Edward Graham dedicates three new homes to hurricane survivors in western North Carolina.
A little over a year after Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee, hope is being rebuilt one home at a time.
The Bowens and Silvers families are celebrating God’s provision of two new homes.
Samaritan’s Purse Chief Operating Officer Edward Graham stood atop the mountain where Vanessa Bowens had played as a child, praying one day she’d live in a home looking down over the valley where the Cane River meanders just outside of Burnsville, North Carolina.
On that same mountain, Graham encouraged Vanessa, her husband, Casey, and Vanessa’s parents, Ron and Ruth Silvers, in front of the Bowens’ new home built by Samaritan’s Purse. A new one for the Silvers also stood just down the valley.
“We don’t do this for charity. We do it because we love you. And we love you enough to tell you the truth: Jesus Christ loves you. You’re not forsaken,” he said. “My father, Franklin, grew up in western North Carolina. I was born and raised [here]. We’re not going to leave until the work’s done.”
Edward Graham celebrated God’s goodness as he joined homeowners, volunteers, and staff in welcoming Yancey County families into new homes built by Samaritan’s Purse.
During the hurricane, a surge of water and mud from the nearby river had struck both homes, destroying each one, but the family praises God, they made it out alive.
“The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord,” Casey said. “I tried to save the house. I was in waist-deep water, bracing the foundation with 2x4s, running drills under the water. But God had other plans.”
Luther Harrison met and prayed with the couple after the storm as we began rebuild efforts in the area.
Both the Bowenses and the Silverses were welcomed on Oct. 23 into their new homes. The Bowenses’ home was constructed with accessibility features for their disabled daughter, Raigan.
Vanessa says they gained more than just a home. They built lasting friendships, a deeper sense of community, and a stronger faith in Jesus Christ.
Her daughter and one of her nieces both received Jesus Christ in recent months. “That was my prayer for years,” Vanessa said. “And now it’s been answered. As long as this house is standing, it will be a testament to the goodness of God.”
Luther Harrison, vice president of North American Ministries at Samaritan’s Purse, joined the family on a tour of their new home.
Emotional as he received his keys, Ron Silvers, told the crowd, “It makes my heart and my eyes run over to think that people like you cared enough for old mountain people to come and work for us without even getting paid. I hope God blesses you as much as you’ve blessed me.”
At the dedication, the Bowenses and Silverses were each given a journal filled with handwritten notes from volunteers and a Billy Graham Training Center Bible signed by the volunteers and staff.
Edward Graham meets with rebuild volunteers at the Bowenses’ property.
“This is a temporary house,” said Luther Harrison, vice president of North American Ministries. “But Jesus is the key to eternal life. You’ve been in a low spot, but underneath is a solid line that never moves: Jesus Christ is our anchor.”
Faith After the Storm
Malcolm and Vhonda Blankenship’s property sits high above Burnsville with a view through the trees of the Black Mountains, including the peak of Mount Mitchell, the highest mountain on the east of the Mississippi River.
Malcolm and Vhonda Blankenship are back home a year after being trapped in a mudslide in a home destroyed during Helene.
“We’re mountain people,” said Malcolm, a Marine veteran. “We believe in family, in neighbors. We’ve been cared for every step of the way. [Samaritan’s Purse] volunteers came from Wisconsin, Texas, Oklahoma—they brought more than skills. They brought heart.”
Thanks to their efforts, the Blankenships new home stands strong where their old one once did. They had been trapped in the former structure by a mudslide when Helene hit, but eventually they were rescued.
“This is a journey I hope never to take again,” Vhonda said. “But through it, we grew. Our faith was stretched, and we learned who we really are. We are grateful beyond words.”
Edward Graham meets with friends and neighbors of the Blankenships.
They, too, were presented with a Billy Graham Training Center Bible and a journal filled with encouragement and Scripture from volunteers who had come to serve.
“Every home we dedicate is a miracle,”Edward Graham said. “Not just because it’s rebuilt, but because of what God has done in the lives of those who lived through the storm. This is about restoration inside and out.”
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Samaritan’s Purse responded immediately with emergency relief. Now, through our ongoing rebuild program, volunteer teams will continue in the region for years to come rebuilding, replacing, and repairing hundreds of homes, all while sharing the hope found only in the Good News of Jesus Christ.
“We dedicate homes for believers and non-believers,”said Luther Harrison. “Our goal is to plant seeds and water. God gives the increase.”
The Blankenships are joined by Samaritan’s Purse staff and volunteers.
