Helene Relief Phase 2: Rebuild Lives, Restore Hope

How many times can you be forced to move from hotel to hotel before you begin to lose hope for your future?

That’s the question Marissa – a single mother of three – asked as she shared her story with our visiting team from Faith Christian Church (Harlingen, Texas).

When Hurricane Helene hit, the wind ripped away shingles and rain poured through the ceiling.

“We told the kids to pack their bags,” Marissa remembered. “One of my daughters packed her toys. We planned to leave, but it was too dangerous. We stayed – two weeks without power or running water. We weren’t prepared: no candles, nothing.”

After the storm, her family lived in a tent in their yard. The septic backed up, mud filled the floors, and the home was eventually gutted and left to the rain again. For months, they bounced from hotel to hotel – never knowing where they would sleep next.

By the time Adventures Relief met Marissa, her hope had been tested over and over again. Yet she never gave up.

Our volunteers began rebuilding her home – hanging drywall, replacing ceilings, restoring what was lost. Even after injuring her ankle at work, Marissa came to dinner to thank the team who had come to serve her family.

At our one-year anniversary dinner, Marissa stood and shared a poem she had written in the middle of the storm. Her words – raw, honest, and full of faith – captured the heart of a mother’s courage. That poem was transformed into a song and played at the banquet.

A mother’s dedication, courage, and resilience have now been embedded in her family’s legacy as she leads her young children through this recovery journey.

Through this partnership, we didn’t just rebuild a home – we helped rebuild hope.

Because of people like you, Marissa and her children are seeing light after the storm.

👉 Help More Families Like Marissa’s for the Holidays