New home blessed for Dripping Springs family

DRIPPING SPRINGS — On April 13, three generations of the Salazar family watched as their dilapidated home was torn down. Less than two months later, they stepped inside a completely new home in its place, thanks to the help of community volunteers and Dripping Springs Hometown Missions’ Home in a Month program.

The process began more than two years ago, when Nora Salazar’s daughter, Melissa Salazar, reached out to the nonprofit organization to ask for help in repairing Nora’s bathroom plumbing. Unfortunately, when the Hometown Missions team assessed the property, there was much more than just the bathroom that was in disrepair.

“I mean, the house had been ordered out of a catalog … maybe 45, but over 40 years [ago], for sure; the bones of it, anyway. And it was just falling apart and it just needed a lot of help and a lot of attention,” explained Chris Kelker-Newlan, operations manager for Dripping Springs Hometown Missions. “Our team, the board and the organization, kind of looked at it and said, ‘Well, we can't really fix the bathroom, but how about we just replace the house?’”

It took a lot more than just the team of Hometown Missions to complete a project of this size. According to Kelker-Newlan, more than 200 volunteers worked on the house.

“As far as the volunteers, all of the trades, all the people, the roofers, the plumbers, the electricians, all those guys came in and put in their efforts, as well,” the operations manager said. “We walked with the city [of Dripping Springs] every step of the way, so they could help us make sure we get out past our inspections. So, the city was a real ally for us, which is great. And then, lastly, a lot of people donated their treasure, their funds. That's huge to do, too, because you’ve got to have money to build a house like this … that's huge, you know, props, if you will, for the community of Dripping Springs.”

The building process had its ups and downs, with the construction happening in the spring and being subject to unpredictable rain, Kelker-Newlan noted, but there were many cherished memories of the project, too. One of his favorites was watching Nora’s youngest granddaughter, Rylan, press a Bible into the wet concrete slab directly below where the door of the house is now. The Bible was opened to the page with the verse Deuteronomy 28:6, which says, “You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.”

On Sunday, June 2, Hometown Missions hosted a blessing ceremony at the house prior to the Salazar’s first night in the home.

“I never would have thought the help that we needed would be answered with a dream come true for myself, my daughters [and] my grandkids,” Nora said. “We have met so many amazing people in our community. Everyone has been caring, helpful, hardworking and all have helped with a smile on their face. Thank you, Hometown Missions, volunteers, donors, contractors [and] local organizations, for all your hard work. I can't thank y’all enough for blessing me with a new home, so that I can make new memories with my family.”

As for Kelker-Newlan’s hopes for the family, he said, “I want them to know that they are genuinely loved and cared for and that the community loves and cares for them. And that Dripping Springs is their home and it will always be their home.”

For more information on Dripping Springs Hometown Missions, visit www.hometownmissions.org.

 

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