Hurricane Helene derailed many of our organization’s plans this fall, including a visit from our friends at Habitat Guatemala in October and a Global Village Trip to Guatemala in November. These cancellations added to the list of things we were grieving.

Habitat for Humanity Guatemala was one of the first partners to reach out to us after the storm hit, Helene’s havoc making headlines around the globe. We exchanged a few emails, and then the days on the calendar flipped by. Recently an email from Executive Director Delorian Randich arrived, and with it a fresh batch of tears.

His email came on a day that our team should have been in Guatemala helping to build homes and install smokeless stoves and concrete floors. In Guatemala, 60% of the population lives below the national poverty line and 21% live in extreme poverty. The housing deficit exceeds 2.2 million homes. The need is great and Habitat’s work there is crucial.

The letter attached to the email announced that Habitat Guatemala was sending a tithe (donation) to help Asheville Habitat in the wake of Helene.

“In Guatemala, we understand these struggles all too well, having endured our share of natural disasters and their consequences. As part of the global family we are, and driven by our commitment to support our sister offices and the communities we all serve together, we are honored to share that the Board of Directors at Habitat for Humanity Guatemala has decided to designate $6,000 from our annual tithe to assist with your recovery efforts.”

Tithe is a core tenet of Habitat for Humanity, a characteristic that sets us apart from other non-profits organizations. Habitat affiliates around the world tithe to each other, supporting our collective goal of building a world where everyone has a decent place to call home. As our longest standing global partner, we have been tithing to Guatemala since the late 1980s. We are grateful and humbled by their thoughtful and generous gift. It is a reminder of the power of Habitat for Humanity and the fact that regardless of our location, we are all working towards the same end goal and it takes all of us. Together, we build and rebuild.

Learn more about Habitat for Humanity Guatemala.