In Need of Volunteers This week�s story is not marked by cheerfulness, nor is it based on good news. However, not everything goes well all the time. Unfortunately, last week here in Habitat Portugal was one of these moments: we learned that the month of August is in risk of not having any (or hardly any) volunteers working on site. Two GVT gave up, and it seems as hard as ever to gather national volunteers. As such, it is not possible any more to guarantee that the first houses will be ready in September. This is very disappointing for everybody, as there is a big effort in all departments to make the project work. As such, the week is marked by the �volunteers� subject. The staff meeting was time for �brainstorming� on strategies for gathering national volunteers during summer and Building on Faith. As rough as the picture is, however, there is also something good about this situation. Although this need for volunteers happens at a really bad time, as we are preparing for Building on Faith week, it is urging everybody to think together on strategies for approaching Portuguese people. I believe that I have been stressing over the weeks as I have been writing these stories, how difficult a task this is. We are fighting over culture and mentality and holidays (!) all together. People are not used to volunteer because they do not understand the concept of being a volunteer. They're not used to it, and it is not part of their mentality. As if this wasn�t enough, it is August...Portugal stops in August due to holidays (by the way, a good time to visit us!). My perspective is that there is a good side to this. Sooner or later, the Portuguese affiliate would need to do a hard job of convincing locals to volunteer. In a sense, it is the good will and humanitarian spirit of volunteers that allows Habitat to exist. In this country, what Habitat will do is more than just assure its presence through volunteers, it will do more. In this country, Habitat will educate and will help implement a culture of voluntarism. A hard and beautiful task, if you ask me. Just to close this reflection (as this is more a cluster of thoughts than a story) I would just like to say a big thank you to all GVT that have been with us and that will be. Besides the help they give in construction, they help us also in this education mission. We have been in the newspapers, local and national, several times already, as the press seems to be �in love� with this totally strange willingness to help. GVT, by their being here on their holidays, are giving a lesson to us all and being the example on how the urge to help can be concretized into something that is really valuable. That is something that can mark the way. They have and are being the inspiration that a lot of people need.
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