Back to Building Houses: Habitat for Humanity

Last week I got to spend another two days helping out with Habitat for Humanity. A group of 62 people from the States, Canada and Ireland flew into Bangalore specifically to volunteer and build houses.

This build was in the same area as last time but they worked on at least 13 houses. One day I worked on house #13. It was hot and it was heavy work. A truck pulled up and dumped a pile of  "jelly stones" outside the gate of the house...so we moved them inside the gate.

Then a truck pulled up and dumped a pile of sand outside the gate...so we moved it inside the gate.

When we came back from lunch a huge truck had pulled up filled with bricks - you guessed it - we moved them inside the gate. This picture was taken after we moved half of them.

The second day I helped out on house #6. We worked on the roof.

The construction of one of the houses was complete and we had a "dedication ceremony." At the end everyone touched the house and said a prayer.

This was the last day of the build for this group so I went to the closing ceremony with all the volunteers and all the families.

The build is ongoing and so I hope I'll have an opportunity to go out and help again. The people of the village work alongside us and there is mutual respect. We learn from each other.