Outfitted

in yellow hard hats and tool aprons, more than 100 girls

and boys attending Vacation Bible School at Holy Trinity

Catholic Church in Peachtree City are learning about

"community" and Christian service.

The

week-long program called "Under Construction"

is designed to introduce children to Habitat for Humanity

International, a Christian-based program that is

recognized for creating partnerships between families in

need of quality housing and volunteers in churches and

businesses to build homes.

"We're

using this program as a springboard for the children to

learn about Habitat for Humanity in preparation for the

fall, when the congregation plans to build a Habitat

house," explained Pixie Smith, religious education

coordinator for elementary-age students. Specifics are

still on the drafting table, but Smith said their

intention is to answer Pope John Paul II's call to

community service during this year, the 2000 Jubilee Year

for the Catholic Church.

Offerings

also are being collected that will be donated to the

Southern Crescent Habitat for Humanity's fund for

purchasing tools, home accessories and other needed

supplies.

"We

are having a great time learning about how God wants us

to share, care, learn and celebrate together," Smith

added.

When

children arrive at the job site they sit together with

their building crew buddies and start the morning off

with a Bible story and activity, the blueprint for the

day. Music and song are found in the scales and measures

room, while the hard hat area is dedicated to community

crafts and projects. Engineers, as the teachers are

called, can be identified by their overalls, work boots

and hard hats. Parked at the job site are two bright

yellow back hoes provided by F and S Backhoe.

Members

from four Fayette County Methodist churches just

completed a one-week blitz-build for Habitat for Humanity

in Riverdale. More than 150 volunteers from Providence

United Methodist, Fayetteville First United Methodist,

North Fayette United Methodist and Hopewell United

Methodist worked on the construction project June 10 -

17.

Gwen

White-Adofo is the home's new owner. She is a single

mother with a 12-year-old son named Jamal. According to

volunteer Fred Stavely of Providence United Methodist,

the 1,300-sq. ft. house will be dedicated this Sunday at

1 p.m. The house joins several others built by area

volunteers in the Trinity Park subdivision, just north of

the Fayette County line off Ga. Highway 85.

The

neighborhood is roughly 50 percent Habitat homes.