Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Galations 6:2
We have all seen people lamenting on social media the past year of toilet paper shortages and not being able to go out to eat at our favorite restaurants or see their favorite sports team play or go to a movie etc. While all the disruptions and fear have taken an impact here – consider the hardships other places in the world have had to face. Our hearts go out to the many countries hit even harder over this past year. Belize, for instance, relies heavily on income from the tourism industry – which has been mostly non-existent for over a year. It has hit the country and the people very hard. Please take a minute to read one family’s story and see if you might feel led to contribute to this project to help this family in need.
This is the information we received of a family in need in our neighboring village of Cristo Rey in Belize. (Name removed for privacy)
“We would like to introduce (name removed) of Cristo Rey village. She is currently 55 years of age, a single mother of 3 children. At the age of thirteen, (she) became independent and start working at the tourism sector. She was a very vibrant, energetic and hard-working person. Her goal was to have a saving in order to build herself a home. Indeed, with her small income she was able to send 2 of her kids to high school. Apart from helping her kids, she encounters a bigger situation in her life, whereby she used her savings and assisted her sister with medical expenses that was diagnosed with cancer. During this time, her life made a complete turn-around, as she had to stop working and take care of her dying sister with cancer. She manage to take good care until her last breath.
This showed the love she had for others and the sacrifice she made with her limited finance. In 2008, (she) reinstated to the tourism sector once more. However, during then thing in Belize and the economy started to fall and the cost of living increased, she was unable to provide that extra cash to her saving account. During this time, (she) used to reside on a small house at her brother property. Unfortunately, family disputed arise and (she) was thrown away by her brother with nowhere to shelter. Thanks to one good villager that allowed her to stay on an abandoned house where she is currently residing. During her hard times, the village council decided to provide her with a house lot. The house where she currently resides is very old and unsafe to her but with nowhere to go, (she) continues residing in that current house. Now with her available lot and no finance (she) is unable to construct that lovely house of her dreams.
Unfortunately, we are now in 2021 and the Covid 19 pandemic created a worsen situation not only to (her) but to the entire country of Belize. We believe that if we construct a house for (her) it will bring joy and happiness in her life. With this said, Jesse, Santos along with the village chairman and his council nominated her to contribute this donation to (her).”
The above pictures are of her current living conditions in the shelter donated by a member of the village for her to have shelter in. The village council has donated a lot in the village for her to build a new small home on. The people of the village are donating their time and labor to build her new home, but due to economic conditions of this past year, are not able to provide the finances to complete the project. It will be a very small house, but safe and dry! Previous donations have provided the materials needed to build the new home, all that is needed to begin is a few more funds to provide the materials for a foundation and flooring to build upon. The team doing the construction has begun marking out the house and leveling the ground as of today. (05/23/21)
Be a part of something GOOD! If you would like to donate towards this project, click HERE to donate and write “Cristo Rey Home Project” in the comment section. We will post updates as the project is being completed!
Thank you for being a part!
**Update
June 15, 2021
Construction has begun! The team of volunteers from the village have dug out and placed the block to form the foundation. Next is to pour the concrete for the flooring and then build upon that foundation. The family is very excited for the new house and looking forward to planting a garden and lots of fruit trees around the new house soon!
