Miss Hattie

Down at the end of Holler #5, tucked between rising, forested mountainsides and along the narrow creek bed, sits the time-frozen home of Miss Hattie.  Neglected fruit trees, now barren, mark her yard.  An old Chevy sits idly by the front gate, permanently parked.

 With life confined to her living room, Miss Hattie spends nights sleeping on her couch, and days sitting in the same spot. Entertained by TV, waiting for an occasional phone call and infrequent visitor, life has become very simple.  With a wobbly 91-year old body and labored breathing, venturing outside or even to the next room is rare.  Climbing stairs to her second-floor bedroom and bath are out of the question.

Just outside the walls, the rhythm of hammers pounding and skill saws whining break the silence.  In the steamy heat of the day, Hope Force volunteers labor to complete a new first floor bedroom and bathroom for Miss Hattie.  While construction moves ahead, other volunteers pop in and out of Miss Hattie?s living room to ?sit a spell? and chat.  One sits at the piano and begins singing hymns. The others join in, while Miss Hattie smiles.

When Miss Hattie lost her mother at age 10, she moved into an uncle?s home.  Quickly, she found herself assigned duties as the family?s ?household slave? -- forced to quit school, remain home and tend to the cleaning, washing and cooking for the family.  At barely 17, she married and escaped, moving to North Carolina and eventually--the Appalachian mining town of Caretta, West Virginia.

Now nearly 60 years later, with family far away and elderly neighbors unable to wander over to say hello, the presence of Hope Force staff and volunteers brings a bit of welcome sunshine into her days.  Though life has not been easy, Miss Hattie often exclaims, ?The Lord has been with me.  I came to know Him in 1951?and He has helped me!?

 As we serve, we once again realize the privilege of being part of Miss Hattie?s journey ? and the journeys of others like her.  (by Sue Duby, HFI Training Coordinator)