Blessings of Grace Blog Post 4

Tonight, as I sit at my desk, it is day 340 for the people of WNC. Their journey from the pit to new beginnings has made me think deeply about the meaning of authentic faith-based stewardship. I have so much to be thankful for.  I have been blessed in so many ways.  I am trying to genuinely wrap my mind around the sacrificial giving of time, talent, and money that I have witnessed by people helping the people of the small communities in the mountains of western North Carolina.  

SO WHY DONATE AND VOLUNTEER IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA, because the need continues to be so great.  The following video, based on facts and figures from the North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management, shows what the people of western North Carolina continue to be up against as they continue to work to recover from the apocalyptic events of Hurricane Helene.  https://vimeo.com/1115345947?fl=pl&fe=sh  

Grace By Example has the honor and privilege of sharing two videos about the ongoing stories from a small, resilient faith-based community of western North Carolina whose journeys have demonstrated remarkable faith, courage, dedication, and gratefulness.

The first video is from a visit to the mountains that occurred the weekend of August 15-16, 2025, approximately 324-325 days after Hurricane Helene.  “Day 324 Destruction to Progress in the Small communities of western North Carolina” endeavors to encapsulate the pervasive devastation wrought upon WNC, which has resulted in the displacement of 73,000 households. Of paramount significance, it underscores the transformative journey undertaken by eight families, who have emerged from the abyss of apocalyptic destruction and despair to forge new horizons. Their journeys have demonstrated remarkable faith, courage, dedication, and gratefulness with an unwavering resilience in maintaining their faith amidst countless hardships, which has been truly inspirational. Grace By Example, www.gracebyexample.org, is humbled to have the privilege of telling the stories of these eight wonderful families.

The second video comes from August 24, 2025, in which the South Toe River community held a heartwarming and poignant House dedication ceremony for the Hopson family. The video, accessible at https://vimeo.com/1114371824/c7f521b4d7?fl=pl&fe=sh , chronicles a remarkable chapter in the Hopson family’s history. Their residence, one of 73,000 that sustained damage or destruction during Hurricane Helene, stands as the first home to be rebuilt within the South Toe River Community. Tragically, the family lost both their home and their small Rock Mason Company business in the flood. The patriarch, a skilled rock mason by profession and a dedicated pastor at a local church, undertook the majority of the home’s reconstruction efforts on his own, with invaluable support from generous donors such as yourself. 

For further information regarding ongoing efforts in western North Carolina or to

donate, please visit www.gracebyexample.org.