Rebuilding

The damage from Tropical Storm Agatha that hit Guatemala last year and the devastating rainy season that caused massive mudslides throughout the country still effect many in Guatemala including some families in Pueblo Nuevo. Carmen's family had the most extensive damage and her home repair was scheduled to be complete during our December trip. Unfortunately, because we had to cancel that trip, the repairs have been delayed until now. Because she, like so many in Guatemala, lives literally on the side of a mountain, repair is not really an option. A total rebuild is necessary, but before that we had to figure out how to keep this type of damage from happening again. Obviously those living in Guatemala and contractors that do this for a living know more about how to build on mountains than we do. It is expensive to try to secure a home in areas like this and most people are unable to afford the materials needed to keep their structures from sliding. Even with the best possible construction, the risk of losing homes in Pueblo Nuevo is still great so as always, we are praying that this coming rainy and hurricane season will not bring any damage, loss of homes or loss of lives in Pueblo Nuevo and the rest of Guatemala.

Marco working out the details and ordering the first supplies for Carmen's rebuild.

In order to try to keep Carmen's home safe during rainy seasons, a very strong retaining wall had to be built. The wall was built using small stones, concrete and steel. First delivery The retaining wall was finished last week. It took 3 men, a contractor and 2 helpers that live in Pueblo Nuevo, 3 weeks to complete it. We do not have photos of the finished wall, but Marco says that it is "beautiful" and was "excellently done". Men in the village are now leveling the ground to rebuild Carmen's kitchen. All of the work should be done in the next month, just in time for rainy season to begin. I can't wait to see the finished work next time we are in Guatemala.