Please help my Costa Rican family build a home

Hello, friends and family!

Some of you may know about my family-away-from-home in Costa Rica. I have known them for 16 years and they are very dear to me.

I started this GoFundMe to help them buy materials to build a suitable home. While they have finally been able to establish a small family business (a chicken farm), I think it will be a long time before they are able to put away the funds that are needed to complete their house. It would mean a lot to me - and to all six of them - if you would be willing to donate to the cause this holiday season. Raising $4,000 would truly be life-changing for them.

I met Rita and Leo when I was on a community service trip to Costa Rica in eleventh grade. After college, I decided I wanted to go back to Costa Rica for an extended period of time. With the help of my high school Spanish teacher, I reached out to them and ended up renting the apartment that was attached to their home at the time. During my time in Costa Rica, I got to know their four kids, Dauyin, Antony, Emily, Amie. They treated me like family. They showed me their favorite places, invited me to eat me meals at their table, and shared everything they had with me. We remain closely connected to this day.

It wasn't until I lived with them, as a member of their family, that I came to realize how constantly they have had to struggle to keep afloat. The family has had to relocate multiple times in search of a sustainable income. In 2016, Leo was diagnosed with a life-threatening heart condition. He was bed-ridden for months and unable to work. This was a devastating time for them, both emotionally and financially. Leo is now back up and working, but has to be careful. A few years ago, the family moved to a government-owned property and, little-by-little, have been able to create their own chicken farm. While it is still a hustle, they are starting to see their business grow.

I visited them in their home in late August of this year. They showed me everything they have built. I witnessed the immense amount of work that goes into running their operation. Every single member of the family contributes, including Amie, who is 10 and in school. Mimi, who is now 20, has dreams of going to college but is currently staying home to help her parents and save for school.

Due to the amount of work and cost associated with the starting and growing of their business, the construction of their family home has been on hold. Their oldest daughter has her own little apartment next door to the chickens. The remaining five family members sleep in a two-bedroom, unfinished house. They use curtains to cover the doorframe to the parents' room and the side door to the house. The rooms are not enclosed, as the walls do not extend all the way to the ceiling. Space and privacy is limited.

Any amount you would be willing to contribute would make a significant difference in their quality of daily life!

Thank you for reading. <3