A family in western North Carolina looks forward to using their new mobile home as a hub of Christian hospitality.
Helene’s heavy rains poured on Mark and Mechelle Tipton’s Marshall, North Carolina, neighborhood, flooding their mobile home with up to 24 inches of water. They escaped through the back door and up the hill to safety. However, they lost many of their belongings—and their home—to last year’s historic storm.
The nearby French Broad River flowed quietly on a recent June day this year, unlike the raging storm that swept away houses, cars, and debris in September 2024. About 15 people stood in a circle, some under a tin carport, others in the drizzle, as they prepared to dedicate a new mobile home to replace the one destroyed by Hurricane Helene months ago.
As volunteers and Samaritan’s Purse employees gathered around the foot of the stairs of the brand-new home, the Tiptons were presented with the house keys and an invoice indicating that it had been paid in full, a reminder of how Jesus’ death on the cross was payment for all our sins. “I love Jesus, and I love Him just as much today as I did eight months ago,” Mechelle said.
Samaritan’s Purse staff, Abigail Edwards, left, prays over the Tiptons and praises God for their new home.
The Tiptons bowed their heads as Luther Harrison, vice president of North American Ministries for Samaritan’s Purse, prayed for them and dedicated their new mobile home to the glory of God. “Guard this family, God,” he prayed. “Put your hedge of protection around them and let them remember this is what you’ve done, not what we’ve done.”
Luther Harrison and his wife, Michelle Harrison, were at the dedication as well to celebrate and pray over the new home.
New Home, New Opportunities
Built in Georgia with special reinforcements and stronger features than traditional mobile homes, the homes that Samaritan’s Purse provides are sturdier and less likely to be damaged in severe weather. Mark noted with appreciation the energy-efficient windows and other structural benefits of the home.
Samaritan’s Purse staff and volunteers worked with the Tiptons through every step of receiving a new mobile home—from applying for assistance and permits to connecting utilities.
Our mobile homes are built to withstand future storms, so families can enjoy a roof over their head for decades to come.
Receiving help was humbling for Mark and Mechelle, they said. But it helped them through the grief of losing their home and many of their belongings.
And with the help of Samaritan’s Purse volunteers, the couple was able to recover Mechelle’s personal Bible. She had written many things, such as wedding dates and when family members decided to follow Jesus, in the Bible, and the words were still visible through the mud and water damage.
Although they lived in their previous house for about 10 years, Mechelle said she is excited to use the new home as an outreach to share the love of Christ and bless family and friends when they visit.
“I just think it’s the most important thing because you can reach people who don’t know or don’t believe,” Mechelle said as she reflected on how receiving a new home could change the lives of nonbelievers. “You just gotta plant that seed. And just that little seed, who knows what it’ll do, even for generations.”
