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The response to Habitat World's third Carter Work Project essay contest represented another round of thoughtful, heartfelt Habitat observations. Readers turned into writers, sharing their experiences with the organization's goal of eliminating poverty housing around the world--and its work to help rebuild the devastated U.S. Gulf Coast. Below is the contest winner and excerpts from just a few entries that really hit home:
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Contest Winner
Kraig Koschnick, Bozeman, Mont.
Today, I wept as I sat in my truck listening to a program on NPR about the homeless living in Seattle's "Tent City." Tears rolled down my face as scores of what seemed like little steam engines rushed to and fro preparing for Christmas in the frigid Montana air. The day before, coverage of protesters enraged over the closing of a number of New Orleans' public housing projects was all over the news. The radio program was my breaking point. I'm a 6'3", 210-pound veteran of the Iraq War, and today I cried for the first time in a long time. I cried because I felt guilty: I had a warm home to go home to and so many others didn't. I cried because I knew that in the blink of an eye, I, too, could lose everything.
My name is Kraig Koschnick. I am a general contractor in Bozeman, Mont., where I have worked construction for 11 years. I started my own business in November 2003 and made a promise to myself that I would dedicate at least one week a year to helping those less fortunate. My wife and I had planned to fulfill that promise when we signed up for the Habitat for Humanity build in Vera Cruz, Mexico. Shortly after being accepted, I was activated by the Montana National Guard for deployment to Iraq. My father-in-law filled in for me in Mexico.
In November 2004, just prior to leaving for Iraq, I was able to see the great city of New Orleans. I fell in love with it immediately. Less than one year later, I watched from half a world away as Katrina tore through the Gulf Coast.
After being in Iraq for one year--and being away from home for 20 months--I returned home to try and put the pieces of my life back together. I started working almost immediately and in September 2006, I was finally able to uphold the promise I made to myself three years earlier. I hadn't been able to help with a Habitat build, but my wife and I did spend 10 days building a straw bale house on the Hopi Reservation with the Red Feather Development Group.
For Thanksgiving this year, I took my family on a trip to New Orleans. I thought that my wife and son would appreciate the cultural richness New Orleans has to offer, especially when compared to rural Montana. For me, it was the first time back to the area since Katrina hit, and I was sad to see the state of affairs.
I have long believed what makes this country great is not its military might. It is not its economic influence. It is the heart and warmth of its volunteers. I give to Habitat for Humanity because it gives so much to those in need. I would be honored to play a part in rebuilding the Gulf Coast.
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Excerpts
"We are connected in ways that we can only begin to understand. It is this sense of connection and mutual respect, it is love in action through many hands as they work together, it is the recognition of God in the eyes of all people, that draws me to the work of Habitat for Humanity."
--Karen Kargel, Littleton, Colo.
"There may be no better way to appreciate Habitat's innovation, frugality and creativity than to see donated floor tiles becoming the beautiful walls of [a] new kitchen."
--Karen Byers, Waukegan, Ill.
"The blessing you bring to the homeowner is overshadowed by the blessings you receive from a day or a week of working with Habitat for Humanity, especially the blessing of meeting wonderful people."
--Dawn Brown, Greensburg, Penn.
"My birth place is in the southern part of [Ethiopia] which is about 300 kilometers from the capital city. Thanks to God and my family, I got a chance to be educated and live a better life in comparison to my friends in the area. I feel I have won a lottery. That is why I am passionate and decided to be a volunteer to contribute my part for those who have not won the lottery like me."
--Hailu Alemu Demise, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
"In addition to my donations, I've looked into building locally with Habitat, but have not taken that step. Now, I'm ready to match my donations with my own sweat. Don't worry; if I'm not chosen, just writing my thoughts out has given me much more to think about. It's almost bedtime, and as I fall asleep, I'll be grateful that I know that it's time to do more than write checks. It's time to act locally!"
--Sue Kennedy, Benzonia, Mich.
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