Back in NJ for Another Week

    This past week Eddie Finch went back to Lavallette with Billy. A group of Presbyterians from Lancaster, Pa also came.  Chris S., Chris K. and Paul also join the fun and lots of sheet rock was hung. Eddie also painted trim boards and caulked the exterior windows. On Thursday the local guys started mudding the rock.  Thursday night Billy and Eddie went to Morning Star Church for supper where the Presbyterian team also gave Juan and Gabby a quilt.

Chris is now working at finishing all the sheet rock spackling. Then it needs to be painted, flooring laid, doors installed, trim work installed and then all that painted.  If you or your group would like to help complete this home let me know and I will arrange you a place to stay.  Sure would like to get this family home before Christmas,  It’s almost been 3 years since Sandy destroyed their home.

What’s Been Happening the Last Three Weeks?

   

  It’s good to be home.  We were able to spend Labor Day weekend at Lake Gaston with Matt, Tanya and some friends.  We are only 50 feet from the water and have a fantastic view. Grandson Matt helped us clean the porch at Momeyer and then move the furniture on it.  We have been enjoying family at home.
Lots of work has been done in New Jersey over the past 3 years with your help.  During this time many lives were touched and reminded that GOD is in charge and will provide for our needs.  NCBM is still working on the Barriga house so volunteers are still needed.  Last week Billy went back to New Jersey to help insulate the Barriga house. No, the ceilings are not that low.  Chris is on his stilts. Inspectors have been by and given permission  to start hanging sheet rock.   Billy and a few other volunteers are going back next week to finish hanging rock, spackle, paint and start trim work. He may also go back one of the first two weeks of November if he gets any volunteers.  Contact him if you can help complete this last working site.
This week we will be vacationing in North Myrtle Beach.

Leaving New Jersey

     1-Our last Sunday sunset walk in NJ; 2&5-On Sunday after worship Union Church had cake and coffee and thanked us for our service to the area; 3-Joe Geleta presented NCBM a certificate from NJ State Police Emergency Management in recognition of our service; 4-On Tuesday night our friends Chris & Elaine joined us for a cruise and dinner on the River Lady; 6-Jerry came up and got the bunk bed frames; 7-Paul, Kevin and some of Randy’s crew helped us get the bunks loaded on the trailer early Wednesday; 8-After Jerry got in we loaded the tuck down also. Also on Monday night Todd, Krista & Barbara took us out to eat. It was sad saying goodbye to our NJ friends but it was good to be going home.  1-Six guys from Biltmore and Sharon came up to help load and pull every thing back to NC;  2,3,4-It makes packing up a site so much easier when you have a team that you can say I would like this on that trailer and that in that trailer and so forth.  I spent about an hour with the guys on Thursday morning and then I left to make several visits I thought I would be doing Friday. When I got back the packing was winding down; 5-Cal just had to find that flat tire with a screw in it at the last minute; 6-After supper on Thursday we hooked all the trucks up and did that last minute check.  Then the Gross’s came by and invited us to come to their house for breakfast before leaving on Friday morning. Well we did need somewhere to eat and we knew they could cook.  Plus we needed to get the tire patched before leaving; 7-After a basically good trip we arrived in Momeyer at 5:30 Friday afternoon.  Our neighbor Violet (who watches out for our house) had been to Doug Saul’s and picked up supper for us.  After we ate the guys helped unload some of the trailers.  They spent the night with us and on Saturday they headed home also.

Thanks to to all who helped with the take down, pack up and transporting of all the stuff.  Also a BIG THANK YOU to everybody who prayed, supported and volunteered to help NCBM share the love of CHRIST in New Jersey following Super Storm Sandy.  Volunteers, supporters and prayer helps it all work.  But we all know none of it have happened if GOD had not called and you had not responded.  WE LOVE YOU AND THANK YOU.

At present time we are still unpacking everything.  We do have 2 weeks of vacation planned and plan to even visit our lake house before it gets cold.  Where/What GOD has planned for us next we don’t know but rest assured that when we find out we will do our best to let each of you know so we can volunteer together again.

Packing Up Time

     I guess it must be that time for sure.  In case you haven’t heard we are closing the NJ site and heading back to NC by the end of next week. It will be a sad but exciting day.

Kathy, Elijah and Lucas stayed through Friday and continued taking the bunk beds apart and packing up some of the stuff upstairs. Billy, Chris and Paul put down new plywood for the flooring at the Barriga home.  New plans are summited and waiting approval so we can get a framing inspection so we can move forward on completion of another home.  Tim and Vickie came up and picked up the NCBM camper. The boys had some fun time at the beach.

If you are in the Seaside area next week we could use some help packing and loading up.

Two NC Teams Working Together

     1-Region 3 Feeding Team; 2-Ready for some fun on the boardwalk; 3-A fun evening with the Gross family; 4-Biltmore Baptist, Asheville (they win the prize for the most trips to NJ); 5-Thankful for David Fuss’ five week commitment.  Sad to see him leave; 5-This young man really worked hard this week and is getting some rest; 6-Kathy Freeman did as promised and came back to help us get ready to move; 7-Zion Hill Baptist Church, Shannon, NC.  This was a special week for several volunteers who had promised to return for another week before we go home.  As before they all came ready to serve GOD in whatever way lead.  Most of them swarmed on the Vandekooy house.  It is a project that was supposed to start in mid May but has been held up by permit and inspection issues.  The groups removed siding and replaced most of it with new vinyl.  They replaced all the windows with energy star windows as required. They hung sheet rock in the carport (double 5/8) and Chris has finished it.  Chris did repair work to the inside sheet rock and some of the guys did trim work.  Several of the ladies have painted most of the interior.  Others helped hand siding up and cleaned up behind the installers.   Don and two of the younger boys removed all the under skirting from the units at the church in preparation of moving. They and some ladies have also started dismantling the bunk beds and packing the office.  Other volunteers worked to complete three other homes.

We still have lots of rebuilding to do and I personally would like to see some people come up and finish these jobs before we leave in two weeks.  Work needing to be done is: siding, trim, sheet rock hung, painting and maybe even insulate a home if we get inspections passed.  Also Paul’s house has been raised so we can help build his floor girders/supports, nail in tie down straps and install trim board around the bottom of the house.  The bunk beds are coming down but we still have a working kitchen, showers and plenty of room for air mattress or cots.  So please join these groups and make another volunteer mission trip to Seaside Heights.

Branch’s Baptist Church, Richmond, VA

     Center: This week our work team was from Branch’s Baptist Church, Richmond, VA. It was a small group we had no cook team so Ann did the cooking.  She was especially thankful for the sandwich maker and all the ones that washed dishes. Top: The final inspection for Barbara’s was last week so we had to make a few last minute changes. (This weeks inspector’s response – “He wrote you up for what?”  Bottom: Somebody got stuck in the sand. The sunrises were beautiful this week.     Paul’s house has been raised and exterior block work completed so we helped him install the seal plate.  Part of the group worked at the O’Brian house painting, doing trim and installed two windows.  Some of the others worked at the Barriga house putting up porch rails and digging a new water line.  Paul came by Saturday and helped us fill it in.

The O’Brian house needs a new roof.  However we don’t have any extra volunteers.  Actually we have the last two weeks of August open as of now in case you want to come help in New Jersey.

Two Pennsylvania Churches–One Team

     We had one team that was a combination of two Pennsylvania churches-Thompsontown Baptist and First Southern Baptist, Williamsport. George and Sue from last week’s feeding team signed on for a second week.  George went out with the rebuild team and Carol took his place in the kitchen.  Since Carol & Ann are quilters the ladies took a trip to Quilting Possibilities.     The team worked on four homes this week. They cleaned at Barbara’s and did some last minute touch ups before inspections.  They installed cabinets, painted and installed electrical outlets at Georgette’s.  They finished installing bath tub walls and trimmed out doors at Jenny’s.  Most of the work was at the O’Brian house where they finished sheetrock, painted, laid flooring and installed kitchen cabinets.  The ladies learned to cut and lay flooring.

We are still looking for volunteers for the last two weeks of August.

GA and NC Youth Teams On Mission in New Jersey

     1-Lakeside Baptist Church, Greensboro, GA; 2-Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church, State Road; 3-Patty from Sandy Run Baptist Church, Roxobel (she organized the tool trailer); 4-Feeding team from PA/NJ (Carolyn, Bill, George & Suzann); 5-Ann got to see a beautiful sunrise when she was out running; 6-David is still with us and working hard; 7-This is what happens when vandals set one of our porta-johns on fire at a job site. 8-Some of the Pleasant Ridge group taking a chair lift ride;      The youth were numerous this week.  Paul Kenny’s house got raised last Friday so some of the guys helped him tear down the old block wall and clean it up.  One group started the steps and ramp for Georgette.  Several did caulking, cleaning and painting.  The group that spent the week at the O’brian house gave them a special framed gift before they left on Friday.  Kenny has been trying to arrange for a sewer and water line to be installed to a house since last spring.  He finally got all neighbors to agree so the GA guys helped dig the ditch so Billy and Rich could install the piping.

We are still looking for teams the last two weeks of August.

A Super Youth Group From Georgia

     Our work team this week was First Baptist Church of Blairsville, Ga.  David Fuss came back to stay for awhile and help Billy oversee the jobs.  Judy and Jerry Barbee did the cooking. When we first arrived in New Jersey we met the O’brian’s who’s home we had tried to work on but they needed so much more than we could offer at that time.  However our paths have crossed again thanks to Jersey Shore United and we are helping them rebuild their home now.  Some of the volunteers gave the yard a much needed clean up this week.     The group split into 4 teams and got lots of work done.  They framed in a ceiling and then hung sheet rock at the O’brian home. They installed doors, sanded sheet rock and then painted at the Polk home. They reworked the siding, floored 2 porches and installed support beams at the Barriga home. They also started working on siding removal at Peter’s home.  While moving some trash out of the way they found two unwanted visitors. 

Great to see more youth willing to work hard, learn and share the gospel.

Showing Others The Love of God

     The team from Community Bible Church in High Point spent most of their week on a new project at Jenny’s home.  She has health issues and has not been able to do much for the past 3 years. Therefore along with rebuilding they also did lots of cleaning for her and lots of loving on her.  Arrendo celebrated his 17th birthday in Seaside Heights.  Our Region 4 Feeding team was from Apex, Clayton & Castalia. They did a great job and were a pleasure to work with.     The Drexel Baptist team split up due to the group size as well as the home size.  Jimmy lead part of the team on a job installing insulation and hanging sheet rock in Georgette’s home.  Others went down to the Woods’ home. They cleaned up from last week, installed a toilet, found missing wires (covered up by others) and helped finish laying the flooring.   Billy gave Chris the wrong size nails for the brad gun so he had to unjam it twice.  Then he figured out what he did wrong.

During July we should be starting 2 new projects and also should complete 3 others.  The projects are more difficult to find now.  However, each project still has it’s special needs.  The most obvious is restoring hope in the owners lives.  So far the best way we have found is sharing the love of GOD with them by our work, actions and words.

Two Returning Teams and a Rookie Team

     1-This was the first feeding trip for our Region 10 Feeding Team and they did a super job. They found many creative ways to use leftovers. They all attend Marble Baptist Church; 2-Biltmore Baptist was back for their seventh trip.  They have become good friends of ours; 3-Billy is showing off his first tomato.  It still need to grow a bit more; 4-Another team we were happy to see come back is Center Hill Baptist, Tyner, led by our friend Billy Nixon; 5-Saturday afternoon we attended the 25th Anniversary Luncheon and marriage vows renewal for Pastor Todd and Krista; 6-The feeding team made scripture cards & shared them with people they met; 7-Ann and Elaine got a free ride on the 105 year old carousel on the Seaside Heights boardwalk.     Part of the Biltmore team spent the week working on the Woods’ house.  They worked on siding, flooring, cabinets, electric and trim work.  Others worked on the plumbing, framing repairs and pouring of missing piers at Juan & Gabby’s house.  Some helped the Soltys remove stuff from the attic of Georgette’s house so they could install strong backs in the ceiling.  On Friday Tom and Terry did more last minute finishing stuff at Barbara’s.  She finally got a gas meter on Friday but is still waiting on electric to be hooked up.

The Center Hill group built a porch and steps for the front door at the Miele home.  Then they poured concrete at Ms. Mary’s home to repair a walkway that was removed to repair a water line. They also helped dig and pour the porch piers at Juan & Gabby’s house.

It was a great week for all the volunteers.  GOD sent them challenges and they used them to continue sharing the gospel in New Jersey.  They were able to visit and share with 4 of the 5 families they helped.  Actually one of the family members told a volunteer,  “I used to attend church but fell away.  However now that I have seen all that you Christians are doing here I know I need to return to the church.”

A Hot Week in New Jersey

    1-Region 3 Feeding Team (Barbara, Mike, Shirley & David; 2-Everyone enjoyed the jigsaw puzzles; 3-Walks were popular in the evenings; 4-A favorite spot for watching the sunset; 5-Westwood Baptist, Cary was here for their 6th trip; 6-Barbara meets the team making final touches on her home; 7-Sid Pittman helped Billy for a second week; 8-The feeding team served up some great meals; 9-In their down time they enjoyed playing Tri-ominos.     The group split up and worked on five homes this week.  At Georgette’s they laid subflooring, help Paul finish rough in wiring, and helped Chris finish the rough in plumbing.  Some of the ladies helped with the final painting in her parents home, the Soltys’s.  Others removed the damaged siding from the Woods’ home and started hanging the new siding. They were also gracious enough to help unload the supplies needed for next weeks team and get it up into the house.  When the ladies finished painting at the Solty’s they came to the Woods’ home and painted some more.  Others started work at Juan’s home along with doing some final odd and ins at Barbara’s.

Team members were blessed by visiting with the home owners and hearing what they are saying about the blessings of having volunteers come and work on their homes.   We were also joined for supper and fellowship on Thursday night by Ron and Rhea Jolly.  A family that has touched the hearts of many volunteers who worked on their home and will always be a treasure in their hearts.  FYI – Ron seams to being doing great now.

Two Small Groups Ready to Serve God

  Sid Pittman came in on Saturday for two weeks to help Billy out. The Austin Grove group came in on Saturday also, making their third trip. They finished hanging the sheet rock in the Woods home as well as installing the rest of the OSB to cover the insulation down below.  Then they went to Dianne’s to complete the pickets and help Chris mud sheet rock. Sid helped them finish the OSB job on Friday. Rita and Ann did the cooking.     Steve Wells also returned with his wife and daughter.  They touched up and finished painting on three homes.  They also worked around the church helping Sid build a new sign frame, cutting the grass and weeding around the flowers.

We have several jobs going on at this time along with lots of volunteers for the next few weeks.  However there are 3 requests out there wanting our help which will not be able to be started until early July.  We will be needing more volunteers for July and August as we start these new jobs.

We Love GA BCM–Week Two

We had another great week with GA BCM. 4-This college team really worked hard and only took one day off for a trip to NYC; 3-Even though they did not get much rest they did try to enjoy themselves while they were working; 7&8-On Monday they presented Diane, the homeowner, with a bible they had all signed and gave her a big group hug; 1-Our feeding team (Joe, Kimmsy, Judy & Charles) was from First Baptist New Bern. They did a great job; 2-On Thursday night a four man team from PA joined.  They did several jobs on the Woods’ home.

The GA group was also able to meet Corrine Woods and had a circle prayer with her. The team learned how to insulate, install pickets, paint trim work, clean up, hang OSB board  and mix cement. 

All of these college kids were basically strangers when they met two weeks ago to go on a two week mission trip to New Jersey.  Now they have formed lifetime friendships as well as left a memory with New Jersey families that will also last a life time.

We Love Georgia BCM–Week One

     1-This week our group was from Georgia BCM, twelve college students eager to serve and learn. Jim and Alex (GA Blue Hats) returned as crew leaders along with Chris as group leader; 2-The group gathered around for instruction and prayer; We celebrated three birthdays this week: 3-Justin, 6-Cynthia, and Billy; 5-The weather is getting warm here so the students have been to check out the beach several times; 4-During the day the cook team helped with some painting, cleaning and door knob installation on a few jobs; 7-Paul pitched in to help us get caught up on some painting; 8-Billy & Hollis Williams returned to cook & serve the meals & brought along Bobby & Hazel Eure . 9-Billy & Bobby busy peeling potatoes to go along with the fish that Jimmy Hooper brought all the way from Salvo.     The GA group divided into two groups.  Alex lead a group that cleaned and resealed Carol’s floors, cleaned up around the outside of Barbara’s and prepared for the rear step platform so the landscapers can do their job next week. They also helped the other group at Dianne’s building the frame work around plumbing and pouring her step platforms.  They finished up the week hanging insulation at the Wood’s home.

Jim’s group has been hard at work also hanging the sheetrock at Dianne’s home.  On Friday they were able to share a little with her garage door contractors who came to hang them and on Saturday they were blessed by being able to share with the family why they choose to come to New Jersey to help total strangers – To share GOD’s Love.

We still have many open days and weeks for the next three months and are in need of additional volunteers and well as a couple to help Ann and I with leadership. We look forward to hearing from you.

Neshaminy Warwick Back to Serve

  The LORD caused the paths of a group of Neshaminy Warwick Presbyterians from Pennsylvania and ours to cross last spring.  They came back last fall and this week they joined us again in a joint effort to share GOD’s LOVE while doing a little home rebuilding.  Ann was the cook this week so the guys helped cook breakfast and the ladies helped with supper.  Part of them spent the first of the week finishing up the painting and doing some plumbing trim outs at Barbara’s.      Others went to the Woods job to help Dave finish the rough in electric.  They also installed joist hangers and porch rails. They finished up their week by painting doors going into Paul and Ellen’s along with removing old insulation from Georgette’s so the home could be rewired and reinsulated to todays standards.

As the weather has turned warm the jobs seem to be also turning.  We should finish three homes this month while continuing to work on three others.  There is also three more that we will be starting over the next couple of weeks. The LORD has always blessed us with volunteers as needed when he also sends us homes and families to work with.  I have wondered many times, as I am doing now, if the volunteers HE is calling will respond this year.  At present time I see the need for 10 more teams this summer.  If you or your church are planning a trip this year to serve GOD in New Jersey please contact us so we can let you know what dates are still open.

Another Visit from Biltmore

     1-This week we had a great feeding team from South Carolina (JoAnn, Rhett, Judy & Jeff); 2-Everyone enjoys a shoulder rub after a hard day of hammer swinging; 3-We all enjoy Pastor Todd’s bible studies; 4-Biltmore Baptist, Asheville, NC made their 14th trip; 5-Biltmore’s favorite relaxation activity is jigsaw puzzles. The feeding team enjoyed them this week also; 5&6-Friday night David & Maureen Gross invited us all over for dinner at their newly rebuilt home.  Several different teams worked on this home over the past few months.  They are so happy about the work NCBM did to their home and the love shown to them by the volunteers.  Billy presented them a bible signed by many of the volunteers.     Being the Biltmore team is large they usually split up.  Part of them worked on Barbara’s house.  They laid bamboo flooring, painted trim molding and doors, installed storm doors,  garage door and installed the house numbers.     Most of the group went down to the Woods home to get it started.  They built two entry porches and steps, rough in the plumbing and most of the electric, took out part of the old ceiling which exposed some weak framing so they beefed it up as well as the floor system.  They also did a lot of cleaning up so they and others would have room to work.

We received a request to return to Joe’s home to build him a ramp.  He has had a stroke since moving back in last summer and the girls needed a way to get him in and out of the house.

Some of the ladies also painted at Carol’s house this week.

All in all it was a busy and productive week.  However for the next two weeks we have no volunteers so not much will be done.  At this time we have eight homes to work on and finish this summer.  I am concerned that with the lack of volunteers these families may not all be able to return to their home to live before the third anniversary of Sandy’s destructive visit to New Jersey.  Please consider coming to New Jersey to help us share GOD’s LOVE in a special way this summer.  We have lots of open time so call or e-mail one of us.

Back to GOD’s work in New Jersey

Some of you might be wondering where we have been for the past month.  We took a wonderful 10 day trip to Israel.  Then we spent a few days at home for Easter.  We came back to NJ on April 5.  Then Ann went to Ohio to help take care of our 19th month old grandson.  Billy stayed here to work, all by himself for the first week but help arrived from Swannanoa on the 12th.  Ann came back on 17th.     Swannanoa Baptist Church not only supplied the cooking team but also the rebuild team.  Being a small team they basically worked together on two different homes.  At Barbara’s they painted the walls and ceilings, cut and installed window trim, laid tile for her shower wall and helped get the siding to 95% complete. They also worked at Carol’s house installing interior doors and flooring in two rooms.  While they were here last summer they had built a ramp for Mr. Bob 3 doors down the street and it needed an entry plate installed so they took care of that for him also.

The RREM program has started issuing funds to people to get their homes raised and some to start the new build process.  These funds are not enough to complete the entire project so therefore we are again getting many new calls for help.  We have lots of open slots that need filling over the next 4 months starting with next week.  If GOD is laying it on your heart to go to New Jersey to serve Him I hope you will give us a call or message us.  The volunteers here this past week were able to witness to workers on sites next door, in the drug store, doctors office (yes one guy didn’t feel good), neighbors walking by and stopping to ask why they were here and of course home owners.  So come join the work, witnessing and fun.

A Short Week For Us

     Volunteers: 1-Vicki, Tim & Jack, Greenville, NC; 2-BCM-Georgia College, Milledgeville, GA; 3-Reg. 1 Feeding Team-Phil, Kay, Billy, Hollis, Linda & Warren; 4-Curtis Baptist School, GA.

This week was full of youth. We have one college & one high school group.  The college team is working at Barbara’s house hanging sheet rock and siding.  The high school group is hanging sheet rock at Carol’s house.  Some of the younger folks also moved some sand from Barbara’s to Carol’s.

It was a short week for us because we went home on Tuesday to get ready for our big trip on Friday. Tim and Vicky came back to Seaside Heights to relieve us so we could take a trip to Israel.  Please pray for travel mercies and peace as we enjoy a trip of a life time.

A Good Birthday Week

     1-Jim & Al from Virginia; 2-Ann and Paul celebrated their birthdays; 3-It was warm enough a couple of days this week for a walk on the beach 4-Alliance College Connection, Boone (This was their 7th trip to volunteer in NJ; 5-1st Baptist Asheboro; 6-Our South Carolina Feeding Team, Juanita, Peggy and Wayne. Hope they can come back again.     This week the teams did many tasks. Part of the Alliance team insulated Carol’s floor (1) and then loaded the home with sheet rock.(2)  Some  shoveled more sand from Barbara’s.(4&5) She can now once again see her back patio.  Chris and Cody started Barbara’s siding (9) after Al and Jim had wrapped the house with tyvek.(7) On Thursday and Friday some started hanging sheet rock at Barbara’s.(8)  The rest of the crew went to start work on the Collins home.  The first job was to move the sand from the pile and level it around the pilings so the home can be moved over the pilings and set down.(6) The First Baptist of Asheboro group worked on the porch, steps and rails at Diane’s home. (10&11)

A Cold But Productive Week

     1-Westwood Baptist, Cary; 2-Adopt-a-Home, PA and Cool Springs Baptist, Sanford; 3-Reg. 5 Feeding Team with Carl & Richard doing several odd jobs to help Billy out; The Cary team started out the week in Carol’s home taking out more of the old sheet rock and insulation.  The electrical is done so they also installed new insulation. The Adopt-a-Home/Cool Springs group worked with Jersey Shore United on Teddy’s home.         1-The ladies went to the Gross house to do some final painting and clean up.  2-Wednesday was kind of warm so the team went to Diane’s to pour concrete and start the new entry porch/steps.  3-Lots of people here have frozen water lines so we dipped the water we needed out of the bay. 4-Thursday it started out snowing so some of the guys went to the Lutheran Church to help them get started in converting some class rooms to sleeping areas for future rebuild and outreach mission groups. 5-Charlie and Steve stayed back and installed the rails on Barbara’s house.  6-The inspector wanted plywood over the fiberboard so on Friday most of the team did that while others built the base for Diane’s porch and rebuilt her a/c platform.

Thanks to this group and many others who have made a commitment to serve GOD this winter in New Jersey and stayed with the plans although it has been a cold winter.  Spring and summer will be here soon.  If you are thinking about coming to help this year please let us know soon so we can plan for a great year of service.

Small Team With a Servants Heart

     1-Our team this week: Jacob, Russell, Seth & Billy Nixon from Edenton. 2-It was suppose to rain first of the week so the guys went to the Gross home to replace the crawlspace ceiling.  3-Ann has joined a group of ladies called the Broadwalkers trying to get some exercise in this cold weather. 4-On Wednesday we started installing Barbara’s windows. They are storm ready windows and very heavy. 5-The windows are now in however some were built wrong. Can you see the problem? No one noticed this until Ann came by and pointed it out. All rough ins are done and Barbara is calling for inspections.  6-Ann was the cook this week but Russell & Seth helped with the dishes.  7-The ice sculpture is compliments of a busted water line going to laundry unit. 

Biltmore Returns Again

   The LORD must have wanted the Biltmore folks to feel at home.  He blessed us with cold weather and snow. The ladies spent most of their time at the Gross home painting trim and touching up the walls.  CR helped Chris finish the floors and baseboard.  We celebrated CR’s birthday.  Three of the guys went to Michelle’s to build her some entry steps.  Our feeding team was Bill and Carolyn, from The Baptist Convention of Pennsylvania-South Jersey.      Most of the guys spent the week at Barbara’s.  They built the front and rear porch and put in the steps. They also installed her entry doors. They also helped the plumber and electrician get the rough in done.

It is cold here now but spring and summer is just around the corner. At the current time we have eight homes to work on and three more families are waiting for me to visit their home to see if there is work NCBM volunteers will be able to help them with.  Two other home owners have requested our help with a total rebuild but they have not yet gotten plans or permits approved.  If your church or team is thinking about coming to help rebuild and spread GOD’s love please go ahead and let us know soon. 

Barbara’s House Gets A Roof

     GOD is good. Ten days after starting Barbara Hastings’ home is now framed and shingles installed.  Not bad for a very small volunteer team who battled rain, snow, freezing temps and high winds. During the build Rick had to fly to Kansas City to discuss a church addition he will be doing this summer. We took a few days to go home and see family. Rick returned Friday night so Paul and a few local guys helped Rick set the rafters on Saturday. Ike and Kent brought Billy back on Sunday. Ann stayed home for another week due to a dentist visit. The team worked together to get the roof done and all the many hangers and straps installed by Tuesday evening. Thursday the new roof received it’s official snow welcome.   Thanks to each and every one who has helped with the framing of Barbara’s home. She seems so happy to be able to think about placing things in her home.

It is January and it is cold and snowing here.  However there are still many people not able to go home and kick their feet up in their chair as you might be doing as you read this post. I have talked to four more home owners this week who are asking for our help.  Please pray about the possibility of traveling to NJ to help us spread the love of GOD.  He called us and we responded and due to us and many others who followed HIS call families are returning home. A home that GOD’s children helped rebuild and I feel certain the families will never forget that.

Back to Work & Happy New Year

     After a nice two week Christmas and New Year holiday we are back to work in NJ. David and Kathy Fuss joined us for a week to help coordinate operations and frame Barbara’s home.  Rick (our carpenter angel from Conn.) joined us until we get Barbara’s home framed and shingled. We had a great group of high school seniors from Statesville Christian School, in Statesville, NC. Since they were here from Thurs. to Wed. we had two feeding teams. We didn’t get a picture of the Reg 8 Feeding Team but they did a great job for the first part of the week and Dale Martin for the second half of the week. Some of the girls were lucky enough to do some inside work painting at the Gross home.     It has been cold and windy.  However work has moved right along on Barbara Hastings home.  The youth have nailed hurricane straps, shoveled sand and moved lots of timber up to the main floor for us.  Rick is amazing.  He will gladly tell you he loves carpentry.  Paul, Greg and Mark (locals) have also been a great help.  FYI – that is snow you see. Rick works rain, snow, cold and wind and loves every minute GOD lets him build.  For everyone that knows how Billy likes to work – he has met his match (and then some).