Year 11 - 2022

A Place to Begin Again

The grief came quietly and then all at once.

After losing her husband, she was left to navigate life with her two children, balancing heartbreak with homework, memories with meals, sorrow with strength. The house—once filled with laughter and the steady rhythm of family—had grown heavy with silence and things left undone.

The walls needed paint, the yard needed spruced up, and she… she just needed a little help.

That’s when Team Holland stepped in.

Her home was chosen for the November project, and from the moment the first volunteer arrived, it was clear—this wasn’t just about fixing a house. It was about restoring hope.

Over the weekend, the Team transformed the space. A brand-new deck brought the promise of dinners under the stars and quiet coffee mornings. A sturdy fence wrapped the backyard in security, giving the children a safe space to play. Inside, fresh paint covered tired walls, and the entire home got the “reset” it so desperately needed.

But more than anything, this family was loved—with meals, hugs, prayers, and presence. Volunteers didn’t just build—they listened. They didn’t just clean—they cared. And by the end of the weekend, the home that had felt stuck in sorrow was filled with warmth, movement, and possibility.

For this widow and her children, it wasn’t the end of their grief journey. But it was a beautiful new chapter—one where they could begin again.

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” — Psalm 147:3 (NIV)

And in that moment, healing felt a little more real.

Because love had shown up.
And hope had taken root—right there on a brand-new deck.