Mark met Belkin through mutual friends in 2018 and were able to communicate through Google translate on their phones. They fell in love and got married in September 2019 and they are teaching each other their native languages.

They learned about Habitat for Humanity from Belkin’s aunt who is a HFH Homeowner. They have a son (Angel) who is the light of their lives. Mark works for Callahan Tires for a year – and previously worked at Lanning Tire Sales for 8 years.

He is a certified High Performance technician but there are few jobs working on high performance cars in Bradenton. They hope to start their own business at some point. Mark would like to go back to school to get his degree in business management.

Belkin was an attorney where she lived in Honduras. She came to the US to be closer to her family. Having a Habitat home means a better life for Mark and Belkin and their family that includes more stability. They are currently staying with family. He believes working with Habitat volunteers will be an excellent learning experience and he values the efforts made by the Habitat volunteers. He plans on continuing to volunteer even after he becomes a homeowner.