God's Gifts: Cherokee contractor uses gifts to build homes south of border
By DANIEL F. DeLONG
Globe editor
Posted May 23, 2002

When successful building contractor Don Haselhoff arrived in south Texas this past winter for some fun in the sun he had no idea that he was about to offer the gift of self to a grateful group of poverty-stricken Mexicans.

Haselhoff and his wife Jean travel to different spots every winter to get away from Iowa's bone-chilling cold.

Camping at Alamo Palms with their huge motor home just outside of McAllen, Texas, another camper suggested that they visit a tiny village about 10 miles south of border.

It was there that Haselhoff and some other American snowbirds discovered an unnamed village existing in a trash dump south of the Mexican border town of Progresso.

"It was an education to see the living conditions of these people," said Haselhoff, a member of Cherokee's Immaculate Conception Parish. "And it was not pleasant."

There was already a group of American volunteers trying to build houses for the local people when he arrived.

When the group discovered that Haselhoff has been building houses and commercial projects for the past 40 years, the volunteers happily anointed him their leader.

Until he arrived, the volunteers were putting up simple structures with donated materials. The work was slow, and most of them were not sturdy enough to withstand the strong dust storms of the region.

Haselhoff quickly showed the group how to square off a building so that it would not collapse, and rafters were put in place to support a roof.

The men showed up daily at 8:30 in the morning and worked straight through until the middle of the afternoon. In less than three weeks they built 17 simple, but sturdy homes, and re-roofed some existing buildings.

The 17-foot by 24-foot homes with cement floors, partitioned into two rooms, house two or even three families. It cost about $1,400 for the materials to build each house.

There are no facilities or electricity, but Haselhoff said the people were joyous over getting the simple structures.

"I didn't understand a word they were saying," Haselhoff recalled. "But you didn't have to speak Spanish because you could see it in their eyes and how they treated us that they were very happy."

He said it is a shame that people have to live like that, adding, "I really think Americans don't understand how well we live, wasting so much that others could put to good use."

"Even though they don't have running water, the women manage to get their clothes cleaner than we do here," he said, as if to emphasize his point about waste.

He said the women walked about three-quarters of a mile, carrying five-gallon buckets of water to do their laundry.

Then he added, "I just wish I could take the time and do more for them, like build a school."

While his career is successful by any measure, Haselhoff easily understands the concept of giving back to the community. He has been doing it for years.

"I have been given a lot of gifts and it is only right that I give back where I can," he said.

He doesn't go out looking to do good deeds. As he says, "Sometimes [someone else's need] it just finds me."

Haselhoff attributes his giving attitude to his parents. He said his father would go out of the way in his native Holstein to help others.

"That's the way we were raised," he explained, "and I think it reflects well on our parents."

Now he is turning his attention to the Knights of Columbus, hoping to help his already active council to become even more active in helping others. He will become the grand knight in July.

The IC council annually raises and donates thousands of dollars for various civic projects around Cherokee.

Haselhoff, who recently achieved his fourth-degree status, said the fund-raising is good, but he would like to do even more.

"I would like to spread this 'helping' kind of thinking throughout the diocese," he said.

Mindful of the teachings of Jesus, this kind of thinking put into action is a wonderful gift for all.