Guest blog by Kisha L., a Disney VoluntEAR:
So when I first walked on to the construction site, I had a bit of anxiety. Here I was, staring at saws and hammers everywhere, and knowing an eager family was going to receive this house that our team was going to assist in building. I mean, who was I? Could I really make a difference in helping the team? Was I even worthy of this amazing opportunity to give back?
My self-doubt subsided a bit once Alison and her team walked us carefully through our day’s duties: triple checking measurements of nail placements to ensure the engineering was perfect; check. Measuring and cutting plywood that would be nailed to the house’s frame; check. Hammering nails into frames to ensure durability; triple check. As I dived into these duties, Adam, my group’s assigned and experienced team leader, was there every step of the way to help with any challenges and ensure that we were applying everything properly.
After a few hours of hard work, we broke for lunch. What happened next totally put the gift of volunteering into perspective for me. Lorena, a mother of three young children (one confined to a wheelchair due to Cerebral Palsy), and grateful partner on a house built with Habitat for Humanity volunteers, narrated the story of her and her family’s struggle of living and surviving in one bedroom of a friend’s 2nd story apartment. Due to a lot of prayers, and the big hearts of Habitat for Humanity volunteers, her family was able to move into their own house right before the holidays.
Hearing Lorena’s story, and seeing her and her family there in front of me, moved me to tears. I felt an overwhelming appreciation for organizations like Habitat for Humanity. As we continued to work following lunch, the unconfident feeling I felt with every hit of my hammer prior was replaced with a burst of assurance of what I was actually accomplishing.
I’m sure most people have heard the saying “every little bit helps”. Whether you’re a super experienced person, or one of the “little” people like me, there’s one thing for sure: the experience of volunteering even one day or a few hours of your time for Habitat for Humanity contributes so much. Not just to the amazing families that will receive the house you help build, but the experience will contribute to your heart.
I’m so thankful to have worked with such an amazing team. Rest assured, if you’ve never volunteered, or thinking about doing it again, you won’t regret it. Not even a little bit.
-Kisha L.
Disney VoluntEAR
If you'd like to schedule a group build day with Habitat for Humanity of Greater L.A. please contact us at 310-323-HOME or visit www.HabitatLA.org.
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Labels: affordable homes, disney voluntears, green building, habitat for humanity, los angeles, sustainable homes
