A year ago Denise Hill never smiled.
"I had nothing to smile about," she said. Her life changed whenHabitat for Humanity committed to help her build her firsthouse.
On a quiet side street on Muncie's east side stand threeidentical houses. From the middle house, yellow light pierces thecold, dark night and illuminates a grassless front yard.
Although Hill and her sons, Micah, 7, and Michael, 5, have onlylived in the house about a month, they have already made it home.Two pairs of hurriedly kicked off tennis shoes lay near the doorand decorative pictures hang on the walls. Framed family photosstand proudly near the television. The only object in the room thatreveals that this is a new house is a greeting card on the tablethat reads "Congratulations on a new home of your own."
In the kitchen, Hill is busy preparing dinner for her sons whilepraise music drowns out the playful laughter escaping from theboys' rooms. Hill peels potatoes at the sink and talks about herunsuccessful marriage.
"I've been in bad relationships before," she said, pausing withthe knife in her right hand, "but this was the worstrelationship."
Married at 27, and divorced with two sons at the age of 34, thisMuncie native found herself believing she could not succeed. "Myex-husband used to tell me that I couldn't do anything without himand that I wouldn't have anything without him."
Depressed and lacking self-confidence, Hill and her sons movedinto a small two bedroom apartment.
"You can decorate an apartment, but it is never home." Hillwanted more. "We had always rented before," she said, "[but] when Iget old, I'd like to have something to give to my kids, and whenyou're in an apartment, you can't give that to your kids. I want astrong foundation for them so they can say this is my house, thisis where I live."
On a co-worker's suggestion, Hill applied to build a housethrough Habitat for Humanity. She went to the office and filled outan application, and within three months she was accepted.
"We do more than simply build houses," said Keith Nelson,construction manager for Muncie's chapter of Habitat and Ball Statealumnus. "A lot of what we do is creating hope. We provideopportunities for families to help themselves."
According to Nelson this process would be "a hand up, not a handout." Hill would be required to pay for her new home in bothphysical labor and in mortgage payments.
"I was the most excited when we broke ground," said Hill. "I wasso excited, I used to drive by just to look at the site."
Although Hill had to struggle, she said, "If I would have neverhad a problem, I would have never known that God could fix it."There were times over the past year and half when Hill felt as ifthings could not get any worse, but now Hill believes that anythingis possible.
"I don't have any regrets," she said, "I used to blame myselffor my ex-husband's shortcomings." Now she looks at her divorce asa blessing in disguise, she said. "If my husband would have neverleft, I would have never been in the position to receive thishouse," she said.
Reflecting on how a negative situation in her life turned aroundfor good, Denise says that now she is humble, does not takeanything -- big or small -- for granted, and she is happy. "I feltso loved to have people I didn't even know helping me build myhouse," she said.
Numerous changes have occurred in Hill's life since receivingher house. Owning her own home has pushed her to go after what shewants in life. "This whole process of getting a home, it's enablingme to have the confidence to go after whatever I want, ... and if Iam rejected, it won't hurt me because I am a lot stronger. I'm notafraid of someone telling me 'no.' I'll just try again."
Hill puts the finishing touches on her dinner and calls her sonsto the kitchen. The family sits down to dinner.
"Owning a house is a dream come true," said Hill. "Having thatdeepest desire come true, that is what makes this so awesome."
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