Never moments

Every morning on his way to work, contractor Ken Hollinger passed a black space. He knew two area homes recently burned. Between cancer treatments and work, however, there was never enough time. Besides, he and Suetta, his wife, had a spring tradition of volunteering for MDS in the south.

Ken never intended to build a house in Germfask.

Then Ken noticed the travel trailer parked behind Germfask Christian Fellowship and stopped to talk to his friend, Pastor J.D. Livermore.

“I knew Ken was involved in trying to reorganize Michigan MDS,” Pastor J.D. said. “I thought it would be a blessing to us and a blessing to rebeginning MDS to work together on the project.”

The project was a home for Phillip and Michelle Ramirez and their teenage twins, Benjamen and Mykenna. The family had recently moved from California to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. “We moved into the house September 8, and we lost it January 31.” Phillip remembered, “It was the coldest night of the year.”

As the family sat in the car, watching their home burn, they were devastated, but grateful to be alive. They had no insurance or nearby family.  Phillip said, “My first thought was that we could go live with relatives.” Germfask Christian Fellowship had other ideas. Phillip said, “The church was like no! Don’t go nowhere!”

Pastor J.D. responded to the Ramirez fire with persistence and determination. He found temporary housing and added a shower to the church’s facility so Ramirezes could live in their travel trailer on church property.

“I asked the congregation,” Pastor J.D. said, “What is God’s heart in this situation?”

Ken asked himself the same question. “I’m thinking, ‘I don’t really want to do this. This is a lot of work in a very full life.’ But God put it in my heart and wouldn’t let it go away until I started asking questions.”

Ken requested help from regional and state MDS.  “All the obstacles and my objections got mowed down,” Ken said.

One obstacle was the commitment of $100,000 before beginning construction. “I thought we would be a year raising money,” Ken said. “I gave them that number and they said, ‘When can we start?’ And I thought they didn’t hear me. They were like, ‘When can we start?’”

Volunteers came from around the state and country. Phillip and Michelle used their skills and learned new ones. Food appeared for Pastor’s wife, Debbie Livermore, to cook.  Materials arrived on time. Inspections passed smoothly. The Ramirez home was completed ahead of schedule and under budget.

“At the end of the project,” Ken reflected, “I think it turned out very nicely. I’ve always been a custom contractor working with upper-end second homes. I’ve never built a house that was so easy (or so difficult) to build.”

“I would never ever attempt what I did without the backing of MDS. Good outcomes come with good plans,” Ken said. “After every engagement with MDS I walk away feeling like, ‘That is what I was made for!’”

More than a home was built. Pastor J.D. said, “I told the twins, ‘You are my grandchildren now.’”

“I am so grateful,” said fifteen-year-old Mykenna, “For the family that found us.”

Michelle said, “There are never moments in life – I never thought I would go through a house fire. But I also never foresaw the community and the church coming together to build us a home. The never things go both ways.” Michelle’s eyes sparkled, “Joy just spills out over me.  I never could have seen…  never could have imagined that this was what God had in mind.”