Spring break was not a time of relaxation for one group of Eastern students. They spent their break working hard with Habitat for Humanity, traveling to Christiansburg, Va., to work on homes in a poverty-stricken area.
The group’s workday started around 9 a.m. and lasted until about 4 p.m. They worked on two different houses while they were there. Tasks included demolition, framing, painting, plumbing and putting in insulation.
Each day, the students ate lunch at a soup kitchen and dinner was provided by different local churches each night.
One night at dinner, a church member invited the Eastern students to come to their house for s’mores. “I was really touched by their generosity,” junior Jennifer Heltzel said.
This was Heltzel’s third time going on this trip. “I love it; I always go on spring break and I can’t imagine anything else,” Heltzel said. This year she decided to be the group leader. “I felt like this was the logical next step,” she said.
The students were able to meet the owner of one of the houses they worked on. He was very excited and thankful to have a new house. “We got to see that we were impacting people’s lives,” sophomore Brian Ferrell said.
Going on this trip greatly impacted the students. They formed close relationships with each other. “We got to know each other really well. We are all still friends,” senior Lauren Foster said. “It was a humbling experience too.”
Spiritual growth was also a part of the trip. “Faith is always striking on these trips,” Heltzel said.
Habitat for Humanity not only provides homes for people, but it also teaches useful skills. “Habitat allows you to learn skills that will be helpful for the rest of your life,” Ferrell said.
Many of the students want to go back. “I would definitely go back, and I recommend it,” Foster said. “I love Habitat.”