In September, Habitat World editor Milana McLead led the first Global Village/Women Build team to Chile, where the group from four countries and three continents helped build five houses.

The Gift of Gratitude

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
-Philippians 4:6-7

Doña Elsa sat in her wheelchair, hands folded, eyes unseeing, smile radiant. Severe diabetes has stolen her sight and right leg, but not her spirit. She presides over her tiny kingdom, a shack of four rooms, split through the center by a narrow, uneven, dirt-and-concrete walkway. There, as she "watches" from the walkway, her husband, son and a maestro (skilled worker) work to build a temporary hut at the back of their square patch of land. The old shack will soon give way for the foundation of their new Habitat house. The hut will provide temporary shelter.

Her smile never wavers. Neither, seemingly, does her faith.

Her greeting was warm, in the time-honored Chilean tradition of clasped hands and a kiss to my cheek. Hers will be the sixth Habitat house built in Chile. Just the day before, we had celebrated a symbolic ground breaking for the second group of three houses to be built in Caldera, a scrappy fishing village on the northwest coast.

I had volunteered to lead the first Global Village/Women Build team to Chile. This extraordinary group of 10 women--from four countries on three continents and ranging in age from 21 to 74--spent several days happily enduring back-breaking work alongside the homeowners and local volunteers. We'd come to pave the way for future GV groups, to accelerate construction by providing labor and donations, to make a statement about women on a work site, to immerse ourselves in a different culture, and to give of ourselves to others.

So why was I crying?

In those precious few moments with Elsa, faced with her absolute faith and abundant joy despite impoverished circumstances, I was overwhelmed. Gratitude, hope, faith, love--welled up within. If she could be so completely confident that God holds her in the palm of his hand, why am I anxious for anything?

Doña Elsa is sure God will answer her prayers--all of them, not just the one for a better house.

All I could think was: What if Habitat hadn't come to her village? More than that, I saw what a privilege it is to help manifest God's love in action.

Thanks for reading...and for building.

--Milana Mclead