The Acosta family at their house dedication
Alirio and Reina Acosta
Reina was 18 and Alirio 16 when they first met. Both were struggling to make a living and help support their families, which meant they dropped out of school. They fell in love, got married and started living in Alirio’s parents’ home, which was a tin house built on borrowed land in the community of Santa Clara.
Conditions became crowded, so the couple built their own house of tin and bamboo next door to Alirio’s parents. They do not own the land they live on. It is owned by Cooperativa Santa Clara, and since they are not members of the cooperative they cannot buy the land or build a permanent home there.
Alirio was working at a factory but got laid off several months ago. He finds small jobs to do around town to make some money for the family and is desperately looking for steady work He also takes care of the children when they’re home from school and cares for his mom, who suffers from complications due to diabetes, by taking her to the hospital for all her appointments. In addition, he does the family’s sweat equity with The Fuller Center.
Reina has worked at a clothing factory for several years and just became a supervisor. She works long shifts to provide food for the family and school fees for her children.
Vanessa and Kevin both study at Colegio Bautista, which provides the best education in this area. The tuition and school expenses put a real crimp on the family’s budget, but Alirio and Reina don’t mind the sacrifice. Since they had no chance to finish school themselves, their greatest desire is to focus on their kids’ education so they will have the skills and opportunities to succeed in life.
The Acosta family arrived dressed to the nines for the dedication of the house they built with The Fuller Center. Their appearance reflects their ambitions to create better lives for themselves, and with continued faith, hard work and a safe, new home to live and study in, they are on their way.
