Experiencing the Joy of Homeownership

Volunteers mix concrete for the construction of a Habitat house in Mexico.

By Heather Wilkinson

Porfirio Camarillo’s eyes fill with tears as he spots a group of young volunteers who have come to the Tres de Mayo community — a poor settlement in Morelos, Mexico — to help him realize his dream of homeownership. The volunteers arrive with tools in hand, ready to break ground on a house that Camarillo will share with his eight children.

Camarillo bought land in the impoverished Tres de Mayo community with the hope of building a small house to pass on to his children and grandchildren. However, because of his limited finances, he was not able to secure a loan to make this dream a reality — that is, until Habitat for Humanity stepped in to help.

For Rosa Maria, one of Camarillo’s daughters, the partnership with Habitat for Humanity really is a dream come true. “I have two daughters and I am a single mother. The work that I do does not provide a steady income, so it would have been impossible for me to build this house without the help of Habitat and all the volunteers. They have done an incredible job.”

As her future home begins to take shape, Rosa Maria reflects on her experience as a partner with Habitat for Humanity: “I don’t know how people can say that the world is falling apart when there are people who are willing to help each other like this. I am thankful for all of the volunteers and I am grateful to Habitat for its program and its vision of what collaboration among human beings is meant to be.”