UNITEDVILLE, Cayo, Wed. Jan. 6, 2016–Shermaine Flowers, 37, her husband and seven children, who live in Unitedville, are the recipients of a brand new pine lumber home with mahogany doors through the generosity of Pastor Ron Braaten of Oasis Ministry, located in Unitedville.

Flowers said that she had gotten notice to evacuate the home she had been occupying, but just before Christmas, she received good news that she would receive a brand new four-bedroom home on January 2, 2016.

Flowers told Amandala, overjoyed, that she would finally have a home of her own.

Braaten said that Oasis has been working in Belize for 17 years, and for the past 10 years they have been offering housing assistance to families.

Flowers’ home is the 94th they have awarded, and it is an “amazing journey to be a part of,” Braaten said.

Braaten told us that there isn’t any application form required. As a pastor, he becomes aware of the needs of his community through those who attend the congregation.

It takes three and a half days to build the house with the help of a team from abroad and some local young men that he is training, Braaten said.

Oasis Ministry has also built a classroom for St. Vincent Pallotti Primary School in Unitedville.

In an interview with Amandala, Gilberto Cocom, Principal of St. Vincent Pallotti Primary School, said, “…the classroom has been a real blessing to the school, since it is used for the Standard IV class, which for the past three years held their classes in the church.”

This year, Oasis Ministry plans to build two playgrounds: one in Unitedville and the other in Blackman Eddy.

Also, they intend to build libraries for six schools, Braaten told Amandala.