Habitat for Humanity dedicates three homes in Hartsville
By JIM FAILE
Sheila Bell spoke through tears as she thanked God and Darlington County Habitat for Humanity for her new home.
“I just want to thank God because if it wasn’t for Him, I don’t know where I would be now,” the mother of three said during a dedication ceremony for her home and two other new Habitat homes Sunday afternoon in Hartsville.
Fellow new homeowner Ronald Coe, his wife Betty at his side, also choked back tears as he voiced their gratitude. “If it wasn’t for Habitat for Humanity, I wouldn’t have a home,” he said. “I thank the Lord for all of y’all.”
Their next-door neighbor, Larry DuBose, was equally grateful. “I thank God for everything that’s happened to me in life,” he said. “Without God, I could do nothing. I give all the praise to Him.”
Bell and her three children, the Coes and DuBose became the three newest Habitat for Humanity households in Hartsville Sunday when they gathered with Darlington County Habitat officials and volunteers, family, friends and neighbors to dedicate their new homes.
DuBose and the Coes have newly built homes on the corner of Washington Street and Hampton Street. Bell’s new home is a rehabilitated home refurbished by Habitat directly across Washington Street from the Coes’ home.
Sunday’s ceremony marked the first time the Darlington County Habitat affiliate has dedicated as many as three homes at one time.
Those three homes, together with five new homes currently under construction in the Hartsville area, will bring the total number of Habitat for Humanity homes in Darlington County to 26, according to Mark Haenchen, executive director of Darlington County Habitat for Humanity. The organization expects to break ground on a new home in Darlington in January, he said.
Grady Culbertson, a member of the Darlington County Habitat for Humanity Board of Directors, said the triple dedication is especially significant. “With these homes, this is the beginning of a community,” he said. “It’s a community of families here.”
“I am very proud of our new homeowners and their dedication to earning their first home,” Haenchen said.
Each overcame adversity to become a Habitat homeowner, Haenchen said. Bell was trapped in a rent cycle and dealing with a slum lord, he said.
The Coes, married for 22 years, were living in a house that was literally falling apart to the point that the repairs could not keep up with the deterioration. And DuBose persevered through a personal injury that left him with a disability, said Bene Brockman of the Habitat board.
Each family received a ceremonial key to their new home and each will receive a family Bible donated to each Habitat family by Comfort Ministries of Darlington.
Habitat for Humanity homes are not given away. Each Habitat home is sold to a family by way of a 20-year interest free mortgage. And each homeowner is required to put in a minimum of 300 hours of physical work – “sweat equity” – on their home and in the Habitat program.
Each of the three new homeowners said they plan to work as volunteers on future Habitat homes because they want to see others know the joy and pride of home ownership.
During Sunday’s dedication, Richard Cook, chairman of the Habitat affiliate board, read a scripture passage from Psalm 127: “Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.”
And the Rev. Chris Honeycutt of The Living Church in Hartsville read from II Chronicles 2 in which Solomon, preparing to build his temple, said: “Behold, I build a house to the name of the Lord my God, to dedicate it to him.”
Darlington County Habitat for Humanity is an interdenominational Christian housing ministry whose mission is to eliminate poverty housing in Darlington County. An affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, Darlington County Habitat is responsible for developing its own programs and funding.
The affiliate is a partnering program through hard working families partner with area businesses, churches and individual volunteers in building their own homes as well as homes for others.
The Darlington County affiliate also tithes a percentage of its local funds to Habitat for Humanity International’s work in the developing world to build new homes. For each Habitat house built in Darlington County, the affiliate’s tithe helps build at least one more house for a family in need outside of the U.S.
Darlington County Habitat also operates a Habitat ReStore at 120 W. Washington St. The store is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.
To donate to Habitat or to volunteer, call the organization’s office at 383-8500 or visit its website at http://www.carcohabitat.org or call the ReStore at 383-8517.