By Jonathan Reckford
Crisscrossing three continents in my travels these last few months, I thought of Galatians 6:9, which reads, “Let us not weary of doing good, for at the proper time we will reap the harvest if we do not give up.” What an inspiring and appropriate passage to characterize the work we’re doing together as Habitat for Humanity partners.
I always welcome the opportunity to get out into the “field” to see how God is working through Habitat volunteers, partner families and other supporters to transform lives and communities — to reap the harvest that we know a decent, affordable home yields. During the last few months, I’ve been privileged to encounter incredible stories in Brazil, Bolivia and Costa Rica, in Uganda, Kenya and South Africa, in New Orleans, Ohio and other places across the U.S.
I met Severina Guilermina Ferreira, for example, in Varjada, Brazil. Before becoming a Habitat homeowner, Severina — like other women and girls in Varjada — walked nearby roads and paths to collect water for cooking, bathing and cleaning. It was a four-hour round trip. In addition, “kissing bugs” were infesting the substandard housing in the area. Clearly, the burden of resulting chagas disease — which can irrevocably damage certain internal organs — and the time devoted to gathering water each day stole from other pursuits.
Habitat and Severina, however, partnered with World Vision and the Methodist Church to build decent brick homes with cisterns where she and other families could collect water right outside their homes and thus reclaim a significant portion of their day. Girls have more time for school. Women have more time for … well, embroidery.
You see, with more time on her hands, Severina took to the village’s traditional, albeit declining, art form of embroidery. She created a group of women who did the same. With support from the microfinance arm of World Vision, the women developed their craft into an income-generating enterprise. Today, they have decent, affordable housing, a means of collecting water at home and more time to apply themselves toward a financial end. These women did not give up and are reaping the fruits of their perseverance.
Their counterparts around the world are not giving up, either. Like Severina, they simply need a partner. When we join in their refusal to give up, we can, together, bring new opportunity to children, parents and entire communities.
In whatever capacity you might contribute to the life-changing work of Habitat around the world, rest assured that you are doing good. No matter whether we travel 10,000 miles or 10 blocks, let’s not weary of the effort; let’s continue working alongside the very ones we seek to help, for in their futures is a lasting harvest of promise, hope and possibility.
