Read more: Local, Community, Habitat for Humanity, Africa, Homes, Colorado Springs
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity hosted groundbreakings for three local families on Saturday.
Since 1986 Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity has built 95 homes in El Paso County. Its goal is to eliminate poverty housing by building simple, affordable housing.
On Saturday, Habitat broke ground on three new homes.
On an extremely foggy day, the future for three Colorado Springs families got a lot clearer. Through the mist and fog one could see the soon-to-be homeowners looking over the sites of their future homes.
The Greathouse family said they are renting a cramped trailer and look forward to something more permanent.
"We live in a small three=bedroom trailer so it’s exciting we're going to have a 5-bedroom house,” said Jessica Greathouse, a single mother.
Greathouse has three children and her oldest daughter is expecting a baby. She says giving her children a sense of home will have a big impact on their lives.
"Just know that this will be our home forever. You know renting is not guaranteed," Greathouse said.
The other two families with groundbreakings on Saturday are African refugees. They fled their homes in Congo to escape the war.
Thanks to Habitat for Humanity their new homes will be close together, And that’s culturally important to the Simbenga family.
"We say in Africa our culture is to be closer," said Denis Simbenga.
Denis, his wife and six children will live in one home and his sister and mother will live in the other.
“I can say I am optimistic in the future because I have a house now," Simbenga said.
During the Simbenga's ceremony, an African prayer was offered asking God to watch over the people who are helping the Simbengas get their home.
“They did like it says in the Bible. If you see your neighbor is going hungry you have to give them food. It is the same what these people do to us. We need the house and they want to build us a house," Simbenga said.
When Stuart and Marion Tresouthick died they left money to Habitat for Humanity. That will help build the home Denis Simbenga and his family will live in.
"I think God spoke to these people because they are so wonderful," Simbenga said.
For now these families don’t have much more than muddy lots, but in about six months they'll have houses.
