Have you ever wondered if the help you extend to another actually helped them long-term or perhaps actually hurt their development into the person that God intends for them? Was your charity empowering to their development of did it cause an unhealthy dependence and reinforce a low sense of self-worth?
We have three criteria that all of our home-buyers must meet to be accepted into the Habitat program. They are: 1) need for housing 2) ability to pay and 3) willingness to partner. These have long been a part of our Habitat’s successful selection criteria helping us insure that a Habitat house will indeed be a blessing and not a burden.
This past Saturday, I made an early trip out to our Morrisville site to congratulate our newest home buyer, Amy on the completion of her home. I couldn't stay for the house dedication that morning because we had five other dedications happening across town in East Raleigh. Nice problem to have.
“You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance.” Psalm 65:11
In all of my years at Habitat, nearly 25 now, I have always felt blessed to be in such a positive place where people bring their best to share with others. When it works well, Habitat is a true cycle where those who give, receive through and through.
"For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them."
Matthew 18:20
Raleigh Police Chief Harry Dolan will be retiring soon. He leaves behind a legacy of strong leadership in community policing. See News & Observer article here.
Last week, Habitat Wake closed on a partially-developed subdivision near the historic section of downtown Apex that we will complete and provide homes there for 16 families. Habitat Wake has not built in Apex since 1990. Wake County government has provided the funds for acquisition of the property and completion of the infrastructure.
as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. Psalm 103:12
In your majesty ride forth victoriously, in behalf of truth, humility, and righteousness; let your right hand display awesome deeds. Psalm 45:4
So this week we are helping to build homes in what will eventually be a 31 house development in Barrio El Rosario outside Santa Rosa de Copan, Honduras. To lower the cost in order to serve poorer families, the Habitat affiliate has decided to build the homes from adobe bricks rather than cinderblocks. We have been helping to make bricks, including harvesting pine straw (an ingredient in the adobe) from a nearby pine forest, and a few of our team have helped to lay some bricks on the first of the homes.