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Read updates on my Global Village trips and the mission of Habitat for Humanity

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TESTIMONIAL: "I no longer take access to clean water and plumbing for granted"

3/3/2015

 
GV team to Bolivia
Our Global Village team to Bolivia with our partner family and their home. (Meriem is the radiant smiling face in the red shirt.)
I remember our first conversation. I received her information from a fellow staff member at Habitat for Humanity International and learned that she was interested in joining my Global Village team to Bolivia. She was unsure if she could raise the funds to make the trip and a bit nervous about traveling out of the country alone.  

I realized during that phone call that Meriem had energy. She had drive. Most importantly, she was passionate about the mission of Habitat and helping families have a safe, decent and affordable place to live. I knew she could raise the money for her trip fee and airfare and make it to Cochabamba in spite of her fears...and she did!

Recently I asked Meriem to reflect on her journey as a Habitat for Humanity international volunteer for my blog. 

Meriem, use three words to describe yourself: Three words I would use to describe me are brave, positive and resourceful. I definitely agree with that!

Explain why you wanted to join our Global Village team to Bolivia: The reason I joined the GV team to Bolivia is because I wanted to do my part in continuing Habitat’s mission on a global level. I wanted to help combat poverty housing within the country. As a product of affordable housing programs stateside, I understand the value of quality affordable housing. Additionally, I knew that I would be able to use my Spanish speaking skills, if needed. 

Awesome! What was your biggest take away from the trip? My biggest take away from the trip was a greater appreciation for the small luxuries that we have in the United States. I no longer take things like access to clean water and plumbing for granted. My GV trip to Bolivia allowed me to see that it is very possible to live a life with joy without living in excess. Every person that we met, especially our homeowners that we were building for, were truly happy people. 

What challenged you the most about the trip? The only challenging aspect of the trip was overcoming my fear of traveling to another country alone. I am used to international travel but this was my very first time traveling alone. That fear quickly subsided after I met another young female traveler on the first leg of my trip. 

Why would you recommend a GV trip? I would definitely recommend a GV trip to someone. Since returning back from my trip, I have encouraged others to consider going on a GV trip in order to help them understand why quality affordable housing is a global concern. I also point out how my GV trip inspired me to give more of my time and money to combat poverty housing. I would let them know the benefits of participating in the construction of homes and how it pushes you to your limits. Lastly, the main reason why I promote GV trips is because GV trips allow you to do some serious self discovery and most people come back with a desire to do more.

Thank you, Meriem, for sharing your heart and being a part of making our world a better place to live in. Because of volunteers like you, we are making an impact in filling the need for decent and affording housing. Continue to believe that everyone deserves a decent place to live and work toward making it a reality for the 1.7 billion people worldwide living in inadequate shelter.

~Tammie, GV team leader
globalvillagetrip.com 

Youth ages 16-18 can build a #Habitat for Humanity home this summer with the Learn and Build Experience program

2/19/2015

 
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Photo credit: Habitat.org
It's that time of year again! The Youth Programs department of Habitat for Humanity International is now accepting applications for its Learn and Build Experience (LBE) trips. These trips offer youth ages 16-18 an opportunity to travel to a different state or country and build a Habitat home with a family in need of decent and affordable shelter. This is an incredible cultural immersion trip where team members help build homes, meet other students who are interested in lending their hands and their voice to end poverty housing, and experience a different community. The best part about LBE is that youth who are unable to afford the $550 trip fee or the airfare to reach the destination, can apply for scholarships. I think this is one of the best kept secrets in the world of Habitat! Learn more about the program here.
Apply Now

How to get involved in #WorldHabitatDay 

9/27/2014

 
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The United Nations General Assembly declared in 1985 that the first Monday in October would be World Habitat Day. World Habitat Day is the one day set aside annually to recognize the basic right of every person to have adequate shelter. It also encourages grassroots action toward ending poverty housing. 

This year World Habitat Day is Monday, Oct. 6th! There a number of ways you can get involved by helping raise awareness for the 1.6 billion people in need of adequate shelter around the world. 
Take action by sharing the social media posts, graphics and banners created by Habitat for Humanity International for this very important day or you can also click the links below to see other ways you can get involved:
  • Sign the World Habitat Day petition
  • Create a prayer and petition event
  • Color a pinup
  • Organize a door parade
However you plan to take action, know that every post shared, every signature on the petition, every prayer prayed, every event attended and hosted, and anything else that shines a light on the need for decent and affordable shelter makes a difference. When you participate, you are using your voice to speak out for people who are living in inadequate housing in your city and all over the world.

My next Habitat for Humanity Global Village trip is confirmed!

9/9/2014

 
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I'm excited to announce that I have scheduled my next Global Village trip and will begin my recruitment process very soon. In 2015, I plan to lead a team of up to 22 people to Rabinal, Guatemala to help build at least two homes with families in need of decent and affordable shelter. Here are the details of my trip:
  • Event code:  GV15269
  • Location:  Rabinal, Guatemala
  • Trip dates:  June 6-14, 2015
  • Program cost: $1,830
  • Program cost due date:  April 22, 2015
I will have more information about the Habitat affiliate we will partner with, the city of Rabinal, and ways to get involved with this project in the coming months.

Mission Completed! Recapping Our Global Village Trip To Bolivia

7/4/2014

 
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We made a difference. We made great memories.
During our Global Village trip to Cochabamba, Bolivia with Habitat Para La Humanidad, we worked on building a home with the Moya Family. When completed, the home will measure 624 square feet and cost $14,240 US. The family made a $2,000 deposit, so their mortgage will be $214 per month over 6.5 years. The couple has one son and is expecting a baby in December.

My team helped shovel, wheelbarrow and place thousands of pounds of sand, stone, brick and gravel over five work days. We moved, cut, bent and twisted countless feet of rebar that will be used to fortify the walls of the home. Each task, though at times tedious and strenuous, was a labor of love.

For our cultural activities, we toured a center for abused and abandoned children, saw a breath-taking traditional Bolivian dance performance, visited the famous Cristo de la Concordia, viewed the Habitat national office, shopped at the Main Plaza and La Cancha markets, toured the Natural History Museum and the majestic Palacio Portales.

Habitat Para La Humanidad Bolivia has served more than 50,000 families and built nearly 11,530 homes over 29 years. Utilizing Global Village teams, like ours, helps to offset their costs and increase progress on the homes. For example, our team raised almost $15,000 in funds, almost the total cost of the home, using peer-to-peer fundraising for our trip. That doesn't include the offline funds submitted by our volunteers and their supporters. Also, our team of 14 people was able to move enormous amounts of materials on the site in a short amount of time, saving the small construction staff at Habitat and the Moya Family time, money and energy.

I'd like to thank my team members Jerald, Karen, Jim, Andy, Tommy, Amy, Marci, Lori, Kate, Meriem, Ashley and Pieter for accepting the call to service and putting love into action during this trip. I'd also like to thank my supporters, especially my top donors, Bob and Roderick, for their generosity and helping transform lives in Cochabamba. Your compassion has helped make the dream of home ownership come true for the Moya Family!

Please take a moment to view my short video recap of our experience in Cochabamba.
If you can not view the video, watch it here.

"Just Keep Digging" - My Devotional In The #Habitat #Lent Guide

3/14/2014

 
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There is hope and it requires you to exercise your physical and spiritual muscle.
You've probably seen the movie "Finding Nemo" and remember Dory grabbing the fin of a depressed Nemo and telling him, "When life gets you down, you have to remember to just keep swimming." As they proceed into the dark abyss, Dory begins singing, "Just keep swimming...just keep swimming."


Today the devotional featured in Habitat for Humanity's Lent Guide is my write up about my spiritual reflection while on a Global Village trip in San Juan de la Manguana, Dominican Republic in June 2012. Our team was blessed to partner with two families and helped excavate and build the foundations for both of their homes using their native construction techniques and tools. The work took the entire five days! 


From this devotional, I hope that you know that God is present, holding your hand and guiding you into the deep and sometimes dark places of your life. Know that there is hope and it requires that you exercise your physical and spiritual muscle. Don't let fear and anxiety override your faith and don't forget that your work is not vain. 

Download the entire devotional guide for more devotionals written by my colleagues and some spiritual advisers from around the world.

We've built a team of 12 so we can build #Habitat homes with 2...

3/13/2014

 
PicturePhoto from boliviabella.com
I have a great update to share with team members for our trip to Bolivia - we have officially met our minimum requirement of volunteers! After almost six months of recruitment, dozens of applications and nearly 25 phone interviews, our team is now complete. We've built a team of 12 so we can build homes with two families in Cochabamba. I will continue to accept applications and conduct interviews until we reach our maximum of 15 people. 
Our team members range in age from 19 to 60+ and are from every region across the U.S. Some are new to Habitat for Humanity and our mission of building homes, communities and hope around the world and some have been on multiple Global Village trips or volunteered with a local Habitat affiliate. Each member has unique interests and skills, but all of us agree that we want to do our part in helping families in need of adequate shelter have a simple, decent and affordable home to live in. I'm so excited that we have reached this milestone and I look forward to equipping you with as much information and guidance as I can to help you prepare for our trip to Bolivia. ~ Tammie 

Need to put some FUN in FUNd raising for your Global Village trip? Join a @Habitat_Org GV workshop.

2/20/2014

 
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Fundraising with your Global Village team is a snap. When your friends, family, and coworkers hear about the work you're doing with Habitat for Humanity, they will want to support it.

Learn the most effective ways to tell people about your upcoming build and the simplest ways to collect support. It's a great way to get new people involved in Habitat for Humanity's work.

We will also introduce you to our online tool for storytelling and fundraising, Share.Habitat. Everyone from high school students to retirees are using it successfully!

By the end of this 45-minute interactive webinar, you will have a strategy, action steps and the confidence to get started.


View photos from a recent #Habitat Global Village trip to Thailand

2/7/2014

 
PicturePhoto by Ezra Millstein from habitat.org
My colleague and friend, award-winning photographer and videographer, Ezra Millstein, recently led a Global Village trip to Udon Thani, Thailand. He shared some of his amazing photographs on the Habitat for Humanity International blog this week. In case you are planning to take photos during our GV trip, here are some great examples of eye-catching shots. Click here to view the slideshow. I have also featured Ezra's dynamic video "A Global Village" on my homepage. Follow Ezra on Twitter at @ezramillstein. 

See the map of the 70 countries #Habitat serves in worldwide

12/16/2013

 
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As a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian ministry that builds with people in need of safe, decent and affordable housing, regardless of race or religion, Habitat for Humanity welcomes volunteers and supporters from all backgrounds.  

Habitat has more than 1,500 local affiliates in the United States and more than 70 national organizations around the world. The ministry has helped to build or repair more than 800,000 homes and serve more than 4 million people worldwide since it was founded in 1976.


Information from habitat.org

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    Christ-follower. Mompreneur. @Habitat_org Global Village Team Leader. Crab claw lover. Advocate for adequate shelter, releasing children from poverty and ending human trafficking and slavery.

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