Latest News
The Rai family will be one of the occupants of homes built by Habitat for Humanity. Back (L-R) Jeff and Sharon Rai, front (L-R) Ruth, Caleb and James Rai.
Photo by Chung Chow
Habitat’s home gives hope to Rai family
At the official launch of Richmond’s Habitat
for Humanity last week, Sharon Rai, the mom of the family of five going into
the house in the middle of the development, spoke about what the project means
for her family.
“It’s overwhelming. The children are really
overjoyed, especially Caleb.”
Caleb, a Grade 11 student at Cambie Secondary
School, has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. At birth, he was a typical child.
Today, at age 17, he’s in a motorized wheelchair.
Originally from Singapore, the family chose
Richmond for its weather.
“I was pregnant with Caleb when we moved here
in 2000 from Ontario,” says Sharon, “but that was just when housing prices
started to go up so we couldn’t afford to buy.”
Caleb is their middle child. Aged 24, James
is the oldest. He helps with Caleb, goes to school while also working at a
homeless shelter.
“James plans to stay at home long term so he
can keep helping me out with Caleb,” Sharon says.
At 15, Ruth is the youngest of the family.
“All three of my children have a really
strong bond with each other,” says Sharon.
While father, Jeff, is now on disability,
Sharon works full time at the BC Cancer Agency in the Radiation Therapy
Division.
Through no fault of their own, they’ve had to
move 11 times since Caleb was born. Each time the Rai family settled in to a
new home in Richmond, it was sold for redevelopment and they had to move.
In one instance, they’d signed a one-year
lease but the landlord gave them notice to move after six months because he had
family arriving who needed the home.
The places that the Rai family could afford
presented challenges.
Their home in 2014 was less than advertised.
Not only did the landlord not put in the promised ramp for Caleb, basic maintenance
wasn’t done.
“It turns out, the deck was broken, my
12-year-old daughter fell through and hurt herself,” says Sharon.
Calling Caleb “the sunshine, the brightness
in our life,” Sharon sought more physical help for Caleb at school when he was
eight.
Sharon made the circuit of all the people who
might be able to advise her on what to do. Along the way, someone suggested her
MLA, Linda Reid, a former teacher.
Sharon says Reid told her, “you are his
voice. You have to fight for him.”
Reid taught Sharon how to advocate even more
effectively for Caleb to get the help he needed.
Later, with Caleb in a wheelchair full time,
when there was no adequate nor affordable housing for her family, Sharon sought
advice on a government loan so she could afford to buy a home Caleb could get
into and have a bathroom he could use.
Far from a drain on the family, Sharon says
Caleb “Is the family’s inspiration. He’s always so happy, so positive. When I
come home he’s the first person I want to hug. Just seeing him makes me brave,
makes me really fight for my rights, fight for him and makes me be strong every
day. He is truly an inspiration. It’s because of him that I do the things I
have to do.
“So I went to MLA Linda Reid, not asking for
a handout. We desperately need a proper home so we can provide for Caleb.”
It was Reid who told Sharon about Habitat for
Humanity.
“I applied. It’s been three years. It’s very
exciting, very emotional--by next year we’ll finally be in our own place.
“This home they are building is going to be
all wheelchair accessible, the bathroom with the wide doors and the ramp. Caleb
will be able to shower, to use the toilet. Everything will be designed for his
access,” she says.
Speaking of the value of the community
pitching in, Sharon says: “There are so many more people who need a hand up so
they can come up.”
“I’ve always taught my children, it’s all
about making a difference in the world. When you touch one life, and they touch
another…that’s all we have. If we can help each other out, that’s all we can
do.”
2 Hours of free financial consulting
Jai Xin Planning Ltd.
C$120.00 C$0.00
Use any of our home staging service and get a second month rental for free!
MiiX Interiors
C$500.00 C$0.00
Get 10% off any order
Phantom Screens Lower Mainland
C$200.00 C$180.00
