Hearing Dr. John Perkins discuss the ministry of the John M. Perkins Foundation in Seattle, Washington last year was enough to motivate homebuilder Ryan Anderson to join the ministry’s cause of rebuilding communities. Through Dr. Perkins’ message he caught the vision of the Foundation’s Zechariah 8 Community project and wanted to help.

So in January 2008, Anderson and 11 employees of the Seattle-based R.W. Anderson Homes came down South to renovate a house on Voorhees Ave. in West Jackson.

“God has truly blessed my business. I believe He blesses us so we can bless others. All we have is His anyways,” Anderson said. As he began to reap the harvest of a successful business, he began to ask God how he could show His gratitude. He felt God telling him it was time to give back and last year he and his staff went to work alongside the people of Uganda.

This year Anderson and his team of volunteers decided to give more money towards the work project instead of airfare and volunteer in the United States somewhere. Many of them worked extra hours to raise money for the trip and all were supported in some way by families and friends in Seattle. With the money they raised they paid their own airfare and donated a substantial amount to the Voorhees home.

Jackson resident J.W. Sturgiss was delighted that the group chose to come to Jackson. He lives across the street from the renovated home and has seen people move in and out for the past two or three years. He said after the original homeowners lost the home, different families have rented the property and let it fall into disrepair.

“The house was really in bad shape,” said the 73-year-old Jackson resident. “These young people have come in here and done a wonderful job on the house. Everything is looking really nice.”

The volunteers, in their 20’s and 30’s, were excited about the opportunity to beautify the home and provide a home for a needy family. They also enjoyed meeting some of the families living in the Z8 community. Among them were Angela Andrews and Rachel Bratton, who prepared meals for the group during their stay.

The two women said it’s the least they could do for the group who left their homes, wives, fiancés and children for a week to fix up a house for people they don’t even know. They both said that despite working from early morning to late at night they always saw smiles on their faces.

“They didn’t have to do this, but they did. Willingly,” says Angela Andrews. “They were also wonderful with my twin boys. God bless them all!”