Bermuda Overseas Missions will mark a decade of charity work overseas with two trips to support Habitat for Humanity as they build homes for the poor.About 40 people will head to Paraguay for a two-week build this summer while a group of 25 will travel to the Dominican Republic for a similar project in October.“This is a special year for me as this will be the tenth time that I lead a team of dedicated volunteers in support of this incredibly important cause,” said BOM President David Thompson. “Since 2003 BOM has undertaken 12 trips to 11 countries and built 64 homes.“When you think that in some of the developing countries we have visited there are over eight people living in a home, that’s over 500 men, women and children sleeping with a roof over their heads as a direct result of the efforts of BOM and its supporters. It really makes us all very proud.”Mr Thompson founded the charity in 2003. A small group of volunteers from Bermuda built a home for a needy family in Montana, USA that year.Since then, an increasing number of volunteers have built homes in Cochabamba, Bolivia, Mahalapi, Botswana, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, Limoeiro, Brazil, Zacapa, Guatemala and Chacala, Mexico.Homes were also built in San Miguel, El Salvador in 2009, Siguatepeque, Honduras and Sincelojo, Colombia in 2010 and Ndola, Zambia last year.BOM works closely with Habitat for Humanity on such projects. The global organisation is dedicated to providing housing in underprivileged communities.In nine years of building, BOM has made a difference in the lives of about 60 families in 11 countries and to date more than 400 people from the Island have taken part in the organisation’s house-building projects.Mr Thompson will lead a group of 26 students and 14 adults to Aregua, Paraguay this summer, to build eight houses. The charity’s vice President, Paula White, will head a group of approximately 25 volunteers on the trip to the Dominican Republic.“We started in Montana in 2003 and the reason we picked a place like that was to play it safe because we didn’t have any experience,” explained Mr Thompson. “After that we went to Bolivia and that was one of the poorest places we have been to.”We will leave on July 20 for Paraguay and will be there until August 6, and that will give us approximately ten days to build. I’m taking 40 and Paula is planning for a group of between 20 and 25.“We’ve taken bigger groups I took 50 people to Romania and last year 45 people to Zambia where we built eight houses in two weeks.“With 40 people we can built eight houses in Paraguay. They are small houses, 250 sq ft 300 sq ft homes. They are basic.“We don’t put in the electricity or the plumbing, but we build the structure, get the roof on and windows and door in. Habitat has representatives in something like 84 countries and you work closely with their coordinators.“They do all the work to get it ready for your team. They make sure the plans are approved, the families are selected and the materials are there so that literally you can walk off the plane, drop your bags and start work.”The trips have been both educational and rewarding, particularly for the young volunteers, said the BOM President.“The popularity of these trips and the opportunities for students, particularly, to participate has grown immensely,” he stated. “You get a first-hand knowledge of what poverty really is and have the ability to make a difference.“BOM is strongly connected with other local charities, in particular those supporting and benefiting the Island’s youth and this year I am pleased to include in our trip young men and women from De Boys Day Out Club, Beyond Rugby and Brotherhood/Sisterhood of Bermuda.”Mr Thompson added: “When exposed to these very challenging aspects of humanity, Bermudian boys and girls invariably rise to the occasion.“Indeed last year, many of the local teenage students that came with us to Zambia made lasting friendships with the wonderful children of Chibulukusu, a small rural village where we worked. These are bonds and memories that are priceless.”I call it the ‘ah’ moment ... sometimes they get it on the trip and sometimes it happens when they get back.“It is life-changing and gives them a real sense of perspective of what it means and how lucky they are. They come into contact with kids their own age without shoes, without a shirt on their back and it is pretty significant.”The volunteers are involved in fundraising projects in order to raise travel expenses. Next Friday, there will be a fish fry at Christ Church in Warwick.“In these difficult economic times we are very appreciative of the many corporate and personal donations that we receive, yet most of our fundraising is through various car washes, grocery bag packing days, roti sales and our very popular fish frys,” said Mr Thompson.“We hope that the community will come out and support us tomorrow when we will be partnering with Keith’s Kitchen for a delicious fish fry which will be at Christ Church in Warwick.“A full dinner will be only $20 and all proceeds will go directly to this overseas mission.”The group is already hoping to make a trip to India next year, Mr Thompson said.To learn more about Bermuda Overseas Missions telephone 705 4600 or visit www.bom.bm.