A group of area churches has come together to help make one local woman’s life just a little easier.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held Thursday on a home being built by the Baptist Church at Ebenezer, Bethel Lutheran Church, Meldrim Methodist Church, Olive Branch Baptist Church, Rincon First Baptist Church, Springfield First Baptist Church, Countryside Baptist and Springfield First Methodist Church. The home is being built as a collaboration between Loving Our Neighbors and Habitat for Humanity of Effingham County.

The home is being built for Heather Brantley and her five boys. Brantley’s husband succumbed to cancer several months ago.

“This is a God project,” said Floyd Zettler. “It was a God thing from the very beginning. God put people in place for everything that we needed. God put this lot in our midst. This is as good a lot as is in this county.”

The 2,200 square foot home is expected to be completed in about 60 days and nearly 150 people will be involved in the project. He said that members from all of the churches were able to collect the $15,000 necessary to purchase the lot, which sits beside the Sandhill Baptist Church.

Effingham Habitat For Humanity Director Jimmy Rutland said there would be a small mortgage handled by Habitat, but that Brantley will be paying much less than she currently is. He said because of the way it’s being handled, the cost of the house would be extremely low.

Brantley and boys, Paul, age 7, Johnathan, age 8, Sean, age 9, Michael, age 10, and David, age 12, were presented a 2x4 stud. After being signed by all the volunteers on the project, it will be placed at the entrance to the house’s attic. Brantley and the boys concluded the ceremony by shoveling dirt near the entrance to the home.