Building and Visiting Neighborhoods in Costa Rica

Our Habitat BuildLouder group had another very accomplished day. This is our third day on our trip and I already feel as though my trip as been worth while. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the week will bring. Yesterday we had a great experience when we went to an informal settlement in San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica. Today we had another great opportunity to visit a small rural town, where we began building a Habitat home. Both places had extreme poverty but also extreme spirit. The people in each of these places are survivors and have done, and will continue to do, the best they can in the situation they have been given.

The two main things that I’ve been taking into great observation have been the people and the housing structures. I have realized that the people in a community are more important than I ever thought. My educational background is in community development, and I have always been fascinated by what community really means. I feel now, that I better understand what it does mean: a vast support system of people with social, physical and economic needs.

What I saw in these communities was how proud each person was of the system they did have. They are filled with hope, even in the poorest of situations. This is what I felt in my soul. I felt the people’s joy in their smiles, and when they showed me their homes. Even if their homes were nothing more than a shack on land they did not own, they still took pride and ownership in what they did have.

To discover Habitat’s impact in the community, we toured examples of before-and-after living situations for families receiving Habitat homes. I had the opportunity to see the current living conditions of a family who had just been chosen for a Habitat home. They lived in a one-room shanty with a make-shift kitchen, bathroom and living room all in one. The future Habitat homeowner, her husband, and their five children were all living in this tiny space. Despite it being hot and cramped, the woman welcomed me into her house, and she was proud to have me there. She was so grateful for our presence, and for the work Habitat is doing for her family.

Next, I visited with a Habitat family that had already moved into their new Habitat home. It was a two bedroom modest, but nice shelter. It was a huge improvement for them, now having concrete floors, doors and windows to keep the elements and wildlife out of their home. The family was so proud and welcoming of their new home. They have a child who is disabled, and this new home is a great gift for her. This child is known in the community, and I can see why. Her smile truly lit up the room. Even with struggles, the human spirit can soar above and be like an angel. This child was an angel.

The lessons I will take back are the welcoming kindness of the people who didn’t have a lot to offer, but their blessings were many. The support of community is so very important and I am going to try and make more of an effort to get to know my neighbors. Support systems are a powerful connection and a way to bring light to a very dark place. These people are the light, and now they need a well lit place to live. Light attracts light. Let’s all be the light for each other.

As seen through my eyes.
Katie Anderson,
Team Member, Community Relations Intern