Two crew chiefs from our affiliate are among the 3000 volunteers who will join the 2009 Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project in Thailand. Mary Holland and Diane Nall will help build one of 82 homes in Chiang Mai, Thailand over the next week. Follow the adventures of Mary and Diane through daily updates posted on our website.

Thailand, the "Land of Smiles," is one of the great economic development success stories of recent times. Yet for many low-income families, increased demand for land and land prices has made access to decent housing impossible. Some 8.2 million people live in substandard housing.

We're finally here to do what we came for - build a house for a deserving family. They had 8 rows already done for us and we started from there.

We were fortunate enough to have a family who's house has some shade. Very hot and humid!!! The heat index was well over 100 today and volunteers were dropping like flies. They shut the site down a little early, after 40+ people fell seriously ill from the heat.

We've got a great crew - Mary is safety officer for our house (we didn't lose a single volunteer - go Mary!) Diane has been assigned as a crew chief. Been a truly diverse group of people from all over. We have a volunteer from Pepsico in Bangkok. He says hello to all the Pepsi people in Plano.

President and Mrs. Carter are working on the house around the corner from us - they arrived with no fanfare this morning and are pretty low key. Waved at everyone on the way to lunch.

Its been a wonderful trip - the Thai people are friendly and so accomodating.

Early day tomorrow have to catch the bus at 6 am tomorrow.

Diane and Mary

Day two had us finishing our 26th row of cinder blocks around the house. It was a little cooler today. Our house is one of the few with a little shade. Following a full day of building we will as the Thai say "refresh ourselves and change our costume" before we board the bus to go to the oldest private club in Chiang Mai.

Wake up call came early today, 4:30 to be exact. On the build site we will finish pouring concrete in the core and place the rebar on the top rows. Concrete will be poured over this and then braces for the trusses in the corner. All of this before lunch! After lunch we began putting in place the steel trusses and pilons. The work day ended at 5:00pm. This evenings entertainment included a traditional northern Thai dinner and show.

Today we completed work on our house. We were just a few houses away from the Carter's house - strolled by today and saw the President installing the front door.

Our homeowners are Hmong - a northern Thailand hill tribe. Lee, the mother, sews traditional hill tribe clothing and handicrafts. She dressed their 2 sons in traditional costume for the dedication. She brought a traditional man's and woman's costume for each of us to try on. There wasn't a dry eye in the house for dedication, it was very moving. All of the home owners are so appreciative and understand the love that goes into building their homes. They made sure to thank all of us and all the people that helped to get us there.

Former U.S. President and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, will lead the annual Habitat for Humanity build bearing their name in five Asian countries, November 15-20, 2009.

The Carters and nearly 3,000 volunteers from around the world will build and repair 166 homes in Thailand, Vietnam, China, Cambodia and Laos―all countries along the Mekong River. In the Mekong River Basin, nearly one-fifth of the population lives in poverty—many on less than the equivalent of one US dollar per day, according to the CIA World Factbook. “Over the years I have seen the lasting impact Habitat for Humanity volunteers can have, and I have been personally touched by the work they are doing around the world.” said former President Jimmy Carter.

Habitat for Humanity of Thailand will anchor the five-country Carter Work Project, where volunteers will build a community of 82 houses with families in Chiang Mai province. The number 82 was chosen to honor the 82nd birthday of the Thai king, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, on December 5, 2009. Habitat homeowners and voluteers will build 21 homes in Cambodia, 32 in Hanoi, 20 multi-storied housing units in China and refurbish 11 homes in Laos.

“With the help of President and Mrs. Carter and the thousands of devoted Habitat volunteers, the Carter Work Project will result not only in better housing for families who urgently need it in the Mekong region, but in much-needed attention to the housing plight of so many families in this part of the world,” said Habitat for Humanity chief executive officer Jonathan Reckford. “Decent shelter helps transform lives and entire communities, and we’re grateful for President and Mrs. Carter’s servant leadership.”

Habitat’s Carter Work Project is an annual, internationally-recognized week of building that brings attention to the need for simple, decent and affordable housing in partnership with low-income families. President and Mrs. Carter have faithfully given one week of their time each year since 1984 to help build Habitat homes and raise awareness about the need for simple, decent housing. The Carter Work Project has been held in India, Korea, The Philippines, Mexico, South Africa, Hungary and throughout the United States.