Outfitted in yellow hard hats and tool aprons, more than 100 girls and boys attending Vacation Bible School at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Peachtree City are learning about “community” and Christian service.

The week-long program called “Under Construction” is designed to introduce children to Habitat for Humanity International, a Christian-based program that is recognized for creating partnerships between families in need of quality housing and volunteers in churches and businesses to build homes.

“We're using this program as a springboard for the children to learn about Habitat for Humanity in preparation for the fall, when the congregation plans to build a Habitat house,” explained Pixie Smith, religious education coordinator for elementary-age students. Specifics are still on the drafting table, but Smith said their intention is to answer Pope John Paul II's call to community service during this year, the 2000 Jubilee Year for the Catholic Church.

Offerings also are being collected that will be donated to the Southern Crescent Habitat for Humanity's fund for purchasing tools, home accessories and other needed supplies.

“We are having a great time learning about how God wants us to share, care, learn and celebrate together,” Smith added.

When children arrive at the job site they sit together with their building crew buddies and start the morning off with a Bible story and activity, the blueprint for the day. Music and song are found in the scales and measures room, while the hard hat area is dedicated to community crafts and projects. Engineers, as the teachers are called, can be identified by their overalls, work boots and hard hats. Parked at the job site are two bright yellow back hoes provided by F and S Backhoe.

Members from four Fayette County Methodist churches just completed a one-week blitz-build for Habitat for Humanity in Riverdale. More than 150 volunteers from Providence United Methodist, Fayetteville First United Methodist, North Fayette United Methodist and Hopewell United Methodist worked on the construction project June 10 - 17.

Gwen White-Adofo is the home's new owner. She is a single mother with a 12-year-old son named Jamal. According to volunteer Fred Stavely of Providence United Methodist, the 1,300-sq. ft. house will be dedicated this Sunday at 1 p.m. The house joins several others built by area volunteers in the Trinity Park subdivision, just north of the Fayette County line off Ga. Highway 85.

The neighborhood is roughly 50 percent Habitat homes.

Back to News Home Page | Back to the top of the page