Homeownership is worth the journey

By Rebecca Morello, HFH of Omaha family relationship coordinator.

“Habitat homes are different from other homes because the owners are involved in the construction,” says Saw Soe, Habitat Omaha homeowner. But few are as “involved” with the enthusiasm that Saw brought to work every day.

Each Habitat family must complete 350 hours of sweat equity, which include hours spent learning construction on the worksite as well as educational workshops and classes. Saw, however, signed his final closing papers on his house with a grand total of 391.5 hours worked that he, his wife, Naw Paw, and his brother, Htee Wah, had compiled in just four months.

Saw's family is part of Omaha's growing population of Karen people; a group that has been persecuted in Burma (Myanmar) and forced to flee to refugee camps in Thailand and surrounding areas. Born in Burma, Saw lived in a refugee camp in Thailand for a few years. In 2007, Saw and his family immigrated to the United States and settled in Omaha.

Saw's enthusiasm was infectious, and his cheerfulness quickly drew other homeowners, Habitat Omaha construction staff, and volunteers to him. “I like to think about making my favorite dinners with my family and new friends in the new kitchen,” he says.

With each house that Habitat finishes in Omaha, a tithe amount is sent to support house construction for Habitat for Humanity in another country. Saw's influence on the teams of homeowners and volunteers was never more evident than during the house dedication ceremony of a fellow Habitat Omaha homeowner, Lisa. She had decided to honor her new friend, Saw, and called on him during the dedication to accept the tithe for her designated country: Thailand.