Labor of Love: Habitat for Humanity Day 3

Today was my final day working with Habitat for Humanity in Monmouth County, and man was it hard to leave. Today was the most physically tasking day, but it was by far the most rewarding. Today I really understood how building these houses really is a labor of love for every single contractor, staff member, and volunteer.

I arrived knowing that I would have to tackle the most dreaded project: clearing out a shed that was filled with moldy, rotten, and reeking things. The shed had withstood Sandy, and at one point was filled with 10 feet of water. The belongings had been rotting there for years now, and most were water damaged. Boxes were disintegrated, glass was broken, and the shelves were warped so badly it looked like a roller coaster track. Others working inside often scoffed at the idea of tackling the shed, and they all warned me that I had to wear a mask to get anywhere near there. I thought of this as I walked onto the site, kind of hoping there'd be something else to do. But right away I saw Anna in the shed by herself, and I knew that's where I had to be. 

Shoveling gravel
for the driveway

I put my mask on and soon after a group of freshman from Brookdale Community College came to help (THANK GOODNESS). It took us two hours to clear it, and in that time we dumped multiple bins full of debri and stagnant water, took out a ton of boxes, and shoveled the rest of the belongings out. We thankfully only found one little critter in there, a baby mouse. I have to say, after it was all said and done it felt really good looking at the empty shed. We all worked together, and were all good sports regardless of the health hazard and unpleasant smell. When it was all said and done I realized that I kind of enjoyed it, because I knew that it meant a lot to Anna to help her clear it and find a few salvageable items. It isn't something I'd typically want to do, but I realized that these kinds of jobs are often the most helpful and mean the most to the homeowners. I think some people fail to remember that people like Anna lost everything in the storm, so even though it seems unreasonable to us, saving even one item is special. 

After that was done I got everyone started on finishing the driveway. The Brookdale students helped me dig out the rest of the dirt, and helped me haul gravel from the side of the house into the pit we made for the next 3 hours or so. They left early, so then there were two, and Anna and I got almost all of the rest of the gravel laid and raked out evenly over the driveway area. This was the most physically demanding part of the day. I'll tell you....that pile of gravel NEVER.SEEMED.TO. DWINDLE. But we got almost all of it done and I really enjoyed working closely with Anna. 

Driveway almost completely
 filled with gravel

I left the house feeling accomplished, and my only disappointment is that I can't be there on September 2nd for the big reveal. Little does Anna know, but she won a home makeover, so when the big reveal happens she'll be surprised to find that they've bought her furniture for her home. This woman is so deserving of this Habitat home. She showed me pictures of her family and her late husband today, and she talked to me about her past. It was these moments I cherished most, because I really got to know her and saw just how grateful she is for every single person that has set foot on the build site. She worked just as hard as anyone else, and it was really special to spend these last few days with her working, reminiscing, and laughing. 

Front of Habitat home

Though not every job is glamorous or easy, I can tell you without a doubt that every nail that is hammered down, every cabinet put up, and every rock moved is done out of love for people like Anna. Hurricane Sandy was truly devastating to this region, and it was surreal to see it with my own eyes instead of hearing about it on the news. But with every day, and every project, we are helping restore the shore and giving people a piece of their lives back to them. I will be forever changed by my Habitat experience in Monmouth County, and I will never forget the people that I've worked with and the lives we've helped change. 

I'm not sure where my arrow will take me next, but I'm positive I'll be working with Habitat for Humanity again somewhere in this country very soon. Until then...

Toodles, 


Lisa