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El Salvador Update Archive
October 2009
- Looking More Like a Community
- Board of Directors getting organized
- Make plans to volunteer and finish building the community in 2010
- Thanks to the August and September Volunteer Teams!
- Stay involved! Donate, advocate and volunteer
- Send us your story
- El Salvador Update Archive
Looking More Like a Community
Little by little, Villa Esperanza has started to grow from vacant lots to houses, and from houses to homes! A total of 35 houses are now erected and of those houses, 26 homes are complete and nine homes are under construction through November. Eleven families have moved in and started planting crops and making their house a home. These families are really striving to get ahead in life.
Some leaders from Villa Esperanza have joined the board of directors for the Charlotte community and together they are working to improve the overall neighborhood with public lighting, cleaning and organization. The joint community board also recently decided to buy a lathe machine. This purchase has allowed Carlos, one of the members of Villa Esperanza, not only to make wood work to sell and improve his life style, but also to teach kids and teenagers in the community how to create things from wood.
"These types of activities help children and youth to learn a skill," said Carlos, pictured here using the lathe. "It introduces a discipline in their lives and keeps them off the streets."
As many of you experienced, the families from both communities have been enjoying bonding with the constant flow of Thrivent Builds Worldwide volunteers. The presence of volunteers in the community has helped many of the families through the selling of crafts, coffee and homemade cakes.
To all the volunteers that come to Villa Esperanza, returning builders and new volunteers; and all Thrivent members, know that you are building more than just houses in this Santa Ana community.
Villa Esperanza Board of Directors is Getting Organized
The Charlotte Community Board of Directors hosted a meeting with the newest inhabitants of the Villa Esperanza-Thrivent community in early August. This meeting was a chance for board members to talk about upcoming projects and how to involve the new families.
On August 16th, the community hosted a festival, where they crowned two children as the community's king and queen. There was also food and music, which provided the newest Villa Esperanza-Thrivent community members the opportunity to get to know the families of the Charlotte Model Community.
On August 25th, the Board of Directors presented their statutes to the local municipal government. The statutes were officially approved, making the board one step closer to becoming a legally-recognized governing body. Now the board members just have to present the statutes to the national government and await their publication in a national bulletin.
A new income-generating project for the community's women is already underway. A furniture-maker is teaching the women to design, build, and paint furniture, which they can later sell to their neighbors, at local festivals, or in the market. The women have already made and sold several items and are looking forward to receiving more training in the coming months.
Make Plans to Volunteer and Finish Building the Community in 2010
Remember, more teams are needed to build the Villa Esperanza community 2010. Keep in mind that those trips are only being offered from January through June of 2010. The cost to participate in 2010 has been reduced to $695 for Thrivent members, so consider a return trip! View weeks available to lead trips in 2010 (PDF, 31K).
Thanks to the August and September Volunteer Teams
See a Photo of Each Team in the Photo Gallery
View Full Gallery
August Teams
For most of August, there were not any Thrivent Builds Worldwide teams in the Villa Esperanza community – everyone must have been preparing for summer’s end at home! During the last days of the month, though, two teams of volunteers arrived to start constructing nine new homes.
- A team of 8 volunteers from Chicago, Illinois, led by Sue Husar. Read George's summary of their trip (PDF).
- A team of 10 volunteers from Arkansas, Alabama, Minnesota, Illinois, and Michigan, led by Linda Hill. Read Elain's summary of their trip (PDF).
September Teams
Back to back teams came to build in Villa Esperanza in September.
- A team of 15 volunteers mainly from Nebraska, but also Pennsylvania, Florida, Colorado and Minnesota, led by the mother-son team leader team of Anita and Loren Sites. Read Matt and Gladys' summary of their trip (PDF).
- A team of volunteers from Minnesota, led by Robert Fitzsimmons, with help from Thrivent Financial Representative Brian Lemeiux.
- A team of fifteen Thrivent Financial employees on a "Corporate Volunteer Team" from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Virginia, led by Thrivent employees Nicole Doebert and Travis Brouillard. Read their team's blog at: http://vayacondiosteamelsalvador.blogspot.com/.
October Teams
The work continues this month with four large teams. So far, one team began the work.
- A team of 13 volunteers from Wisconsin (and their team translator from Illinois), led by Marcia Pethke and Diane Geurts, who are both Thrivent employees in the Appleton, WI, office. Read their team's blog at: http://holateamelsalvador.blogspot.com.
- More to come.
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 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 recruitment materials, 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.
- If you're on Facebook, join the Habitat for Humanity - GV El Salvador group to stay in touch with friends you met and become a fan of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.
Volunteer as a Team Leader or Team Participant
- Join an existing trip – There are still team leaders looking for more volunteers on their teams in October, November and January!
- Be a team leader – Recruit teams of 10-13 volunteers for one of the 25 teams between January and June 2010. The price has been reduced to $695 for members!
- View weeks available to lead trips in 2010 (PDF, 31K).
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.