Habitat in Nicaragua Update

by Bill Appel

In January 2005, Bill Appel went on a Global Mission trip to Nicaragua in conjunction with Habitat for Humanity. The following letter tells some of the experiences he shared working with folks from Kalamazoo and Muskegon in assisting Nicaraguans to build their homes. Bill is our Habitat for Humanity coordinator and a regular volunteer on Habitat Thursday work crew in Kalamazoo . The total cost for his trip was $1700. The Outreach Committee allocated $450 from the New Outreach account to support his participation in the international Outreach.

I have recently returned from Esteli , Nicaragua , where a group of fourteen volunteers from the Kalamazoo and Holland Habitat For Humanity affiliates helped build affordable homes for poor working people.

Many thanks to First Presbyterian Church for contributing $450 towards my $1700 HFH fee. Four hundred fifty of that fee was a contribution to Habitat’s Global Village international organization, $100 of which went to the administration of Global Village. Three hundred fifty dollars were donated directly to the Esteli HFH affiliate to help finance the building of homes.

Our trip to Nicaragua was beautifully organized and carried out, both by our local affiliates, Global Village, HFH-- Nicaragua and its Esteli affiliate. Our group of volunteers was friendly, supportive, hard working, and caring--a real joy. In addition to our work, probably the most important aspect of our trip was the fellowship, common ideals, and Christian caring we shared with our Nicaraguan neighbors. They entertained us, honored us, and expressed their appreciation for our efforts.

On our final day in Esteli, the local affiliate gave us a little celebration, complete with souvenirs, dessert, and many speeches. We were all emotionally moved when Anna, whose house we were helping build, rose to give us her thanks, got one sentence out, and burst into tears. I met Anna on our first Saturday of work when I looked up from shoveling rubble into the foundation of her house and found her swinging a pick to loosen the rubble for me. Her 6- and 10-year-old boys were watching, and her 14-year-old was shoveling along with the rest of us.

All in all, it was a wonderful experience. Again, my thanks to First Pres for supporting Habitat For Humanity. It was a good use of our Outreach funds.

Watch the Presbyter for news about the Jimmy Carter June 2005 Habitat Blitz - and the opportunities here in Kalamazoo to be a part!