Our service site was Monjaras, a small village on the coast. We helped build new homes to replace the ones lost in Hurricane Mitch. These homes were simple in construction two rooms in most cases. About the half of the homes in our service site were made of stick and adobe and unfortunately most were falling apart. Outdoor bathrooms in the poorer communities are common.
Families are very proud of their property.
They stake out their areas with fencing or wire mostly to protect their families from crime. On Saturday night we attended church service and often helped with the children s programs. I did feel that most women living in the countryside are still in the 19 th century. Their role in society is subservient. The people in our village treated us like royalty.