On Saturday, November 26th, over 25 MAS volunteers went to Deir Ala, where they participated in Habitat for Humanity, an organization committed to providing homes for those struggling to make ends meet. They had a very productive time - bonding as a team and helping the community at the same time. Participants felt enthusiastic for what they were doing as they were sure that this project was going to impact this family’s life significantly
Our Vision at MAS is to educate our students not to take things for granted and teach them that volunteering for a good cause promotes a sense of belonging one's community and leads to good citizenship. This annual project always starts with an empty piece of land and ends with the perfect groundwork of a house. MAS volunteers on this trip exemplified what human effort looks like. In this arduous process, students mixed cement powder and water and lifted heavy bricks. Building something from scratch that will soon house a family felt like the perfect opportunity to help those in need. With each nail that was hammered and each brick that was placed, students prided themselves on picturing the joy that a special family was going to feel once their new home was built. To say the least, the sweat and pain were nothing compared to the indescribable feeling of giving back to our community.
This Habitat for Humanity project was such a wonderful and heart-warming experience. Our agents of change left with profound personal satisfaction and a rejuvenated respect for humanity’s compassion. To give time and effort to those in need is a remarkable form of charity, and perhaps the most needed. There is no better feeling than giving back. Students did not only build a house, but they also built many relationships, and made memories that would last a lifetime. Part II of this project will be in March; MAS will send its students to paint the same house that they had just started in this trip.
