First we needed trees. We went to the spring where a man there has a nursery and bought 50 trees we will plant in the village tomorrow.

We worked on the house going to Fatima today. Fatima , mother of 4, had a stroke, that left the left side of her body with little function. Once she was physically not useful her husband left her and the children. She has been living with a sister in law who herself barely able to feed her family. Their house is typical, dirt floor, sticks of mud, and dung make up the walls. One room is a kitchen, open fire fills it with smoke. Another room has a bed of sticks, twine and a cowskin that 4 sleep in. When it rains, the floor becomes mud because of the leaks. Both mother's live with their children in this house.

Fatima was top on the house wish list of 95 mothers. Once her house is finished her sister in laws family will move with her. Her daughter at 15 married, divorced, one child, also lives with this extended family. This is the exact cycle Lightness is trying to break. A combination of education, housing and a way to make an income is the answer. We are here helping with all 3.

Inside the tiny 2 rooms Fatima told the 2 of us who would fit her story. As we asked what this meant, who would live with her,... tears began flow from all of us. We embraced, breaching languages, cultures, distances in what we all share. Our hearts are the same. Tears are the same.