Thanks to a lot of sweat and some help from the Troy-Pike Habitat for Humanity, Stacy Fayson and her family are some of the newest homeowners in Pike County.

“I’m overwhelmed, God is good,” Fayson said joyfully as she wiped tears from her eyes.

Fred Johnson, the executive director for Troy-Pike Habitat was moved as well.

“This is the most special part of the whole habitat thing,” said Johnson just before the house dedication ceremony.

“You sweat and work and wonder if it’s all going to come together, but here in a moment you’ll see those smiles and the smiles on the kids faces and it’s all worth it.”

Johnson said it’s the people in the community who come together to help out, that make the difference.

“This time we didn’t have volunteers we had difference makers,” he said.

“We’ve had the most cheerful people.”

Among those jovial workers, were 15 different local churches, Troy University football players, TU students including international students from places like China, Korea and Nepal, and Wal-Mart Distribution Center employees.

Before the family was presented with a key to the new house, Johnson addressed them and everybody else who had a hand in helping get it built.

“You people made a big difference in someone’s life.”

And Johnson was so proud he said they had made a difference in his life as well.

“All you people have blessed my life,” he said.

With a long winter that was both cold and wet by Pike County standards, it wasn’t easy constructing the home and there were delays.

Fayson and her family endured though.

“Throughout this process God has taught me patience,” she said.

And while the home is affordable, it’s not free.

Fayson signed a symbolic mortgage at the ceremony, which stipulated that in addition to the repayment of the interest-free loan, she and her family had agreed to complete 300 hours of “sweat equity”.

They helped build their own home, and now they will pick up a hammer on the next habitat project in Troy.

“I will be forever grateful to Habitat for Humanity which is my new family,” Fayson said.