A New Home for Lucy

Jack Mescher is organizing this fundraiser.

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Lucy from Guyana needs your help. Her house is literally sinking! Will you build her a new one?

Lucy and her family have rich hearts, but they are physically poor. Their house was built in an area which is now a permanent swamp. The girls have to walk through about a foot or two of water to get to their house, use the bathroom, or light the stove. There are anaconda, parasites and diseases surrounding this family on all sides. They need 10,000 dollars to build a new house on a new piece of dry property. We have already rasied 4 thousand and have the land to bought for the house. We will be ready to start construction after permits are approved.

Meet Lucy's Family:

(Lucy and her siblings pictured with two volunteers who worked in Guyana this last January--Maggie and Michelle),

Here is a video of the swamp that surrounds the house:
Lucy and her siblings serve their community with their unfailing JOY. Only five years ago, Lucy's family was in ruins. Her father was addicted to alcohol. He worked long months away from them in the deep bush mines. He was not able to support his family. Lucy, her mother and siblings were left to fend for themselves during this time. Her mother worked long days to provide the basic necessities for the kids. The local Church worked to provide for this family's material, emotional and spiritual needs. The Sisters helped Lucy's mother with teaching the children, providing food and they taught Lucy's siblings and mother how hope and helped them persevere.

(Me with the sisters who work so hard for Lucy's family)

Each Sunday the children would come to Church with their mother. Even in their situation of darkness, Lucy and her siblings shared their childlike joy with the many other hurting families in the village. After mass: a spontaneous hug to a crippled women, a game of peek-a-boo with an elderly man. The work of love is truly carried out by Lucy and her family.

Miraculously, after years of struggle, Lucy's father awoke to the hurt he was causing his beautiful family. Overnight--he quit alcohol and his work away in the mines. And for the last number of years the father is the strong pillar of faith and hope in his family and ever more so in the parish community. He opened up a small handyman business and is now there for Lucy and their family every day. While making significantly less in income, Lucy's dad has embraced his role as father and now husband--as he and Lucy's mother became officially married a little over a year ago.

All of this good has radiated through the parish, Lucy's father has become a great example to men in the community, too many of whom have perpetuated sexual abuse on women and their families.

All of this conversion and newfound hope has elevated Lucy to a whole new level of joy and love. Never have smiles been so bright. But...it doesn't change the fact that Lucy needs a new house.

The section of ground that Lucy's humble house has been setting has been sinking over the few years. Lucy has to walk on narrow wooden planks to stay above the marsh water on their way to the out-house for the restroom. (You can see above: the fire where food is prepared to the left; the outhouse surrounded by water in the middle; and the water collector to the right.)

The parish, wishing to really bless this family of faith has offered to donate some dry land for Lucy's new house. To build a modest concrete home, with indoor plumbing and a kitchen, will cost 8,000 dollars (taxes included). That's not much compared to the states; it's whole new life for Lucy and her family. With a leaky patched rood, no screens, and on sinking ground, Lucy's house does not protect her from the weather, from malaria, insects or small animals. Lucy and her siblings cannot even be told by mom to go "play outside". The marsh that has become Lucy's yard is prime habitat for anacondas and eels--it's not safe!

The Catholic Church in Charity has been working on raising the money for Lucy's house. Let's make it easy! I will be going down to Guyana in July, will you let me bring Lucy a new house and a great reward for the Love and Joy that she and her family have shared with so many?

Please email me through this site with any questions.

As time passes, I pray that the hope of Lucy's story will become the story of others in this very hurting situation of poverty and abuse in Guyana. I promise to continue working to chip away at those structures in my own small way, as God lets me. But how much of a difference can we make for children like Lucy with projects like these?