A response to “Something has to be done” (previous article).

Vidal’s family was living in a mud and stick house that was flooded every year during the rainy season.   Vidal and Socorro along with their four children are members of the Shalom Church. Last year Vidal’s family was the first ones to be evacuated to our church property for several days of refuge during the flooding, as water was flowing through their home. At that time, members of the Church decided that it was time to take action and help the family come up with a solution to the problem.

A building lot would need to be found on higher ground where a new house could be constructed. The Shalom Church presented a request to the Choluteca city authorities asking for a lot to be donated since Vidal’s family was living in a high risk area. We were willing to help Vidal with the construction of a house. The mayor accepted the request and assigned the family a new lot in the same community but on higher ground. Vidal was ecstatic as he started to clean off his new lot. His excitement diminished when another man showed up and claimed the property was his. The mayor’s office assigned Vidal another lot and the same thing happened a second time and a third time.

As we prayed for a clear solution, one of Vidal’s neighbors came to him and told him that he owned a lot that he was willing to donate to Vidal’s family. The first step was solved less than a week before construction was scheduled to start.

Church members gathered materials; monetary donations had been given from friends in the States and from local church members. People were ready to give a helping hand.

We are grateful for the help of a work team from Indian Springs Holiness Camp in Georgia. In the nearly 100 degree heat, they worked tirelessly and were able to get all the blocks laid for the house.

World Gospel Mission VIAer
 Matt Boyette helping out.

There were two things that especially impressed me during the whole process. One of our goals is to get community involvement in house construction projects. There are signs that we are making progress. During the construction of the house, one of Vidal’s new neighbors approached me and handed me the equivalent of $25 and said “I want to help with the house.”

I was also impressed by Vidal. He has always been willing to help others in need, and I was sure he would do all he could to help build his own house. He had recently gotten a job as a night watchman and I assumed that he would not be at the construction site every day. He was not only there every day but he was the first to arrive and the last to leave. In fact, the entire family of 6 helped out whenever the children were not in school.

Indian Springs Holiness Camp team

Thanks to all who helped.