Extreme Makeover: Nampa College Church mission edition

Nampa, Idaho

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Approximately one year ago, the Nampa, Idaho, College Church of the Nazarene decided they wanted to go on a mission trip, but not overseas. They wanted to serve their local community.

Meanwhile, for the Nampa-based Winters family, just getting around in their home was a challenge.

According to the Idaho Press-Tribune, things took a turn for the worse for the family when Brad Winters, saddled with muscular dystrophy in his legs since birth, lost his mechanical plumbing design job last fall when his company downsized. Not long after that, his wife Kristine faced another bout of the melanoma cancer she was first diagnosed with several years ago.

In addition, the couple's two daughters, Marcia, 17, and Julie, 15, were born with the same disability as their father, and they also rely on walking aids, the Press-Tribune reported.

Enter College Church.

After getting the family's approval, some members of College Church decided the church's mission project should be to tear down the Winters' home of 18 years and replace it with a larger, more handicapped-accessible one, much like on the television show "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition."

That was 10 months ago.

On September 6, after extensive planning and 11 days of around-the-clock labor, the project was completed.

According to the Idaho Statesman, approximately 200 people from the church and community cheered "raise the roof" on Sunday as the new Winters home was unveiled to the family, who was understandably emotional.

The newspaper reports the family was presented a spacious, open floor plan inside, with wide doorways, closets, and bathrooms for easy maneuvering. The girls' bedrooms were decorated in their favorite colors and themes - purple and sleek black cats for Julie, and bright blue and green for Marcia.

Julie told the Statesman she hadn't known whether the project would really come together. "Thank you," she said. "I wouldn't be living in this new home without help."

The home also has a large family room upstairs with mom's crafts at one end and a place to hang out at the other.

More than 60 companies and businesses donated services and/or materials for the home. Mitch Wolf served as project foreman since May, after he became unemployed, reported the Statesman.

"I think I'm probably the most blessed of all," Wolf told the newspaper. "It was completely up to God - what happened here."

In addition to the Statesman (click for story), the project was also featured in the Idaho Press-Tribune (click for story), on local television (click for video), and nationally on CNN (click for video).
--NCN News (Editor's Note: We encourage you to click on the media links above for much more information and photos.)

 

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