Developed from an interview with Judy Seegers
Don’t you wish our cities, towns, and neighborhoods were safer, kinder places to live? What if we looked out for one another and actually noticed when someone was struggling? What difference could that make?
Judy Seegers has lived in the United States for 33 years—longer now than in her native Germany. But being away from family made a rough divorce even harder. For a long time, she felt isolated and uncertain about her and her children’s future together.
Something Needs to Change
In 2005, Judy called Seacoast Church’s hotline and spoke with a pastor. Then she came in to talk. She joined a support class and began attending weekend services. “I was a believer,” Judy said, “but I never knew you needed to accept Christ as Lord and Savior. So I got down on my knees and gave my life to him.”
Shortly thereafter, Judy was serving in the church as a greeter, and eventually she joined the choir and became involved in Adopt-a-Block, where groups of volunteers serve people in the neighborhoods surrounding the Dream Center in North Charleston.
Applying for a Habitat House
Building our Habitat house
During one of the many classes Judy has taken at Seacoast, a friend suggested she apply for a Habitat for Humanity house. Although Judy had helped build three Habitat houses as a volunteer, she hadn’t thought to apply until her friend mentioned it. On her third try, she was accepted. She and her son, Tommy, were to have a new home.
As part of the 350 volunteer hours required for Habitat recipients, Judy started to serve at the Habitat ReStore—a nonprofit home improvement store and donation center that sells new and gently used furniture, appliances, home accessories, and building materials to the public at a fraction of the retail price. Not long after she started volunteering, the ReStore offered her a fulltime job and she jumped at it.
Covered in Blessing
“I was so blessed,” Judy said, “to have a new job and to help build my own house! My son and I helped raise the walls. So much of the frame and drywall are covered with Bible verses and blessings from my small group, the choir, and friends on the Dream Team who serve regularly at church.”
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- Praying a blessing
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- My community!
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- Writing a blessing
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- My home!
“If it weren’t for Seacoast and the Habitat for Humanity ReStore,” Judy said, “my son and I would not have our wonderful house! I thought I’d lost everything, but the Lord has replaced it all with so much more.”
Habitat ReStore
What’s great about the ReStore on Long Point Road in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina is that 50 cents of every dollar returns to Seacoast to fund our missions projects. This allows Seacoast to make a difference in the community through the Car Care Ministry, Foster Care and Adoption, The Dream Center in North Charleston, and more than 30 additional local missions partners, like East Cooper Community Outreach, (ECCO), Lowcountry Pregnancy Center, and Water Mission.
What about you? How are you making a difference in your community? Who needs you to notice them today?
Consider a trip to the ReStore on Long Point Road to donate, shop, or volunteer. You can also visit Seacoast Local Missions at seacoast.org to learn more about all kinds of additional opportunities to make a difference in your neighborhood.
Header photo credit: Photo by Lea Böhm on Unsplash
