Community relationship building is growing even stronger in Pampa Hermosa. RP volunteer Charles is now living in the community of San Antonio, which has helped Charles work more closely with community members to build trust and understanding. Though long-term accommodations are still under construction, Charles is able to cook for himself, and even share his meals with the people of the community. Charles has adapted to the simple, rural life of the people, helping carrying bags of coffee from their fields, collecting honey, playing football with the kids and adult men, and even helping roast a pig for the community festival. Though these may seem like laborious and unsuited tasks for a volunteer, through completing these tasks alongside community members, trust and understanding of RP’s project are flourishing. Now the community will not think of Charles and future volunteers as outsiders but as trusted friends with the mutual goal of sustainable development of the communities of San Antonio and Calabaza. With trust and understanding, it will be much easier to build the infrastructure and capacity to manage the future volunteer house in San Antonio and ecolodge in Calabaza. RP is grateful for Charles’s hard work and dedication.

Before Charles leaves, for the temporary hostel he will have finished the bathroom with a working toilet and the lighting system to guarantee an adequate stay for the tourists. He will also have set up a livable and “waterproofed” volunteer house. Thanks again Charles for all that you have done in such a short amount of time!