“God did that”

Ms. G takes much pride in her home. In the 40+ years she’s lived here, she’s done most of the maintenance and repair her self. Recently, she hasn’t quite been able to keep up, physically and financially. After she got her tax return last year, she replaced as many windows as she could. There are still about 10 more windows to replace. Her brother helped with installation to keep her costs low. She suffered a stroke at the end of the year and is still recovering, making the upkeep even more difficult.

Ms. G bought her house while working as a nurse assistant. At the time, she was raising two daughters by herself. She knew home ownership was the first step to raise her children into strong women. She knew buying the home would show them what a decent life is and provide stability. Now, her children are college graduates and raising families of their own.

Her pride in her children shines through. “You did that,” I told her after hearing of her children’s successful families, careers, and hard work ethic. Her humility was evident when she responded, “God did that.”

Ms. G hadn’t heard of Rebuild Upstate until her first project even though she had been on the waiting list. Like many other homeowners, Ms. G applied through a municipal funding program directly – not realizing the repairs would be done by a different agency. When Rebuild Upstate staff told her they could replace the remaining windows and add central air she thought it was too good to be true.

But sure enough, the volunteer workday arrived. Ms. G, who loves the quiet, felt a little overwhelmed by the workday. She described it as “grand central station.” Although she admitted to leaving mid-day to attend her AARP meeting, she told the story of her workday while smiling. Reminiscing of the volunteers brought her joy and she still felt warmed by their kindness.

Ms. G wants the volunteers to know that she appreciates everything. She wishes them God Bless – each and every one. She’s looking forward to spending time in her garden this year.