Mrs Brown has just returned from a two-week trip to Indonesia, where she was one of nine New Zealanders involved in building a house in the village of Selopamioro.
It was her second trip with Habitat for Humanity, her first being a trip to Ethiopia on a building expedition in 2014.
"It is a good way to see a country," she said.
"You get to meet local people while in a village building. It puts you in touch with the culture. It is better than being a tourist."
The trip to Indonesia was "really great", she said.
Habitat for Humanity is building 300 homes in the village, which is south of the city of Yogyakarta.
The house the New Zealanders helped construct was for a family of three who had previously been living in a traditional house with mud floors, bamboo walls and a leaky roof.
The husband was a "lovely young man" who "cried" when thanking them.
"We got a great sense of satisfaction from helping the family. It’s nice to be part of a team doing that," she said.
"I would recommend it to anyone."
Participants did not need to have building skills but "you do need to be reasonably fit".
"But I am 69 and it was no problem at all."
