When Dave and Brenda Hrivnak went to Verapaz, El Salvador with Habitat for Humanity in 1997 they couldn’t find the village on any map.  Now the village is in international headlines.  The village was nearly destroyed by the second major earthquake that hit El Salvador on February 13^th.  Only 20 out of the 550 homes in the village are left standing.  They desperately need our help now!  The Hrivnaks challenge Kingsport to adopt Verapaz through Habitat for Humanity International

  Amazingly, the 13 Habitat for Humanity homes we helped build are standing!  This is partially because those homes were reinforced with steel because of the earthquake and hurricane potential in El Salvador.

Verapaz is a small village 25 miles from San Salvador nestled at the base of the unique two coned volcano. The men work in coffee plantations or sugar cane fields when work can be found for $4-6 per day.  Everyone assumes that the cost of living is low in these areas, but our team found most prices to be comparable to the US.  The water supply is a single faucet in the center of town.  Women spend their day carrying water to their homes, gathering firewood, or washing clothes on a stone in their yard.  They cook with firewood outside and sanitation consists of latrines.  The children attend school and looked amazingly clean in their uniforms. Despite their poverty, they provided the team a place to sleep, carried a LOT of water on their heads for us to bathe in and cooked 3 meals a day for us.  Cooking dinner in Verapaz begins with building a fire and killing a chicken; not making a trip to the grocery.  They also graciously shared their stories with us.  One night at dinner we somewhat casually asked Alinda, “What was the Civil War (which ended in 1992) like for you?”  With tears in her eyes she described her husband and son being pulled from their home and killed in the front yard!   The next morning we returned to work with a new fervor to help her have a simple decent home.

When our team of 14 arrived in Verapaz to help the future homeowners, we had the sense that they were disappointed we were not skilled.  However, the construction bosses were good teachers and by the end of the week most of the 13 houses had their walls completed and were ready for roofs.  More importantly, our presence gave hope to a people financially poor beyond what we can imagine.  In turn they taught us about the importance of relationships, working hard, and relying on faith to get through difficult times.  We left that village with a connection that can never be broken.

These people now need our help.  The mayor of Verapaz was quoted in International press reports, “ I don’t know how we will rebuild.”  Indeed the entire country is in dire need.  Preliminary reports estimate 1.6 million people out of a population of 6.2 million are now homeless.  More than 1,200 people have been killed by the 2 quakes, and 335,000 homes have been destroyed.  Water and food are in short supply and experts believe 200,000 may be in danger of starvation.  Health officials are monitoring a drastic rise in cases of respiratory infections and diarrhea.  The most recent estimate at rebuilding is 2.8 billion dollars.  The total federal budget in El Salvador, one of the poorest and most populated countries in the Western Hemisphere, is 6.5 billion.

The same day I heard about the disaster in Verapaz, I heard a local pastor speak on “God sized dreams.”  In the days that followed, it became clear I must find some way to help.  With much research and prayer, the “God sized dream” became clear.  I want to challenge Kingsport to adopt this small village and help them rebuild with the help of Habitat for Humanity International. While there is much need for immediate relief, there is also the need to rebuild.  Habitat is the only agency I have located that has plans in motion to build permanent housing.  Having met the staff in El Salvador and having a knowledge about how Habitat for Humanity works, I feel comfortable and confident working with them.  The homes built in El Salvador are about 425 sqft and cost $4,000.  They are cement block reinforced with steel.  They have outdoor ovens and a latrine.  The homes are meager by all U.S. standards, but provide a stable shelter for a very poor country.

$100,000 will build over 25 homes!

Certainly supplying money to build homes will not be a “fix it all” for Verapaz.  It is, however a beginning and give them hope for the future.  Since all of El Salvador is in need, the first $100,000 from Kingsport will be earmarked for Verapaz to build 25 homes, and additional will go to Habitat El Salvador. 

Checks should be written to Habitat for Humanity International and mailed to:

Verapaz/Habitat Relief Fund

2124 Lamont St.

Kingsport, TN 37664