the Painting Activist

8″ x 10″ oil on canvas, available for sale at Expressions of You Coffee Shop.
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This week I will be hanging around a few construction sites, places I typically avoid at all cost. It’s a different story when Habitat for Humanity is in charge. Although the start of my coverage of various Habitat projects was planned to start this Wednesday, I decided to get involved early by attending a house dedication on Saturday. This boy, who I later learned also lives in a Habitat house in the neighborhood, watched the ceremony from the sidewalk. He soon made his way inside along with the other guests to view the new home and greet his new neighbors.

Not often will you find as diverse a group as I saw at this dedication ceremony. A few of those in attendance were Muslim and Christian religious leaders (blessing of the home, check), a girls high school soccer team (landscaping, check), a group of African friends and family (gourmet lunch, check), a very handy, retired, white, female philanthropist (project team leader, check), and small army of devoted volunteers (completed Habitat for Humanity house, check).

The home owner gave an absolutely heart warming speech of gratitude standing above the crowd from his new front porch. He told us about his arrival to the US. Then, we learned that he is now working nights at UPS, earning a degree in sociolology, being a father to 2 sons, and until this day, had been putting in a total of 400 hours into the construction of his own home. He shook every hand and invited passersby on the street to join us for lunch.

There’s something about the double-handed handshake that exudes sincerity. You know the one, when someone shakes with one hand and cups the back of yours with the other. “I thank you very much,” was repeated by the homeowner with each shake like a broken record, but spoken each time as if it were the first.