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Mission team to help with Reyes home

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Albany News

First Baptist Church members have often traveled for hours, driving or flying out of state or even out of the country on mission projects, but this fall they have chosen to work on a project much closer to home, just a few blocks east of the sanctuary.

Tricia and J.R. Reyes’ uninsured home burned to the ground in July, and the new structure that they moved in to replace the house is a small storage building that will need a lot of work to become a comfortable home, so Lori Schooler and the FBC mission team decided to help out.

The group has planned a workday for Saturday, Sept. 8, starting at 7:00 a.m., at the Reyes house on Hill Street, and they intend to continue to work on the structure every Saturday for the next month or more.

“We usually complete a build in only a few days, but on those projects we work straight through,” said organizer Lori Schooler. “Here, the Reyeses wanted to help, and so we are planning the project around their schedules.” 

The building is currently just a shell, according to Schooler.

The FBC crew plans to put in electricity, plumbing, insulation, sheetrock, ceilings, and build on a small addition so that the Reyes have room for a washer and dryer.

“The living room/kitchen will be divided from the bedroom by a small bathroom,” Schooler said. “The house is very tiny.”

Tricia Reyes bought the storage building in Stephenville, and it was delivered last Thursday. 

“I am so grateful that they picked me for their mission project,” Reyes said. “They have been so sweet, and I know that it will be beautiful when they are done. I am very grateful for all the donations and help that people in Albany have given me.”

Reyes already has most of the furniture that she will need.

“There isn’t going to be room for much,” she said. “I’ve got a table and chairs, a bed and dresser, a fridge and stove, and there is only room for one couch. But I will need a hot water heater.”

Reyes said that they were not able to salvage much from the fire, but she is still hoping to find a few items before they demolish it with a dozer.

“Robert Hill is coming with a metal detector to see if we can find my keys or anything else that made it through the fire,” said Reyes.