Costa Rica March 2012: Let the Construction Begin!

Our team was itching to get started today!  After two days of travel, orientation, leisure, team building and huge meals, we couldn’t wait to begin our work.  Some may call it eagerness, but others would say we were impatient as we rounded up the group and headed down the long road to the village of Santa Elena.  When we arrived at the site two hours later, we wanted to rush into projects that we didn’t quite understand yet.  After slowing down and taking time to understand the tasks, we found that we had plenty of strenuous work ahead of us!

We could learn a lesson in patience from the families we are serving.  Yes, we want to be efficient and work hard- it’s why we came here!  But I, for one, need more of that valuable quality of patience.  The land where we are building was a long time coming.  The families waited for five years, hearing rumors of who might develop the land, giving them the chance to own a house.  And at last, it was purchased by Habitat!  Now the families wait while the neighborhood is built.  There will be 38 homes when it is finished.

This Habitat neighborhood is right next to a soccer field and a school.  A nearby river is a popular swimming place for families.  There is even going to be a playground!  Today a few kids were checking on our progress, and I can just picture all the kids running around and playing with friends in their new neighborhood.  With the help of good local contractors and Global Village trips like ours, Habitat plans to complete the project this summer.  At last the patient families will finally have their houses!  They will be settled in to a stable place that they can pass on to their children, and will have years to enjoy their new neighborhood.

--Leah Lehner, TCHFH Family Services