Habitat for Humanity Okanagan may work around the corner from you, but we also work around the world. Through Habitat’s Global Village trips, you can volunteer abroad with us in nearly 30 nations.
Our Volunteer trips offer more than just the opportunity to swing a hammer. When you travel with Global Village, you’ll experience the country like a local, with the locals. Meet people around the world with all different kinds of backgrounds, races and religions
Rick and Kathy have done quite a few Global Village trips so of course, we had to ask them a couple questions about their involvement with Habitat and Global Village.
When did you both start volunteering with Habitat?
Kathy and I started volunteering with Habitat for Humanity about 10 years ago. We were introduced to it when we volunteered for a church group build in Edmonton Alberta.
What do you do at Habitat?
We volunteered in Edmonton doing renovations and new builds. In Edmonton, we volunteered at every ReStore that being 4 and now we currently volunteer Saturdays at the new ReStore in Penticton. We then learned that Habitat does international builds around the world so we volunteered there as well.
We also have worked on the largest build in North America that being 64 units in Edmonton called Neufeld.
What happens on a Global Village site?
When doing international builds you do whatever they need from digging in the mud and rain to doing siding in the sun.
What do you do on a Global Village trip?
We started as regular volunteers and then became team leaders. We have taken volunteers on builds in Chili, Portugal, Trinidad and Tobago, Guatemala, Vietnam, Costa Rica and help with the Jimmy Carter build in Edmonton.
Where are you going next?
We are taking a team to Honduras in October. We have what we call Habatitus as we are addicted to volunteering with Habitat.
Additional thoughts?
When you volunteer you meet the people of different cultures and see how they live, share their culture and food. You make friends for life and reflect on your journeys once you arrive home.
We are blessed to be able to help monetarily and through our labor of love.
Thank you so much Rick and Kathy for everything you do for Habitat for Humanity, ReStore and Global Village.
