Friday, April 22, 2005

Bricks & “dagga” become a home

Steve installing the roof.

Returning to our rooms tonight, we could have been hobbling home from the South African diamond mines. After the final day on the Ivory Park Habitat for Humanity build, our backs were aching and our fingers stiff from pitching bricks.

Nevertheless, as dusty and bedraggled as we were, both of us were exhilarated.

It was an amazing day from the start: the galvanized corrugated roofing went on, inner walls went up, glass was installed in the windows, and several of the volunteers tackled the yard’s encroaching weeds. Even the lunch catering crew pitched in to hand-saw the wooden door to its proper length.

All of us were motivated and inspired to complete Esther’s home by late afternoon. As it turned out, the week’s first rain started to fall just moments after the roof was finished. Talk about luck! So we were snug inside, laying cement bricks to form the four and a half rooms while raindrops splattered and drummed above us. At three o’clock, we were ready to start the dedication service. HFH staff, neighbors, volunteer crew, Esther and her family -- all gathered around as Sammy, HFH’s community liaison, presented Esther with a Bible, a Habitat tradition. He blessed the house, the process, and all of the week’s many build participants. Like the mortar that we had mixed again and again this week, we were all stirred. Well done, team.

Judy & Steve

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