Saturday, April 19, 2008

Update from April 18th meeting

Well, we signed our first batch of paperwork! We also were able to meet a few more Habitat staff!

We also learned a bit more about how things work and first on the list is our sweat equity hours. These right now, are the MOST important thing to get done. We CANNOT move into our house until ALL 500 hours have been completed. It is going to be a difficult process for us simply because of our limitations (not all fitting in our van, me not driving), but I have faith the Lord will continue to provide as He has done all along. We will meet at some point next week with our family worker (he/she will be the one who helps keep track of our hours and helps line up our volunteering to get our hours....I hope he/she is creative!!)

So, here's a breakdown of how sweat equity works:
~We need a total of 500 hours
~Both Bill and I must contribute 75 hours each ON SITE building for a total of 150hrs
~200 hours can be fulfilled by family and friends through volunteering hours at the building site (ours or the other families chosen this year) or at one of the two ReStores in the city or in the Habitat Office.
~Our Children (because they are 12 and under) can also contribute 25 hours each!!

Our biggest obstacle will be when both Bill and I need to attend classes or other things together....I'll need a babysitter, which can be hard to come by. Or, there will be times when we ALL need to attend something together and I will need to pull on someone to drive with us and take a kid or two. So, this will be a humbling experience for me on a personal level, besides the obvious. I am not one to ask for help, but to make this happen, I'm going to have to pull on everyone!!!

We also were able to see a picture of the beautiful young ladies who stepped up and made this happen. Four VERY special teenagers from a Christian Church in our city stepped up and raised approx$46 000 of the necessary $110 000. The church is raising the rest by donations and fundraising from individuals and businesses. I can hardly wait to meet these ladies and thank them so very much. It was awe inspiring to look at their picture as they presented the first cheque, it brought tears to my eyes instantly!! As one of the staff members said, "We cry all the time around here!!" No Kidding!!! I don't think I've stopped!!lol

They didn't have the floorplans/bluprints there, so she will email those to me as soon as she can, but we did get to see this:

Our Habitat for Humanity Home
THAT'S OUR HOUSE!!!!!
Our Habitat for Humanity Home

Amazing huh?!?!

Bill and I didn't take a drive up there, the weather was awful. These are pics that Habitat had taken.

So, as I find out more, I'll post more!!

God bless, Penny

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Penny...now you're making ME cry! Let me know what I can do to help! Don't even think about hesitating to ask!!! Whatever I can do....

(((HUGS)))
~kerri