Posted May 7, 2024
By GRANT BROMLEY
They were singin' in the rain, but prayin' the rain would go away.
Fortunately, on Friday, May 3, the Women Build of the future Roberts residence was not thwarted by the sporadic precipitation.
Ushering in the Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland event with a song was the Roberts family, who sang Fred Hammond's "Give Me A Clean Heart."
Brian and Tarmika Roberts have nine children, and with Tarmika's mother, Dale, their future home will house 12 people.
Needless to say, this choir of 12 seized upon the opportunity for all of them to bless those who would be helping in the construction of the frame of their home that day in the form of song, and it was something they told the Cleveland Daily Banner they were glad to do.
"We sing all the time as a family," Tarmika said, noting she and her husband have more than 20 years of past experience in music ministry.
Presently, Brian is the director of operations at Chick-fil-A in town, and Tarmika works on homeschooling all of their children while caring for her mother.
Introducing everyone to one another was Lynne Wooten, director of operations at Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland, who noted that families like the Roberts are facing monthly rents well over $1,000 a month at apartment complexes in the city.
"Families just cannot afford it," Wooten said.
Tarmika echoed this, telling participants of the Women Build that the rent they've been paying is $1,600, adding, "That doesn't give you the space to be able to save to purchase a home."
Continuing, Wooten said, "Our main mission is to work with our families to build affordable housing solutions."
Throughout the Roberts' experience with Habitat, they will be equipped through classes on homeownership and financing with all the knowledge they will need to support their family in a home they can call their own.
Wooten noted Habitat's work is not "a handout," with sweat equity going into the development of the house in addition to taking on "an affordable mortgage" and paying property taxes.
Prior to letting the Women Build teams begin their work, Tammy Johnson, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland, led everyone in prayer.
"I pray that you would bless our homeowners, Lord, and let this be a time of new beginnings …" she said. "And I pray that they would just feel the love of these ladies surrounding them, and I pray that these ladies, as they pour into this family, will also feel loved."
As the teams began putting on their hard hats, Tarmika told the Banner, "I can't even express the gratitude that we have for everybody that has contributed and has poured into us, not just financially but as far as time is concerned, so we're very thankful."
She added, "We're very grateful and super excited!"
