Habitat for Humanity

Macedonia

Comanesti Romania

Macedonia

Comanesti Romania

“It’s a hand up, not a hand out.”

You’ve heard the saying, “Well, there’s good news and bad news.  Which do you want first?”  I’ve always dreaded, as I’m sure you have, when someone opens a conversation that way.  That’s not the case with Habitat for Humanity International.  When I discuss Habitat and some of the projects I’ve worked on, sharing my experience with others, the conversation generally begins something like this, “There’s good news, and then there’s better news.”

The good news:  Habitat for Humanity has already helped build over 500,000 decent, affordable houses and served over 2.5 million people worldwide.  These homes are built alongside local families who invest many hours of their own time laboring to build what sometimes is their very own first home.  Projects are built or rehabilitated using donated money, materials, and skilled labor, and are financed with interest free loans.

Better news:  Repaid money on the interest free loans goes right back out to building more homes for more families.  Families who have received a Habitat home invest hundreds more hours during the ensuing years, helping to build more homes and aiding needy families just as they have themselves been helped by the program.  And here’s the best news of all.  Habitat is an organization where you too can make a difference.  Just ask yourself, “What do I have to offer?”  If it’s skilled or unskilled labor; if you can paint, hammer, screw, dig, or wire.  Can you cook a meal, share some hope, or build fellowship?  Do you have a donation?

And I challenge you to come up with a better vacation opportunity that is equally a fabulous opportunity to serve.  Over the years I have served as a Global Village volunteer in Comanesti, Romania; Skopje, Macedonia; Orlando, Florida; and Molokai, Hawaii.  I’ve been able to visit some beautiful places while helping some wonderful deserving people.  Click on the links below to learn more about Habitat for Humanity and how you can help.