María Elena Calo Family

Maria Elena, her husband, Concepcion, and daughter Allison (6) have lived in their Habitat home for 2 years now. Prior to their Habitat home, they had lived with Maria’s parents for six years. “The difference is here we feel more comfortable and there is more space, it is much better than living in one bedroom,” says Maria Elena. “I feel happy and content to have what we have because we are adding to the home little by little, and it is ours.”

When asked what she likes best about her new house, Maria Elena shares, “the walls, here we feel less heat, it is very cool. I like that the bathroom is inside the house instead of outside. We had to leave to go outside at night. Now there is no danger to use the bathroom.”

When asked what changes the family would like to see, Maria Elena says, “we have plans to make the house bigger and to paint it, but all of that in time.” The family also raises chickens. “I love having the chickens here, with the animals, I feel less alone, because Allison is at school, while my husband is at work, taking care of them gives me something to do,” says Maria Elena. Her husband, Concepcion is a traffic police and Allison is now in the first grade.

Of the group of volunteers, Maria Elena remembers them well. Maria has photos of the group and remembers how kind they were. “They were a big group and came from different states, I am grateful because it was a great help. They helped to put the house up so quickly and they came with so many different skills, and other ways of thinking,” she continues; “the joy, the happiness that they came with has stayed in the house. It was a great joy to meet and know you, I wish you many blessings.”