The Brown County House
A Houses for Healing Home
When a family in Brown County faces a medical crisis that pulls them away from home — surgery in Abilene, a stay in the NICU, treatment that can’t wait — the last thing they should have to worry about is where they’ll sleep. Houses for Healing provides free, fully-furnished lodging for families walking through exactly that, for as long as they need it. No cost. No catch. Just the church showing up, the same way Jesus showed up for us.
The Brown County House — fully furnished and ready today for the next family who needs it.
Jesus asked, “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
LUKE 10:36–37 (NIV)
By the Numbers
A Peek Inside
About Houses for Healing
Houses for Healing is a Christian, church-supported ministry based in Abilene, Texas, that provides completely free housing for families traveling from rural communities — including Brown County — for extended medical treatment. There are 20 small homes so far, one named for each of the 19 counties Houses for Healing serves, built and cared for by churches and friends working together. No family pays anything to stay.
Who We Serve
Families from Brown County and the surrounding Big Country who travel to Abilene for extended medical care, and family members staying nearby while a loved one is hospitalized. Ordinary families in a hard season: cancer, dialysis, hospitalization, and more.
The Need
For a family already carrying a serious diagnosis, the cost of repeated travel and lodging can mean the difference between getting treatment and going without it. Houses for Healing removes that barrier, so the medical crisis is the only crisis they face.
What a Houses for Healing Home Offers
A Local Connection Already at Work
The Brown County House is sponsored by Wylie Methodist Church. Because one church has already said yes, this is a free resource available right now to any family in Brown County who needs it. Churches and friends like you help keep the doors open for the next family.
Community Ministry Newsletter
A Healing Touch
‘Hillcrest house’ offers shelter for young couple in need
The story of this young couple and their newborn illustrates the mission of Houses for Healing.
A few months ago, the ministry received a call from Hendrick Medical Center explaining that during delivery, a baby’s heart had stopped and the baby had been quickly delivered by cesarean section.
“Did we have a house available for the baby’s grandmother and the father?” We brought them to “our” house, which is sponsored by the Hillcrest Church of Christ. The grandmother lives in Weatherford, and the father and mother in Breckenridge. They had no way to anticipate needing lodging and care in Abilene. We got the opportunity to be the “inn” they needed.
The baby was successfully rescued from the mother’s womb and resuscitated. The baby was transferred to Hendrick’s NICU and the mother was moved to a regular room.
After the crisis had subsided, the grandmother and the father went to “our” house. The baby’s mother was released after two days, but the baby needed to stay in the NICU for four days to make sure the heart was functioning correctly.
We provided groceries and transportation so mom could go to NICU and nurse her new son. When they were ready to dismiss the baby, we were given a bassinet by Jim Clark at the Christian Service Center so the little guy would have a nice place to sleep. The grandmother went back to Weatherford and left the family with us for two more days, then returned to transport them back to Breckenridge.
Since then, 16 additional tiny houses have been completed. Fourteen new churches or non-profits, including Shelby’s Grace, a group dedicated to caring for babies in the NICU, have stepped forward to sponsor these houses. Most guests arrive in need of a place to stay while they receive treatments, such as chemotherapy, radiation, dialysis or wound care. Sometimes they need transportation to get care, physical rehab or to visit family members who are in the hospital.
housesforhealing.comInterested in helping? Volunteers provide transportation, help clean the house between guests, serve on the prayer team or help with meals or groceries. To volunteer or to get more information about this ministry, scan the QR code or visit housesforhealing.com.
You will be blessed for helping. Just think how good the “good Samaritan” felt after helping a stranger. ◆
How Your Church Can Be Part of It
We wanted to make sure you knew: this is a free resource for you and your community. Here’s how to put it to use, and how your church can help others find it too:
- 1
Pray
Pray for the families being served and for the churches making this possible. It costs nothing and it’s the first thing we’d ask of any church.
- 2
Learn more
Invite someone from Houses for Healing to speak to your congregation, or schedule a visit to see a home in person — seeing it tends to say more than we can.
- 3
Share what we post
When we run a story on Facebook, share it with your congregation. That’s it — word of mouth from a trusted church is worth more than any ad we could run.
- 4
Refer a family
If you know someone in your congregation or community facing a medical crisis away from home, tell them about us. That’s exactly what this house is for.
- 5
Be our point of contact
Designate one person at your church we can reach — to pass along a family in need, or to help spread the word when we need it most.
- 6
Get involved!
Sponsor a house, or join one of our wrap-around ministries — meals and groceries, transportation, house cleaning between guests, or our prayer team. However your church is gifted, there’s a place for you here.
- 7
Make it part of a message
Preach or teach on Luke 10 — the Good Samaritan, the same passage at the top of this page — and introduce Houses for Healing to your church that same day.
Timothy M. Brown, Jr.
Outreach Coordinator, Houses for Healing
timothy@houses4healing.com
325-268-1777
housesforhealing.com
Scan to visit us onlineWe’d love to show you the house in person — reach out anytime to set up a visit.
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