The Citizen, 2005-09-22, Page 13THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2005. PAGE 13.
From the Minister’s Study
Christians helping less fortunate in Huron
By Rev. Tom Wilson,
The Anglican Parish of Blyth
and Brussels
There is a well-known Chinese
proverb that reads “give a man a
fish; you have fed him for today.
Teach a man to fish; and you have
fed him for a lifetime”
This quotation could be the
mission statement of an international
Christian movement that provides
affordable and safe housing to those
who can’t afford it.
It is easy to think that Huron
County residents are relatively
prosperous and that no one lives in
substandard housing, but the reality
is that there are hardworking people
in Huron County who are living in
homes with lights that flicker when
they turn on their shower, electrical
switches that offer significant shock
hazards or buildings where daylight
can be seen around the windows,
and there is no insulation in the
walls.
You may think they would not be
paying much in rent, but some are so
desperate for housing for their
families, that they are paying over
$700 per month for this substandard
housing. There is a solution for this
substandard housing, it is an
organization called Habitat for
Humanity Canada.
The Habitat for Humanity
movement was founded in 1976 in
Americus, Georgia.
The program developed from the
concept of “partnership housing”
where those in need of, adequate
shelter work side by side with
volunteers from all walks of life to
build simple, decent houses.
In 1984 Habitat’s most famous
volunteer, former US president
Jimmy Carter, along with his wife,
Rosalyn, participated in their first
Habitat build project. Their personal
involvement in Habitat brought the
organization increased visibility and
sparked interest in Habitat’s work
throughout North America and
around the world.
In 1985 the movement spread to
Canada with the formation of the
first Canadian affiliate in Winkler,
Manitoba. From these simple
beginnings the Habitat for Humanity
movement in Canada has grown to
67 affiliates in 10 provinces and two
territories and has been successful in
placing more than 940 families into
new homes.
Since 1976 Habitat for Humanity
has built 200,000 houses, sheltering
more than 900,000 people in more
than 3,000 communities around the
world.
Habitat for Humanity homes are
not free. The families that Habitat
for Humanity partners with to build
their home, must contribute 500
hours of “sweat equity” to the home,
or other approved volunteer
activities in the community. They
also must be able to pay the monthly
“Christian” or interest free
mortgage, on their new home.
A Habitat home in Canada
generally costs about $80,000 to
build. As well the partner families
have a 2nd mortgage on their house
that represents the value between the
“Christian” 1st mortgage and the
actual assessed value of the home.
This second mortgage is not payable
unless the partner family decides to
sell their Habitat built home before
the term of the first mortgage is
completed. Habitat’s homes are a
“hand up. not a hand out.”
For each home that a local Habitat
for Humanity affiliate builds, it
usually receives (in Canada), a free
building lot, and about $40,000 in
donations, from local, regional and
national sponsors, but still has to
raise another $40,000 from the local
community.
In February 2004, a group of
interested Christians, from many
denominations in Huron County,
came together to establish an
affiliate group of Habitat for
Humanity Canada. This local
affiliate committee has had to
establish a not-for-profit corporation
with a board of directors, by-laws
and a number of support
committees. All the people involved
in this new venture have worked
very hard over the past 19 months
and have begun to see their hard
work pay off with the beginning of
the building of our first Habitat for
Humanity Huron County home in
Clinton in August.
This home is rapidly being erected
by volunteers from across Huron
County, including the skilled trades
as well as those who have never
swung a hammer before. Habitat for
Humanity Huron County, as the
local affiliate is called, had the land
donated to it in Clinton, but has
plans over the next few years to
build homes in Wingham. Exeter.
Hensail and Goderich.
We will also build anywhere that
someone is willing to donate land to
Habitat. This includes farm families
that might own land, but are living in
substandard housing.
If you are driving along Hwy 8 in
Clinton, across from the Tim
Horton’s, please feel free to drop by
the build site and be taken on a tour
of this home. You might even get to
meet our first partner family, Kathy
Morris and her children working off
their sweat equity hours in building
of their new home.
Habitat for Humanity Huron
County can use your help. We have a
variety of committees that always
need members including: the build
committee; development and
fundraising: public relations and
promotion; volunteer co-ordination
and human resources, faith relations
(interacting with all the church
communities in Huron County); name but a few. If you have building
family selection; family partner, to Continued on page 19
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
"We&rMced yrw, to cutie
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25
T1 Trinity, BlythCv| 9:30 a.m.St. John's, Brussels
11:15a.m.
The Rev. Tom Wilson, B.A., MDiv. 887-9273
Church
"The Church is not a
Building,
It is People Touching
People"
fan caon&fafa
Sunday, September 25
Morning Worship Service -10 a.m.
Evening Worship Service - 7:30 p.m.
BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH
Pastor John Kuperus
A Hwy. 4, Blyth 523-9233
/ \ Wheelchair accessible
Sunday 9:15 a.m. - Prayer Meeting
11:00 a.m. - Worship Service
Phone 523-4875 308 Blyth Rd. E. ~ Pastor Les Cook 523-4590
HURON CHAPEL EVANGELICAL
Auburn - 526-1131
PASTOR DAVE WOOD
Sunday 9:30 a.m.
Tuesday
2K3 Wednesday
10:30 a.m.
7:30 p.m.
7:15 p.m.
6:30 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
Family Bible Hour
MISSIONARY CHURCH
Morning Worship Service
- Evening Worship Service
- Jr. & Sr. Youth Bible Study
- Olympians
- Adult Bible Study
BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE
UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
Church Office 887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wightman.ca
Sunday, September 25
Ethel United Church
9:30 a.m.
Worship Service and Sunday School
Brussels United Church
11:00 a.m.
Worship Service and Sunday School
Celebrating our Christian Faith together in worship
grow
In Love
with Jesus
together
Brussels Mennonite Fellowship
invites you to grow through
a Small Group
Mondays 7:30 pm ~ Men's Group - Book Study:
"Truefaced - trust God and others with who you really are"
7:30 pm - Book Study:
"Your God is Too Safe - rediscovering the God you can't control"
(preceded by exercise at 7:15 pm)
7:30 pm ~ Book Study:
"Everybody's Normal Until You Get to Know Them"
Wednesdays 10:00 am - Women's Group
Study Of the Gospel of John (pre-schoolers welcome with parental supervision)
Thursdays 7:30 pm - "Quilting for Missions"
Sundays 11:00 am - "Purity's Power"
For more information about
Small Groups or for
joining a Small Group
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
Sunday,, 25
11:OO am - Sunday Morning Worship
9:30 am - Sunday Belgrave Service
On September 25 Melville will be meeting at the Optimist Club
House at the usual time 11:00 a.m. There will be potluck finger
food lunch after the service and games to enjoy. Come and join
Wheelchair accessible
Nursery care available
Rev. Cathrine Campbell - 887-9831
Blyth United Church
Corner of Dinsley & Mill Street
Sunday, September 25
Worship Service
11:00 a.m.
Minister: Rev. Robin McGauley
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Office: 523-4224
Blyth United Church is a welcoming community of faith.
We celebrate God's presence through worship and study, and through
responding to the needs and gifts of each other.
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Sanctuary
4th (ZtituaMAavp!
25
\ Special Guest Speaker
V. / - Mark Chester
Sunday School & Nursery
during Sermon
POTLUCK - All Welcome
SUNDAY
SCHOOl
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Christ-centred, Bible-believing, Fellowship-friendly, Growth-geared
Worship Service & Sunday School -10:30 am
Blyth Public School
Monday 6:45 pm - Junior Girls
Friday 7 pm - Youth Group
Pastor: Ernest Dow - 523-4848
http://getlivingwater.org
Donation-based
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