The past three days we have been helping build a house on stilts for an underprivileged family in Mai Chau. We have helped to make the bamboo floors, the palm leaf roof and the timber walls as well as the frame to support the structure. Today was our final day of the construction to complete the finishing touches. We woke early in the morning to go to the markets close by to buy useful items for the family, who have no furniture or utensils. We bought kitchenware and a fan, cables for electricity and homewares. We also purchased two pigs and a young bull which will provide the family with future income. We carried our gifts on the long walk with beautiful scenery for the last time. We walked our pigs and our bull to their newly built pens and stalls. The family was very excited about the animals – especially about the bull.
We then spent a final hour completing our work on the house. The wall panels were nailed to the frame. Meg and Sophie made a plaque to present to the family.
After another delicious lunch from the extended family we gathered for the handover. Seeing the expressions on the faces of the family at the finishing ceremony was extremely heartwarming. We understood that all of our hard work had payed off and we had created a new life full of many opportunities for this family. Friends and relatives gathered in the newly built house with fruit and bracelets for us. We brought our gifts upstairs and presented them to the family which brought smiles to their faces. Communication was difficult but our tour guide Hoang translated for us. They gave us a long letter which Hoang later translated for us. In the letter they thanked us dearly and and wished us good health and luck for the future. We presented the plaque and Mr Daniels nailed it to the entrance. After group photos were taken we made our final goodbyes.
After dinner we were treated by members of Mai Chau village to a selection of traditional dances and songs. We also performed two numbers arranged by Meghna. We ended the evening with a joint bamboo dance of friendship.
James C and Connor
