Clifton Reese joined special guests on the platform at the recent “Wall Raising” Celebration for what will be his Habitat for Humanity house in the Bonton community. But it was his wife, Seandra, whom his eyes were squarely fixed on as he translated in sign language what each speaker said.

And when it was his turn to speak, he asked that his wife come up to join him. He thanked all who believed in him when he didn’t believe in himself, and he praised God for the blessings in his life.

“Now I have the opportunity for my wife and my children to have a home,” the 27-year-old former drug addict and dealer said. “I can teach and raise my kids in the way it should be.”

Prestonwood is partnering with H.I.S. BridgeBuilders and Habitat for Humanity to build two houses in Bonton over the next three months. The recipient of the other house is Carla Robinson and her three children. On Thursday, the “wall raising” for Clifton’s house included a little help from former First Lady of Arkansas Janet Huckabee, board member with Habitat for Humanity International.

“We all have tools that we can use,” she said. “For some, it may be writing a check; for some of us, it may be digging in the dirt, but all of us have a tool we can use. It may be stirring Kool-Aid or giving someone a cold glass of water. If that is your tool, shame on you if you don’t use it. Shame on us if we don’t help our neighbor.”

Although Prestonwood is miles away from Bonton, a great bond has been formed.

“Going back 15 to 20 years, hundreds if not thousands of our members have been coming down to this area and working and serving and giving,” said Executive Pastor Mike Buster. “It’s been a great partnership with BridgeBuilders, and then these past several years with Habitat, being able to participate in building these homes. It is a great blessing for us. The bond we now have with the city of Dallas, with Habitat, with BridgeBuilders—this is the work of the Lord.”

H.I.S. BridgeBuilders Co-Founder Mike Fechner said 30 homes have now been built in Bonton; including six by Prestonwood.

“Every home needs a family,” he said. “Many times, the simplest thing we want to do is to build a building. But buildings don’t change lives, education doesn’t change lives, jobs don’t change lives, but Jesus changes lives. And so what we determined to do is to say, ‘God, it’s by Your grace we’ve allowed this relationship to be modeled’ that we can invest one life at a time in men and women to whom the world has many times said, ‘You have no hope.’ Let me remind you in Christ Jesus you have hope.”

Carla, whose home is on Dorris Street, across the way from Clifton’s, said she was anxious to get to work on her house with the Prestonwood family.

“Prestonwood is always here,” she said, “always making an impact here by cleaning properties, building homes, getting the Word to people. The impact has been a true blessing for everyone. For my family, they are helping to make this a home.”