GoServ Global (based in Eagle Grove) and Sukup Manufacturing Co. (out of Sheffield, Iowa), have been providing safe housing options to Haiti since 2010, when a 7.0 earthquake destroyed much of what they had before.
It all started after an Iowa farmer, Ken DeYoung, saw the devastation from the storm first-hand when he volunteered to fly medical supplies to Haiti. He met a Hatian man by the name of Eddy, who was starting an orphanage for the many displaced children left behind. DeYoung came back to Iowa and shared this story with Terry Baxter who is an Iowa pastor and missionary. Together, these two men founded GoServ Global, and their growing base of volunteers have been changing lives ever since.
GoServ teamed up with Sukup Manufacturing Co. to bring homes back to Haiti in the form of round metal buildings. Their goal was was to build 60 Safe T Homes® in an area and call it “ Village of Hope.”
In the fall of 2016, another hurricane ripped through Haiti, but every Safe T Home® withstood the 145+ mph winds.
In addition to housing, these Safe T Homes® have also been erected as orphanages, clinics, schools, and more. They’ve even expanded to such locations as peru, Uganda, Kenya, and more.
These Safe T Homes have become so many things to so many people over the years…and now they are becoming a piece of art as well. Local artists in Haiti have been using the silver metal buildings as a blank canvas to create beautiful sceneries. Not only are these homes providing safety, but they are now providing beauty as well.
When Paul van Gorkom, executive director of GoServ Global, heard about the transformations, he figured why not beautify the sample Safe T House® that sits outside their office in Eagle Grove as well. He was delighted when the Chamber of Commerce was the first to help make the dream a reality when they donated $500 towards the project to purchase paint and supplies. Joe Chamberlin stepped up next, volunteering his time to help van Gorkom put a coat of primer on the building. Two local art teachers, Brandi Osborn and Meghan Erdmanvolunteered their talents by drawing up a design for the building. On Monday, July 26, they showed up and got to work putting a splash of color on the home. On Tuesday, they brought back a few more volunteer painters.
“The message Paul wanted us to get across with the painting is “Small town Iowa is doing this big world thing,’” explained Erdman.
What they came up with was amazing. The front is a beautiful display of the drawing of a new day and eternal hope. On the east side of the building is a map which, when completed, will show places around the world GoServ has made an impact as well as future places they hope to complete projects in. The back of the Safe T House, Osborn and Erdman are hoping local youth will come out and help add their own creative touch to it, symbolizing that a lot of different people with a lot of different ideas and talents can come together to get great things accomplished.
If you haven’t already checked this Eagle Grove masterpiece out, be sure to take some time to drive by and appreciate the view…and appreciate the home you have to live in. The Safe T Home is located at 310 E Broadway.
