Habichat, January 2010

One Community

This month, our hearts and minds have been with the people of Haiti. As we have watched the devastation and difficulty that this community has faced, my thoughts have turned to how we are all connected.

Habitat for Humanity has been in the Haitian community for more than 25 years, helping build simple, safe, decent, affordable homes. As we watched buildings crumble and "pancake" on top of each other, it was again brought home to me how important the words "simple, safe and decent" are when constructing homes. What was also brought home was how a community was crumbling at the same time. Families, neighborhoods, businesses and life itself will never be the same there.

As devastating as these conditions are to the Haitian people and to the world, there are rays of hope in tragedy. Stories about families who have lost so much are finding comfort in each other. Response from the world to this tragedy has been overwhelming in funding, prayer and supplies.

In times of tragedy such as these, it is a humbling reminder that we are all part of a world-wide community. It has been communities, not government, that have responded to this disaster - the Haitian community itself and communities around the world including non-profits like Habitat, the Red Cross and many caring individuals such as medical professionals and first responders.

At Habitat for Humanity, we are constantly aware that, without community, we would cease to exist. Communities must invite us in before we will begin to build there. Communities provide the volunteers, funding and resources needed to build our homes. Communities motivate and inspire our families to take the next step to homeownership. Finally, communities sustain our homeowners after their homes are purchased for no-interest or profit. It is community that reinforces our common humanity.

Habitat itself is a community as well. Each time we build a home here in Montgomery County, we support other communities around the world with 10% of our unrestricted income. Our partners at Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery County, PA are Haiti, Kenya, Nepal and Guatemala. Right now, this 10% is going to the people of Haiti.

For our affiliate, watching our brothers and sisters in the Haitian community struggle in this tremendously difficult time is almost too much to bear. However, knowing that our community is responding to their pain with resources, prayers and compassion reminds us that we are connected.

In this issue of Habitat, we invite you to see how others are choosing to respond to their community through volunteering, raising funds, and inspiring others. We also invite you to respond to the Haitian disaster through the work of the Habitat community as well.

Sincerely,

Brenda Egolf-Fox

Executive Director