It’s only a few days into 2018 and already I’m in full swing: planning, organizing, scheming and plotting. Haha, so many fun things coming up soon! But before I get caught up in what’s next, I find myself looking back and thinking “WOW”. 2017 brought so many truly special moments. Many of them were centered around my volunteer travels and none of them would have been possible without so many wonderful supporters. Let me say that again to make sure it’s clear. I couldn’t do any of this without YOU! 🙂
In 2017, I was fortunate enough to build homes with Habitat for Humanity Global Village teams in China, Mexico and Cambodia. I worked with over 40 volunteers to help 3 families build safe and secure homes. And along the way, more than 20 donors and supporters helped me to raise over $3000 to further this mission – thank you! Truly amazing numbers. But the numbers tell only part of the story. It’s the special moments on these trips are what really get you.
In each location, the families, teams, building techniques and culture were extremely different. We never knew what to expect until we arrived. And I can honestly say that none of the trips were what I imagined as I was planning for them – they were all much better. 🙂
In China, our team of 8 volunteers worked with Mr. Long as he built a home for his multi-generational family. Soon 13 people will be living safely here all under one roof! You can read more about our trip to China here and see some photos of our work here.
In Mexico, a large team of 18 volunteers worked with Margarita – a widow who lives with her 3 daughters, 2 sons and daughter-in-law. After her husband passed away, Margarita had to take on all of the household duties. Life is challenging but she never complains – in fact, quite the opposite. Margarita shared her smile with us daily and after we left, she said that she was still “dreaming about the work that was done and all the faces of the people that helped.”
The Big Build in Cambodia was a whirlwind of activity (read more here) and at the future homes of Sopheap and Sophary, you could feel the excitement. Our team of 18 volunteers helped raise the walls of their homes and were inspired by their stories and outlook on life.
2018 will take me to many new places including (Vietnam, Jordan and Brazil) and I continue to be grateful for your support. To those of you who have traveled around the world with me, thank you for the investment you’ve made! But you don’t have to join a team to participate. Whether it be a ride to the airport, a gift of tangible items or monetary donations to share with families around the world or even a message of encouragement, your involvement in this mission is paramount to it’s success and I am so thankful to have you on this journey with me. Continue to ask questions, I love to talk about the trips! If you want to be more involved, let me know and I’ll give you a slideshow – we can share the word together! And remember, when you are ready – there’s always room for you on the next trip. 🙂
Just in case you’ve gotten all the way through this post and these words move you…I’m currently fundraising to help families in Brazil, Jordan and Vietnam . Click on the country of your choice to access my fundraising page or let me know if you’d like to send any donations of clothing or other supplies. 🙂 Thanks in advance!