Ms. Bevla suffered from a heart attack just two weeks ago. Her heart had 99% blockage and the doctors did not expect her to make it. But, by the looks of her, you would have never guessed. This cheerful woman says she is so grateful to be here and still has work to do on this earth. Though she is struggling with breathing, she is not going to let that stop her from loving people.
Serving the elderly and being around babies are Belva’s favorite. She does whatever she can to help out. “Anything to make them smile,” she said. That includes driving her friends to appointments and volunteering in the nursery at church. Belva and her husband also became foster parents to two children. This is something that Belva’s parents had done, and now her daughter follows in their footsteps raising foster kids.
Ms. Belva grew up in her current home. She referred to her neighborhood as ‘the village,’ from the saying “It takes a village to raise a child.” Belva remembers her neighbors being just like family – everyone knew one another and the children all played together. She referred to the elderly in the area as “Auntie” and “Uncle.” “It was good and fun until you got in trouble,” Belva described the neighborhood family. “Your parents would know what you did before you even got home.”
When she graduated high school, Belva attended Bishop in Dallas for college. She met her husband at church after making a bet with her best friend. Belva had just broken up with her ex-boyfriend. She saw a boy at church and told her friend, “I’m gonna get him.” While it was unknown to her, that same boy had also told his best friend that he was going to be the man to make Belva forget her ex. And he did! The couple married on his birthday one year later, and the following year their first daughter was born.
Belva’s husband served as a youth pastor and pastor in several churches. The new family moved to Kansas, then back to Oklahoma where they had their second daughter. Back in Oklahoma, Belva attended the Oklahoma School of Banking and Business. She worked for different companies and also churches as a secretary. Her husband passed away after 16 years of marriage.
Rebuilding Together OKC has chosen Ms. Belva as a MLK Work Week Homeowner. When Belva was contacted she said, “I feel like a kid at Christmas! My favorite thing to eat is candy and this is better than getting candy!”