“Cecilia, you’re breaking my heart”

I want to share with you one of the houses that Porch de Salomon is starting this fall.  Thanks to a generous donation to our organization we are able to provide a house for this family.

Meet Cecilia and her family.  Her story, not unlike many of the women in Guatemala, breaks my heart.

Cecilia is a single mother of 5 children.  Her husband Roberto, left her about four years ago for another woman.  He then returned 2 years ago long enough to impregnate her and leave again.  Cecilia washes clothes for a living and earns about $3 per day.

Currently Cecilia’s family lives in a crumbling, cave-like, adobe lean-to behind her mother-in-law’s house.  Cecilia and her children sleep on one stuffed mattress.  The roof is leaking.  Hector, Porch de Salomon’s humanitarian  aid director said its like seeing a dog tied up behind one’s house.  They have no electricity, running water, sink, or bathroom of their own.

I’ve been working a part time job at Starbucks as we prepare to leave in January.  After reading this story,  I was struck by the stark contrast of our way of living compared to Cecilia’s.  One drink at Starbucks (approx. $4) cost more than what Cecilia earns in a day ($3). We are blessed.  My heart was broken as I felt the compassion of God for this family.  As the old Simon and Garfunkel tune says.

“Cecilia your breaking my heart, your shaking my confidence daily.  Oh Cecilia, I’m down on my knees, I’m begging you please to come home.”

~ Paul Simon

I hope her story breaks your heart for the poor as much as it has mine.  I hope it shakes you daily and brings you to your knees to pray for families like this in Guatemala.  Together we can call families like Cecilia’s to come home to a new house!