April 2018, we handed the keys of Jane’s new house over to her. You can read the full story here. Read this moving interview from Keith Crosby, the one who spearheaded the fundraising efforts to make Jane’s dreams possible.

How did you hear about the opportunity to build a house for someone?

Jeremy (one of Ten Thousand Homes’ founders) and I grew up together and have stayed in touch. I saw a social media post he put out about the need of Jane needing a new home built.

What made you want to raise the funds for the house build?

My Dad has been to Africa once on a mission trip, and my Mom always wanted to go back someday with him. Due to her health, she was never able to. She passed away in March of 2017. God opened this opportunity to honor my Mom, and her wish to go to Africa by allowing friends and family to donate to Ten Thousand Homes in her name. She would love to know that Jane and her family have a new and safe home and friends and family were more than willing to help.

How did raising funds to build a home for someone on the other side of the world that you had never met impact you and your family?

To know that a family in great need got a home they desperately needed was a feeling indescribable in words. I think about my family and what it would feel like to have that same need and the stress of not being able to provide and what a blessing it is to be able to come together with others and allow God to bless them.

What was it like to see the family receive the house?

Absolutely indescribable love of God.

Keith went on to say, “My Mom is finally living her dream of going to Africa through this project.”

Every house build is special, but this one hit an emotion deeper than some. When Jane saw a picture of Keith and his family and heard their story, she felt incredible value, that someone on the other side of the world thought about her. The impact of making these connections across the ocean with the donor and recipient is indescribable. We honor DeRhonda Crosby and feel incredibly blessed that she’s living her dream of going to Africa through Jane’s house.

To donate to a house build, visit our Fund A Project page.