Carolyn has renewed hope.
Carolyn Jenkins’ house burned down in 2004, killing her 17 year old daughter. Her husband had been killed in an automobile accident several moths before. She did not have insurance because at the time her house was built, the county had put a moratorium on writing insurance. Because she owns the property, she does not qualify for Habitat. And she has a serious liver illness and is not able to work, so she is cannot afford to rebuild.
She currently lives in a homeless shelter. She approached Harry Drake, our site supervisor, last year to see if some of our volunteers could help her clean up the house site. She still had not sifted through the ashes. Several groups worked to clean up the site, and many were moved by the experience and their time with Carolyn. We have had donations to affirm that although generally we are not in the Habitat business, God was leading us to rebuild her home.
The building has begun, and the house now has a roof and siding. Group by group and piece by piece it is becoming a home.
Each group that has shared in this rebuild has been touched by her story.
A surprise in store.
Yesterday, May 22, 2007, was such a special day! Sue and Bill Kirby from Asheboro, North Carolina, pulled into the yard while a group from Pennsylvania was working away. Bill honked the low, loud horn on the truck and we all came pouring out of the house to behold a truck and trailer.
When the door was lowered on the trailer: Look! It was crammed full of furnishings!!!!
Carolyn was shocked as she mumbled, “Gosh you all must think I am special.” I caught this grin before she dissolved into tears. She wouldn’t let me take her picture then!!!
Carolyn with the "scepter."
After we hauled into the basement all the furniture that included couch and chairs and tables and dishes and pots and pans and a stove and a clothes dryer, we got the “queen” to sit in her blue chair (her favorite color) and hold her “scepter.” She reigned!!
This was a happy day — not only for Carolyn, but for those of us who got to share the day with her. Carolyn never hesitates to tell people about God’s grace. She is finding hope once again despite the tragedy of her life.
We hope the house will be livable by the end of June. It has come a long way! Pray for Carolyn, for the groups that share her story, and for us at WVMAW who get to be a part of her life and the lives of others who rise from the ashes to find grace and hope again.
