Mission Possible - July 10

Today was definitely focused more on construction.  In the morning we visited Centreville Labor Resource Center, which connects employees with trades like painting and carpentry with people looking for workers with these skills.  In addition the center teaches construction skills and helps folks with their English.  We worked creating the frame for a raised garden bed which is an item that the workers there put together and sell.  Under the expert direction of their skilled employees our team screwed the boards together and sanded them down.  The workers from the center also talked to us about Guatemala where many of them come from, their lives here in Northern Virginia, their families, their work and taught us some Spanish.  The center is financially supported by businesses and local churches.  They have a website with more information at http://www.centrevilleimmigrationforum.org/centreville-labor-resource-center.html

Then we visited Habitat for Humanity.  We were surprised to find out that as well as building new houses they rehab older houses too.  The house we toured was undergoing some major construction, missing walls, no bathrooms, no doors.  Our hosts explained how Habitat requires that new homeowners invest their own time and helped to build their houses.  Here we decorated flowerpots for the new homeowners and put together some amazing creations!