Maria's New Kitchen!

Upon our first trip to Belize in 2011, Big Maria told us that she really dreamed to have her porch enclosed and her kitchen to be moved onto the porch so that her teenage daughter could use half of their 12x20 home for her bedroom. She had been sharing a bedroom with her 2 teenage brothers and Maria really wanted more privacy for her. As we were looking to leave Belize, that was one of the projects which we really wanted to complete before going. Our very sweet friends the Fehrs, Koops and Ernestos offered to help us complete the project! The Pope family donated the $300 it required for the project. We were so excited to finally get a chance to fulfill this great need in Maria's life, thanks to so many friends' help.

In order to divide half of the small house into 2 bedrooms, the Fehr's brought some thick canvas fabric that they had used to make a wall in their own home. We ladies spent the first few hours sewing together the panels in order to make a dividing wall and a wall to run the width of the house. We would be screwing the edges to the ceiling and floor and then cutting 2 doors into the wide fabric wall and then securing 2 cloth doors, weighted at the bottom and which could slide back and forth on wire.

When the ladies got to the house they had already framed in the metal louvered windows and much of the framework for the corrugated metal siding which would be used to enclose the porch.

We had brought sandwiches, cokes and watermelon for the hungry crew. We had to coerce Big Maria and her family to come join us.. you can see them in the background, not sure if the lunch was just for us.. amazing how the class pressures are evident here in Belize.

The guys get back to work.. Grady and Peter start on the sturdy door. Due to his upbringing, Peter had only been used to hand tools. He had a blast running Grady's cordless power tools.

 

Reynold attaching the siding..

Inside, we started to secure the canvas wall to separate the 2 bedrooms. With the kitchen relocated to the porch, it would give Big Maria half of her house for living space. She decided she would prefer 2 small bedrooms and more living area..

Ryan and Ernesto secure the wall..

Looking good!

Finishing touches..

mama and little Maria

Since the Marias do not have electricity, we had to finish the canvas walls by cell phone light..

The last corner came together great! We were finally finished with both enclosing the porch for the kitchen and making 2 bedrooms for Big Maria's children..many hands make light the work..

 

After all the work was finished, we returned to our home for a late dinner and a Bible Study. Sweet time with such sweet and hard working friends! Thank you!!

 

As a P.S.. after the work was completed, it was dark and Maria asked if we could get into a circle and pray.. she wept and thanked the Lord for what had been completed that day for her.. there is an entire story behind it all.. but suffice it to say, the Lord fulfilled a promise to Maria and we got to be a part of it. We were the ones deeply blessed that day.