Day 2: Bricks, Beads, and Building Each Other Up

We kicked off day 2 with breakfast at our hotel before heading back to the build site. The drive felt familiar this time — the same road, the same beautiful views — but an even deeper sense of purpose knowing what was waiting for us.

When we arrived, we were greeted by a fully dried slab of concrete — the foundation we had worked so hard to lay yesterday. And nearby? A towering pile of 900 large bricks that had been delivered to the site and dumped near the road, waiting to be moved to the base of what will soon be Regina’s home.

And so, the heavy lifting began — quite literally. Together with our Habitat crew, local builders and masons, members of the host family (including Regina’s older sons and daughters), and some special guests I’ll share more about in a moment, we formed a human chain and passed brick after brick down the line. It was tough, repetitive work that required strength, endurance, and plenty of grit. The site was soaked from the previous night’s rain, and the mud was relentless — thick and sticky, clinging to our shoes until they were completely caked — but my team showed up with full hearts and strong arms, and I couldn’t be prouder. Everyone did their part, and slowly but surely, the bricks made their way from the roadside to the home site, where we stacked them in neat piles, ready for building.

Midway through the morning, we paused for a social learning activity — and what a gift it was. We were joined by ten incredible women from the Natero group, a local women’s organization whose name means “helping each other.” There are 31 members in total, and their mission is rooted in empowerment and community support. They live by the phrase: “What a man can do, a woman can do better.”

These women wore stunning, intricate beaded jewelry — each piece telling a story. One tradition that especially stood out was about the journey of boys becoming men in their culture. At age 15, boys go through a circumcision ceremony to mark their transition into warriorhood. Leading up to this, they are mentored for a full month, preparing them for the responsibilities of adulthood. When the ceremony is complete, their mothers receive a patterned beaded necklace — a symbol of this rite of passage — which they wear for the rest of their lives. One of the women present today proudly wore three necklaces for her three older sons and shared that she’ll soon add a fourth when her youngest completes the ceremony.

After teaching us about their culture, the women sat with us and taught us how to make beaded jewelry of our own. Working alongside them sharing stories, laughter, and creative energy was such a beautiful moment of connection. When we were done, they set out more of their handmade art and jewelry for us to browse through and purchase if we wanted to. It felt like more than a cultural exchange — it felt like a celebration of womanhood, strength, and mutual respect.

Once the Natero women said their goodbyes, we got back to work. With fewer hands available, we shifted to loading the bricks into wheelbarrows — about six at a time — and hauling them to the house ourselves. The sun had disappeared by then, and the clouds began to gather. For a while, we were concerned that the rain would return, but it held off — just long enough for us to get the job done. After two more hours of hauling, hunger finally caught up with us, and we broke for another incredible meal prepared by our hosts, shared together as a team.

Fueled and refreshed, we returned to finish the final stretch — just ten more wheelbarrows of bricks to go. With the last load stacked, we could finally begin building upward. And then, the true transformation began.

Brick by brick, we started laying the walls of Regina’s home. Each layer was secured with concrete, steady hands, and a whole lot of care. By the time we wrapped up at 4 p.m., we had completed four full rows of bricks — a visible, tangible sign of progress and hope.

What a day it was. Every single person played a role in the work, and the sense of unity was as strong as the foundation we’re building on. At this rate — and with the rain staying mercifully away — we’re on track to finish Regina’s home by the end of the week.

This is more than a construction project. It’s a living example of what happens when people come together — across cultures, generations, and backgrounds — to lift each other up and build something that will last far beyond the final brick. I can’t wait to keep going.