Living conditions are often difficult, and this was one of the nicer buildings we encountered. Many families live in simple adobe homes with dirt floors that can turn to mud during the rainy season. Cooking is often done outside over an open fire, and meals may consist primarily of tortillas and beans when they are available.

In some places, a family’s living space was marked by little more than a rope strung with their clothing. Seeing these conditions firsthand was a humbling reminder of how much we often take for granted.