Let's finish this house! & nuevo/new look!

Hello World! Today I just wanted to update you on where we are with the house, and talk to you a bit more personally about the position I find myself in presently, the decisions I am making, and the need I have these days to believe in that which says "Ask and you shall receive".....so, here it goes.... I have been working in Chincha for a year and two months now and while I am quite proud of all the wonderful things La Casa De Mayten has accomplished to date as an independent, ethical, committed, creative social project; I must admit that every day here has been a struggle to find resources and meet the endless needs of people. I have never worked harder in my life, and feel like I have lived and worked 10 years worth this past year alone. I came back to the South of America in late April of 2007, to establish a cultural/educational community project in Cusco. All my savings, professional experience, and energy were reserved to develop this project I had been dreaming about in the states for some time. I never expected the turn my life would take so quickly and drastically...of all places, an earthquake had to hit the town I grew up in, and had to happen just when I had returned to Peru after 16 years of being away.Granted, I came back to Peru to work with poor communities and felt I was prepared for the many challenges ahead; but nothing could have prepared me, for the tsunami of needs I was bombarded with, upon arriving in Chincha 6 days after the earthquake hit.

Tory getting that little concrete wall thing off!

Roger, our booggie and the pit!

Andy making the kitchen brick wall for the sink

It was crazy here! So, needless to say, my life and priorities changed ALOT over night. However, despite the needs I found and find here still, my little humble grass roots effort to be and bring balance, opportunity, possibility, and alternative to the people of Chincha continues to grow, and with help from many wonderful volunteer/friends, it continues to meet its many goals and surpass every expectation I have in terms of the tangible impact La Casa De Mayten can have on people and communities. I can't tell you adequately how particularly challenging and rewarding these past few months have been, but I can tell you that resource wise, meeting every goal I've set for La Casa De Mayten big or small from the beginning has been a constant bitter-sweet experience. I have exhausted all of my personal resources, and my last energy reservoir is quickly diminishing.I kicked off the building of Manuel and Rosaura's home just 5 days after my big 1 year earthquake anniversary ceremony, and only 10 days after my kids and I returned from our trip to Cusco. The trip was a dream but raising the funds, organizing the agenda of activities, exchange programs, food, hotel, tickets, etc etc and just taking care of 20 human beings 24/7 as they climbed exciting deadly mountains, dealt with altitute sickness and more, took everything out of me...my battery was on low then...

Michelle and I digging and removing adobes

Abel and Rosae laying adobes and making the new back walls

Tory & Abe making quincha wall

But Manuel and Rosaura's home had to be rebuilt and no one other than I was willing to do it, so, I kicked off the Manuel and Rosaura construction project. We had entered our second adobe making week when I was told my beloved Martin, my brother-like cousin, was quite ill..learning this shook up my world for different reasons and forced me to deal with a difficult situation in the midst of making adobes and building a house...I left to the states for 10 days and 40 minutes after my arrival in New York's Presbyterian Hospital, and after withstanding unhuman amounts of pain, my beautiful Tin died.....I felt something in me go with him....on this day, I got to hold my boy like I used to when he was little and I started thinking about important decisions I needed to make....

Andy and Roger making quincha walls

Abe and Roger working the quincha

So, here I am today, Friday, October 24th, fighting against time, exhaustion, an a serious lack of resources to finish this construction project, which is only a few details away from being completely done, and I need to again do something I actually don't enjoy which is ask for help....I need HELP...HELP! HELP! HELP!...I am asking with all my faith in life, nature, energy and human beings! I NEED TO RAISE FUNDS URGENTLY! I NEED MONETARY DONATIONS TO COMPLETE THE ELECTRIC CONNECTIONS, RENDERING, PLUMBING, SEPTIC PIT AND WATER TANK CONNECTIONS, PAINTING, AND FLOORING of Manuel and Rosaura's house. I would also like to raise funds to buy 4 internal doors which I can not buy now and will need to cover with curtains.....the guys and I are making and selling chocotejas (Chincha's signature sweets) to raise some funds, and I will have a Carapulcrada (Traditional Chinchana food sale) this Sunday, Oct. 26 also to raise some funds. I have accrued a debt with a volunteer's parents who gave me a loan to buy construction materials and I must pay them back soon.....

As you can see, somewhere in between cooking, emailing, organizing fund raising activities, breaking adobe walls, and finding new donors, I chopped off most of my hair...I had been dying to cut it and a couple of days ago, I decided it was time and did it myself :)...I liked what I did with it, but Rosae added his energy and gave my hair a bit more life...thanks Rosae! I love not feeling all that hair AND saving on shampoo and conditioner! SO, how do you like it???.....

we recently calculated costs for what remains to be done, and we do not have enough, even with the loan I received....I need help.....life seems to want me to make some shifts and turns, and it is pushing me to make important decisions about what I am doing presently....help me make responsible decisions with your support....If you would like to donate, you can make a deposit to my Chincha, US Dollars, Banco De Credito Del Peru account..

Friends who have donated in the past, thank you for your trust and support.. it means a great deal to me! If you are able to, please consider donating again no matter how small the amount....those of you who have not donated yet, please consider doing so...I am sure past volunteers would not mind speaking to you about the experience of working here and the need people have especially children for La Casa De Mayten to continue....workshops with my kids continue as we build Manuel's house, and my work with them continues to be the corner stone of my project...my kids, their progress and our growing relationship are essential to me and the injection that fuels me to do what I do.....extraordinary things continue to be created constantly at La Casa de Mayten by my kids and every cell of my body could not feel more proud of all we (my kids, volunteers, parents, donors and I) have done in the year and two months in Chincha. Thank you.....Gracias! Mayten