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JEFFERSON CITY — To a foster child on the worst day of his/her life, the red door means welcome.

That was one of the meanings of a red door that were explained during Sunday’s ribbon cutting of the Jefferson County Isaiah 117 House.

“Today we make that dream of ‘What if there was a home’ a reality for the children of Jefferson County,” Amy Orr said. “We could not do it without you all.”

The Isaiah 117 house to open its doors to help children who are leaving home on their worst day, removal day from their homes into foster care.

Founder/Executive Director Rhonda Paulson explained the purpose of the outside door being red.

“Back in 2016, I kept seeing this house in my head, it was a white house with a red door,” Paulson said. “It had a big picture window with a Christmas tree, color lights and presents under the tree. Every child that came in had a present with their name on it. That’s what I kept seeing.”

In early 2017, Paulson went to Candice Tingle, one of the dancers of her cheer team, to design a logo for Paulson’s project. She turned the “H” of Isaiah into a white house with a red door. Later that year, the first Isaiah 117 house in Carter County, Tennessee was opened.

“God knew all along that we were the first Isaiah 117 house,” Paulson said.

As Paulson thought about the red doors, she thought of the Passover, where blood of the lamb is wiped over the door to provide safety. In America’s early days, if one painted their door red, it symbolized a safe place to stay.

“Lots of churches have red doors to symbolize sanctuary,” Paulson said. “Everyone’s welcome. (If a house had a red door), if you were passing through, you could spend the night. In Chinese culture, red means ‘Joy’ and ‘Good fortune.’ In Scotland, it means that your home is debt-free. God knew all of that, too. We’re about to open their 12th debt-free home, a place of joy, sanctuary and safety. A place where children are going to be traveling really hard nights and we’ll tell them, ‘You can stay here with us.’ We’re going to open this red door with the love of Jesus for everyone that enters.

“Today, I celebrate with you what God can do with His people when we all give a little and we all say yes to our part,” Paulson said.

Jefferson City Christian Church Associate Pastor Chad Morris reflected on the timeline leading to the house’s opening.

“I stood in the parking lot of JC3 as we were getting ready to build the walls behind me,” Morris said from the house’s front porch. “For whatever reason, God laid it on my heart to read the book of Nehemiah. It may not be the first book you have read in the past little bit. Our founder/director Rhonda Paulson came and gave our welcome and the charge of the day. Guess what she spoke on? Nehemiah. Sound familiar? Well, it did to me.”

Morris looked back on that event and decided this past week to go back and read Nehemiah. He quickly read about the Israelites coming back to Jerusalem. Their town was ransacked and the Israelites had to ask for help in rebuilding their city.

“The walls had been destroyed, the houses destroyed and the city gates burned down,” Morris said. “They are in a very, very challenging time. Nehemiah had talked to his brother back in Jerusalem and asked how things were going. His brother said obviously, ‘Not well at all.’ In fact, we have a huge challenge in our city. A challenge beyond just us and looks impossible to complete.”

The Lord laid it on Nehemiah’s heart to help his brother to rebuild Jerusalem, Morris said. Nehemiah started with the religious leaders, then the townspeople, then the government and the elected officials asking to help rebuild.

Those outside the city also came to be a part of the rebuild.

“Nehemiah gave of himself, gave his resources,” Morris said. “Sound familiar?”

Morris compared the Isaiah 117 project to the rebuild of Jerusalem, in that many people took part in the building of the house.

When they built the walls, they played their own harps, Morris said. “Sound familiar?”

Orr discussed the kickoff of the building.

“In October 2020, we had our kickoff here in Jefferson County,” Orr said. “We started raising awareness and God started putting together this amazing army (of volunteers). In May 2021, we had our very first luncheon and dinner. Our community raised more than $40,000 for this house.”

Ground was broken in July, 2021 on the house. In September of that year, four local churches and built the walls to the home. Volunteers wrote Bible scriptures on the walls of the house in October, 2021.

“We dedicated this house to the Lord for the service of the children in this community,” Orr said. “In November, 2022, we got our certificate of occupancy and we moved into this house. In the last two and a half months, it’s been a pure joy to watch this house become a home.”

The house has more than 50 certified volunteers who are ready to support children in the community, Orr said.

“It has been a blessing to go from strangers to family. So many of you out there, that’s what you are to me,” she said.

Paulson said that the goal of the house is to tell these foster children that they are loved, not forgotten and that they are worthy.

“Whatever you want to do, we’re going to be there with you to have a better day,” Paulson said. “Thank you all for allowing us to be people who get to come in and see that change in little people’s hearts. I ask that you continue to pray for us as we open the doors because that’s when the real work starts. We’re going to be in here with these children and let them know that they deserve love. They may not have ever felt it before, but they’re going to feel it whenever they walk through these doors.”

Wendy Forrester, regional director of the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services also spoke about how DCS is supported, especially during the Lenten season.

“We’re supported through prayer, fasting and giving,” Forrester said. “I would venture to say that we wouldn’t be here today without all of you who have prayed, fasted and gave, whether it’s been through your money, time efforts or talents. It has been an effort of this entire community and we are very grateful.

Forrester said that Jefferson County is a community of compassion.

“Compassion means to suffer with,” she said. “We’re not alone. It’s more than caring and empathy. It’s taking action to remove that pain.

“Even before the doors have been opened, DCS has been the beneficiary of all the love and the support that you and this team of people have to offer,” Forrester said.

Builder Justin Carroll helped to build the Isaiah 117 house at no cost, or as little cost as possible to the organization.

“Justin said a big yes,” Paulson said. “Not only, but he said yes to beautiful, yes to details, yes to not rushing it. He said yes when 70 women were standing around asking when the house was going to be done. I’m so thankful to you and your wife.”

Carroll expressed appreciation to those who donated time, money and goods to the house. Some people or organizations did not want to be named. Flooring was donated by David’s Abbey Carpet, Stanley Services for electrical work, Quality Plumbing/Heating/Cooling did the plumbing and heating/cooling, Total Property Management helped with landscaping, E&M Fencing did fencing work for the back playground, FunMakers completed the playground, Heartland Cabinets for kitchen cabinets and countertops.

Other businesses were Badcock for furniture, Stacy Lane and Billy Smith for excavation of the property, Anderson Poured Walls formed the basement foundation, David Roach did the framing of the house, and Ferguson donated plumbing supplies and appliances. Blanc and West Lumber Company donated lumber and materials.

 “Most everybody did it for free and we’re super, super thankful for that,” Carroll said. “There are a lot of things on this house that individuals donated that we got the luxury of getting for free. Thank you all for being a part of this, I’ve really enjoyed being a part.”

A blessing of the house was given by Pastor Jim Price of Heritage Fellowship of Jefferson City. After the ribbon-cutting, an open house was held and refreshments served.

Isaiah 117 house in Hawkins and Hancock counties will have a groundbreaking ceremony at 3 p.m., Sunday, March 12 at the site in the Church Hill area. All who have supported or are interested in partnering with Isaiah 117 House Hawkins/Hancock County are welcome to attend.