A community making a difference in the world

A community making a difference in the world

Sunday, July 9, 2017

Made It to the Folklife Center

We are so excited to be here at the Folklife Center!  It seems like coming home for me and others who were here last year.  For others, it is a new and exciting place to discover.   The Center is absolutely beautiful - West Virginia is "almost heaven" as John Denver's song goes.  The sunset was beautiful, and now, at night, you can see hundreds of stars in the sky and a beautiful full moon.

On the way to the center, we had a good time exploring some caves in Virginia.  A tour guide took us through some amazing caves, with spectacular stagalites and stalagmites.





A tradition continues: a photograph in front of a snowman made of foam insulation!  Then on to do shopping for 16 people for a week!







Then the final leg of the journey to the Folklife Center, which includes a winding drive that parallels the New River, with beautiful scenic areas.....



Finally, at 6:30, we got to the Folklife Center and met Roger May, the new director.  Roger is a wonderful man and devoted to West Virginia.  He grew up in Mingo County (home of the Hatfield and McCoys).   He is a talented photojournalist with adeep knowledge of Appalachia.  Check out his website: Roger May Webiste.

Roger gave us a warm, gracious welcome to the center and then gave us the "big reveal": what we will be doing this week.  We will be headed to Wyco, West Virginia, a traditionally black coalminer community.  There is a predominantly black church, Mount Grove Baptist Church, that will be celebrating its 100th anniversary next year.  They are looking for a work groups to come and take care of some much needed deferred maintenance.  A group has already worked on the outside, and it's our job to work on the inside.  It will need a good paint job, and other inside repairs.  The church is run by a 93-year-old woman named Miss Margaret Pugh, assisted by her daughter Geneva.  Miss Margaret still drives, and her doctor says she has "the heart of a 14-year-old."

I was getting a bit teary just hearing about this project.  I couldn't think of a better thing to do this week.  Not only helping this church, but forming new relationships with a faith community, with such faithful leaders just inspires me.

We then had the honor and privilege to present Roger with almost $2,300 in Lowe's gift cards.  With tears in my eyes, I talked about how our Mission Team is not just who came down here, but all of you.  I talked about the amazing, generous people back in Bedford and beyond who made this happen.  Roger was deeply touched by this gift: it was a really special moment.




After a delicious dinner, featuring Cheryl Pespisa's wonderful Mexican Casserole and a salad, we gathered in a circle to begin our time of prayer and reflection.  I asked people who they were here.  Why did they sacrifice vacation time, pay $230 and commit themselves to a week of hard work and sweat for people they did not even know.  The answers were as varied as the people in the circle.  They all came from deep places.  I already feel how special this group is - how each person is an important part and how, together, we form something amazing.

I told them to remember their answers and compare them with their answers on Friday.  Ultimately they are here because God wants them here.  God has a plan that they may not even realize.  It is up to us to follow Jesus, just as the first disciples, not knowing exactly where they are going, what is going to happen or what the outcome will be.  

The journey has begun for us.  We thank you so much for all your prayers.  We were thinking of the church gathered in worship at 9:30, and could feel your prayers.  Please keep praying for us.  It really means a lot!


No comments:

Post a Comment