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CBN.com – “I was lying there in the desert, just sweating and in a lot of pain. I remember praying, 'Lord please just let me get home to see my wife and my kids again.' ”
National guardsman, Sgt. Dale Beatty would make it home but not without serious injuries. He lost both legs from the knees down when anti-tank mines blew up his humvee in Iraq. His wife Belinda remembers the shock she felt when she heard the news.
“It was kind of one of those surreal moments … like you know what they are telling you is true, but you just don’t know how to process the information just yet."
News of Dale’s injuries spread through his close-knit North Carolina community. Members of his home church, Monticello United Methodist quickly came to his aid.
"The Lord put the idea in my mind that we needed to do something for this family," says Sam Parks, a member of the church.
The Parks' knew that Dale’s wife and two little boys had been living with relatives. They had no place to bring Dale home to after his lengthy hospital stay.
"I just can’t imagine having that worry, like what’s my family going to do now, how am I going to support my family? My life is changed forever," says Sam Parks.
The
Parks felt the Lord wanted them to build the Beattys' a house!
"Almost immediately there was a ground swell of support within the church to raise money," says Sam.
The local builders’ association and businesses all over the county donated building materials, and Beatty’s father donated land from their family farm. Volunteers from the church and community worked countless hours building the family a brand new home.
"When I found out how much support we were getting from the community, it really just gave me a good feeling to know that everyone was behind us," says Dale.
After spending more than a year in recovery and rehabilitation facilities, Dale is with his family in their very own home.
"There’s almost not any words to describe it. It’s definitely increased the healing process. It’s sped up the healing process for me because I just know that I have this much support back home," he says.
"They raised so much money and instead of doing something for their church, they helped us out. It was a really big thing for us," says Mrs. Beatty.
"We not only take care of one another, but we take care of a need, no matter where it is in the community," says Sam.
He continues, "I’m just proud to be a part of this, but more importantly, the heroes are the ones who go overseas and fight for our benefit for our freedoms. So all in all, it was always to help a hero, and we consider Dale Beatty to be a hero."
For reaching out and “helping a hero” The 700 Club salutes Monticello United Methodist Church of Statesville, North Carolina as “America’s Church of the Week.”
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