During the third day of renovations on Vilna 7, where the previous day we had planted a budding garden of roses, herbs, and fragrant trees, the students bustled about. We chatted as we painted rusted grates an emerald green and the flaking patio ceiling a bright white.

As I returned to the supply room, where a resident had laid out a spread of coffee, tea, cookies and cake for us, I noticed a young man, about my age, standing hesitantly at the foot of the stairs that led up to the apartments. I smiled at him and he smiled back sheepishly. I decided to go out on a limb and ask him “atah rotse laazor?” (Do you want to help?} He nodded eagerly and I pointed him in the direction of Tal, another resident who had been confidently shelling out directions all day.

An hour later I walked by him again and saw that he was making good headway on the ceiling at the foot of the stairs where he’d been standing. He was joking with Tal about the paint that was splattered on his face.

This young man, who later introduced himself as David, sparks joy in my heart. He makes the Mishol mission a reality. He is a resident who is taking ownership of his home. I saw the look of pride in his face as he worked alongside his neighbors.

The next day it was his mother who served us snacks, and I was even happier to see that we were having an effect on families as a whole.