Miracle on Mahabir Lane

GARY CARDINEZ

TWO months ago, Dharia Nelson-Seales posted the inhumane conditions under which Maria Yorke who is autistic lived – a two-room, galvanise shack on Mahabir Lane, D’Abadie which her family called home.

The social media post generated a buzz and helped poured in from as far off as New Jersey, USA, as well as the D’Abadie Lions, Xtra Foods and others. Newsday highlighted 26-year-old Yorke’s plight on May 18 and today the family now lives in a three-bedroom home.

According to Nelson-Seales she was in touch with an organisation (which preferred to remain anonymous) to assist the family. Once they confirmed the land on which Yorke’s shack was built belonged to her family; they moved into action.

On June 3, a concrete foundation was completed on what the single parent started and as soon as it was set a crew of about 50 men and women arrived in Mahabir Lane to construct the house.

Work started at about 5.45 am on Father’s Day and after two-and-a-half-hours the three-bedroom, aluminium and board structure, measuring 30 feet by 20 feet, was completed. It was also painted with all doors and windows installed.

The second phase of the project included the workers bringing in all the furnishings, Yorke’s house came fully-furnished with beds, wardrobe, bookshelves, living room set, dining set, stove with pots and pans, knives, spoons, forks, curtains, pillows and a cupboard full of food stuff.

When this was finished the work crew came together with the Yorke family, said a prayer, blessed the house and presented her with the keys. The only thing they told Yorke was, “We are finished here and you will not see us again and they all left.”

Fighting back tears, a jubilant Yorke said it was a miracle that things happened so fast and thanked everyone who was responsible for helping her family to be in possession of their lovely home.

“Now Maria has her own bedroom, Jeavon has his and I have mine, only this morning we were saying we had very little to nothing to cook on this Father’s Day. This is truly a blessing,” ended Yorke.