An Answer to Prayer
Andrea Rogers calls the day her son came home from pre-K school with a Habitat for Humanity flyer in his backpack a godsend. She and her husband, Kenneth, had prayed for a bigger home for five years. Andrea filled out the Habitat homeowner application form with help from the Clark County resource officer and friends. After going through the Habitat homeowner selection process, the Rogers are now approved as a Habitat partner family and have been flying through the process ever since.
The Roger’s story would be incomplete without highlighting the power of prayer, mentorship, community, and marriage. Each has meant the world to them and, according to Andrea, is responsible for their opportunity with Habitat.
Andrea recalls how Mike Flynn, the current Winchester city manager and former manager at Winchester Municipal Utilities, invited the couple to Landmark Church, pastored by Jim Muncie in Winchester, nearly three years ago. The close-knit Landmark Church community warmly welcomed, cared for, and mentored the couple, and Andrea said it made all the difference.
Kenneth points out that without God in their lives, they were “just spinning our wheels.” Both Andrea and Kenneth are convinced that the power of prayer and a unified marriage are the fertile ground that birthed their family’s Habitat opportunity.
Ken and Andrea Rogers (right) and Jamie Skinner (left) work hard to clear their lots on Lincoln Street.
And since August 3rd, the official day of their Habitat partnership approval, the Rogers have been making the most of that opportunity. They have been working hard to earn the 350 hours of “sweat equity” required to receive the keys to their Habitat home. Together they have completed their first 100 sweat equity hours, which has allowed them to choose their lot on Lincoln Street. Andrea, a stay-at-home mom, earns hours during the week, and Ken, a Route Foreman for WMU, joins her on the weekends. To achieve their sweat equity hours, they have volunteered at the ReStore, helped with events, and worked on Lincoln Street to help clear the lots in preparation for building.
Throughout their hours of service, Andrea and Kenneth have felt the impact of Habitat and enjoyed the extraordinary team atmosphere. It’s a unique place, Andrea describes.
“Everyone’s excited to get started and meet everybody and get to know everybody. It makes life a lot easier when everyone is on board with the same positive attitude.”
The enthusiasm and commitment in her voice as she describes the people, teamwork, and unified mission are palpable. You can’t help but notice this is not just another opportunity. It’s a godsend, an answered prayer, and she and her family are all in.
Andrea paints a porch for a family in need of home repairs.
The Rogers are giving in return. Andrea is confident that she’ll continue to volunteer well after her home is complete.
“Going through this experience, I don’t think I’ll ever quit helping Habitat. I think I’m a permanent volunteer. I’m here to help. Just hit me up, and I’ll be there. Let’s get it done.” she says.
Andrea and Ken are not the only members of the Rogers family to be excited about the days ahead. Andrea recalls how her 9-year-old daughter RaiLynn reacted the day the family was approved. She was driving and had Helen Ward from the Habitat office on speakerphone.
Tears. Just tears came from RaiLynn.
“When we got home, she said, ‘You know, Dad, I get my own room, right?'”
RaiLynn sleeps on a couch most nights and shares a room with her younger brothers, Kenneth Jr. and Nikolas. Their current home is a 14 x 52-foot trailer. It is not a bad home but too small for the family of five. “The kids are crammed into one bedroom. It’s just not fair,” Andrea says. “That was our biggest motivator, to give her her own space.”
Andrea is so excited that all that will change when they move into their new four-bedroom Habitat home. “We stand here today, and not only did God give us a bigger home, He gave us a brand new home.”
Andrea and Ken are also eager to see each of their kids blossom into the best person they can be.
“We’re the kind of people, we wake up every morning, and our prayer is, ‘Thank you Lord for waking us up. Please open our hearts and guide our feet.’ We just want to do what’s right,” she says.
The Rogers steadfast prayers, hearts, and footsteps brought them to Habitat, and it seems that neither they nor Habitat will ever be the same.