When we think about what home provides for us, one of the things we think about immediately is the sense of physical safety we experience when we have a place of our own. When you step into your house at the end of a long workday, do you notice yourself relaxing right away?
Think about how necessary it is to be able to relax that way, and how beneficial it is for your body. Now, on the other hand, think about how exhausting it would be if you couldn’t get that kind of peace and quiet at the end of each long day. Think about how your body would react. Stress weakens the immune system so that illnesses can’t be fought off effectively. By building homes for Jamaica’s vulnerable people, and giving them relief from constant physical and emotional stress, we’re combating the effects of that stress on people’s bodies, and helping support their health.
Home is also the place where you can control your environment. You can keep your home clean and dry and maintain the temperature where it’s comfortable for you. You can take shelter from bad weather, so that you aren’t exposed to the elements. If you’re not feeling well, you can limit your exposure to other people, so that you don’t spread your germs or pick up new ones while your body is weak. Minor illnesses stay minor when you can take good care of yourself.
We at Creators of Hope know how important home is to keeping people healthy. We believe strongly in the value of helping people to improve their circumstances and build better lives, both for themselves and for their communities as a whole. Find out how you can help us, and visit the blog again next week to learn more about how building homes changes a country’s future.