By Father Bob Cushing

In mid-August while a group of parishioners from four Catholic middle Georgia parishes (St. Theresa – Cordele, St. Patrick – Kathleen, St Juliana – Ft. Valley, and St. Mary – Americus) were working to restore a home for a leukemia victim in Vienna, Georgia, they received some surprising assistance from an enthusiastic group of emergency workers called “Ground Zero Grace.” 

Audelia Villa was eleven years old this past May when she was diagnosed with two kinds of leukemia. She received medical treatment at the Children’s Hospital of Macon Medical Center from May until July. 

Members of Audelia’s parish formed a support group called “Audelia’s Angels.” They committed themselves to pray daily for her healing, to contribute financially to renovate her home, and supply “sweat equity” on the improvements to her family’s house. 

A generous wave of prayer support rolled in immediately as St. Theresa parishioners signed up to be “Audelia’s Angels.” Then several large donations came in immediately from generous members of St. Patrick Church in Kathleen. This was followed by funds raised through a prayer breakfast hosted by the Michael Burke Council of the Knights of Columbus. A flood of checks began to pour in, mostly from St. Patrick’s parishioners who are responsible for over $5,000 in donations as of this writing. 

This compassionate response became embodied in a special couple – Bob and Michele Milush – who became the on-site coordinators of the restoration effort for the Villa home. On the average weekday, after they got home from their day jobs, they would drive 35 minutes to Vienna to work for another 3 to 4 hours, sanding, sheet rocking, mudding, painting, and laying vinyl flooring. 

By sharing the story of Audelia’s Angels with friends at Lowe’s, Home Depot, and WR Supply, they got deeply discounted materials for the project. 

As word got out, the Knights of Columbus Council at St. Mary’s in Americus rallied to send a large donation with brothers to help sand and paint. One St. Mary parishioner, Allan Newkirk, was a licensed contractor with much experience from his work with Habitat for Humanity. Besides his unusual gift for making new windows appear, Newkirk drafted a licensed electrician to help him put in new wiring. 

Newkirk came early and stayed late, putting in long hours under and inside the walls of the house. Allan brought steady, dedicated perfectionism to each task, day after day. 

The Hispanic community reached out to care for one of their own as well. Audelia’s mother, Maria Virginia, had gone on a John XXIII retreat and found friends who came eager to clean and work on the house. 

Although St. Juliana’s was raising funds to help their own leukemia victim, Salvador Correa, they were attuned to the physical and financial needs of the Villa family. Carlos Martinez brought professional construction skills to rebuild the girls’ bathroom, while Jose Salva could walk on stilts to put in the tracking and lower the ceiling.

A professional home inspector was brought in and several estimates were made before the St. Theresa Parish Council committed in early June to see the project through. Ladies from the parish brought Saturday lunch for crews of 12 to 20 people. Mike Fisher replaced the front steps and front door. He found a friend in Luis Villa, Audelia’s brother, who stayed in the house through all the reconstruction. Fisher would sometimes be there seven days a week. 

In July Audelia’s treatment took her to Egleston Children’s Hospital in Atlanta. Dr. Lewis Rapkin understood how radical changes at home have to happen to help heal a leukemia victim. He contacted Steve Gooch, the coordinator of a Christian outreach group called “Ground Zero Grace.” Together with Bob Milush, they arranged for a volunteer group to help with the Villa home. 

Members of the outreach group came from all over Georgia, but the contact place was Athens where most were students at the University of Georgia. 

Sam Callaway, professional house painter, got all the paint donated. He and his side kick, Ed Townsend, transformed the appearance of the house. 

Another handful of “Hope Worldwide” volunteers came from Middle Georgia Christian Church in Macon. Both groups do emergency relief work and brought tremendous spirit and energy to the Villa Project. 

Their leader, Steve Gooch, was ebullient in animating and directing Ground Zero Grace. Although he said he had “never worked with Catholics before,” his initiative and warmth certainly evangelized and befriended the gritty, sweaty locals. 

Around noon work stopped long enough for a photo and a great picnic of burgers ‘n dogs with all the trimmings – courtesy of Jim Volz and Ruth Ciesmierowski. When the renovation work concluded on September 3 the Villa family reclaimed their home and moved back in. Most of the family attended the St. Theresa Labor Day “Pig-nic” Luau with Audelia as the special guest of honor. 

Her doctor was most pleased with her chemotherapy and said that her strength was quickly returning. The family wishes to express their gratitude for a new house and a new life with Audelia that are far beyond any capacity they have to repay. 

Father Bob Cushing, is pastor of St. Theresa, Cordele, and its Mission St. Michael in Montezuma.