The poor of Allaphuza live in villages scattered throughout the region. Narrow dirt paths lead into the neighborhoods where small parcels of land are divided by living fences of plants covered with plastic to afford some degree of privacy. Sometimes one has to pass through the yard of one house to reach another.

Land is passed down from father to son. If there is a younger son, he is sometimes allowed to build a house on a corner of the elder son's land. Often there is not enough space and the younger son must fend for himself. Many of our poor have no land. They build their huts on land categorized as 'waste land' by the government. This can be right along the coastline on the beaches where there is great danger of flooding especially during monsoon. The family sleeps on mats on the sand. It is not uncommon for fire ants to be present on coastal beaches so the children end up covered with painful bites from sleeping on the sand.

Huts are built from whatever materials are available: palm fronds, plastic sheeting, wood scraps, metal scraps, cardboard, whatever the family is able to find. They are very small, usually a single open room with a fire in the corner for cooking. When the fire is lit, smoke fills the house. Furnishing may consist of floor mats for sleeping, occasionally a bedstead with a mat on it, one or two plastic chairs and perhaps a table. In the monsoon season, rain pours into the hut through leaky roofs or the hut may be totally demolished by the winds. In the summer, heat bears down on the hut making the interior like an oven.

The toilet may be a hole in the ground screened from view by plastic sheeting. Sometimes there is nothing at all.

In every home, no matter how small or poor there will always be a prayer altar. This is generally a shelf high on the wall with lights and candles. Pictures or statues of Jesus and Mary and of some favorite saint are there along with flowers. The family will put pictures sent by their sponsors on the altar and pray daily for them with great thanksgiving for the help they are receiving. Families gather at this altar mornings and evenings to pray together.

A Profound Change
When families receive the gift of a house there is a profound change that takes place. The security of a roof over their heads, well ventilated rooms and proper sanitary facilities and shower help to bring family members back to health.

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