When my friend David Stipanuk calls me about home improvements and repairs he couches the work in terms of “opportunities.” Our life in Christ is filled with opportunities to shine our light before others. Each year, Tompkins Cortland Habitat for Humanity hosts a Mother’s Day weekend opportunity for service, training, and fundraising called Women Build.
This year, Women Build will take place Tuesday through Saturday, May 7-11.
In the early days of Women Build, I had the opportunity to help plan the production, setting up the job site, training the women who came to the event, and supervising their work. I saw first-hand how these women impacted lives in a myriad of ways.
There is a sense of accomplishment and joy that comes with the progress every day on a construction site regardless of any associated frustrations. These feelings are inevitably accompanied by the expression “Look at what I helped to build!” But the benefits reach much further.
This year’s 5-day event will help provide simple, decent, and affordable housing in our community by building exterior walls and interior partition walls for a new house. Typically, a play house is also built that will be raffled off after the Ithaca Festival. While the event will include safety and tool training through hands-on learning and production, there is also the opportunity to form a team, step out of your comfort zone, and overcome fears and stereotypes. Women hone their existing skills while practicing new ones. Since women aged 16 and older are all included, they work with different generations, meet new friends, and build relationships. Everyone also helps to raise funds online before the event.
Even the most basic construction skills can open many doors to the heart. Working together on a project, helping someone in need, and teaching a skill all present opportunities to grow closer to others. This event moves aside the barriers that keep us from sharing our lives and our faith.
For more information go online to tchabitat.com/get-involved/ or call 607-844-3529.3529.
