Habitat World Online

By Milana McLead



	Kristan Knowlton, 25, traveled to Bangladesh in March with a Global Village team. —Photo by Laura Zylstra

"We are happy to know that across the ocean you heard we needed help,” said Elizabeth Szabo, director of HFH Dunavarsány in Hungary last August. “We are happy you came to Dunavarsány, and we will never forget you. When we enter [these houses you helped build], we will remember all the work you’ve done here. Thank you for your humanity and your friendship.”

Her words summed up a meaningful two weeks of hard work, sweat, tears, laughter and friendship for a Global Village Women Build team that journeyed there to build Habitat houses. But more than that, her words echo the thoughts of many more of Habitat for Humanity’s Global Village host affiliates worldwide.

In the past year, some 400 GV teams—more than one every day—embarked on a volunteer vacation to more than 40 countries on six continents to build with Habitat for Humanity. Along with their labor, time and resources, team participants reached around the globe with a message of unity and brotherly love to people of lands near and far.

“Global Village teams help affiliates feel connected to the global mission of Habitat,” says Rose Morgan, associate director. “And affiliates are humbled by the fact that people come so far and spend money to work in partnership with them.”

Hosting a GV team provides local affiliates with more than labor and funds. It offers opportunities to highlight the Habitat program within their community, develop leadership within the affiliate, advance their building program with volunteer labor and funds, raise awareness about adequate housing and, perhaps most importantly, encourage local volunteers.

“My heart rejoices thinking of the dozens of people who will come this year from all over the world,” says Laura Ferent, volunteer coordinator for HFH Cluj in Romania. “They are people who give away their time and energy building real houses, [working] side by side with homeowner families, Romanian volunteers and Habitat staff. They are praying for families in need, and inspiring and enlightening our lives. They are neither gods nor fairies, but people like you and me with hearts as big as the sky. They believe in helping their neighbor and in the capacity of creating a better world for all of us.”

For more information about Global Village trips, call (229) 924-6935, ext. 2549, e-mail GV@hfhi.org or visit Habitat’s Web site at www.habitat.org/GV.

— Milana McLead

"Global Village brings people together in a spirit of partnership and camaraderie. We connect people who would never otherwise meet. We expose people to God’s work with God’s people in a powerful and meaningful way."

—David Minich, director, Global Village department

Global Village and September 11
Have the tragic events of September 11 impacted Habitat's Global Village department? "Initially, we cancelled some teams," says Rose Morgan, associate director of the program. "But things are picking up this year. We continue to encourage people to travel, but at the same time we are doing more to disclose risks. As things get back to normal, people are embracing travel. We're moving forward with plans, and we have faith that things will work out and that people will feel motivated to go out and give of themselves."