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El Salvador Update Archive
July 2009
- The Thrivent Builds Worldwide El Salvador Community is underway!
- Preparing the land
- Thrivent Financial Representatives leading the way
- Stay involved! Donate, advocate and volunteer
- Send us your story!
- El Salvador Update Archive
The Thrivent Builds Worldwide El Salvador Community is underway!
Ever since Thrivent Financial for Lutherans announced the commitment of up to $1.3 million to Habitat for Humanity El Salvador last fall, a bright, new community has been growing in Santa Ana, El Salvador. A large team of Thrivent Financial Representatives cleared land for the new homes in November 2008, then two Thrivent member teams continued that work in January 2009. After two more teams of Thrivent members and others got to work in April and May, eight homes have been built and eight more are under construction, meaning that 16 more Salvadoran families are building their homes with enthusiasm, joy and hope of a better life.
Together, in the Thrivent Builds Worldwide El Salvador Community named "Villa Esperanza," meaning "Hope Village" in English, we will build up to 75 decent, earthquake-resistant homes. Additional projects, selected through a community needs assessment, will also improve the quality of life and create a neighborhood where children can live and play in a safe environment. About 30 Thrivent Builds Worldwide teams will travel to El Salvador this year for a ten-day experience. Based on ongoing evaluation and member interest, additional teams will likely continue building into 2010.
The impact of this program will be great, continually growing, and having an impact on more and more people's lives. As a way to keep all of you who have helped create this community up-to-date on the progress being made, you can access this El Salvador Update. Each month will feature stories from the latest teams, news on the families whose homes you helped to build, recognition for those who have donated to help even more families, and progress on the homes in our Thrivent Builds Worldwide El Salvador Community. Be sure to bookmark this Web page and visit again to find out the latest news!
Preparing the land
Before the official implementation of the community, Thrivent Builds Worldwide teams worked in November 2008 and January 2009 to clear land for the new homes, help put in sidewalks, and finish the community center in the neighboring Charlotte Community.
The November team included 28 Thrivent Financial representatives, one from each of Thrivent Financial's geographical regions, who were selected for this trip to become "ambassadors" for Thrivent Builds Worldwide. Along with seven other Thrivent Financial employees, they put away their computers and cell phones for machetes and pick axes. To see what they accomplished, along with the progress since their trip, take a look at the full gallery of photos above. Compare what the land and the community center looked like in November 2008 to what the area looks like now. An amazing amount of progress has been made in just six months!
In January, a Thrivent Builds Worldwide El Salvador Community volunteer named Terry Sherry created a special way to remember his team's trip: he recorded videos of the experience and posted them in a blog and on YouTube! Read, watch and listen to his team's narration of their work clearing the fields for the community homes, having fun at the hot springs and at the community fiestas, and more! Read Terry's blog and watch the YouTube videos to understand his joyful experience making friends and building homes in Central America.
Thrivent Financial Representatives leading the way
When the first implementation team arrived at Villa Esperanza-Thrivent on April 18, the outer structure of eight homes was already completed, but there was plenty of tile work and painting to be finished. In the 95-degree weather, the team of 13 Minnesotans also dug holes for septic systems, helped clean land and started laying the foundation for the next set of eight homes. Thrivent Financial Representative Gary Zinter, of Silver Bay, MN, recruited clients and friends from his community for this team that his daughter, Courtney Zinter, officially led. Courtney also works for Thrivent Financial in Minneapolis as a member of the Thrivent Builds Alliance Strategy Office.
Team member Shannen Bornsen, of St. Louis Park, MN, pictured above with masons, wrote about the experience, "No matter what your motivation was for participating, you're touched by the spirit of the community you work in and the bond you share with local workers. My team could see in the few inhabited homes at Villa Esperanza-Thrivent that there was pride in having these small homes. Flower and vegetable gardens were meticulously planted in each little plot of land. Patios were swept daily. Greetings were freely tossed through an open window or doorway. Even for a seasoned traveler, having to leave "my community" after this short period tugged at my heart strings, made me a little misty-eyed and gave me a little 'esperanza' that I'll be back to see this community flourishing."
Then, from May 8 – 17, Thrivent Financial Representative Rita Keegan returned to Santa Ana for the second time in six months. Keegan was one of the Financial Representative ambassadors clearing the fields in November 2008, and by May 2009, she recruited and led a team of 13 people from North Dakota to build houses on the land she cleared just six months earlier. An excellent article in the Bismarck Tribune shared her story. Team member Chris Angell also put together a slideshow of the team’s photos on YouTube.
Stay involved! Donate, advocate and volunteer
Donate today and make an even bigger impact
Through the Thrivent Builds Worldwide El Salvador Community, Thrivent Financial members are helping as many as 75 families know the safety and security of their own homes. But the need is still great. There are still nearly 400,000 families living in substandard housing in El Salvador. YOU can make a difference and help even more families today. Donating to Habitat for Humanity El Salvador is easy with 3 tax-deductible options:
- Online – Go to www.habitat.org/donation/ and click on "Donate Online." Before you submit your donation, please "Designate Your Gift" to the Habitat National Office of El Salvador.
- Telephone – Call 1-800-HABITAT and explain that you want to donate to El Salvador.
- Mail – Send your check to Habitat for Humanity International along with the required donation form. Please write Habitat El Salvador in the check memo slot and also note clearly on the donation form that you would like to designate your donation to Habitat El Salvador.
By fundraising for an additional donation to Habitat for Humanity El Salvador, you are helping provide the hope and security of homeownership to even more families.
Advocate your support for the El Salvador Community
- Recruit future participants by using the prepared El Salvador Community promotional resources, including a bulletin insert, newsletter article and a program fact sheet.
- Share your experience by using the prepared El Salvador Community post-trip resources, including a PowerPoint template and a post-trip news release.
- Watch the El Salvador Community Video, featuring inspirational and motivational interviews of trip leaders, team participants and partner families.
- Read printed trip participant stories, featuring heartfelt experiences from an El Salvador Community trip participant in a creatively designed travel diary brochure.
- Read about all the global volunteer teams working with Habitat El Salvador, posted on the Habitat El Salvador blog.
- Join the Habitat El Salvador Facebook Group! If you're on Facebook.com, the social networking site, join the Habitat for Humanity – GV El Salvador group to stay in touch with friends you met.
Volunteer as a team leader or team participant
- Lead a trip – Recruit a team of 10 –13 volunteers.
- Join an existing trip – There are limited trip weeks available for individuals.
- View weeks still available to lead an El Salvador Community trips (PDF, 31K). There is space for four more 2009 teams!
Send us your story!
Have you been part of a Thrivent Builds Worldwide El Salvador Community trip? Do you have stories or photos you'd like to share with others? Send them to Kelsey Midthun for consideration in future issues of the El Salvador Update. We want YOU to share the experience and inspire others to help!
El Salvador Update Archive
If you would like to read previous issues of the El Salvador Update, simply access the El Salvador Update Archive from this link or from the left navigation bar.