From Tragedy Springs Hope

Virginia Burden thought her days of child rearing were over and had settled into a comfortable life of being a doting grandmother. She worked full time as a nurse’s assistant at the local hospital and had plenty of hobbies. Then one night, Virginia’s world came crashing down around her when her daughter was killed in a car accident. Overnight, Virginia lost her daughter and, when her three grandchildren came to live with her, began the task of raising children all over again.

The small home in which she and several other relatives lived had plenty of room for her, but with the addition of her grandchildren, the quarters were exceedingly insufficient. Virginia turned to Habitat for Humanity. An all-woman team came out to help her build her new home, and many of the nurses and doctors with whom Virginia works came out to help hammer nails as well.

When Virginia’s home was dedicated, her three grandchildren danced in front of the home. She says she never thought she would be able to provide her grandchildren with the life they deserved after their mother passed away, but now in her new Habitat home, Virginia says she finally feels as though she and her family are headed in the right direction.