HOUSING: A Lesson In Thankfulness

HOUSING (Day 2)

In Tegucigalpa, most of the population lives in the slums, or barrios.  The barrios are made up of rows of windowless, dirt-floored rooms.  The average household consists of seven family members sleeping in their one-room barrio home.  During the week, the mission team will be building a brand new home for a Honduran family.  This new home measures 16”X20”  and it is nicer and better built than the average barrio home. 

Eye Opener Activities

• Tape off a 16”X16” area in your living room.  Have the whole family sleep together in that space.  

• Spend a day eating, sleeping, and playing in only one room of your home. 

• Take a drive around the city, looking at different forms of housing and levels of comfort.  

Discussion Questions

• What would it be like to only have one room for your whole house?
• What would you like about having a one-room house?
• What would be hard about having the whole family in one room?
• How does that change the way you view your own home?  Do you feel pride? Thankfulness?  Compassion?  What do you think God wants from those He chooses to bless with much?

Prayer

Thank God for your house.  Confess any greed, discontent, or lack of thankfulness in regards to the way you view or use your house.  Thank God for His grace that He loves us even when we make mistakes or have wrong attitudes. Pray for the people of Honduras and those in our country who live below the poverty line.

We combined 2 families (7 kids and 2 moms), and all ate and slept in the same room.  The kids had to play outside if they weren't on the family room rug which was our "home" for the evening.