Down With the Old and Up With the New

Volunteers this week-clockwise starting a top left: Steve Wilson, Jean and Alvin Wadsworth and Freddie Roberson from Williamston Baptist Church; John Deacon; Bob Silver; Sid and Betty Ann Shearin; Billy Williams;  Brooks, Mike, Douglas, Loyall and Amy from Robersonville Baptist; Charles Aultman with his going away carrot cake; Bobby Eure and Harlon Castaloe.

The center picture is Bruce and Terri Fulcher.  Bruce is the Reaching People Coordinator for Pennsylvania Southern Baptist.  We had gone over to the KOA campground Sunday afternoon to welcome Bob.  They were camping there also and  came over to say hi when they saw the NCBM logo on the truck.  They joined us for Wednesday night supper and led our devotion.  It was nice getting to know them and hear about what God is doing in PA.

The Williamston group spent most of their time in Avon doing sheetrock work on Kathy Williams home.  Charles & Bob worked on her exterior trim.

THE OLD: On Tuesday the volunteers began removing the rear room from the little red house.  There were issues with termites, rotten wood and a very small kitchen.  If you are old enough to know what the green thing is in the center you are most likely retired and should have time to serve GOD on the OBX.  For the rest of you it is a washing machine and you can also volunteer and join the fun.

THE NEW: Then we started expanding the space and building the new kitchen and bedroom.  Rafters are not my thing so Jimmy Hooper came over and helped us get started.  THANKS JIMMY.

A couple of the Robersonville group worked on the interior walls getting them on 16” centers so sheet rock will install easier.  In the center is Dean (left) and her mother Janie.  It was Janie’s birthday ( 93 ) and one of her wants was to go by the home place to see what was being done.  If you don’t recognize the center right couple it is K & Dana Brown with the convention.  They came down for the afternoon to do a story for the NC Mission Offering Video.  K took many pictures of work in process and so many of Janie that I’m sure she felt like a rock star.  I’m looking forward to the article or what ever he does with all the pictures and video.  I know it will be great. Thanks K & Dana.

Please support the NC Mission Offering.  It supports projects such as the rebuild here on the OBX which is a great way to share the word and love of GOD while we also help rebuild the homes that were damaged or destroyed  by the floods of Hurricane Irene.  Maybe GOD is leading you to come to Salvo and join us.  We accept volunteers for the day, days, week or month.  I will be praying to see you soon.

And then some of the fun stuff.

Everybody thinks Ann is on the OBX working hard.  Well she is working hard buying groceries and preparing fabulous meals for me and all the volunteers.  However she has also been training for a race.  On Sat she joined 177 others on Ocracoke Island for her first 5K.  Pastor Russ & Jodi ran with her.  Here are her stats:

Place- 109
Div Place- 9 / 16
Run Time- 32:50
Pace- 10:35 per mile

Finally Starting on the Little Red House

Steve (Who da man) came out and did sheet rock work on Linda Hooper’s home.

The returning (David Early) group came as a large group. They finished the rough in wiring at Elsie Hooper’s along with some tear out and started on rebuilding Aldeana Bruce’s home.   And yes, that is me, Billy, in my normal pose on the phone.  Glad it works so people can call to volunteer (252)885-2143.

Charles and me spent most of the week working by ourselves.  We did plumbing, electric and framing at Tony & Erin’s in Rodanthe and Kathy’s in Avon.  Did some wiring a Eric’s too.

Still lots to do so please come on down to the OBX and join the fun as we serve GOD by helping his children in need.

A note from Ann: On Saturday I took a trip up north to Kitty Hawk to run some errands. While I was out I decided to explore the Manteo waterfront.  It was a beautiful day for being outside.  I even saw something Hurricane Irene related-the high water mark on the weather tower.

Two Youth Groups and a Grandma

Bertha and her two grandchildren came out on Tuesday and helped clean out the garage at Janie’s house.  They will be moving stuff stored in their house into the garage so we will be able to start the rebuild on the house. 

A youth group from Macadonia  Baptist Church in Edenton came down and  helped clean up, do repairs and paint at The Gingerbread House.

Kenny did plumbing at Tony & Erin’s.  Allen & Sue came out to man the shop so we could attend the NC Mission Conference. “THANK YOU”

A youth team came from Sunbury on Wednesday.  Since they were staying in Avon we put them to work on Kathy Williams’ house.  They removed the old tub and replaced it with a new one piece fiberglass tub, put down Advantec flooring, removed and replaced duct work under house and hung sheet rock.

We had a great time at the Mission Conference.  Billy did two breakout sessions on Baptist Builders and spoke at the Saturday night volunteer supper on the shower/laundry ministry and our work on OBX since Hurricane Irene.

He is Risen

It’s been a very busy week. The St. Andrew’s team from Raleigh stayed through the weekend.  Part of them did wiring at Tony’s while the rest of the group removed and replaced flooring for Kathy M.  Russ, Jodi & Charles installed cabinets for Steve M.

Tim Etheridge brought a group from Riverview Baptist.  They started out the week hanging sheet rock at Linda H’s.

David Earley’s group returned to work on wiring at Elsie’s.  Alan Harris, JE and Betsy helped Buddy and Jimmy hang shake shingles.

On Tuesday morning we started removing the flat roof section of Kathy W’s home.  We found several rot and ant problems so it made the job a little more challenging.

 

Teams included Riverview Baptist, Mountain Valley Baptist,  Charles & Billy.  Betsy and J.E. hung insulation inside.  On Friday morning the team was determined to finish the shingles although it was drizzling rain. The LORD watched out for them and sent a local (actually a roofing professional) by who stopped and helped them finish a couple hours early.  They called him an angel.

On Saturday morning, with all our volunteers gone, we were able to get away.  We just did an island hop and headed up to Kitty Hawk to spend Easter with family.  Aunt Doris cooked us a great Easter meal for Saturday night.  Aunt Jo decorated the table with goodie bags for everyone.  We talked Cindy into getting up before dawn to go with us to the Easter Sunrise Drama at Jockey’s Ridge.  After warming up with some coffee and breakfast at Grits Grill we went to the early service at Nags Head Church.  Then we headed back south and made two stops along the way.  We took a hike at the Charles Kuralt Nature Preserve  and stopped at the New New Inlet where we were able to get a different view of the “lego bridge”.

Thank you Lord for Your Bountiful Harvest

Several weeks back Richard with WRAL did a story on the people around Bayboro & FEMA housing.  I emailed him to it to let them know the same problem existed in Salvo area but the residents here had no where to move to except with friends or family.  Also tourist season was about to start which would make matters more stressful.  I guessed it would fall on deaf ears but thanks to GOD Richard came and did a story on the OBX people’s needs.  He did a story on Elsie Hooper click here if you missed it and one on Kathy Williams (to air later).

A group from Covenant UMC (top left) arrived from Chesapeake.  They teamed up with Charles (right center with Billy), Buddy (left center in the rafters) and Pastor Rick (bottom right) from Nags Head Church and did a lot of the final framing on Elsie’s home.  Teresa & Allison came all the way from Mars Hill to help and stayed all week.  They painted and cleaned up at several home sites.

Eric seams very happy to see more painting taking place. A team from Saint Andrews the Apostle Catholic Church in Apex also brought and put up more wall materials.

On Wednesday Pastor Russ & Jodi met the ladies in Avon @ Kathy’s home to do some yard cleaning.  Now she will be able to plant her garden.  She has promised us her first tomato.   Kathy’s father built this house and she has lived in it most of her life.  Her home was flooded and needs a restore of the first floor.  Also part of her roof is flat and is leaking.  Kathy has been caught up in let’s say the red tape issue.  Although the FEMA adjustor says she qualifies for an assistance of $ xx ? and the letters are going back and forth she has not received any money yet.  She did not have insurance because she choose to use the money at that time to send her daughter to college.  Richard Atkins also is doing a story about her and the Avon area which he thinks may air Easter week end.  Thanks to Jodi, who is working with the Dare Co. Long Term Recovery, money has been found to purchase materials to fix the roof.

One day the ladies (Teresa and Allison) went to Pastor Steve’s home to help paint. Another day they went to Wesley & Jennifer’s to clean out the old shed that was flooded in the storm. They moved what was good into the new shed and put the rest on a tarp outside to dry so Jennifer could go through it. One day they did some cleanup at Steve M’s house. David, Harlon & Jimmie came down for the day and did wiring at Tony & Erin’s. On Saturday a youth group came down from Church of the Outer Banks in Nags Head. They put up insulation at Linda Hooper’s and then cleaned up some in the back yard. Afterwards they went to the food pantry @ Lifeboat Church (Pastor Steve’s church) and helped Melinda (Steve’s daughter) unload and sort the food he had just arrived with.

As usual we are enjoying the food.  One night we had blue fish provided by Preacher Russ, the next night shrimp and grits and the next the Hooper’s brought over oysters to roast and we had catfish and flounder to top them off.  I think everyone got a belly full.

Please pray that financial needs will be met so that we can use them to the glory of God by helping to restore homes and lives here on OBX.