“Is change underway? Undoubtedly,” writes my good friend, Mark Andrews. Mark assumed the role of Vice President for Haiti Recovery at Habitat International a few months after that country’s devastating earthquake of 2010.
At Habitat International’s website (www.habitat.org), Mark reflects on what has been accomplished since the earthquake and what still needs to be done. Check out Mark’s blog at:
http://www.habitat.org/blog/article066.aspx
And keep the Haitian people, Mark and other Habitat staff in Haiti in your prayers. They are definitely needed and welcomed.
I just had the distinct privilege of attending the closing for Ricky Mitchell and the house we built together with him in Long Acres in Raleigh. Habitat is a partnership, not a charity give-away. And with Ricky this couldn’t be truer. Ricky himself was actively engaged in all aspects of the construction. Ricky’s brother, a professional roofer, installed the roof shingles. Ricky’s co-worker, a trim carpenter, installed all the interior doors in a matter of hours and then cut the baseboards which Ricky installed.
There in the downtown offices of Poyner Spruill (who by the way, perform nearly all of our house closings pro-bono!!), on the 19th floor of the RBC Tower, Ricky was realizing a long-held dream—to become the first homeowner in his family! As all the papers were being explained to him, Ricky commented that this home in Long Acres was going to be his second to last home. His last home, he said in his always good humor, “will be the funeral home!”
I wish you all could have been there to experience the true joy that Ricky knows so deeply and expresses so humbly. At 51, it has been a long road for Ricky to this point, but now he can provide a beautiful home within his budget for the two children he is raising as a single dad.
“The Holy Ghost will come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also, that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.”
Luke 1:35
What a blessed time of year where many turn their focus toward those in need. I told a TV reporter yesterday that if every month were like December (in terms of fund-raising) we’d be able to serve twice as many families. Wouldn’t that be great?!!
A talented writer friend of mine shared with me her reflections on the scripture above. She focused on one word in the passage—overshadowed–and suggests that the scripture tells us a couple things. One that God chooses the one to be overshadowed and that the child that is birthed of Mary is holy only because of that overshadowing. Gayle writes that our work in the world “will only be holy—of any real help in healing creation” if we are, ourselves able to be overshadowed by God.
My prayer this Christmas season is that the great, transformational work of Habitat Wake that is enabled by thousands of volunteers and donors be overshadowed so fully that it is crystal clear to the community that the work being done is nothing less than God at work in our midst. As God came to be with us in the being of Jesus, so to may God be incarnate through the work of humble servants building houses in partnership with those in need in Wake County.
“It is the unique and remarkable synthesis of partner families, donors, and volunteers that builds homes … and a world of hope for all of us.”
Amy Powell shared these words last night at her going-away after a 13 year tenure as the first employee and executive director of Habitat for Humanity in Chatham County. Chatham Habitat has done remarkable work in their small, rural county, providing homeownership for over 100 families (over 90 during Amy’s 13 year tenure). I’ll definitely miss Amy as a colleague, but was so pleased to celebrate with her and Chatham Habitat the great legacy of advocacy for those in need that Amy has provided.
Unique and remarkable. Habitat is, at its core, a partnership—a working together to fill a need in the community and specifically in the life of a family. It is a unique way to build homes—with mostly unskilled volunteers and upon the generosity of others. It is remarkable when you think about it—how many pieces must come together—from the construction, to the family selection, to the funding and financing.
As screenwriter, Randall Wallace has said—it you want to remain complacent and uninspired, stay away from Habitat!
This past Sunday was our 11th annual Holiday Home Tour fund-raiser and the crowd gathered was not only treated to some good food and music, but also to hearing from our current homebuyers in Garner, Michael and Waldrena Robinson and their experience with Habitat Wake. As we approach Thanksgiving, I find myself grateful and blessed to be a part of an organization that can make such a huge difference in people’s lives in such a simple, but profound way.
Waldrena read a poem that she had written for the occasion. Perhaps from her words, you can understand how much her new home in Garner means to her and her family. Enjoy!
“Priceless”
Written By: Waldrena Thomas-Robinson
November 2011
In all things I’m reminded to be patient.
However, we all have been in a place to want something so bad you could taste it.
Taste of a better life and all that it brings.Yet you’re blinded by the pouring of rain.
Holding on to the dream to someday receive all God has in store for you and your family.
Just a little glimpse of hope is what I ask of thee.
In an instant a light shined down from heaven and rested on me.
God had been working before I could finish my plea.
Setting in the minds of others on how things would be.
While I was left with my thoughts of heaviness:
Something that once caged me in has now set me free.
Free from worry
Free from Despair
From the feeling “I’ll never get there”
All because of what you’ve given me.
If a price tag could be attached it’ll read:
“PRICELESS RESERVED FOR THE ROBINSON FAMILY”
A gift wrapped for my love ones and I.
A gift of stability
A place to call home
A safe haven that protects us from harm.
Thank you God for Sponsors and Volunteers who have become our friends.
Thank you for this new chapter we are to begin.
A place where you Lord will always abide.
Grateful for you not allowing my dream to die.
My dream of happily ever after not a fantasy but my reality.
How you took a vessel of people filled with love that formed Habitat for Humanity.
Priceless
We enjoyed a visit this week from Habitat for Humanity International CEO Jonathan Reckford here in the Triangle. Jonathan’s position enables him to visit Habitat for Humanity work throughout the world. In one of our local meetings, Jonathan shared the story of Dorcas Phiri, a Habitat homeowner in Zambia.
Dorcas and her three siblings were left orphaned when their father died of HIV/AIDS. Their housing, if you can even call it that, was severely substandard and insecure. Take a few minutes to watch this video of Dorcas sharing the story of her family:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2CEabvcH6A&feature=relmfu
The story has a good ending. Thank God for Habitat and our work in Zambia—able to make a difference in the lives of the most vulnerable and needy.
Last week, I attended a Habitat conference in Atlanta and had the opportunity to listen to some of God’s wisdom coming through the mouth of Clive Rainey, Habitat’s first volunteer back in 1977.
Clive’s meditation focused on the prophet Nehemiah. Clive said that Nehemiah saw the walls around Jerusalem in ruins and, in disgust, proclaimed, “This is a disgrace! We don’t have to live like this!”
Nehemiah then mobilized the City and in 52 days the City Wall was totally rebuilt by an entire community effort that involved courage (there were enemies out there) and sacrifice.
When you get a chance, read the Old Testament book of Nehemiah. It reads just like a story to be told of a Habitat build project, just on a much grander scale.
Raleigh and Wake County are often listed as the #1 place to live in the United States. Sometimes I think that the raters must have overlooked some neighborhoods where I’m sure the residents would wonder, “if this is #1, I’d hate to see….”
Habitat’s founder Millard Fuller would often say that, “The opposite of grace is disgrace”. Do you want to live in a graceful community or a disgraceful one?” Here’s to a graceful Raleigh and Wake County, where everyone has a simple, decent, affordable place to call home.
Last Saturday was the long-anticipated opening of our second ReStore, located at 181 High House Road in Cary. It was a great occasion with speeches, ribbon cutting, balloons, and lots of eager customers.
For us, ReStore has a three fold mission: 1) Assist families in securing low-cost products to upgrade their own dwellings 2) Raise funds for Habitat for Humanity’s mission to provide simple, decent, affordable housing for those in need and 3) to promote re-use of products rather than discarding them to landfills.
Our ReStore sales could generate close to $500,000 for our mission this year. Biblically speaking, the ReStore is a “tent-making” ministry for Habitat Wake. The Apostle Paul supported himself and his evangelical, itinerant ministry by making tents and selling them. We happily continue in the oldest of Christian traditions to extend our reach and serve more families.
Drop off your donations at the new Cary ReStore, 10 AM – 6 PM Monday through Friday and 8AM – 4PM Saturdays. We can pick up your large donations as well. Call 919.744.2420 to schedule a pick up.
Rightly, there is much political discussion these days about government deficits and the bond ratings of these governments.
Transportation and housing bond measures on next week’s ballot in Raleigh have raised this issue. When considering these bonds, we must make a distinction between deficit and debt. Capital projects benefit a city for multiple years and shouldn’t be expected to be entirely paid for in the year the work is undertaken. This is the definition of a capital expense. Debt is the facility by which capital projects are financed. These bonds create debt, but not deficits as the funding for their repayment is included in the referendum with minimal property tax increases.
Raleigh is often ranked the #1 city in the nation. Bond financed infrastructure has helped achieve that ranking. Raleigh city government has been able to maintain a AAA bond rating while keeping property tax rates and general obligation debt per capita among the lowest for North Carolina municipalities.
Political debate is essential, let’s just make sure it is at a meaningful level. Vote yes for
Raleigh and approve the Transportation and Housing bonds on Tuesday!
The U.S. Census Department reported yesterday that the 2010 poverty rate has risen to 15.1% of the population. With 2010 U.S. population at 308.4 million this means that over 46.5 million people in the U.S. are living in poverty! This rate is the highest it has been since 1993. Just since 2007, the rate has increased by 2.6%. In this land of great opportunity and resource, I find these numbers horrifying. Doesn’t it just beg a systemic question of economic justice?
As the economic downturn continues on, we are seeing the impact at Habitat. More than ever, our work is needed to help families that are seeking suitable, decent places to live and to help build wealth for the future and to rise above the effects that living in poverty brings to all aspects of life.
The families we work alongside in the building of their homes are in a marginal place economically, but their desire for stability for their family makes Habitat a life-changing opportunity for them.
To see the Census Department press release on 2010 poverty statistics, go to: http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/income_wealth/cb11-157.html
