For a North Carolina Vietnam veteran, being home for the holidays holds a new meaning.
When Hurricane Helene hit North Carolina last year, Bob and Edwina Tatum watched everything they loved and owned, including their home of 46 years, swept away in floodwaters down the Toe River in the mountains of the western part of the state.
The Minneapolis, NC couple watched as their home was smashed under a bridge, and both of their horses drowned.
When Bob saw the pieces of their home in the water, his brokenhearted request to the world was: “Don’t forget about us.”
Yet nine months after the storm hit, the Tatums did not know where to turn for help. They said they had not received the help that they needed from their insurance company or FEMA.
Their story caught the attention of Evangelist Franklin Graham, President and CEO of Samaritan’s Purse.
“I saw a news interview Bob had done, and he said they felt like they had been forgotten, as they had fallen through the cracks. They had given up hope. After paying insurance premiums for 30+ years with no claims, the damage wasn’t covered because they didn’t have flood insurance. I knew then that Samaritan’s Purse could help by building them a new home,” Graham wrote in a Facebook post.
The next day, Samaritan’s Purse showed up to help the family, the vet, and his wife.
And in five months’ time, volunteers from across the country worked to build a new three-bedroom home for the Tatums.
On December 1st, Graham, Samaritan’s Purse volunteers, Bob, and Edwina stood on the porch of the newly finished home and dedicated it to God.
“Today we come to dedicate this to the glory of God and to thank Him,” Graham said. “All of this comes from Him.”
The Samaritan’s Purse CEO and president also thanked all the volunteers. “We just thank God for every person who worked on this,” he shared. “Behind all this paint and nice siding, people have written their Bible verses on the studs, so this house is covered in God’s Word.”
“We are glad we were able to get you into your home by the first of December, just in time to help you get ready for Christmas,” Graham added.
Amid cheers and shouts, Edwina held up an invoice with the words “PAID IN FULL” printed across it in large red letters – proof that the Tatum’s home is a free gift.
“We had more or less given up hope. We fought FEMA, and we fought insurance. I gave up,” Bob recalled through tears. “You wouldn’t think a Vietnam veteran would cry, but God is so good.”
The dedication of the Tatum’s home was a sacred moment and a reminder that God moves through people and compassion changes circumstances.
Graham encouraged attendees to continue praying for communities still affected by Helene.
“We’re thankful to God for those resources that we can continue to do this. We’ve got several hundred houses we’ve got in front of us to build, similar to this. So we’re going to be busy, but we are glad to get you in here before December. So, here we are, Dec. 1, and that will give you time to get ready for Christmas.”
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