My Sixth Women Build

A Day of Volunteering....
Day 2, April 27, 2019

Women Build - Habitat for Humanity, is happening right now in my community! 

Last weekend was my time to volunteer.  This was my sixth year to build.  What I take away from this experience is hard to put into words, but let me try.  As a teacher, I am a difference maker everyday. The differences I make happen mentally and emotionally in each of my students, but those differences cannot be seen by the naked eye.  If I'm lucky, I'll see my students grow up and become wonderful human beings, and maybe, just maybe I'll hear 'thanks, Ms. Kroll.  You made a difference for me.' Those are words I do not ever expect to hear.  I do what I do, because in my heart, I know my students need to understand they are human and should be always open to learning.  We don't know everything, and that's okay!  I think there are pressures on students and teachers, to make sure all are perfect.  That's just not realistic, and that's not how life works.  So, as a teacher, my personal goal is to be a difference maker.  I aim to spark curiosity and an attitude of how can I (individuals, not me) find the answer.  I know my work each day, goes unseen by most.  With building for Habitat, what I do is so tangible.  The results of my hard work can quickly be seen.  Sometimes, it's nice to do something, be able to stand back, and think, "Wow!  I did that." 

Last year, on my build day, I was asked to give the devotion.  I was excited to do so.  I posted what I had to say on my old blog.  You can go read those words here if you'd like:  Words to build by/2018. 

This year, I stepped up my commitment to Women Build, and decided to co-lead a team with one of my favorite seasoned veterans, and friends.  With the exception of the very first year I built, I believe I have always been on her team.  I quickly volunteered to give this year's devotion when we talked about who would do that task.  

Here's what I had to say this year: 

'It wasn’t long ago, 

I was sure I couldn’t exist if my life changed.  

I thought my life was perfect.

'Then changes rained down on me.  

I have come to realize that change touches us all.  

When we are in the midst of it, we can feel alone, 

isolated, 

and sometimes even paralyzed.  

'Change can be daunting.  

Change can be scary and cause us to close up. 

It can cause us to shut out the world around us.  

In order to fully deal with change, 

we need to allow ourselves to grieve,

to laugh

and to evaluate where we stand in life.  

'When we are ready, 

we can then be vulnerable again, 

which means we are ready to move forward, 

ready to take chances, 

ready to learn from the changes.  

'As we gather today, I know we are a group who is willing to be vulnerable...come on, we are building two houses, which is a daunting task if you stand back and really think about THAT.  

'We come today willing to make mistakes,

but ready to ask for help 

and ready to ask for support

'As we come together today, 

what we are doing will have an affect not only on the homeowners for whom we are building, but also on each of us.  

Together, we are collectively showing others they are worthy of love, 

and belonging.

I believe along with empowerment, 

this is the heart of Habitat...to support communities where all feel worthy of love and belonging.  

As we build today, 

I ask the powers above and within our universe to look down on us.  

I ask the powers to make sure in each hammer swing, 

in each board we touch, 

and on each spot of ground we step to make sure the spirit of our love, 

our sense of worth and belonging 

seeps into these dwellings, so our future homeowners can go forward feeling our collective positivity every day.  

I want to close with a poem from one of my favorite young poets, 

Rupi Kaur from her book, the sun and her flowers.

It’s called Legacy

i stand

on the sacrifices

of a million women before me

thinking

what can I do

to make this mountain taller

so the women after me

can see farther

(page 213)
***

My friends, 

this is you today.  

Go build a house!!!  

____________

Here are a few pictures from our day, and from the house I helped build. 

Typically, the two houses are almost side-by-side going up, but this year they were about a half block apart. It was just far enough, that it felt like we were two teams, and competing.

Just getting started.  I spent the day climbing up
and down a ten foot ladder and placing top plate boards.  

Framing a window wall.

My friend, Karen, on her first build!  

I was definitely in one of my happy places!  

This was our first wall that would go up.
Our house put the press board, insulation and wrap on the outside wall before we raised them. 

 It was great to be working with so many of my close friends this year!  

Of course I met new friends, too.   I love that about volunteering!  

THIS is one of my school secretaries!
She came and joined my team this year. 

From my ladder, you can see the other (pink) house going up in the distance, on the other side of the storage unit. 

Blueprints

Holding the wall in place until it was more secure.
My job, connected all the walls together at the tops,
 gave even more stability to the house.

Sometimes you need a little more power to move things into place! 

Outside walls in place, time to make the inside walls!  

Limited space didn't bother us! 

 My friends Michelle and Shelley were in charge of the saw.

Future home owner, Jacob with my friends, Rebecca and Jennifer! 

Both house crews came together for our group picture. 

My friend, Joann and Michelle's mom, Carol,
are helping secure the wrap on an outside wall. 

Pink hard hat up high is me!!!  Securing the walls to one another. 

I was on the ground now and then.  Here I was taking apart top and bottom frame boards.
Like a puzzle, I had to read the pencil markings on each, then hammer in the appropriate 2x4s, etc. 

Making that wall from the above picture. 

This picture makes me so happy,
because the official photographer took it!  
I spent my time taking pictures of others,
and it was fun to see myself in the days pictures online.
  

Raise...

...that...

...wall!  

Interior walls around the bathroom. 

Spying from above on all my friends.  

House 1 at the end of the day!  

House 2 at the end of the day! 

Both houses were ready for the tresses to go up on the next build day when we were done at 5-ish. I've been on the roof for the past four years, and I have to admit, this build day was a blast, too! It is amazing to watch a house go from a flat pad to a place with rooms! Again, it is so wonderful to be able to work side-by-side with the future homeowners as well.  

As I was listening to the conversations below me while I secured top plates, I heard the crew giddy with happiness. They were taking in the fact that THEY had built walls and made the place actually look like a house! It was a wonderful moment to witness. For me, being part of the Habitat Women Build is addicting. I was happy to hear others sounding like they have caught the bug as well.

I am grateful, as always, to be able to give back to my community in this way. If you are one of my donors, thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping fund my passion.

~Lisa Kroll

builder, friend, difference maker