Staff and Locals at Work

  Tim, Vickie, Ann and Billy returned to Jersey on Tuesday. We had no volunteer teams this week so Wednesday, Thursday and Friday were spent painting at Kenny’s house.  Paul, Chris (the sheetrock guy) and the home owner helped.  On Saturday Chris (the HVAC guy) and Pastor Todd helped Billy and Tim at the Jolly house finishing their kitchen and getting it all but ready for them to return home.

We still have many weeks open for volunteers.  Call us if you feel the call to help.  We welcome groups and individuals.

Georgia State Week

  1-With only one work team we had a small but good cook team from Region 9.  2-On Tuesday night Lucrecia (homeowner Anthony’s wife) came over and made home made Italian meat balls. 3- Paul helped the Georgia team hang sheet rock at Anthony’s. 4-Our college team from Georgia State. 6&7-The ladies helped move Catherine to a new tempoary home.  In doing so they discovered she had no furniture. So Vicki, Tim, Debbie and two of the GA girls took her a air mattress.  The next day Vicki, Tim, Paul and Pastor Todd got her a real bed, couch, chair, dining room set and some food and carried it all back to her.

5-We left on Thursday morning to go to The NC Mission Conference in Charlotte.  Billy was able to share a brief word on what has been done in New Jersey as well as request for more volunteers.  Ann set up and worked the Mission Fair exhibit while Billy did three break out sessions.  We talked to several people about coming to help this year but did not get anyone to say they would come.  At present time we have many weeks that still need to be filled with volunteers.  Please contact us to let us know when your group would like to come.  The GA team came with not one but two Recovery Blue Hats. Most of the week they worked at Anthony’s learning how to cut and install sheet rock.  The girls helped move Catherine and spent some time Wednesday afternoon cleaning up a yard for a couple.  They were a great team and I think they learned a lot.

Welcome Home Jolly Family

  Alliance College Connection-Boone: The Jolly house had been sitting empty for many months since Sandy came for a visit. NCBM volunteers had helped hang the sheet rock last May. Ron was going to finish the home. However he got sick and has not been able to do much of anything.  Volunteers for the past two weeks have worked towards completing the home so the Jolly’s can return home.  Billy and Mary helped lead the Alliance team as they did trim work, installed kitchen cabinets, painted and cleaned the yard.  On Friday before they left we had a house dedication although it is not quite complete. This was Alliance’s fifth mission trip to New Jersey.  Mount Vernon Baptist Church-Boone: The Mount Vernon team split up and did several jobs.  They hung lots of sheet rock at Anthony’s house as well as cleaning up his yard.  Others removed decks from a home, preparing the way so the home could be lifted.  At another home they removed the insulation from the crawl space.  University of Delaware-Alternative Spring Break Program: On Friday evening a group from Universe of Delaware came up so they could work on Saturday.  Most of them hung sheet rock at Helen’s house. Some of the ladies cleaned up at 2 other homes so the sheet rock finishers could work. Larry, our feeding Blue Hat this week knew this group from when they worked in Bayboro so he worked with them today.  On Wednesday night Todd came and did his Bible study to a full room. Lots of volunteers and several locals had a very interactive study.  Paul always enjoys the great food prepared by our cocking teams.  Larry Brush led the feeding team from Region 3. Tim and Billy finished removing a bathroom tile floor so it could be repaired.  Ann took a little time to enjoy a walk on the Board Walk on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon.

We are in need of sheetrock finishers. In order to get home owners back into their home this Spring we have 2 finishing jobs being contracted out.

Two Groups Working Together

   1-First Baptist Wilmington College Group; 2-New full time staff members Vicki and Tim Etheridge; 3-Biltmore Baptist, Asheville; 4-Billy and Ann; 5-Region 7 Feeding Team led by Larry Woodrow.  What do you do when you have a college team with little rebuild experience and a well experienced (older) team? You put them together of course. The UNC Wilmington group came with a servants heart and a desire to learn. They learned how to carry sheet rock, measure it, cut it and hang it thanks to the Biltmore group.  The Biltmore group also painted and laid flooring at the Jolly house.  After that they and the UNC group moved and hung sheet rock.  The two groups worked well together and were a blessing to each other.  1-Andy is ready to hit the waves. 2-Barbara and May found a snowman on the beach. 3-Ann went to the Seaside Heights’ St. Patrick’s Day Parade.  She enjoyed hearing all the Pipe and Drums bands playing Amazing Grace. 4-Gaylon had a meeting in PA so he came by for a brief visit.  At least he was able to see some Jersey snow and feel some of the cold air we have dealt with this year.  5-As for Jimmy, once he wakes up he is ready to go but it’s usually after he has eaten breakfast.

If you noticed that we skipped a week it was because we did not have any volunteers that week and Ann went home for a few days.  Billy is happy to have her back.

We are in need of sheetrock finishers.

Polar Bear Plunge

  With no volunteer teams this week Paul pitched in each day so the work could continue. We have moved one of the storage units to make room for Tim & Vickie Etheridge’s camper.  They will join us next weekend and stay for the year.  Some of the other work included installing a tub and hanging sheetrock at Jayne’s house and finishing some sheet rock at the Jolly’s house.  On Saturday we went to the beach for the Polar Bear Plunge.  Thankfully it was a much warmer day than we have been having. Paul has connections and was able to get us on the beach so we could get an up front view of the plungers going in and coming out.  Traffic was bad but they raised a lot of money ($1,184,448) for Special Olympics.  Of course the traffic didn’t bother us because we walked.

No teams this coming week either.  Have you booked your week to come and minister in New Jersey yet?

Back to Work in New Jersey

If you missed us last week we were back at home for a week.  Billy did some repair work, Ann worked at the Yellow Dog Bread Company and both spent time with family and friends.  This week we are back with a team we really enjoy from Region 8.  Joyce Beam with that team journaled their week on Facebook so she is letting me use her posts as a guest blogger.

Monday Morning: We are in New Jersey. It is beautiful outside as it snowed last night. Pancakes and sausage for breakfast this morning and then to get our schedules of work for today. Pray for us as we minister to those we come in contact with today as we work in homes in the area!  Monday Night: A busy day in New Jersey. Was assigned fire watch from 4-6. Helped cook breakfast. The men left to work at a house and the ladies organized a bunk room that had been piled with storage items and then we organized all the Baptist Men's shirts so Ann will have an easy find. This afternoon we went to a home and sanded Sheetrock. Darlene, Dianne, and I took a cold stroll to the beach. Now we have showered and are going to help Jane fix supper!  Tuesday: We worked in a home putting insulation in the bottom floor. The owner was working also to put in electricity. It is very cold here as you can see so we came back at lunch and Dianne and I climbed under my electric blanket to get our feet warm!  Wednesday: Worked today filling nail holes with putty, rolling walls, and painting trim. Some of the team put ceiling insulation in Andy's house! A very good day working for The Lord! The team in New Jersey ended the day with a Bible Study from James by Pastor Todd!  Thursday: The New Jersey Team worked in 3 different houses today. Some were painting, plumbing, putting up storm doors, and odds and ends. It was a busy day but we took time to go out and eat lunch at The Crab shack!  Friday: On our last day in New Jersey, our teams from First Baptist Hickory and Elizabeth Baptist Shelby, Zion in Shelby and Mt. Zion in Casar painted doors, walls, and trim, framed doors and windows, put putty in nail holes,carried lots of trash off. We have worked in three different houses this week. Along with our work in the houses the five ladies cooked for the 17 of us.  On Thursday night a new team from Grace Haven Church in Wake Forrest came in.  They have installed cabinets, flooring, insulation and a storm door.  Tomorrow they are taking a trip to NYC and attending church there.  The team will be here until Tuesday.

Region 5 Feeding Team or Rebuild Team?

  John Johnson was scheduled to be our feeding lead for this week.  Unfortunately we did not have any rebuild volunteers coming.  Billy told John that he did not have to come to feed but he was welcome to bring up a rebuild team and he did just that.  His team was from Pleasant Garden Baptist in Greensboro.  Carl and Richard came too and this made their 5th New Jersey trip. The group worked on sheetrock most of the week.  They finished up Bruce’s house (for those of you here the week before). Local resident Paul has become Billy’s right hand man.  He has been so much help.  We had snow again this week but on Monday the weather was nice enough that Ann took a walk on the beach in between her cooking and other duties. 

We don’t have volunteers for next week so have gone home for a visit.

A Snowy Week at the Jersey Shore

  1-Region 4 Feeding Team; 2-Westwood Baptist Church, Cary; 3-Billy helping Jersey Shore United unload their freebies from Home Depot; 4-Matthews Baptist Church, Matthews; 5-Jim from Westwood helping Billy; 6-Pastor Todd is doing a Wednesday night bible study on James at our site.  Everyone is welcome; 7-Our last night with Vicki and Tim for awhile.   Wanda Temple led a hard working feeding team.  They prepared great meals and kept the showers and common areas clean.  Even though we had snow and it was very cold they went for several walks on the beach.Although it has been an unusually cold and snowy week the teams stayed steady at work.  The Westwood team installed insulation, hung sheet rock, moved sheet rock inside, mudded, taped and sanded sheet rock and painted.  They still found time to help homeowners shovel snow.     It was so cold here that the Matthews’ team actually built a air condition platform inside and then carried it out to install it on the concrete pads.  They also built a raised floor for a washer and dryer.  They did more sheet rock finishing along with installing counter tops.

Yes it is cold here in New Jersey but many home owners are still not back into their homes.  I am sure as you read this your are relaxing in your warm confortable home. Please pray for the many volunteers who are answering GOD’s call to go and serve.  At present time we are working on 10 different homes.  We have new requests to help rebuild 6 others.  All 16 will be very happy when their homes are completed so they can move back in and relax.  Also each week we receive additional requests from the Long Term Recovery Group for help with additional homes.  So yes, long story short we are in need of volunteers now and through the coming months.

Old Friends and New Friends

This was a great week with a great bunch of men and women.  Most of them have been here before and have plans to return soon.  Some of them were on their first mission trip and plan to come again too.Phil and Billy with the feeding team did a lot of odd and ins around the church while Hollis and Kaye did most of the cooking – good choice. The Biltmore and Rocky Hock teams hung sheet rock, repaired framing, painted, finished sheet rock, built more bunk beds and under skirted the shower unit.  We have been having issues with the outside and inside showers so several of them lent a hand so we now have properly operating showers inside and out. 

We only have one week in February with volunteers.  If you are available give us a call.  There is lot’s of work to do.

A New Year, A New Location and New Staff

This week we have been busy making some more improvements at our site. We welcome Tim & Vicki Etheridge who have agreed to help with the operation in New Jersey during 2014.  Our team this week was from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA. They were a hard working group from VCU’s Aspire program. Our cooking/plumbing crew was Gerald & Hervy. They cooked breakfast every morning and then plumbed the rest of the day.  Ann was in charge of supper with help from Tim and Vicki.  Ann was also happy to do some sewing even if it was just hemming shower curtains.

The college team hung sheet rock, helped Gerald plumb, cut up a dock that floated into a yard, poured concrete and installed a ramp.

NCBM is now staying in Seaside Heights.  Not as much room as we had at Grace Tabernacle but most of our work sites now will be from just a few blocks away to 10 or 15 minutes.  Several teams have already booked their return trip dates.  Still many weeks to be filled so get your team together, set a week and call Mary to book it.

FYI – The new location is 2 blocks from beach and boardwalk.