Childress community comes together for Miriam’s House
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CHILDRESS – As little Miriam Rodriguez is battling cancer, the Childress community is coming together to make her home a safe haven when she is released from Cook Children’s Hospital in Fort Worth.
“We will need all the physical and financial help possible to get her home safe and comfortable for her compromised immune health,” organizer Ginger Long said. “It’s a community. It’s one big church. We’re all coming together.”
Coming together for a project they’re calling Miriam’s House. It includes replacing a broken heating/AC unit, repairing floor/framing sections to prepare for new flooring, purchasing new laminate wood flooring and installing the laminate flooring.
I caught up with the volunteers on their first work day on Thursday, Jan. 25. “The first big workday is a complete success with so much turnout,” Long said. “I feel like we will get it almost 90% clear today.”
Their first goal was packing and clearing the home of all items to prepare for the big replacements. Next on the list is replacing the ductwork and filtration and replacing the broken heating/AC unit, which is an estimated cost of $14,179.39, Long said.
“I know people want to give new bedding and new towels, but the main need is financial support for the heating and AC and duct work,” she said. “It (heater/AC) has to be downstairs, because there was a fire in the attic. They have not had heating and air conditioning for two years.”
There is a Miriam’s House fund set up at First United Bank for those who would like to donate, Long said. This is a separate fund from the medical fund for food and medical supplies while the family is at Cook Children’s Hospital.
Five-year-old Miriam, the daughter of David and Sarah Longbine Rodriguez, was diagnosed with leukemia in December 2023. She had chemotherapy at Cook Children’s Hospital. On Feb. 1, they found out Miriam is in remission.
She began a new phase of oral chemo treatments and Lumbar Punctures to make sure she does not relapse, according to Sarah Rodriguez’s Facebook page.
“Please continue to pray, they are working,” she posted. “We are Miriam Strong!!!”
Long said for Miriam to be discharged from the hospital her house has to be renovated. The next project of Miriam’s House is demolishing the hallway closet and building out the closet for the new heating and air conditioning unit.
The project after that is the flooring. The estimated cost of repairing is $500 to $1,000, the estimated cost of purchasing laminate wood flooring is $2,216.13 and the estimated cost of installation is $3,000, Long said. “We will use volunteer labor when appropriate and available,” she said.
After that is done, Long said she will need volunteers to help scrub and sanitize the house and bring furniture and other items back into the home. They plan to be done around Feb. 24.
When I asked Long how this all came about, she smiled and laughingly said, “It’s kind of crazy.” Turns out, she had just done two home projects in the last two months.
“We’ve done two floorings in two different houses,” Long explained. “I feel like it’s God’s timing. I knew who to go to, what needed to be done and I relied on the professionals in our community to make sure that’s what needed to be done.”
Then with a tear in her eye, Long said, “It’s just a little girl, five years old.”
Long would like to show her gratitude to everyone who has helped her with Miriam’s House. “A huge thank you to all of the community, all of the churches and all the individuals who came to literally be the hands and feet of Jesus.”
