More than ten years ago, Habitat for Humanity of Gaston County launched an effort to build homes on donated land in North Belmont. That effort was derailed by the financial crisis, but has been recently resurrected and reimagined. This vision, Dixon Village, is a project that will provide homes for 28 families, one third Habitat owners and two-thirds entry-level, market-rate buyers and will address the serious shortage of affordable housing in Gaston County in general and Belmont in particular.

This project fulfills the wishes of the donor, Geneva Abernathy, who taught school for 33 years in Mt. Holly and North Belmont and donated 7.5 acres to Habitat because she realized the critical importance of home ownership to the health of a family and a community. And this project honors First Presbyterian elder and Clerk of the Session and long-time Habitat volunteer, Bill Dixon, a true pillar of our church.

Our church has stepped forward as a leader in this community effort by providing a significant financial gift and recruiting other area churches to support Dixon Village as well. The goal for our church is a minimum of $100,000 to be raised by December 2022.

In Lasting Words, the collection of Bill Dixon’s meditations published posthumously by First Presbyterian, Bill reflects on Psalm 27, “holy moments,” and the families he came to know through his work with Habitat.

“I have been privileged to work on all thirteen of the homes built by Belmont Habitat and to be acquainted with all of the families. Some of my most memorable experiences occurred on dedication days, the days we celebrated completion of new homes and turned them over to the families. They were emotional times, as the reason for our hard work came sharply into focus. These were not ordinary families – most of them had absolutely no reason to dream that they would ever own a home, to have a yard for their children, to have a place they could call theirs.” Bill goes on to describe three families he remembers. He concludes:

“One picture stands out above all others – a young single mother with three children of a failed marriage. She was a wage earner, frugal and resourceful, and her well-mannered children concealed the struggles she endured. The family walked hesitantly up the long drive hand in hand with the two girls on her right, and her six-year-old son, the youngest on her left. The son tugged a step ahead looking and up into his mother’s face, his eyes asking the question, “Is it really true?” I won’t live long enough to forget that scene.”

Please prayerfully consider how you can support this opportunity for First Presbyterian Church to help fulfill the dream of home ownership for families like the one Bill describes so poignantly.

The Guatemalan Women’s Microloan Project is an initiative of the Presbytery of Western North Carolina and the Presbyterian Church USA to empower indigenous women of Guatemala by developing leadership, life skills, self-esteem and a source of income for their families in that very poor country. Loans for $125 are given to the women, along with relevant training to start businesses such as selling clothing, firewood, or food, growing corn or raising animals.

How You Can Help

Donate as little as $10.00 to help make economic security a reality for these women, If you make the donation in the name of a friend or relative, you will receive a beautiful card to notify them of your donation and explain the program. This is a year-round effort and it makes a great Christmas present!

How to Donate

Write a check made payable to First Presbyterian Church Belmont with “Microloan Project” in the memo line. You can also donate online by going to the “GIVE” section of our website. Please select the “Guatemalan Microloan” fund when giving.

For many years, Brian and Sandi Thompson-Royer developed deep friendships with women who help support their families with handmade textiles, crafts and goods. When the Thompson-Royers retired and returned home to the United States, they started a small business, Resilient Threads, to sell the sewing, weaving and bead work of the women in several cooperatives whom they came to know and love during their missionary work. They pay the women fair wages and maintain close relationships with them.

For the past several years, the Thompson-Royers held church sales and other events during the holiday season to sell these goods, however, due to COVID 19, many of those events were canceled. Without government support during this pandemic, Guatemalan families have struggled to buy food, pay their rent, and many are being forced into homelessness or further overcrowding. Tourism has decreased drastically and artisans have no way to sell their handmade goods which help provide for their families. In an effort to continue to help these women through these extremely difficult times, the Thompson-Royers started a website to sell these beautiful handmade goods. The goods are bought and paid for and profits will continue to support Guatemala.

The Thompson-Royers continue to gather financial support for necessities for the women in the cooperatives as well. If you are interested in helping, please email them at pbroyer1@gmail.com or send a check to: Sandi and Brian Thompson-Royer, 726 West 6th Avenue #302, Spokane, WA 99204. 100% of your donations will go back to Guatemala. You may also give online under the “GIVE” section of our website. Please be sure to select the “Resilient Threads” fund when giving.

Visit www.resilientthreadsguatemala.com for more information or to purchase goods.