By DAWN FRANCIS-CHEWNING, Glenn Memorial UMC Member
How do I sing the praises of helping others? Loving God and our Neighbor? By doing it . . . actively seeking ways to be the positive change we work to see. Glenn makes that easy with so very many opportunities! This story is about Service w/Church & Society – building houses to become homes for families.
It’s Habitat Houses and Glenn has been all about this mission for 28 years! I’ve been on a number of ‘builds’ . . . it’s thrilling to see a plot of cleared land become a home for a family you get to meet and work alongside of, knowing they will live and thrive there.
Habitat offers this homeowning opportunity carefully: vetting potential owners with job security, ability to save money, attendance at classes devoted to finances and home ownership, dedication with work hours on home site builds (230+ hours – and not all on their own house). Only then are they ‘eligible’ and go on a waiting list . . . if/when they qualify fully, they continue w/classes, savings, and work hours. They will have a mortgage, but because of what we (Glenn, Cascade and a number of other churches contribute with build/work hours) AND Habitat make happen (supplies/expertise), they will have a mortgage interest free. Truly - Amen!
It’s about dedication (make no mistake – this is hard work from start to finish for the homeowner and us), fortitude (ignore the weather, pay no mind to the bugs or dirt/dust), sweat equity (of so many) and love (so much love goes around!). Love wins and tears flow free at Dedication Day (last day) when we ready the landscape with plantings of trees/shrubs/sod and yes – flowers. This year, the Environmental Committee contributed a Glenn Canvas bag with LED bulbs and sustainable cleaning products and our newest Habitat home owner was so very moved – by our and all the other contributions (ironing board, wash baskets, & more). Glenn’s loving Prayer Shawl Committee contributed a lovely shawl - always made with prayers of blessing for its use. We are all blessed by being able to celebrate this new homeowner, knowing we had a small hand in this amazing home that is a testament to Christ’s love.