and Lupita, even buying them a frig and hundreds of dollars worth of groceries and homemaking items. Carlos and Lupita fight overwhelmed, grateful tears all afternoon on the last day of the build, embarrassed at the outpouring of love. They have never had the money for wants before.
Amidst rain showers, tacos, teasing, conversation, and hard work, a new home and relationships are built. And as we pray and load up (and I get promised fruit tamales soon : ), I share a final wave and smile with Lupe, Carlos, Lupita, and Karla, and think to myself, “Boy, it’s good to be home.”
Our conversation turns toward her family, and I smile as I catch sight of her daughter and son-in-law hard at work on their new home. Lupe’s husband left her with seven children to raise. She eventually developed her tamale business as a way of supporting her children through school, which can be expensive here. Her dark eyes sparkle with fun and wisdom as we commiserate about our friends’ well-intentioned matchmaking attempts. She has been a light spot during this build, even bringing us coffee earlier in the morning as rain and cold weather had the paint running in rivulets off of the roof sheeting.
Carlos, Lupe’s son-in-law, hurt his back over a year ago, and since then hasn’t been able to get a good job. His wife, Lupita, cleans homes in the morning and goes to beauty school in the afternoon. Their daughter, Karla, is in kindergarten. The family is barely able to make ends meet. They’ve been living with Lupe as they couldn’t make payments on their house any longer. She’s donated the land that we’re building on to them. I can see the closeness of this family as sisters, brothers, nieces, nephews, and neighbors come to lend a hand at some point during the two days we’re there. This Saskatchewan based team is small but has raised extra money to help Carlos and Lupita, even buying them a frig and hundreds of dollars worth of groceries and homemaking items. Carlos and Lupita fight overwhelmed, grateful tears all afternoon on the last day of the build, embarrassed at the outpouring of love. They have never had the money for wants before.
Amidst rain showers, tacos, teasing, conversation, and hard work, a new home and relationships are built. And as we pray and load up (and I get promised fruit tamales soon : ), I share a final wave and smile with Lupe, Carlos, Lupita, and Karla, and think to myself, “Boy, it’s good to be home.”
