Ana

Building Ana's Home

Ana’s Story:

This family is very dear to the ministry. Ana has been a long-time Spanish teacher for our visiting teams and since receiving her home has hosted several dozen visiting Canadians, some for just 12 days and others for close to a year. Ana is a faithful servant in the church that we are involved with, La Gloria Que Impacta, and is one of the kindest, most joy-filled women in the town. She now works full time in our school as the cook. Her four children, Sara, Carlos, Sonja and Rudy have also brought much joy when attending our VBS programs or EFL classes over the years. The two youngest, Sonja and Rudy, attend the school and are both sponsored. Sara is also now on staff with us, as a teacher.

The Rest of the Story:

This family formerly lived in a metal corrugated house, far up the hill out of Tizate. The entire home was just one room, outfitted with two double beds for the family of six. Ana and her family are actually neighbours to Dora, but live further up the hill. This home was constructed in 2006, but before the home could be built, an enormous 40ft retaining wall had to be put in place. It took an entire two months to build this wall, and our visiting participants on that year’s Summer Student Program had many frustrating days as earth continuously collapsed into their freshly dug trench. It was quite a feat to accomplish and the wall itself cost as much as the house to build, but what could this family do? This was where their property was. To build a safe house it was necessary to have this wall and the Lord faithfully provided.

A definite perk of living high up on a mountain is the stunning view. The house overlooks the valley and has a view of the volcano Agua peaking up in the distance.

A few years after the house was completed, a visiting Canadian donated some funds to replace the tricky, dirt staircase leading up to the house with new concrete steps. Ana and her family can now safely, in any weather, traverse the stairs.