TIME TO GET IT DONE: Hope Local and Community Strive to Complete Tiny House into Home -By Scott Jester

By Scott Jester, 05/17/22 1:07 AM

Ever been in a race in some form or fashion, athletic or even in the workplace, and you could see the finish line on the horizon?

It causes a human to realize that their goal is literally in sight, typically lifting their spirits and many times resulting in a burst of energy that comes deep from within.

Such is the case with one tiny house with one lone occupant, who had his world crash around him in one day, losing his house to a massive snowfall in the area which brought the roof in, literally, on David Williams.

“The house just buckled,” he sums up the harrowing experience which led to a total loss.

“When Brother (Daniel) Bramlett told me they were going to build me a house, I had to give it a second,” he retells of the initial shock of the news. “This? For me?” Williams had to ask.

“Now, all you see right here is what the guys built,” Williams says with pride while spreading his arms in the 20 ft x 20 ft living-sleeping-kitchen-laundry-bathroom area. “I was able help along some too.

“I’m proud of it,” Williams states with a smile. “Daniel ranks at the top of my list, because without him, this project wouldn’t have gotten started. I will never forget all the other guys who spent so much time to make this happen,” he concludes.

First Baptist Church Pastor Daniel Bramlett is the shepherd of this grassroots project, obtaining donations of material and man time mostly, but he quickly defers to the backbones of the project.

“This house is a product of the community’s effort,” Bramlett says. “We trumpeted the need and people gave. There is a long list of folks and businesses that have had a hand in this, donating their time and building materials. We just can’t thank them enough.”

Along the way, Bramlett and his team of builders from the church, who mostly comprise the Banner Hope Group, helped construct the house while creating their own tiny house template. A tiny house template in order to achieve a greater goal.

The Banner Hope Group seeks out and provides a unique approach to the rehabilitation of a recovering addict, providing job skills that lead to a new pathway. So far, the project has proven successful with more tiny houses now in the planning stages.

“We took it slow in learning how to construct these houses, and now the guys that did this will be project leaders on the next new tiny houses,” Bramlett boasts.

In the meantime, Williams’ house and his story have been the subject of numerous television feature stories which only proves that viewers/readers are craving something good in their daily local news.

“I get my quiet time over there,” Williams interjects and points to a corner of his 40 square-foot home that has a small table which serves as a dining table and catch-all for other items, one of which looked like a bible. This is the space Williams reserves to talk to God.

What statement does this tiny house project mean from a big-picture point of view? What’s the overarching story that comes from this, by casting a big net to the outside possibilities of city and group leaders coming together to FIX a problem?

“In order to see restoration, to see change, we have to agree that the bigger picture is more important than our individual ideas,” Bramlett readily answered.

“To prove that we can give and be a part of standing this community back up. I pray this tiny house represents a 20-to-25-year vision of helping restore Hope Arkansas.

“We are just trying to help folks, but they will have to help some on their end too,” Bramlett reminds. “There must be a show of the owners having their own skin in the game.”

Imagine if you will, a thriving neighborhood of productive citizens each living in their own tiny houses.

The amount needed to see project to its fruition is not unreasonable and considering the time and materials that have already been donated, it’s a VERY small cost overall.

It’s time to let your wallet do the talking.

It could be a church group who wants to take up a collection. Maybe bypass that $25 pizza order this weekend and dedicate that money to something greater.

It’s a small sacrifice that your gastric acids will thank you for later.

Whatever contribution great or small, it will count tremendously when added together. Many know a certain story of how a small donation of two fish fed 5,000.

Have the faith to see this through.

For more information or details, contact Daniel Bramlett at 870-777-5757.