Year 1, Volume 3: HFH ARGENTINA

It was autumn and unusually hot for the end of March. I was not used to handling the tool which we use to flatten ground below the area which would become the bedrooms of the house, and I had two painful blisters! Nevertheless the tiredness, the sweat and the burning feelings I experienced were little compared to my happiness at being able, in a small way, to help Norma, Carlos and Victor and other volunteers!

Norma is the beneficiary of one of the first two houses that are being built in Lujan, in the Province of

Buenos Aires; Carlos is a helper and beneficiary of the other house, and Victor is the chief of the building site…

And now it is mid-July and our hearts are filled with joy at seeing the way in which the construction of the houses has progressed. Soon the homes will be dedicated to the glory of God and handed over to their new owners. And it is also a special moment for Habitat in Argentina as, after a long time of preparation, anxiety and expectations, we are finally on the road!

For those of us who have been working very hard from the beginning, there is tremendous satisfaction, but nothing compared to the excitement of those who can at last see what has for so long been only a dream, really materialize. They have their own decent house! Seeing the tears in Norma Niz’s eyes, sharing the enthusiasm and joy of Carlos and Laura Silva Miranda, are reasons enough to thank God for allowing us to participate in the Christian Ministry of Habitat in Argentina. We are blessed in the opportunity of putting our faith into action, and of being able, in a small way, to show our concern for those in need.

But this is only the beginning – there is so much more to do. There is a great deal of sub-standard housing in Argentina and we have a colossal challenge ahead of us. But we know that God is on our side and this encourages us to persevere. Jesus said (Luke 18:27). that what is impossible for men, is possible for God. He taught us to claim Him, and that He will respond (Jeremiah 33:3). He invites us to trust when he says: “Ask and it will be given to you, search and you will find; knock and the door will be opened up to you.”(Matthew 7:7) And that is what we do each day and we see God work out the impossible things.

We can all share this joy and the more of us that are “construction workers” the sooner we will reach the goals. We need many more men and women to help us and to show their love in action so that many more families may experience the blessing of God in their lives.

JoséF.Colacilli