Shack Family

        These are pictures of our newest neighbors.  We have named them the "Shack Family" because they literally live in a one-roomed shack.  We know their names, but I couldn't begin to guess how to spell them.  They are construction workers building a new home in our neighborhood.  It is traditional for the construction workers to live onsite until the work is completed.  This new home is being constructed without any modern machinery or tools.  I have seen a power saw being used every once in a while, but other than that everything is being constructed by hand.  Most homes in India are made out of cement.  The cement is also mixed by hand.  For larger projects I have seen cement trucks, but for this small home all the cement has been mixed by hand.  All day long they carry sand, rocks, brick, or any of the building materials on their heads from one side of the site to the other.  They work tirelessly ALL DAY LONG.  

       At first I couldn't bare to watch them work so hard.  My heart just ached to see them lift and carry load after load, day after day.  I haven't seen people work that hard maybe ever.  But I found myself drawn to them.  I couldn't help but stare out my back window and just watch them, sometimes for hours.  I am so intrigued with how they work and live.  Everything they do is different from how I do it.  They eat, wash, clean, parent, work, talk, and do life incredibly different from how we has Americans do it.  It is fascinating yet heart-wrenching at the same time.  

       So we decided to get to know them a little bit…well as much as we could without actually being able to exchange words.  Most of our communication is through facial expressions and hand gestures due to the language barrier.  They have 2 children, a 1 1/2 year old and a 3 year old girl.  Molly and the 3 year old (Thulsi) have become quite the friends.  Molly begs to go down and play with her every single day.  Somehow Molly and this little girl can spend over an hour playing with each other, with Thulsi speaking in her own language, and Molly speaking english and neither one understanding a word the other is saying.  They have so much fun and laugh like crazy.  Kids have the uncanny ability to look past outward barriers and still make a connection.  It doesn't matter to them whether you are rich or poor, white or brown, pretty or ugly.  To them life is about having fun, playing, learning and being joyful.  Nothing else matters.  Sometimes I wish I wasn't so tainted.  

       I will never forget this family.  They have changed my world and I thank God for bringing them into our lives.  I am grateful.  God has blessed me.  When I get frustrated about finances, I will think of them.  When I don't have the perfect home, I will think of them.  When I don't have the nicest things, I will think of them.  

      Be grateful today.  Thank the Lord for all that he has given you.  Count your many blessings and say a prayer for the "shack family" too.  Pray that God will give them the strength to endure each day.  

Blessings!!