DWC in Cebu, Philippines: all done. March 2016

The final photo, the final thanks:

Hard working, happy team from Kamloops Hot Yoga with local builders.

Here is a bit from Peregrina's acceptance speech for her new house! Not a dry eye around! 

Joy Demsey
Hot Yoga Leader
Cebu, Philippines: March 2016

DWC in Cebu, Phillipines: March 2016

Final Days

As we near the end of this amazing journey there is still some work to be done. With all the hands and hearts we have here we are trying to squeeze out every last bit of work we can muster. The final piece our team is doing is mixing and pouring a cement pad behind Peregrina's that will extend the family's living space quite a bit. 

As the heat of the day is at its hottest, and our bodies are weary, Peregrina made a surprise visit to the house. She teared up as she saw our progress.  The gratitude that radiated from her being refueled our tanks and once again this incredible group of people kicked it into high gear and got it done. 

Together we can make a difference and that is so clear here. 

Heather Johnston

DWC Volunteer

Cebu, Philippines: March 2016

DWC in Cebu, Philippines, second week

Making Cement!

Happiness means a lot of different things to different people, but this past Monday morning, happiness for 16 people, 10,000-odd kilometres from home, could be summed up in two words: "cement mixer".

We had known since the previous Thursday that this was going to be a grueling day. The plan was to mix and pour enough concrete to make a level pad for the three dwellings being constructed at the side of the Rise Above community centre.

It was still a crazy, back-breaking, muscle-aching, sweat-drenching kind of day, but once we figured out the mechanics of the machine, things started humming right along. Lance and Heather were the mixologists that created just the right consistency -- we had several bodies fetching water and emptying bags of gravel, sand and mortar into the mixer. Joy worked like a demon wheelbarrow-ing the loads from the mixer to the dump site. Joe, Johnny, and Shelley worked to spread and level the cement under Mario's watchful eye...

Unbelievably, it was pretty much all done by lunch time and Fleming gave us the afternoon off! Abi was kind enough to offer transportation to a fabulous pool, where some of us relaxed for a few hours! What an adventure it continues to be!

Shelley Puusepp

DWC Volunteer
Cebu, Philippines: March 2016