Grocery store? Gym?
– What will be here? – finally waitress from the bar next door asks.
– People from the neighbourhood are curious…
Together with a group of 15 Americans I’ve been having lunches in that bar for a few days now. Dumplings with cabbage are they favourites, they are astonished by how large pork chops are served and always ask for additional portion of soup – they have never tasted better one. But good food is not the only reason why the Americans are in Poland.
The waitress is shocked when she hears that whole day long they are helping renovate ReStore. They demolish walls, spackle, install dry walls and ask nothing in return. They are volunteers of Global Village program.
Since 1979 people from all over the world spend their holidays volunteering on construction sites with Habitat for Humanity in over 30 countries. Every year in Poland we host groups from USA, Canada, Japan, Switzerland and Spain.
Many volunteers go on that kind of holidays more than once, others are engaged in Habitat’s activities locally. Dave – team leader of my American group – lead over 40 teams already, he helped in Habitat’s activities in South America, Europe, Africa and Asia. Stan and Ann on the other hand volunteer on daily basic in their local ReStore. They were thrilled to hear that they will be renovating first ReStore in continental Europe.
In October, when they were leaving, renovation works were only in their initial phase, but they promised to come back and buy souvenirs from Poland in ReStore.
We are looking forward to their visit!
In renovation of ReStore participated 2 groups of Global Village volunteers as well as local volunteers.