'The Hammer Rings Hope'
Second Hope Homes succeeding in repairing, replacing homes in Hurricane Rita-ravaged counties

DAVID CARNLEY AND SHELLY HANES - once a recluse, Carnley recently won Newton's award for outstanding community service. Shelly Haynes is director of Second Hope Homes.

This is the second in a series about the Mennonite Disaster Service and the people they have helped; the first article is available at www.jaspernewsboy. com, March 19 issue.

Joe Miller, pastor of First United Methodist Church in Newton, works with the Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) and Second Hope Homes to help people in Jasper and Newton counties whose homes were destroyed by Hurricane Rita.

David Carnley

David Carnley was reluctant to ask for or accept help when offered. Miller persisted because he could see on every visit that Carnley's trailer was deteriorating more and more.

Carnley evacuated with his pets during the storm.

"A pine tree came through the roof and pushed the bed down into the floor," Carnley said. "Luckily, me and my three birds (parrots) went to church. I wouldn't leave without my birds; it wouldn't be fair to desert an animal that depends on me."

Young Mennonites volunteer their winter months to help disaster victims all over the country.

By his own admission, Carnley was a recluse. He once had a business and a wife in Beaumont, but lost his business and divorced his wife long ago.

His trailer was down a dirt road in the middle of the pineywoods, and he got by as a part-time computer guru for those who knew where to find him.

They also had to pick him up for any job they needed done, not because Carnley couldn't drive, but because the tires on his car had literally rotted away. Miller helped him get tires so that Carnley could get out in the community more and go to the store on his own.

The first time Joe Miller suggested Carnley apply for help with his Rita-damaged home, Carnley told him, "Oh, I'm sure there's people more in need than me."

But Miller persisted.

Carnley did apply with DETCOG, and by the time the second round of funding was allocated, he was being seriously considered.

By then, Miller said he worried every time he visited that he would fall through the floor of Carnley's rotted trailer.

"I decided I liked the idea that this effort was faithbased," Carnley said, "so I went ahead with what MDS was offering to do."

Plus, Carnley had the option to modify plans to suit his needs, which were simple. In the 600 square foot cottage, he eliminated a hallway and closets to make the only bedroom as big as possible.

His kitchen is one wall of cabinets, and his island is also his workbench from the old trailer. Carnley purchased his own six-burner gas range.

DETCOG eventually did call with an offer to move in a mobile home, but the Carnley project was already under construction with MDS.

Carnley said of the Mennonites, "They lifted me up. They made me productive again and I've met and made friends. Joe (Miller) hounded me until I accepted their offer. I never got anything for free, never would have applied, it was my stupid pride, but the Mennonites caused me to get up and do this- "

In his hands, Carnley was showing an engraved plaque from the Newton Chamber of Commerce, "for outstanding community service work," presented to him at the Chamber banquet last month.

Carnley has been volunteering with the Newton County History Center. He has helped them set up the equipment to archive their newspapers. He's been helping with genealogy research, adding women's maiden names and pictures of tombstones to the cemetery books, helping with the "techie stuff" for the courthouse reconstruction.

"This whole experience changed his life," Miller said.

In many cases, Second Hope Homes seems more like last chance, according to executive director Shelly Haynes.

"Many of the people we help have been on different lists and have been waiting more than 30 months since Hurricane Rita," Haynes said.

She says most of the people have tried other resources for help. Some are still in FEMA travel trailers or rental property, some are living in crowded circumstances with family members, and some are trying to get by in homes rendered unfit by mold, mildew and the ravages of the storm.

Second Hope Homes works with the Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) to identify those most in need and least able to help themselves, and try to build a house just large enough to meet each individual or family's need.

The original Self Help Housing based in Newton attempted to pattern itself after the successful People's Self Help Housing in California. Under that plan, owners and family members join with other families to provide most of the labor to jointly build new communities.

"That just wasn't working here," Haynes said. "In Jasper and Newton counties, we have so many disabled and elderly, and they don't have the skills or the physical ability or the mobility to do the job themselves."

The group reorganized as Second Hope homes and moved their office next to Century 21 in Jasper. They work with MDS, who, with other faith-based groups, supply the labor and tools. Haynes says the average cost of an MDS two-bedroom cottage is about $21,000 in materials.

Building materials come from donations and grants, from property owners if they have the resources, from loans if the owners can qualify. Property owners must have their taxes paid up and have clear title to their land. Families contribute what they can in terms of materials, money or labor.

Haynes says she gets several calls a day from people who want a new house. Some people don't understand that MDS serves only disaster victims, and that there is still a huge backlog of Rita-survivors needing help.

"What we need most are more volunteers, even people who can put in just a day, a few days, or a weekend once a month," Haynes said.

"Groups who would adopt a family, or people who have building materials left over, maybe from their own repairs," Haynes said. "We get people who still live under a blue tarp; a few squares of roofing could fix them up.

"We have the manpower, but we have to try every resource to get the materials. Donations could make a big difference to a small nonprofit like us," Haynes said.

"The good news is that we are making progress. We're having closings all the time now," Haynes said.

They closed on the Rawls house in Jasper last Thursday (see MDS article in this issue).

Each new owner gets a Bible and a copy of The Hammer Rings Hope, a book about the Mennonite Disaster Services.

To volunteer time or to donate materials, call Haynes at 384-4900.