We ask "why?" We shake our fists at God.
But He always finds a way to work all things for the good of those who love Him (Rom 8:28).
Always.
Early last December, a Pathway family suffered an unimaginable loss. Their three-year-old daughter Lilah, who had been adopted from Ethiopia, developed an infection that stole her life. Since then, their home has been a place of sadness. Haunted by memories of that day, the family has been struggling to find peace.When they reached out to Pastor Ron and the True Vine team for prayer, we were able to pray for them...and more.
Through Care Ministries, Pathway was able to connect an amazing variety of generous volunteers to transform this home from a constant reminder of this family's loss into a space of incredible healing.
Housekeeping note: With all the photos, this post is really long. Don't miss the section at the end about the upcoming Phase 3, and your opportunity to serve!
Phase 1 - Maggie's Nursery
One of the first challenges facing the family was a room for their 15-month old daughter. As an infant, her crib was in the master bedroom. When she grew a little older, the plan had been to move her in with Lilah...over Christmas break.With all the house's other bedrooms full, creating a space that could be uniquely Maggie's was the first priority of the Makeover team. Five volunteers from True Vine descended on the home in early June to convert a den/home office into a room that Maggie could call her own. And boy, did she! An added benefit: a good night's sleep for Mom and Dad!
Phase 2 - The Rest Of The House
While getting some space for Maggie was the first step, the house was still filled with emotional triggers from the day Lilah died. Memories lurked behind corners everywhere, and the house became an obstacle as the family struggled to heal.True Vine worked with them to make a wish list, and to prioritize projects into High, Medium, and Low, helping them form a long-term plan for home improvements and see hope for the future.
But we didn't stop there. Through the extreme generosity of the Pathway body, funding was made available to take care of the high priority items, allowing Pathway to transform the areas of the house that needed it the most.
So after several weeks of planning and scouring Craigslist and many many many trips to Home Depot, a slightly bigger team stepped in to transform the home while the family was away.
Last weekend, 45 people dedicated their time and hard work to make a difference. Forty-five!!
True Vine families. Friends. Neighbors. Contractors. Electricians. Plumbers. Cleaning Specialists. Servants with a heart to do anything we set them to do without complaint.
Everything the house needed, God provided through the hands and feet and hearts of these people that stepped up and said "yes."
Through careful shopping and the generosity of additional funding, we were able to expand the scope of Phase 2 to include some additional high-impact touches, and get a jump-start on Phase 3...the family room!
The family returned home at about 8:00 Saturday evening to a transformed home.
Overwhelmed by gratitude, they felt the Pathway community surrounding them with the peace and love that flooded them each time they stepped into a new room.
The evening was filled with tears of joy, and in the days since, as they've started to settle into their new space, they continue to reach out and share their thanks to the God who brought all this together to encourage and strengthen them.
It's not just a space that's been painted, or a room that's been redecorated.
Lives have been transformed.
Through this experience, a family trapped in pain and grief has been embraced by community. They've discovered hope for the future, and a way to honor Lilah's memory rather than be haunted by her loss. They've met friends and strengthened their support system.
And the volunteers have been changed, too.
Giving changes us.
Serving changes us.
Each time we shift our focus from our own priorities to serve others, we become a little more of what God meant for us to be. We become the body of the living Christ.
....and we also have a lot of fun! See for yourself:
The Living Room
This room was the highest priority for transformation; this room held the most difficult memories as the family waited for the ambulance and the EMTs fought for Lilah's life here. The family truly needed a fresh start. With calming color, fresh furniture, and a family photo tree, they can now heal and connect here.
The Family Room - Part I
New flooring and some finishing touches will be coming in Phase 3...
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| Hanging photos |
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| Lightening up the 70's cedar |
The Dining Room
We've provided a larger workspace table in the relocated "office," which will allow the family to eat meals together at the dining table now!
The Master Retreat
Serving dual purpose as a nursery and a master bedroom, this area did not provide a restful area for the parents to reconnect as a couple. By moving Maggie into her own room, and making a few small changes, the space has become a retreat for them to find a little peace.
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| Before |
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| Before |
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| Freshening up the Floor |
The Boys' Bathroom
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| Before |
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| Before |
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| After |
The Team and The Chaos
Special thanks to the amazing people that joined together to make this project possible. With so much going on in different areas of the house at once, it was a little crazy at times, but the amount of work we got done over just 48 hours is truly a gift from God!
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| Everyone needs a toilet in their garage... |
Phase 3 - Family Room and Basement
Again, through the amazing provision of God and generosity of the Pathway community, True Vine and Care Ministries have been able to add Phase 3 to the project, helping the family finish the transformation of their family room and basement spaces, providing them with more kid-friendly space to play and connect together.In the next few weeks, we'll be updating the flooring in the family room to match the living room and hall, and we'll be updating the basement's 1970's paneling with new drywall. When the pros are done with the heavy lifting, we'll have a few more opportunities to serve as we wrap up the painting, cleaning, and final decorating of these remaining spaces.
Please contact truevine@pccfw.org if you'd like to join us!
