The following day we headed out to Tistung, another region where Tearfund has beneficiaries. This region was a bit more out of the way and we needed to take a narrow dirt road that wound up the foothills. In some areas the houses showed significant cracking and so even though they were still standing, people were not living in them since another earthquake could bring them down. In other areas the houses were completely collapsed, probably because the forces of the earthquake were greater in those areas. The people we met were very welcoming and eager to show us their homes and share their stories. We found out that the earthquake actually happened during the day on a Saturday which was probably the best possible time since most people were not in their homes. We began taking note of common characteristics across the traditional houses that would inform the training guide. On our way back to Palung we stopped to see a waterfall and a small footbridge that were near the road. We encountered a woman shepherding a herd of goats across the bridge.
All of the houses are built on the hillside
Proof that the guys were working very hard! On this house the outside wythe delaminated from the inside, something that through stones would help to prevent
An image that shows how life goes on in the midst of calamity
Photo by Ben Keenan
Life Section 
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