Digging a twelve inch trench in the hot sun. Bending way, way down to caulk the lowest row of siding. Waking up with achy muscles and joints. At times like that, we couldn't help thinking that this is not quite what we signed up for when we joined another Care-a-Vanner crew in Sebring, Florida. This didn't seem like a ton of fun ... this was hard work.
But as our team gathered the next morning, one member shared a poem that was written by a mother who had recently become a Habitat for Humanity homeowner. Her words suddenly and powerfully made our complaints feel minuscule in comparison.
A New Beginning
by Jane Ann Wells
I wake up each day and from my bed I am torn,
Hanging sheets in the doorway ... trying to keep warm.
My concern is not for me and the way I will shiver,
But for my children upstairs and the smile I’ll try to deliver.
I keep my chin up ‘cause I don’t want them to see,
The fact that I cry for things that can’t be.
For our home is full of love, but with little to no heat,
Making the best of things is no small feat.
We don’t need to go outside to check the weather,
For it creeps in through doors, windows and wherever.
We heat with Kerosene; and it’s filled just right,
I hope that it’s enough to take us through the night.
I was careful to keep us out of harm’s way,
When Habitat called and gave us the OK!
A new house means a new way of life,
Without the worry and the constant strife.
The old house is just a bad dream,
It never existed or so it would seem,
As I sit on my porch with the sun going down,
Listening to the birds, loving the sound.
As we continued to work during the next two weeks, we realized that ...
this foundation, despite being laid over sand, is going to provide strength ...
this roof is going to protect from all sorts of weather ...
these windows are going to let the light of hope shine in ...
this Hardie board cement siding is going to keep out the cold ...
and this house is going to make a difference in the lives of the family who will call this ''home''.
While we faced some challenges on the construction site, they paled in comparison.
When my knees and back didn't like bending down any more, I found a more comfortable position for caulking those bottom rows of siding.
When there was a tricky piece of siding to cut, Doug made use of all the talent around him to achieve that perfect fit.
When my hands were getting sore after hours of using a traditional caulk gun, a fellow volunteer borrowed me his battery-operated one that he just happened to get for Christmas ... Thanks, Jim, for sharing your ''gift''!
And most important of all ... when we needed some encouragement, the ever-present smile of Jazan, one of our skillful supervisors, kept us going.
Together we worked hard to lift up and improve the lives of another deserving family.
This house will be their new beginning!
At the end of the two weeks, I looked back and saw how much we had accomplished with the help of the local Habitat affiliate, as well as our skillful construction site supervisors, local volunteers, and our Care-a-Vanner team,
and I was moved to add one last line to Ms Wells' poem ...
I’m grateful for this house, a gift from above,
Reflecting Habitat for Humanity’s volunteer love.
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