Cookies and a Thank You Card

Tony and Mike watched the site so we could spend a few days away in Momeyer.  They came in last week and were the only volunteers we had this week. They were able to catch us up on mold treatment and assessment jobs.  They stayed over on Friday so we could install flooring in a Seaside Heights house so the plumber and electrician could get started on rebuilding the utilities of the house.  Ann was our cook this week and Mike and Tony were nice enough to wash the dishes each night after super. Tony had a boo boo while washing dishes so Mike came to the rescue. 

Everybody was gone on Saturday which left Ann & I alone.  Ann choose to go with me to check on a few jobs and clean up some in Lavallette.  We had left to go get lunch and do another assessment when Pat called to say they were at the house and her granddaughter had made cookies for us.  So after we ate we went back to meet Claire who also made us a thank you card.  Thanks to all the volunteers who have worked on this house.  I’ll eat your cookie rewards.  Chris the plumber was there so we went over several issues with Pat while Ann visited with the daughter and granddaughter while also watching the swan swimming behind the house.  As many have heard the board walk is being built back and we took time to walk on the Lavallette part while viewing the Atlantic on this beautiful day.

We have chosen to answer the call to go to New Jersey, to serve GOD by helping people rebuild their homes.  However it is a very slow process when we don’t have any volunteers.  We have very few signed up to respond during April and May.  We would like to have 40 plus volunteers each week. That way we could get lots more work done which would bring more glory to GOD.  Even if just two or three more will volunteer it will make a big difference in getting these homes repaired and the residents moved back home.  Please contact us if you can find some time to come and help.

Easter and a Trip Home

Sid Pittman’s team from Spruce Pine sprayed and fogged several homes for mold.  They also continued doing sheet rock work in one of our rebuild projects.  Linda was our nurse for the week.

The Kentucky team split up and did several jobs.  The ladies cleaned and painted at Devarone’s house as well as painting at Union Church of Lavallette.  The guys installed insulation in three crawl spaces along with doing sheet rock finishing on three homes.

On Easter Sunday we were invited to join Gail‘s family for an Easter lunch.  She had a beautiful Easter table set with great food.  We left early Friday morning and drove to Momeyer to drop off Cookie (the cat) and eat some world famous Momeyer Ruritan BBQ chicken.  Then we drove to Winston Salem to attend the North Carolina Mission Conference.  The Christian singer Meredith Andrews who grew up in Wilson was the worship leader.  Back in her high school days she was a friend of our son Matthew.  We both spoke briefly on Saturday morning at the volunteer breakfast about what we were doing in New Jersey.  Billy also spoke during the Baptist Builders break out sessions in hope of encouraging others to come to New Jersey to help clean up and rebuild while we also share GOD’s love.  We will be headed back to NJ on Wednesday.

Last Week of Spring Break and A Full House

Our Teams: 1-Cook Team Paula and her sons, Chris and Noah from New York and North Carolina; 2-Trinity of Fairview; 3-University of Delaware Alternative Spring Break Program; 4-First Baptist of Staunton,VA; 5-Sharon Chilton-Moser (crew chief for Delaware team); 6-Al Percy (assessor).

Sharon was gracious enough to come spend a week with us and teach the Delaware College a few things.  They tore out floors and walls along with yard clean ups.  Billy was concerned with 18 girls and 3 guys but Sharon was able to get a lot of work out of them.

Some of the folks from both of the rebuild teams went to Union Church of Lavallette to do some painting.  Although the building got water inside and walls and flooring had to be torn out and replaced Pastor Todd has been having services there since mid November.  In a few more weeks the fellowship hall and kitchen should be ready for use.

Pastor Todd replaced the flooring with tile so they are still doing the grout.  The rest of the 2 groups repaired walls, installed wall insulation, hung insulation and started mudding in a couple of houses.

The crawl space insulation was replaced in three homes.

On Friday morning several of the ladies from Staunton, VA finished cleaning up a yard to welcome a elderly couple back home.  Then Trinity started cleaning a crawl space up so fabric and stone could be put in.  Shortly after they started putting in the stone some of the Staunton group showed up to lend a much needed hand.   In just one hour the pile of rock was almost done.  Better known as team work.

Thanks to Paula and her sons for accepting God’s call on short notice to be our feeding team this week.  They are from New York but are living in NC right now and she just got trained at the Region 1 training in March.  Thanks also to several other team members that stepped up to help them.  They did a great job.  Does anyone think that Noah (in the plaid shirt) looks like Matthew? 

A few people caught Billy working this week and doing his favorite thing, talking.

We are still receiving lots of new request for tear out and rebuild help.  We pray daily for more volunteers.  Only a few weeks are full at this time and many are still empty.  Please pray and if led by GOD I hope you will go wherever it is He is sending you.  I hope it is New Jersey.  We are in dire need of tear out and rebuild teams during the next few weeks.  If you can finish sheetrock we have several homes ready to finish so teams can continue working.

 

Two Hard Working Teams & A Passover Seder

Teams; Long Branch Baptist Church, Lumberton, NC & Region 1 Feeding Team from Meherrin Baptist Church, Murfreesboro, NC.

During the day the cook team went out to sites to work for a few hours.  They moved food and supplies at Union Church of Lavallette one day.  Another day they pulled nails and staples. They cleaned up for the rebuild team coming next week.  However they made sure to get back to Grace in time to clean up and fix some great meals.   I understand now that they are back in NC they are going to help Allen build a Baptist Builders tool trailer.

If you notice Elton who came with feeding team is spending a lot of time on the floor, well he lost his legs several years ago in a farm accident but he will not give up.  He still goes and serves and on this trip well it was easier to get on the floor than bend over all day for him. The Long Branch team (and Elton) spent the week replacing flooring and insulation. 

On Wednesday night Grace held a Passover Seder.  Dr. Mitch Glaser, the president of Chosen People Ministries guided us through the Seder.  He explained the traditional foods and actions of the Jewish Passover and showed us how it points to Christ

We only had two small teams this week but they got a lot of work done.  Next week we will will have three large teams.  Stay tuned for what will for sure be a great week because GOD is sending each one for a reason.  Has he called you to go and serve ?  Big question is – when He calls do you listen ?

Week Two of Spring Break

We had four hard working teams this week.

The college group from West Virginia pulled insulation out of crawlspaces, ripped up floors and pumped out crawl spaces.

The Alliance group cleaned floors, pulled nails and also ripped up flooring.

Although we forgot to get pictures of the Carteret team working, they finished installing flooring in two homes along with installing insulation and hanging sheet rock in another.

George is still fogging homes and Louise is keeping our site and clothes clean.

Ann had three eye doctor appointments this week for her shingles (in her eye) and is doing much better.  She was able to attend the Women of Grace Spring Thaw Luncheon today. Thanks for the prayers said for her.

Thanks to all who have come to Allenwood to help the survivors of Sandy clean-up and start the rebuild of their homes.

Two Weeks In One

Week of February 24-March 2: 1-Mitchem Group  2-Howard and Glenda Wise  3-Region 9 Feeding Group

Week of March 3-9:  1-Mountain View Baptist Church, Maiden, NC  2-Grace Community Church, Richmond, VA  3-Michigan Group working with Pastor Todd  4-UNC Charlotte Group  5-College of William and Mary Group  6-Region 7 Feeding Group

Kelly’s group worked on two different homes doing complete tear outs.

Teams have started putting in insulation and flooring so the plumbers and electricians can get in to do their repair work.

Ann went home for a doctor’s check-up and then was able to help make badges at region 1 training.  Billy attended the reopening of the A&P in Ortley Beach where he was able to speak to the Lt. Governor.  A group of Americorp/FEMA volunteers came by on Monday to get an understanding on how NCBM works.   The Mt. View team brought up donations of soap & cleaners that had been collected by a girls track team in their town.  The workers leave their boots at the door to keep from tracking up the church.  The UNC Charlotte group made us a NCBM snow man before they left for home.

The reason these posts are so late is because Ann went home for a week and when she got back she developed shingles and has been sick for over a week.

My Train Ride

We did not have any work teams this past week so we did not get a lot done.  Of course George and Louise were still there with us plugging along.  We are having some site issues with the local township so please be in prayer for those issues to be resolved quickly.  Ann took the train home on Sunday and will be gone for a week.  She has several appointments and will be attending the Region 1 training  on March 1 and 2 in Murfreesboro.

Ann’s Thoughts on Riding the Train

I was excited for my train adventure but a little nervous too since I had never ridden Amtrak before.   I wasn’t sure of the boarding procedure.  While I was waiting a lady sat down on my right.  I hoped she was a veteran train traveler but no, I found out it was her first time too.  After I chatted with her for a few minutes a man that had been sitting across the room from me but was now sitting on my left spoke to me.  He had seen my NC Baptists Builders coat and wondered if I was in NJ working after the hurricane.  He was a highschool principle from Williamston, NC and said his dad used to do work with them when he attended the Baptist Church.  I told him why I was here and we chatted awhile about mission trips.  I invited him and his church to come help us in NJ. This was his first train ride too.

When it was time to board the train it was very easy.  They don’t search you or your luggage, take your picture, make you take your shoes off or even look at your ticket before you board.  It’s very different from airplane boarding.  You need to be ready though because the train only stays in the station for about 5 minutes. Once on the train they come by your seat and scan your ticket.  The seats were very comfortable with lots of leg room and a foot rest.  The views were good.  I got a glimpse of the Washington Monument. The best thing is that you can use all of your electronic devices and you even have a place to plug them in.  My favorite thing was looking at the map on my phone with the GPS on and being able to see exactly where we were.  I sat beside Jackie, a nice young girl on her way back to school (ECU) from her home in New Hampshire.  On the down side there was a guy one row up and across the aisle that talked on his phone the whole time except when he was asleep.  That got a little annoying.  I took my own food and drink but they have a dining car and a lounge car where you can buy food and the prices didn’t look to unreasonable.

My trip took eight hours (scheduled for 7 1/2) which was longer than flying but about the same as driving.  For one person the ticket cost less than gas and the trip was more relaxing. All in all it was a good trip and I would do it again.

A Valentine Surprise

Our teams this week-1.  Richard and Carl came with the feeding team but worked as a fogging team.  2.  Region 5 Feeding team members Brian and Tom were helped by our full time cleaning lady, Louise.  3.  Brad Johnson from Cool Springs Baptist in Sanford.  4.  Still here from last week is Paul Gallaway from Fayetteville.  5.  Diane from right here at Grace Tabernacle came in and unboxed and labeled tools all day long.

Richard and Carl spent the week spraying and fogging for mold treatment.  During their waiting time they also shared the gospel.   Brad and Steve (a local church volunteer) spent most of the week going behind other teams and cleaning up so others could fog.  Brad spent Thursday building shelves in our temporary storage unit.

Each Monday we share the church/school with a home school group.  Louise and Ann enjoyed joining them in their opening worship time in the gym.  Later that day Ann was surprised with Valentine cards and heart candies with bible verses attached for our volunteers.

A Snow Day in New Jersey

We did not have a lot of volunteers this week, but the ones we had worked hard in some very cold weather.

1-Phillip and Martha Heavner, Admin, from Valdese  2-Lynn Baker from Beaufort  3-Region 7 Feeding Team led by Terry Barnes  4-Raleigh First Baptist led by Gerald Dudak  5-Charles Aultman, Recovery Bluehat and Don Gallimore, our favorite sheetrock man, from Roxboro.  6-Paul Gallaway from Fayetteville.

The Raleigh team spent the week tearing out and cleaning homes getting them ready to fog for mold.  On a few homes they removed the insulation from the crawl space.

Don road up up Charles to help us with sheet rock finishing. The ladies helped him one day sanding.  Charles went with Don on Saturday to help sand.

When we came to the camper last night it was cold but still just raining. However when we went to bed we looked out and the ground was covered.  Then when we got up Saturday morning what a change.  The wind was blowing hard and we had between six and eight inches of snow.   Billy ate breakfast and then started helping Anthony move the snow.  It has melted some today but I am sure it will lay in the piles for several days.  Next week is supposed to be warm so it should be gone soon.  Rudy & Robin brought the rebuild tool trailer up on Friday and carried the skid steer back to NC on Saturday.  So for all of you who want to help with rebuild come on up the tools are here.

We have very few volunteers for the remainder of February so we have plenty of room for you.

Recovery , Rebuild & Salvations in New Jersey

We had three great teams this week.  Top-Gary Roberts-crew chief from Woodland Hill Baptist Church, Asheville.  Bottom-Jim Canterbury-crew chief from Westwood Baptist Church, Cary and our feeding team from Region 9 led by Harvey Hart.  They worked hard and shared the word.  There were 31 salvations. THANK YOU GOD

The Westwood group worked on rebuild jobs including sheet rock hanging and finishing along with installing insulation and plywood under a temporary camper to help keep it warm.  The Woodland Hills group worked on tear outs and fogging.

Linda helped out in administration.  It got warm on Friday so Ann & Louise went for a walk around the reservoir.  A young man with the Westwood group celebrated his birthday here.  Gary was trying to find a hat that is hip.  Ann and Tony went to Case Management Training up north for two days so they took the opportunity to visit the Lower New York Bay where you can see across to Staten Island.

The people of New Jersey & New York need your help.  The recovery (tear out & fogging for mold) jobs continue to come in every day.  We have also started a rebuild program which we get requests for help each day also.  Both of these projects will continue for several more months.  Please pray and spread the word that volunteers are needed now and in the months ahead.  GOD has spoken to many who have listened and came to volunteer.  When will you be stepping up to serve GOD?