Samaritan’s Purse continues to repair homes for residents devastated by Hurricane Helene.
Genny Austin has always called northwestern North Carolina home. At age 11, she moved into a house that her grandfather built near a peaceful creek in Boone, North Carolina. She had no plans of ever leaving. But Hurricane Helene’s catastrophic strike in the Carolina mountains threatened to displace her from the community she held dear.
“Please let me live longer,” she cried out to God as Helene’s torrential rain and wind slammed against her home. The floodwaters rose like an “angry ocean,” and she feared that she would not survive.
Franklin Graham listens to the story of homeowner Genny Austin.
She knew that she had to try to flee to higher ground. We praise God that Genny and her son, Tristan, made it to a family member’s house nearby, where they weathered the rest of the storm.
Helping in Jesus’ Name
Genny was crushed when she returned home and saw devastation. The floors were destroyed and the roof and bathroom needed replacing, among other major repairs.
“I didn’t know where to go to find help,” she said. “I felt very much alone. I felt so defeated.”
A friend encouraged her to contact Samaritan’s Purse. Our volunteers were immediately on the ground serving hurting homeowners in the aftermath of Helene.
She was shocked when more than 50 volunteers arrived to help her with immediate needs like hauling water out of the basement. But the team knew that she needed more assistance than what they could give that day.
Genny speaks with Luther Harrison, vice president of U.S. Rebuild.
Our staff made plans to include her in our rebuild program. As part of our long-term Hurricane Helene relief efforts, we are repairing damaged homes and providing new homes (both stick-built and mobile) for families like Genny’s that were displaced by the storm.
Volunteers worked diligently to repair and rebuild her house. On October 30, Genny and Tristan were finally able to return home. They gathered with friends, family members, and Samaritan’s Purse staff and volunteers to dedicate the new home to the glory of God.
“We thank God for the privilege of helping people like Genevieve and her son. He has provided this home for them, and we dedicate it back to Him today in the Name of His Son, Jesus Christ,” said Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham at the dedication.
“We pray for the Austins and that this would be a home for them for years to come,” he continued.
During the dedication, Genny received an invoice with a bold red stamp declaring the house “Paid in Full”—a reminder that Jesus fully paid for our sins with His death on the cross.
“This house is built with Christ’s love. It’s the secret recipe our volunteers pour into these projects,” said Luther Harrison, vice president of U.S. Rebuild.
It was a happy day for Genny Austin and her family!
Genny was overwhelmed with appreciation. “I have more gratitude than I know how to express for Samaritan’s Purse. I have known so much compassion from everyone here,” she said. “They couldn’t have been more thoughtful and more conscientious.”
Sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ
Our team did more than rebuild a home—they cared for Genny’s spiritual needs. Staff often talked with her about God. Genny told them that she did not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Genny was baptized on the same day as the home dedication.
One day, during a phone call with one of our foremen, Genny knew that she did not want to wait any longer. The foreman prayed with her, and she received Christ as her Lord and Savior over the phone.
Genny did not stop there. She knew she wanted to be baptized and decided to wait until her home’s dedication day so that family could be present. One of the foremen who had shared the Gospel with her baptized her in the creek near her home.
“This has been a journey that only Jesus could create,” she said.
Genny and her son, Tristan, hug after the baptism.
Praise God for what He is doing in Genny’s life and in the lives of many people who are receiving rebuild assistance from Samaritan’s Purse.
