This article was written by Derrick Heslip,
iACT Communications and Development Specialist
Henry Miller once said “One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” We couldn’t think of a better quote to describe Ms. Alvenia Gattis. We were introduced to Ms. Gattis through our Hands on Housing program. She came to us seeking housing repair for her home of 50+ years. Immediately after meeting Ms. Gattis, we could tell she was a truly loving person, and that she sought to see the good in everyone.
Ms. Gattis had attended Greater Mount Moriah Church since 1965. Her dedication to living a positive life impacted so many people around her, especially her church community. When she came to Interfaith Action of Central Texas (iACT) for help, her tender and nurturing demeanor made a lasting impression on the Hands on Housing team. It was evident that she had lived her entire life in service of others, and now the time had come for Ms. Gattis to receive care from her community.
During the construction process of repairing and painting her home, we discovered that Ms. Gattis had twelve(!) grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Because both Ms. Gattis and her daughter, Shirley, faced serious medical issues in 2016, the family was struggling financially. The cost of back-to-back medical bills had wiped-out the family’s budget for Christmas gifts. With Ms. Gattis’ twelve beautiful grand and great-grand-children in mind, we put together a holiday toy drive.
Miller claimed that “Every moment is a golden one for him who has the vision to recognize it as such.” During the toy drive, we got to witness the love and kindness that Ms. Gattis instilled in her family. On Christmas Eve, we delivered 4 hefty trunk-loads of presents. Seeing the ear-to-ear smiles on the children’s faces really bought the spirit of Christmas to life. This Christmas miracle would not have been possible without the generosity of several Austin-based organizations that worked around the clock to secure donations for the Gattis family. Career Plug, First United Methodist Church, and the Greenwood School pulled their resources together to make sure that each child of the Gattis family had a warm Christmas dinner, and presents to open Christmas morning.
As we journey into 2017, we look back at the accomplishments of our beautifully diverse, interfaith community. It is powerful to realize how quickly a possibility can be actualized within a community as strong and dedicated as ours.
“God is the one who makes us, and God is the one who takes us. Have faith in God, and let him guide you through life.”- Shirley Gattis
