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MESQUITE, Texas - After a fire tore through her home, a military wife and mom of three is still staying with family as Christmas approaches.
For months, Sara Bowshewicz has struggled with insurance as she tries to rebuild. She's been doing it alone while her husband serves overseas. Then, a group of volunteers changed everything for her.
The front yard at the Bowshewicz's home off Preston Trail Drive in Mesquite is still a jungle gym for the two oldest of Sara's three boys. She's playing the role of single mom right now while Dad serves overseas.
“Not only is he mine, but he also belongs to the Army,” Sara said. “And he has to do his job for his country.”
Army Sgt. Anthony Bowshewic had just left home September 9, mobilizing for a deployment to Africa. The next day on September 10, Sara's world turned upside down. She was standing at her stove cooking dinner when she heard pops coming from her garage. The crackle of fire sent mom's instincts into gear.
“I sent the two of them out the front door, went down the hallway to get my baby out of his crib an rushed them over to the neighbor’s house while I called 911,” Sara recalled.
Three months later, the home is still unoccupied after it was destroyed by what Sara says was likely an electrical fire.
After a battle with insurance and a restoration company, money had become a problem. Then, an angel —or 40 — came along to help.
A pastor out of Greenville who knew the family alerted Texas Baptist Men to the family's situation.
“It's a serviceman that has been deployed overseas. I think that's the first thing that struck me,” said Curt Neal with the charity group. “He's been deployed. His house has caught fire. His wife is here by herself and really has nowhere to turn.”
Texas Baptist Men arrived like an army on Friday and were ready to help.
“He said that he’s God servant and that God has sent him here to help me,” Sara said. “This group of men showed up here, and they’ve made more progress than anybody has made in the past three months.”
The military family now hopes they are on a path to rebuilding after the service of others so they can welcome their serviceman home.
“We will see him again in July, and I hope it is to a brand new, beautiful house,” Sara said. “In a moment when I felt most alone with nobody to help me, they've come here to help me.”
Sara hopes they can get a contractor out Monday to get the roof off, which was badly damaged in the fire.
Texas Baptist Men has been busy a lot this year doing projects like rebuilding homes for the Hurricane cleanup in Houston. They always welcome more volunteers.