Design team to make dream come true for Whites
Extreme Makeover, Home Edition to feature former Ripley County pastor's family
Wanda English Burnett - Editor

The Emmy Award winning television program, Extreme Makeover, Home Edition, will touch the lives of a family that was known well to many people in the Cross Plains area when it airs this Sunday, March 12, at 7:00 p.m. on ABC, Channel 9.

Pastor John and Danna White served at the Cross Plains Baptist Church from February until November of 2002, according to Leola Brinson, long-time member of the church, who has stayed in contact with the family.

The Whites were in the area while John continued his studies for the ministry in Louisville, KY. The family didn't have a lot of material possessions while in ministry, but Brinson said they were happy. "They had an old bus they traveled in," she noted, adding, "they home schooled their children."

"They just went through a lot of hard times," noted Brinson, who said the family had endured many hard ships including losing John suddenly. "They had moved back to Oklahoma (near Tulsa) to take care of John's father, who was in poor health," noted Brinson. She had talked to Danna on the phone, who told her about her husband's death being sudden, after he had been working out at a gym and then just collapsed at the age of 49. That was just a year ago in April.

Brinson noted that the family stayed in the parsonage where they were at the time of John's death for a period of time, but then had to move.

She said they moved into a trailer, but things didn't quite work out. She would talk with Danna and knew the family was struggling to have a roof over their heads. She said with life insurance money, they bought some land, but then didn't have the money to get their mobile home moved.

Then on January 15, after a telephone conversation with Danna, Brinson knew the family had been nominated for the Extreme Makeover show. She didn't know if they would be the recipients of this precious gift, but hoped so. Her hopes and prayers did come true and this Sunday the family will be featured on the popular show in two back-to-back episodes. In a preview for the Sunday show, it says, "...the design team will head to Oklahoma to build the White family a dream home."

In a telephone interview with Danna White, she told The Versailles Republican, "This has been an overwhelming blessing." She displayed her faith by saying the house would be used to testify to what God can do. She called Mrs. Brinson, a 'dear special friend'.

Mrs. White noted that during the last few weeks of her husband's life, he seemed to know that God was "calling him home and his family would be alone." "He told me 'all I can tell you is that God has told me he's gonna' take care of my family.' I couldn't understand it at the time, but now I know what he was talking about," she noted.

"John always trusted the Lord," Mrs. White said. "I knew before his death that God was calling me into some type of ministry. Now I know it is to be a 'heart holder', a missionary for Christ to offer hope to those in need and carry on the baton my husband passed to me."

Mrs. White noted that together the couple has ten children, and an "adopted in love child" making them have 11, with six grandchildren and one on the way. The house will be put to good use.

Brinson says she can't think of a more deserving family. She loved Pastor John and said, "he was my favorite...he was a good preacher, a man of God."

While Brinson can't miss the special Lenten Service that is scheduled for Sunday evening, her good friends, Randal and Brenda Brooks will be taping the episode of the Whites getting their new home for her. "I'll have it forever, that way," she laughed.

Ty Pennington, team leader and carpenter for the show will begin with his trademark words, "Good Morning!" Indeed it is a good morning for the White family and others who have been fortunate enough to be on the receiving end of the generosity of the program. "Our lives have been changed forever," was a comment made from a previous recipient that rings true for others as well.

Extreme Makeover, Home Edition, is a television reality show that accepts nominations from people who need a lift. These are people who have had hard times, maybe catastrophic illnesses or financial disasters that have made their lives extremely hard. Families have gotten new homes, furniture, vehicles, vacations, cash, and much more.

The reality show has won People's Choice Award, Family Television Award and others for its outstanding gift to people in need.