The noise of hammers and saws might be considered annoying to some neighbors. But in Ensley, the noise is the welcome sound of neighborhood renewal and progress. It is also the sound of volunteers from Brookwood Baptist Church, Birmingham, in Birmingham Baptist Association building their 14th Habitat for Humanity home.
Cassie Sanford, Habitat Birmingham’s vice president of marketing and development, said, “Brookwood Baptist has been a faithful partner with Habitat for years.” The church’s first Habitat home was dedicated in March 1992.
Brookwood Baptist Pastor Jim Haskell said the Habitat projects are part of an intentional missions effort at the church. “It is essential that as we go to other countries on mission, we at the same time meet needs locally,” he said. “I see Habitat as part of that local missions foundation.”
Brookwood Baptist’s current Habitat project is one of 12 houses being built on a former school site in Ensley. “This new housing has brought new energy to the area,” Sanford said. “The neighbors are excited about the construction.”
Construction on the latest Brookwood Baptist/Habitat collaboration began Sept. 8. According to project coordinator and church volunteer Doug Barton, the house should be completed and dedicated well in time for the owners to celebrate Christmas in their new home.
Monty Littlejohn, longtime Brookwood Baptist member, is serving as on-site construction manager as he has on many of the church’s other construction missions projects.
He said getting to meet and work alongside the family that will live in the house make Habitat a great ministry. “Being with the homeowners kind of keeps you going,” said Littlejohn, who has been involved in all 14 Brookwood Baptist/Habitat projects.
He and Barton agreed that Habitat projects are also especially meaningful because of the way the ministry is structured. “It’s not a giveaway program; it’s a helping program,” Barton said. Habitat houses are sold to low-income families at cost and financed at zero percent interest and the families are expected to put in 300 “sweat equity” hours of work on the home.
Describing his church as “very missions-minded,” Barton said it has a history of construction missions trips. He added that the Habitat projects, however, offer a different opportunity for volunteers who cannot travel to out-of-state construction sites, as the work is primarily done on weekends over roughly a 13-week period.
Volunteers are free to work as little or much as they wish.
Barton said that fellowship with other church members is also a plus on projects. “We enjoy talking as we work alongside each other,” he explained. He said that while members who wish to donate funds to the project are appreciated, there is a strong emphasis on actually donating one’s time and sweat to the project.
“You’re really cheating yourself if you don’t get involved,” Barton said. “It’s a blessing.”
Haskell explained that Habitat has become an essential part of Brookwood Baptist. “I have been at Brookwood for one year, and even before I came, I knew of our long-term commitment to Habitat. I am thrilled with our church’s commitment and involvement with providing affordable housing for those in need. I foresee Habitat continuing to be a part of the DNA of Brookwood for years to come.”
For more information about Habitat for Humanity, visit www.habitat.org.
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