House #4 Dedication in Colerain

What a glorious day in Colerain.  Today we did what some thought was impossible.  What was forgotten was that GOD sent us to Colerain with a purpose and it was time for His glory to shine.  We dedicated the 4th home and turned over the keys to Mrs. Annie Mitchell and remembered her late husband William Mitchell.  I don't know about the others present but I felt the LORD's presence at the dedication.   In closing I want to say THANKS to GOD for the grace and guidance He has provided for us as I have drawn much closer to Him than I have ever been.  Also a big thank you to Ann for her support along with all the volunteers that have served with us in GOD's kingdom.

Keep watching the blog to see where God leads us next.                                                                                                                                                       

Billy

It was sad to leave Colerain and the friends I have made there but it is good to be home for Christmas.

Ann

Three Down and One To Go

This week the push began to finish the Bond house.  Billy set the dedication for Wednesday at 2:00.  As usual, I had my doubts that we could meet the deadline but God sent the volunteers we needed and we actually finished on Tuesday, a day early.  God is so good.

Dedication Day went great for the Bond home.  Even though it was drizzling rain we had a good crowd.

Some days I feel like I am missing Christmas.  You know, the baking goodies, decorating the house and Christmas shopping.  But then we get the privilege of dedicating a brand new house to a grateful family and handing them the keys to their new home.  Then I know that we are where God has placed us and just where we belong.

Meanwhile work continues on the Mitchell house.  Will it be ready by dedication time Thursday at 2 pm?

A Glorious Week and Billy Was Right

When I got back here on Monday night and saw how much more needed to be done on the Earley and Williams houses I just did not believe that we could have these homes complete and ready to dedicate by Friday but Billy fully believed that it could be done.  Well I am happy to report that he was right.  We had many volunteers coming and going all week and the work was complete.  Even got Christmas trees decorated thanks to the Colerain Baptist Children’s group and the Flanagans.

On Friday afternoon at 2:00 just as the cold front came through we had our dedication ceremony and turned the house keys over to the happy but tearful owners.  Dot Earley commented that she had always wondered how God worked and now she had seen how He worked.  Dot, her daughter Crystal and some of their friends had prepared refreshments for everyone so the celebration continued.

• Crystal Earley and David Earley – No relation but friends for life
• The Williams house- We were told by Dot that Mrs. Williams liked to decorate this tree in her front yard with clear bottles with colored water in them so we decorated it for her homecoming.
• The Earley house-I think Dot and Crystal may be spending their first night there tonight.
• A few of the many volunteers we have been blessed with on this project.

PS                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           This project is not over yet.  We still have two more houses to complete.  Billy thinks we can finish them next week. Will he be right again?  We need volunteers to help two more families have a new home by Christmas.  If you would like to share in this blessing please contact us.

Earley House Almost Finished

The big teams have disappeared but the work continues.  Rex & Dana did tile work on two homes.  Billy, Allen, Ben & David did flooring.  Charles and Tom finished the steps and rails at the Early house.  The ladies have been caulking and painting.  The first house is almost done but we still need help completing the other three before Christmas.
To the volunteers who have helped on the Mitchell house, James William Mitchell went home to the Lord this week. Please remember and pray for the family.

New Dental Unit

We left Colerain on Thursday so we could pickup the new Dental Bus Unit.  This was our first trip on the new unit and our first dental trip since March. 

On Friday and Saturday we worked on the unit at Trinity Baptist Church in Hollister.  Praise God that there was one salvation.

The new dental unit is great.  It is first class and even has digital x-rays.  Hopefully we will be able to make some more trips soon but who knows because God seems to have other plans for us.

We Have Been Blessed with Many Volunteers

We had 41 volunteers to come in Sunday of last week so they could start early Monday morning. It was a beautiful day and lots of work got done. I admit I had concerns about Tuesday due to they called for rain all morning but it lasted almost all day. However GOD ruled again and supplied a place for everybody to work all day. I actually made the mistake of wondering what they were going to do when the rain kept coming , but GOD worked His miracle and lots got done. We all dressed for the cold on Wednesday and again thank you everybody for the amount of work that has been done.

Still working on  sheet rock hanging and finishing, building of ramps and steps, siding, and cabinet installation.

Our wonderful volunteer teams.

Next week is looking kind of slim so we need you.

Thanksgiving Week and Blessings from the Week Before

These are the groups that we were blessed with last week.  1st Baptist Mooresville, Oak Grove Baptist from Boone, Sandy Plains Baptist from Gastonia and Kingdom Builders from Fletcher.  Debbie shows the church ladies how to make potato candy.

Sheetrock finishing began, more siding was hung and steps were built.

The number of volunteers has been few this week but GOD's work continues.  Even Ann took most of the week off to spent time at home with our daughter Kim and her husband Brandon.  They were in from Ohio for Thanksgiving.  This week we finished hanging sheet rock in the third house.  The siding is complete on two homes.  The electricians began finalizing the wiring.  Lots of clean up has been done and supplies moved around in preparation for the large number of volunteers expected next week.   

After next week we don’t have any teams scheduled to volunteer.  Please consider coming to Colerain for a few days to help finish these homes in time for Christmas.

Two Weeks in a Row

Last week was great and this week is also going good with 44 volunteers.  We have volunteers from Gastonia, Mooresville, Boone,  Asheville, Clayton, Durham and Momeyer.  Sheetrock is being hung in two homes.  Vinyl is being installed on three of the homes.  Exterior trim is being formed and installed.  Plumbing is being worked on in two homes.  It’s good to see so many volunteers coming together for meals in our dining hall in the Colerain Fire Dept. Training Center. The food has been delicious too. 

Please continue to pray for the work and volunteers as we try to follow GOD's call and witness to the people in this area.  We have had two new local volunteers to start helping this week and another today asked how he could get involved.

A Good Week in Colerain

Another blessed week in Colerain.

As of Friday volunteers have finished the Mitchell house framing and started the shingles, plumbing and electric.

The shingles at the Early house were completed as well as more of the vinyl.

Insulation has been installed at the Williams house.

Doors and windows have been installed in the Bond house.

Vacation and Back to Colerain

Last week Ann took some R & R with Marsha and Debra.  They went to Massantutten Resort where they got to see snow on the fall foliage.  I joined her on Wednesday afternoon.  We took a trip to Natural Bridge, rode on part of the Blue Ridge Parkway and went to see the movie Courageous.

While we were gone the work continued in Colerain. The Bond house is framed waiting on front porch and shingles.

The Early house has siding started, is rough plumbed and is waiting on insulation and shingles.

The Mitchell house has the walls framed and is waiting on the walls to be wrapped and trusses to be set and sheeted.

The Williams house is waiting on rough in plumbing so the inside can continue. 

GOD has been good as we knew He would be.  He has sent lots of great volunteers who have shown this area how much GOD loves them.  We still have a lot of work to do and need your help so these families can celebrate CHRISTmas in their new home this year.

Progress on Houses

The last of the block and brick have been laid. The ceiling of the last two safe rooms are being formed and will be poured Wednesday morning which will complete the concrete work.  Two homes have been framed and sheeted however we still need to finish the porches and overhangs so shingles and vinyl can be done. 

Lots of thanks to Mike Layton for listening to GOD and following the call to come to Colerain and help us out. He knows how to build a house!! He gave up working on houses he was building along with fishing for 2 weeks. Hate to see him leave, however I know God will send a replacement. Also want to thank all the others who have come to help share God's love by giving of their selves to help build these four homes. We still are in need of volunteers for several more weeks and would love YOUR help.

Thanks to a great feeding team last week.  Two days they served a full house when the Friends (Quakers) had lunch with us.

Back in Colerain

Wonderful day in Colerain.  In case you didn't know, we arrived back in Colerain last Monday to continue working with NCBM building four houses for GOD's people who lost their homes in April's tornadoes. Sunday I made the mistake of wondering if GOD would send only a few people to work.  But as the sun rose, and over the next couple of hours, 27 folks had arrived to work.  THANK YOU GOD and all who came, not only yesterday, but also last week.  With the preparation work done last week,  yesterday we were able to put in the floor system for two houses and almost covered both of them.

Last Nights in Rodanthe

On Tuesday, October 4 we got on the ferry and headed home.  We were replaced by JE and Betsy Skinner so that we could get a few days at home before reporting back to Colerain for the rebuild project we were part of before Hurricane Irene came along.  We really enjoyed our time and work in the Rodanthe/Waves/Salvo villages and were sad to leave.  We met so many nice people that we will always remember.

Pictures-clockwise starting at top right

• Billy and Jerry talk to Shelia-a homeowner we helped “paying it forward”
• Ken Davis’s feeding team
• Jerry Barbee’s feeding team
• Robert Taylor’s feed team
• Linda Skinner
• Recovery team from Greensboro

Pictures-clockwise starting at top right

• Salvo Fire Chief Jimmy Hooper with wife Jenny and daughter Elaine
• Our luxury accommodations (thanks Midgett Realty and Jenny)
• Glad this isn’t our camper
• Jim working at the Really Free Store
• Brian and Sharon on their anniversary
• My new friend Liz the Energizer Bunny
• Judy helping to unload a trailer at the Really Free Store
• Jim and Judith Hale, our chaplains for almost 3 weeks
• Chicamacomico Fire Chief Mike Daughtery with Billy

Two Weeks at the Beach

For the first time in our lives we have spent two weeks at the beach.  Most people think of sun and fun when at the beach. Well we have had lots of fun serving GOD and he has sent us several storms.  Most of all we have reunited with old friends who came over to help and made many new friends as we work side by side serving our LORD.   The residents are working right along side our volunteers.  Even though we have only seen the beach a few times it’s been a great trip.  Ann did get to climb Cape Hatteras Lighthouse one night and she really enjoyed that.  We’ve had some delicious seafood too. 

On Saturday, the 10th,  there were only three work team members here so we joined in to help do a tear out in Shelia’s home which is next to Top Dog Grill where we stopped to eat 5 years ago.  On Sunday we moved from Frisco to Salvo and set up the DROC at the fire station. On Monday another team from the Gastonia area arrived along with our cooks, Iva and Judy from Momeyer.   Elsie, with the Gastonia team, helped cook too.

The Gastonia team accomplished a lot of work.  It was fun getting to know them.  They were planning to leave on Saturday morning but when the Stumpy Point ferry closed on Friday due to lack of water in the sound after a storm they panicked and made 10 pm reservations for the Ocracoke/Swan Quarter Ferry.  They packed up so quick and left mid afternoon to make sure they had plenty of time to get there.  The funny thing is that the Stumpy Point ferry opened back up at 6 pm, long before they got on the Ocracoke ferry. Arrival and departure from the island is by ferry or medical helicopter only so they pack the ferries. 

Our Trip to Hatteras

On Thursday morning we headed to the ferry.  Since the road was washed out by Irene the ferries are the only way to get on or off the island.  We were blessed and only had to wait in line for one and a half hours before boarding.  Others have had waits up to six hours.  Sharon had gone over the day before to meet with Pastor Russ with Cape Hatteras Baptist Church and find us housing.  Operation Blessing was using the church so one of his church members let us use a second row beach cottage in Frisco that he was caretaker for.

Once we arrived on the island we were greeted with piles and piles of debris that had been removed from the homes of full time residents.  They have been helping each other but are so grateful for any help we can give them.  The wind damage was minor here but the flooding was major.  I have made friends with the sweetest lady.  Her name is Janie and she was born here 92 years ago and has lived here all her life.

Hurricane Irene

On my last blog post I told you we were monitoring  Hurricane Irene forecasts.  We decided to leave Colerain on Thursday, Aug. 25 so we could prepare for the storm. We didn’t get much damage at our house but as you probably know by now Eastern North Carolina took a pretty hard hit.  So on Sunday, August 28 we headed out, first to deliver a bunk trailer to Kinston and then on to Williamston where I was to do Admin work.

 I was happy to be joining our good friends J.E. and Betsy Skinner at their church, Memorial Baptist.  Other friends working there were Jimmy and Pam Lawrence, John and Peggy Gore, Jo Davidson, Bill Fogerty, Brian Moser and many others.  Gary, the White Hat from Arkansas was great to work with.  He brought a 31 member chain saw team.  While Billy and I both spent our nights in Williamston, Billy spent most of his days transporting shower and laundry units to Hatteras Island.

We spent one week in Williamston and then actually got a whole day at home before being transferred to Manteo where Billy was to Blue Hat the recovery operation.  We were only in Manteo  for two nights and closed that site down.  Billy had seen so much need for NCBM’s  help in the Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo and Avon villages when he was there the week before delivering the shower/laundry units that he knew that was where God wanted him to go next.  He was given permission to go and take a team with him.  There was a team from Icard in Manteo and they gladly accepted the call.  Also our good friend Sharon Chilton-Moser had been released from the “secret bunker” and she was ready to get her hands dirty.  Stay tuned for more on our trip to Hatteras Island.

 

Colerain

There were many homes and lives lost in this area as a result of the April 16 tornados that swept across Eastern NC.  NCBM volunteers are rebuilding four homes. Last  Wednesday  we traveled to Colerain to set up a shower/laundry unit and a bunk unit in preparation of the rebuild start. On Thursday and Friday we laid out 3 of the 4 foundations for the homes to be built.

We are being hosted by Colerain Baptist Church.  Their secretary Sheran has been a big help to us and so have some of the other church members.  The leadership team is housed in their church parsonage and the DROC is in the church fellowship hall.  Our cook team, from Elizabeth City, is using the fire department training building right down the street.

After a quick weekend in Momeyer we were back in Colerain on Monday.  Along with 10 other volunteers we dug, installed rebar and then poured the first  foundation footing.  While waiting for the concrete trucks we dug most of the second footing.  We are planning to pour the third foundation today and hopefully the fourth tomorrow.  The LORD provided the help we needed and then helped us work together great.  Please continue to pray for us as we work this week. We need masons and labors to help get the foundation laid so framers can start soon.

We are closely watching the Irene forecasts so we will know when we need to head back east.

A Week Ago in Minot

We have been home from Minot for over a week and I am finally getting to our final pictures for this mission.  I don’t know if I get too busy or too tired at the end.

On Thursday morning we were told we would be moving the laundry unit to the new city shelter sometime that day.  We decided to stop accepting loads after 42 and finished them all before we moved.

Pictures from top left: Ann waiting on one of the last loads. Three heads are better than one. Billy wondering where to put more bags.  Lots of people brought their clothes in Tide bags.   Billy telling the power company people where we were moving. Billy had to retrieve fingernail clippers from a dryer. Our replacement team came in just in time to help us move and setup in our new location at the Cameron Indoor Tennis Center.  This was a victim shelter run by the city.  It was quite interesting watching this group put the tent up.

My Animal Shelter Adventure

On Wednesday morning Billy and Trevis were kind enough to let me have some time off to go to the animal shelter. It’s not only people who are being affected by the flood, but animals as well. The NDSU extension office is now being used to house animals that have been dropped off by flood victims.  My friend Debbie and I volunteered there.  We walked dogs and helped clean the cat kennels.  That dog I’m walking in the center picture was a bit hyper.  He wanted to bite on the leash and then he found my shoestring and tried to pull it in two.  It was a fun morning. Back to work.  This is what our days are like.  We did 33 loads of  laundry on Tuesday and 61 on Wednesday.

Clockwise from top left:

These are the ladies that fix our lunch and supper plates each day over at North Hills Baptist Church where the Kansas/Nebraska Baptist Men are cooking with help from Arkansas.

The Texas shower team has been so helpful writing bible verses on laundry bags.  I just love them. They’re like family now. 

Home Sweet Home

Trevis must be caught up on the folding. 

Our laundry unit sits a the bottom of this stairway.  I’ve been running up the steps everyday.  It’s not easy.

Helping Friends

Saturday was a much easier day even though we still did 41 loads of laundry.  Lloyd, one of our friends friends from Texas was sick on Saturday so I took him and his wife Barbara to the Convenient Care Center to see a Dr.  They said he was dehydrated and wanted to put him in the hospital.  Being he was a stubborn man he refused so they sent in back with us with a prescription and orders to drink lots of fluid.  He was much better on Sunday.

Trevis, Billy and I went to church at North Hills Baptist  on Sunday morning.  This is where the Southern Baptist  kitchen is set up.We had a pretty quiet Sunday afternoon with only 33 loads of laundry.  ARC had a ice cream social and we were invited.

A Very Busy Laundry Day

The secret is out.  The ARC found out we were doing laundry.  We washed, dried and folded 63 loads today.  I don’t know when I have ever worked so hard and been to tired.

Thanks to the shower team from Texas for helping us fold laundry and write bible verses on the bags.  They were a big help.  The lady in green is Debbie, a teacher here.  She has been cleaning her room this week and has been so helpful trying to make sure we were comfortable and had everything we needed.

Even though I was tired tonight, after supper I decided to run to the top of the 100 steps in the top picture.  I made it but had to walk a few of them. You can see the laundry unit  at the bottom.

We shut down early tonight because we are under a tornado watch.

Why Not Minot

Tuesday morning we left home with NCBM Laundry #3 towed behind the Childcare truck, stopped at the VA welcome center on I77 and picked up Trevis and headed to Minot, North Dakota.  In two days we drove 31 hours and 1830 miles.   I should clarify that-Billy and Trevis drove and I rode.

In June Minot was flooded by the Souris River, which curls from Canada through north central North Dakota back into Canada.

Wednesday morning after breakfast we set up the unit at Minot City Campus High School.  The school is being used for American Red Cross staff housing.  Texas Baptists have a shower unit at this location also.  We got lots of hugs from happy ARC people when they found out we were going to do their laundry.  We did 22 loads of laundry and took in 13 more to start on tomorrow.

It was a good day and not too hot.

Finished World Changers and Headed to Minot, ND

My days and nights with World Changers were very busy with little time for blogging so I am very behind.  

Wednesday was another hot day but the kids and adults managed to get lots of work done. Pictured are the Hammerheads and Goofus Roofers.  Mrs. Allen not only got a new roof but some cleaning and painting on the outside of her house.

Thursday we were blessed with cooler temps and we got closer to the finish line.  Jamie (in pink) stayed on the roof all day because she didn’t like the ladder. 

Friday was the last day of work and a day of saying goodbyes. Many of the teams and home owners got very close. I witnessed this first hand with Mrs. Kern and the Monkey Wrenches.   Mrs. Kern had enjoyed the crew being at her house so much and didn’t want them to leave.  She even insisted that they not use the porta john but come inside to use her bathroom.  New Sandy Creek Baptist Church served their  lunch at the crew chief’s  farm and we had the best corn on the cob I believe I have ever eaten.

Friday night was closing ceremonies with a pumped up crowd and time for more goodbyes.

I enjoyed this week very much and I’m looking forward to doing it again next summer.

Tuesday morning we headed to Minot, ND with a laundry unit.  More on that later.

A Hot Send Off Day for World Changers

This week we are working with World Changers in Henderson, NC.  They are being hosted by Rebuilding Hope and are being housed at Crossroads Academy.

We moved into our camper on Sunday to begin preparing for the week.  The students came on Monday and got to meet with their crew chiefs, encouragers and adult leaders.  They also went out to the job sites to meet with the homeowners.  There are 18 different job sites and most of them are roofing jobs.

Tuesday was the first day of work.  Most of the jobs they are doing are roofs.  The kids are working really hard in this heat (over 100 degrees).   Their day starts with breakfast at 6 am and they leave for work at 7 am.  Lunch on the job sites is being provided by local  churches.  At 4 pm it’s quitting time and back to the school for showers, supper, praise and worship and devotions.

Billy is a supervisor over 4 work sites and I am a runner.  Three of the sites have Norlina addresses and one Henderson. I have to take supplies needed to the work sites. 

Pictured are the Bone Crushers and Brick Bats, two teams put together to work on one site in Norlina.

I drove Steve’s old truck which luckily had good air conditioning.  On the way back to the warehouse from one of my trips I spotted a quilt shop. I decided to stop and check it out.  While I was looking around the shop and talking to Miss Lou, the owner, the truck started smoking.  Billy came and rescued me.  It sure was a good thing I stopped at that quilt shop because later at the repair shop the truck caught on fire.

Please pray for everyone involved in this ministry this week.  Pray for safety, good attitudes, that we all will be a good witness for our Lord and Savior and that through our works others will come to know him.

Fort Caswell

Last week I was privileged to be on Oak Island at Fort Caswell for World Mission Week.  NCBM Disaster Relief Temporary Child Care was taking care of  infants, toddlers and preschool children of attendees.  I was in the infant/toddler room and we had 7 children and the preschool had 15.

My Co-workers

Front row: Janice, Sandra, Ann

Middle Row: Ingrid, Teresa, Lowell

Back Row: Marolyn, Larry, Charlene

What a fun week caring for these sweet children.

Friday and Saturday

Billy, Jeffrey, Doug and Amy built a ramp for the man that lives next door to the church.  We had a small dedication ceremony which included prayers and singing of Amazing Grace.  Also the first trip down the ramp for Mr. Leon.

Eddie, Iva, Lynn and Toni  finished up some painting  jobs. Dawn and Cayla organized the storage room.  Jeffrey sanded doors. Al and Cory and Doug worked on some electrical jobs.  Cayla, Amy, Dawn and Lynn did some cleaning.

We were packed and ready to leave by 10:30.  Pastor Roger thanked us for all we had accomplished and send us off with a prayer.

I think we had a very good and productive week at a church that is really excited about serving and worshiping God.

Thursday Work and Fun

Thursday was another busy day.  The library books were sorted.  The youth room was painted.  Two nursery doors were turned into dutch doors and painted.  We did some cleaning up.

Then Thursday night we had some fun.  Pastor Paul, Amy and Toni went with the church to see an outdoor drama “The Honey Hole.”  The rest of us went over to Mike and Beth Baker’s for some food and fellowship.  Mike served as Youth Minister at Momeyer 1991-1992.  We really enjoyed ourselves.

Dawn, Al, Cayla and Cory joined us just in time for dinner at the Baker’s.