Volunteers gather to finish building home of widow in northeast Houston

HOUSTON – One good deed inspired another and the do-ers hope their actions inspire more.

For Luella Davis, her northeast Houston home is very meaningful. Even though it’s not even half-finished, she loves and cares for it.

"My husband. This is his dream. He wanted to put me in this home," Davis said.

But in 2016 he passed away. He was the love of her life.

“His name is Alfred James Davis,” Davis still says with a smile. “We went together four years in school -- 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th grade and then got married and stayed married 49 years."

However, the home was never finished and the contractor they paid, she said, left without finishing the job. Still, Davis kept her faith.

Just last week, Davis believes it's no accident that she crossed paths with Belinda Orsborn.

"It's just so comforting that there are good people in this world, and that we can be a light," Orsborn said.

It just so happens, Brian Irving, Luella's neighbor, a stranger turned friend, became Orsborn's light.

"There was just so much negativity going on, and I just had such a heavy heart. And then pops up a story about Brian, how he's up in the middle of the night cleaning up the graffiti," Orsborn said.

Learning his city was damaged, Irving last week, decided to act.

"I got a small business with pressure washers, so I decided to go down there and do my part," Irving said.

"It was just how he did it. He did it with such a kind heart," Orsborn said.

So impacted by Irving's work, Orsborn knew what she had to do.

"I was determined to find him and do something nice for this family," Orsborn said.

After working hard to get in contact with him, she eventually did, but Irving and his wife Verlene said they don't do it for the praise.

“The way to heal the nation is to work together,” Verlene Irving said.

Brian Irving expressed his sincere gratitude to Orsborn but politely declined her offer.

"Right before we were about to hang up he said, 'You can help me help my neighbor,' and that's when he told me about Luella," Orsborn said.

Soon, Orsborn had a group of friends who connected her to other neighborhood leaders and other people who were so willing to help. Orsborn got in touch with a neighbor named William Ferguson put out the call for help on Facebook.

"Contractors and builders and anybody that could," Orsborn said.

The response was overwhelming. Now they're organizing.

“Come out and pour out your heart. Let’s get this house built,” Brian Irving said.

For Luella, Friday would be her and her husband’s 49th anniversary, and she said this blessing isn’t an accident either.

“I”m really blessed. I feel like God is really working in this,” Davis said.