VACATIONING WITH A HIGHER PURPOSE

Click on the above photo of Kevin with some children of Botswana 
for a comprehensive slideshow of his experience in Africa.

When most people take a vacation, they choose a resort, cruise, or a visit with family or friends.  But when Kevin Conway took a vacation, it included a 20 hour flight, which stopped at Dakar, Johannesburg and finally Gabarone, Botswana.  From there he joined his 20 Habitat for Humanity volunteer teammates from the U.S. on a four hour bus ride to the remote village of Mahalapye to build a Habitat house for a deserving family. 

Kevin has been actively involved in many charitable organizations over the years, but Habitat is one that is near and dear to his heart.  He became a board member of the Citrus Co. Habitat affiliate after participating in three local builds; Mike & Jan Carter Anniversary Build, his Rotary Club Build and most recently the Black Diamond Build.

After Kevin and Jan toured Habitat’s Global Village & Discovery Center in Americas GA, just Kevin thought it would be fun to incorporate a Habitat Build into his vacation plans.  While it was hot and dusty work digging the foundation with a pick axe and shovel, and actually making the concrete blocks to build the house, the rewards came at the house dedication ceremony. 

Just like all new Habitat homeowners worldwide, Joyce, the proud new homeowner and grandmother of eight, became nervous and emotional at the dedication ceremony as she struggled with the key to open the door to her new home.  Tears were streaming down her face as she was finally able to get the door opened to a round of applause by the Habitat Team, the village chief, numerous local volunteers and new neighbors.   Even though she put in the required 500 hours of sweat equity working along side the volunteers, it meant so much to her to finally enter the home as a first time homeowner.

Each local Habitat affiliate builds decent affordable homes that fit into the community that it serves.  This new home consisted of 2 ½ rooms, 600 sq. ft. but no electricity or plumbing.  It is built with concrete blocks and an iron roof.  All of the cooking is done in an outside kitchen over an open fire.  While this house seems inadequate, it is a vast improvement over her old thatched roof hut.  Because the walls are made with mud, her old house may not withstand another severe rainy season due to start in November.  Because Habitat’s motto is “A hand up, not a handout,” Joyce had to qualify and repay Habitat 24,000 Pula (equivalent to $4000) interest free mortgage from her job as a cook.   

Kevin selected Botswana to build a house from a large list of locations from around the world including the U.S.  For those interested in a similar adventure, Kevin encourages a visit to Volunteer Programs at www.habitat.org for a current listing of upcoming builds.  Even better would be to drive to Americas GA to tour Habitat’s Global Village.  You will see recreations of poverty housing from around the world and replacement houses that Habitat volunteers have built. 

But it wasn’t all work for the Habitat Team.  After the dedication, the team enjoyed an exciting and sometimes dangerous four day photographic safari.  Of course, while he was in the vicinity, Kevin had to play the only Top 100 rated golf course in Africa, the Durban Country Club overlooking the Indian Ocean and site of the South African Open.

 Thanks for sharing such an amazing story!