John Dossey vividly remembers a rundown trailer park on North Fifth Street in Pekin.
There were five old trailers on the property in various states of disrepair, including two that were uninhabited and uninhabitable.
"About three years ago, when I was the Pekin police chief, I was dealing with that property often. It had many, many code violations," said Dossey, who is now the Pekin city manager.
Three years ago was about the time the First United Methodist Church of Pekin and its ROCHouse (Reaching Our Community) ministry stepped in, purchasing the trailer park that was next door to ROCHouse's Charis Place, a temporary and transformational home for families with housing insecurities.
The trailer park was purchased by the church in September 2021. By January 2022, the trailer owners had gone to better housing, the church owned the trailers, and the trailers were removed.
The former trailer park is being transformed into Providence Place, a duplex at 1307 N. Fifth St. where two families can live and have their lives transformed by faith and community support while they work toward a goal of permanent housing.
The duplex is under construction. About 25 volunteers from World Mission Builders, plus another dozen volunteers from First United Methodist Church and the community, built much of the exterior over two weeks last month.
Volunteers and others are working now on the interior, which should be completed this fall.
Most of the materials for the duplex have been purchased at cost or donated.
ROCHouse spokeswoman Val Moehle said each unit in the duplex will have three bedrooms and two bathrooms, perfect for a family.
"The basement will be used for storage, mechanicals, and a safe place to go when there's a storm," she said.
The volunteers from World Mission Builders, who came to Pekin from several states, were hosted by local families and fed by local churches and others.
World Mission Builders has done more than 200 builds of all types in countries around the world.
Paul Wilson was one of the World Mission Builders volunteers who came to Pekin.
Wilson lives in Enid, Okla. His home was built by World Mission Builders while he was doing missionary work in the Philippines.
After he left Pekin, Wilson returned home to Enid to celebrate his mother Ruby Wilson's 104th birthday.
"Most of our volunteers who came to Pekin are retired or took vacation time to work on the duplex," Wilson said.
Moehle said her church is grateful to World Mission Builders.
"We couldn't have done this project without them," she said. "We value their work and their expertise."
Churches and other organizations that are recipients of the efforts of World Mission Builders volunteers make a donation to the organization in exchange for the work.
In First United Methodist Church's case, "we're giving a tithe based on the value of their volunteers' time, which they estimate at $25 per hour," Moehle said. "For 25 guys working for two weeks, that would be $5,000."
Wilson said he was impressed by First United Methodist Church's mission to build a duplex for transformation and not just housing transition for families.
"The church is providing stability for these families so they can eventually be an asset and not a liability to the community," he said.
Sean Peters, pastor at First United Methodist Church, also is impressed with his church members' dedication to the duplex project and its purpose.
"Our church believes that Jesus meant it when he said, 'whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me,' Peters said.
"Our church members live out their faith by serving the community, specifically those most in need. The ROCHouse ministry, Providence Place. Charis Place and other ministries represent this heart for mission and service in Pekin."
Amy McCoy, Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce executive director, added her applause for the duplex project.
"It will create a place that offers hope and light to those it will house," she said.
Interesting in volunteering to help with the construction of the duplex?
Contact the church at (309) 347-3155 or send an email to Moehle at vmoehle3@gmail.com.
