Saturday, October 19, 2013

Getting Ready for a Move and Moving More Sand

New Jersey Mission Trip Adventures 10.19Although the guys from Burlington Assembly of God were only here for three days they got a lot done.  They cut out and started assembling our bunk beds for our soon to be new location in Seaside Heights.  Then they moved up to Margaret’s home where they added height to the ceiling rafters so we could insulate it properly and put in a floor for her.  They also hung insulation and some sheet rock. New Jersey Mission Trip Adventures 10.191On Sunday we visited Union Church in Lavallette and then stayed in Seaside Heights for lunch at 3 Guys Pizza & Subs on the boardwalk followed by the Columbus Day Parade.  Billy shared that meal with Ann.  Ann has gotten back into running and finding some great scenery provided by GOD.  On Saturday Todd,  Billy, and two ladies from Todd’s church moved more sand at Joanie’s.  A group of students were cleaning the beach and when they finished one of the ladies asked if they would help us, so several came over and helped until their rides arrived.  THANK YOU GOD for the extra help.  Ann also came to help although we were about ready to call it a day when she arrived.  Unfortunately there is still a lot of sand in the pool but we are making progress.

October 29th marks 1 year since Sandy hit the New Jersey Shore.  As one of the parents who came to pick up his son today said, “I didn’t realize it was still so much destruction left after a year and I had no idea so many people are still needing help”.  We have started to get calls from people in need of help to get the walls and floors of their homes insulated before the winter sets in.  These are seniors who don’t have funds to hire contractors and are not able to do it themselves.   Let us know if a small voice is telling you to go and help.

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Playing & Praying In the Sand

New Jersey Mission Trip Adventures 10.12.13Don Gallimore from Roxboro answered the call when he found out we need a sheetrock finisher.  Ginger and Paul from Blue Hill, Maine pulled electric wires along with Don for the electrician in the church we will be moving to.  They also went to Sea Bright to help Don hang and finish sheet rock.  Tim Etheridge came up to give Billy a hand this week.  Ann was the cook for the week.  Our friend Elaine came on Tuesday and cooked an Italian supper for us. It was delicious.New Jersey Mission Trip Adventures 10.12.13 pg 2Tim also helped The Summit Church group from Cullowee move sand out of a pool and sitting area.  Lets just say they hung out at the pool and on the beach for three days.  But seriously, it was hard back breaking work.  We’re glad a few of them were young but the older ones worked just as hard, including a eighty year old man and his wife.

We have started to rebuild The Grace Evangelical Church building in Seaside Heights and once it is complete we will move our operation there.  We feel this will make things a lot better for our volunteers and put our housing within minutes of the jobs we feel we will be working on next year.  At present time we only have a few teams signed up for November and only one for December (one for 2014).  Please consider New Jersey when you plan your next mission trip.

Sunday, October 6, 2013

The Beginning of Fall

New Jersey Mission Trip Adventures 10.51On Sunday Chris & Elaine invited us over for lunch.  It was a beautiful fall day so we ate outside on their deck and enjoyed the colorful leaves.  The Sweet Water Association of Tennessee brought us a trailer full of paper products on Sunday afternoon.  Since we had no volunteers we went to Seaside Park on Monday to paint primer on walls and sand floors.  The cute puppy dogs were not too sure about us being in their house. On Tuesday we carried tool trailer #3 to New York and then brought us a bunk unit back to New Jersey.  Billy would  have enjoyed the scenery more if there had not been so much traffic.  New Jersey Mission Trip Adventures 10.5Four men from Hope Community Baptist Church in Carthage came and helped out on Friday and Saturday.  They rebuilt steps, hung a door and hung sheet rock.  They were a great help.