Habitat Dedications

A few hours north of where Deacon Gerry ended his latest pilgrimage, there was a, “Now, here’s the rest of the story,” as Paul Harvey used to broadcast over the radio. My part in the story started over five years ago, when seeking to volunteer at Guadalupe Valley Habitat for Humanity. It has been a joy to make connections with a least a dozen families, while helping them build their homes. These parents put in a minimum of 200 hours of sweat equity, after going through a rigorous application process. Afterwards, they end up with an affordable mortgage for the next 30 years. Saturday was our first double dedication. We built two homes at once for two, unrelated families of five with the same last name. The picture of the family I hope to post has roots in Mexico. The wedding cookies they shared after the dedication were brought from their Mexican hometown, five hours away. This family endured multiple rejected applications from Habitat. You would not know it from the picture, but she was not a single mom when the sweat equity hours began with her and her husband. Like all new Habitat homeowners, parents tell their story. The one she told the crowd in Spanish, included the passing of her husband the father of their children. You see, after they were accepted and started their sweat equity, he passed away from covid-19.

How do Habitat volunteers celebrate? They raise the roof.

What happens at a Habitat dedication? God is invited to live under the roof.

Now you know the rest of this story.