Today I worked at the brickyard with five other team members, our translator, and three skilled Cambodian workers. It's actually nice to be the unskilled worker and simply do what you're told. And it's amazing how much creativity can go into a simple job like sifting dirt. And how many different work styles six people can have.

The sights, smells, sounds and feels of Cambodia startle the senses -- from a 5-story golden Buddha which presides over a traffic circle to the terra cotta fences which show Warriors in period dress playing tug of war with a multi-headed snake. A family of seven packed onto a motor scooter plays chicken with our bus-- a miasma of fishy smells surrounds the city-- the aroma and tastes of the delicious Cambodian food we have been served -- a tabby cat cleans herself in the the sun atop a Russian tank with its floor missing from a land mine-- the 90 degree weather is in stark contrast to

Last week, in between Habitat’s annual U.S. legislative event, Habitat on the Hill, and the 65th annual National Prayer Breakfast of 3,000 participants from more than 130 countries, Habitat International CEO Jonathan Reckford paused to share this reflection.

Day 1

The 22 of us have all come together to build a home here in Cambodia. We come armed with different skills, strengths and expectations but a common desire to do good - to make a difference. That's what makes it easy to quickly make new friends and meld together as a team -- even in the heat!

As part of Habitat Wake’s global mission, we are excited to depart Wake County today to take our first ever Global Village volunteer team to build with our partners at Habitat for Humanity Cambodia.  22 team members make up this initial team led by Habitat Wake board member, Michelle Pavliv, and Kevin Campbell, President/CEO of Habitat Wake.  Two additional Habitat Wake board members, two staff members, one AmeriCorps member and a broad range of community volunteers including a number of parishioners from Raleigh’s Holy Trinity Lutheran Church make up this diverse team.

Since 1987, Bob Kucab has led the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (NCHFA) and through his life’s work has made an impact on thousands of North Carolina families.  Bob announced his retirement last year and has been succeeded by Scott Farmer, himself a 17 year veteran of the agency.

Churches across Wake County honored the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. with special worship services and build days with Habitat for Humanity of Wake County on the weekend of January 13.

"The concept of the 'beloved community' was a key part of Dr. King's teaching," explains Rick Beech, Vice President of Faith Relations for Habitat Wake. "His vision was of an integrated, loving society that is the ideal expression of the Christian faith. We are delighted that so many churches are realizing this concept and including Habitat builds as part of their MLK observances."

Thanks to 2,000 volunteers investing more than 10,000 hours on the construction site, the Build-A-Block project to construct 11 Habitat Wake townhomes on Kirk Avenue is nearly halfway through construction. Build-A-Block is a collaboration of Habitat Wake and NC State to build safe, affordable homes in partnership with the local community.

In early January, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released its American Housing Survey (AHS) results. The AHS is conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau and is the most comprehensive housing survey in the country. It provides information on housing types, characteristics, and costs for both owners and renters.