Shelly-Ann Thompson, Staff Reporter

Bobbette Burrell has sickle cell. The unemployed mother of four, lost the house where she and her children lived during the passage of Hurricane Dean on August 19.

It was therefore understandable why Miss Burrell of Old Harbour, St. Catherine, was unable to find words to express how grateful she was to Dennis Herko who has piloted a project in constructing a two-bedroom house for her.

Mr. Herko, a missionary and executive director of Christian Benevolent Outreach International has partnered with Church of Christ in Succaba Pen, Old Harbour, to assist those who have been displaced or negatively affected by the hurricane.

Currently, some 14 volunteers from the United States of America are assisting in rebuilding the houses.

Financially, more than $3 million was raised through donations mainly from the international church community for assistance with the project in Succaba Pen.

"I'm glad because I am now staying with my sister and is 11 of us there," Miss Burrell, whose house was flattened by the winds of the hurricane, said.

A miracle

Marie Bennett and Kelvin Crawford, two other recipients for whom a two-bedroom house is being constructed, said the gesture was a miracle.

"We couldn't do that for now because a just hand to mouth right now. It's like a miracle," Mr. Crawford said.

"Right now me no know how to thank Mr. Herko. Now we get to hide from the children as the one (house) before we couldn't even turn in a it good," he added.

Luther Christie, whose one- bedroom house is being rebuilt, was equally grateful.

"I feel great as a man who don't have nothing," the 69-year-old who lives alone said.

In addition to the three houses being built, two families' pit latrines were repaired in the community.

The Hurricane Dean recovery project by the group has also assisted in replacing one roof in Kingston and another in Clarendon. Some 12 persons from Old Harbour were also employed to the project.

Mr. Herko told The Gleaner, "Hopefully they will see God's love through what His people are doing and maybe they will respond to it, said the missionary, who has been living in Jamaica since the 1980s.

He also revealed the three recipients in Succaba Pen would all be receiving beds when the houses were completed.

"They don't know as yet, but we are getting the couple and others we are helping beds as well. They lost everything, even mattresses were damaged by the hurricane," he said.