SIHH has tithed 10% of our donations to Habitat Ghana for over 25 years.

In addition to our financial support of Habitat Ghana, we participated in a Global Village trip to work with them and help build a library there.

While there is still a need for our tithe to Ghana, we are able to tithe to more than one international affiliate. In 2009, we decided to begin tithing to Habitat Paraguay as well. We chose Paraguay for several reasons.

Paraguay is the 3rd poorest country in South America with an estimated housing deficit of 470,000 homes. With few government-funded housing subsidy programs available, we felt called to address their need. In addition, their ability to host Global Village trips met our desire to participate in building and build community with our tithe partners.

The scope of work on GV trips seemed interesting and challenging and their food options and lodging accommodations are suitable to our typical volunteer needs. They also speak Spanish in Paraguay, a common bond with many of our SIHH homeowners. For more information on Habitat for Humanity Paraguay, please visit their website.

In 2009, we participated in our first affiliate-led GV trip to work with Habitat Paraguay. We hope this to be the first of many trips to come. Going on a GV trip as an affiliate (including staff, donors and volunteers) allows us to see the bigger picture of what we are working towards here on the barrier island. Going as an affiliate to Paraguay, a country we tithe to, allows us the opportunity to see our efforts here make a difference somewhere else.

As partners with Habitat for Humanity Paraguay, team members will literally build an international community, a true global village. The main purpose for our trip was to build a home for a deserving, the Rodriguez Moreno family, and that is what we did. Our team, the family, and Habitat Paraguay staff came together to work as a team on the construction of the home.

In addition, we were able to enjoy such cultural events as making chipa, traditional Paraguayan bread; visiting a local barrio to witness substandard housing conditions and what is being done in terms of community development; meeting with leaders of a local indigenous reserve to discuss their situation; spending an afternoon at an eco-reserve rappelling, zip-lining, and hiking; touring Asunción; and a home dedication and barbecue with the family.

To read more about our trip, please see our trip synopsis.

To get on our list to hear about upcoming GV trips, please email Anne Schaffer Myers