When it comes to time off, most people look to relax, often in the shade of a swaying palm tree. But there are some who would rather swing a hammer than a hammock. They explain their choice by saying that once you have volunteered for Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI), you’re hooked.

It happened to John Snyder, our print production manager. In 2005, John found himself in Siguatepeque, a small community in central Honduras, as part of Habitat for Humanity’s Global Village program. Before his two weeks were up, he’d already determined that he wanted to make it an annual event.

“Looking back and recalling all the amazing memories and fulfilling moments of my Habitat experience, I am convinced I will become a regular participant,” John said. “There’s nothing else quite like it.”

Global Village trips give participants an opportunity to partner with and work alongside people of another culture to build affordable housing and raise awareness of the burden of poverty.

Participants choose from a range of sites around the world, from Botswana to Brazil. (HFHI has affiliates in 100 countries and many of them host short-term volunteer teams.) Trips last between two and three weeks, with teams spending a few of those days touring local historic sites or attractions.

Once on location, accommodations for volunteers vary. John’s group was housed two to a room in a basic but comfortable dormitory at a forestry school not far from their work sites.

A large group, the volunteers were split into two teams, one for each of the two homes slated for construction. A single house, about 600 square feet in size and composed of cement blocks, typically takes just four to five weeks to complete with Habitat’s two weeks of help.

“Our house plot had been staked out but that was about it,” said John. “We learned that our first job would be to dig a perimeter trench and three interior trenches for the room walls. Little did we know it would be done by hand with picks and shovels.”

Work over the following days proved rigorous but not specialized, and John is quick to point out that one does not need any construction or carpentry experience to join and contribute to a Habitat team.

“We had plenty of work to do, but most of it involved moving piles of heavy clay soil that had been excavated and cutting lots of rebar and wire,” said John. “We also unloaded truckloads of hundreds of cement blocks.”

By the end of his stay, John and his group had finished the foundation and helped partially build the walls of the new home. John had also made a host of new friends, especially among the neighborhood children who came each day to watch and help.

“It’s all very rewarding and uplifting as you interact with the local children,” he said. “Even when you don’t know 99 percent of what they’re saying, and vice versa.”

He also connected with the members of his team, developing friendships that he hopes will motivate them to work on another Habitat project together in the future.

“It’s impressive when you consider we started off as total strangers from all over the U.S.,” he said. “It goes to show you what working together and a common goal can achieve.”

Dee Keil, one of our senior buyers and a two-time Global Village volunteer could not agree more. In fact, it was Dee who introduced John to the program after participating in builds in Latin America and Europe. She considers herself a Habitat “lifer.”

“I plan on doing it every year as long as I can,” she said. “Habitat makes it really enjoyable in the sense that they know people are taking their own time and spending their own money to join these trips.”

A longtime Habitat volunteer in the Portland, Ore., metro area, Dee’s first Global Village experience came in 1994 when she joined a team headed to Rabinal, Guatemala. In 2005, she traveled as part of another effort to Braga, Portugal.

“It’s a safe way to have adventures on my own,” she said. “I’ve seen parts of the world I probably wouldn’t see otherwise. And I’m not a tourist; I get to do something that’s meaningful and not just gawk.”

Each trip, while similar in its objective, nevertheless boasts its own unique surprises. For example, in Guatemala, the gringos were a novelty. Local residents knew why they were there and greeted them warmly everywhere they went. In Portugal, they were mistaken for tourists.

The make-up of the volunteers on the two trips differed as well.

“The fun part of the Portugal trip,” said Dee, “was that the team was from all over, not just from the U.S. Most were from Europe, and one from Australia. That was really interesting and a great experience.”

Where will Dee’s next Habitat experience take her? That question remains undecided, but you can bet she’s working on it.

Habitat for Humanity International
Since its founding in 1976 by Millard and Linda Fuller, Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) has built more than 200,000 houses, sheltering more than 1,000,000 people in more than 3,000 communities worldwide.

To learn more about Habitat for Humanity or its Global Village program, visit www.habitat.org