The Blessing of the Good Home

On the afternoon of Monday, June 28, 2004, the St. Peter's volunteers participated with the Good family in a Blessing Ceremony upon the completion of their new Habitat home several miles north of Franklin, West Virginia.

Keith and Tricia Good and their two children, eight years old Sierra and five year old Justice, have been forced to live with Keith's parents. Four years ago, Keith suffered an accident that almost took his life when he was struck in the head by a tree limb weighing seventy pounds. Fortunately medics were able to stabilize and air lift him to the University of Virginia's Trauma Center in Charlottesville. Four years later his doctors are still not sure what the residual effects of his injuries will be, and Keith continues to experience severe headaches and lives with continual neck and back pain.

Keith's injuries and his week in the hospital changed the entire course of life for the Good family. Keith lost his job as a result of the accident. Tricia, who had not been working outside the home at the time of the accident, was required to find a job so that she could support the family while Keith recuperated. In addition to working and caring for her family, Tricia also cares for her mother, who has suffered with the ravages of Lou Gehrig's disease for over ten years.  Justice and Sierra struggle to overcome their fear of nearly losing their daddy.

Keith and Tricia applied for a Habitat home in July of 2001. Keith, despite his handicaps, contributed far in excess of the 500 hours of "sweat equity" required of a Habitat homeowner. Now, almost three years later, on June 28, 2004, their new home (which had been constructed as handicap accessible so that Tricia's mother can live her final days with them) was dedicated. Almost 100 well-wishers, including Habitat staff, members of the community, and many volunteer workers (including all 17 from St. Peter's), were on hand as the keys to their new home were formally given to the Goods. We heard Tricia tearfully thank God, Habitat for Humanity, and the literally hundreds of volunteers who over the three years made this construction possible. She stated quite emotionally: "After all we've gone through, we finally have a home". Then all present gathered around the dwelling and held hands as a benediction was given, literally surrounding the new home as a community of faith with praise to God for his mercy on each of us, and especially on the Good family.

There simply was no better way to commence our 2004 Habitat mission trip than to participate, if only briefly, in the lives of those whom we come to serve.