Mission Accomplished

We have finished our job at Mount Grove Baptist Church, and Miss Margaret and Geneva are thrilled.  Here are a few work pictures from today.

I've asked the members of the mission team to write their own reflections, so here are some thoughts from members of an awesome team.

Mary
Just got home from our last day on the job. Sat outside with a beautiful view of the mountains and ate leftovers. This has been a week of hard work but also lots of laughs and fun. Our project at Mt. Grove church was a perfect project for us. We were able to make a significant difference and accomplished more than we thought we could. We spent time talking with Geneva and Miss Margaret, who were fascinating and full of life. My goal is to be just like Miss Margaret when I am 93! She told us about life in a segregated coal mining camp and the challenges of integration during the 1950's and 1960's. She feels blessed in her life and she "always had a dollar." She still drives and her license plate says "foxy lady", with an Obama 2008 bumper sticker above it.
The team also had lots of interesting and fun side trips, especially with mother Allyson P. planning the fun. It was a wonderful week - now we need to recuperate!


Allyson
Have you ever met someone with whom you have an instant rapport?  Meeting Geneva and Margaret was like that.  Geneva was often with us at the church either sweeping, talking or spreading drylok!  Margaret invited Mary, Deb and I into her home when we went to see her garden.  She and Geneva told us stories and how times have changed.  The stories were often about difficult times in their lives but Margaret kept saying, "I am blessed and I always have a dollar."  Isn't that the truth!  By the end of Thursday, we were kissing and hugging goodbye. (And they came to see us go in the human car wash!)

Deb
What a  wonderful final day we had at the Mt. Grove Church, listening to Margaret, John, and Allison  singing together in the back pew - surrounded by the newly painted walls and the finished sanctuary - their voices ringing down to the basement crew still feverishly working on the new bathroom and kitchen. A wonderful final moment at the pipe/water falls as Margaret and her wonderful daughter Geneva cheered the mission team on as we did a dance congo line through the  fountain of fun.

Peter
My first mission trip -What would it be like?? Upon arriving we were told that we were going to an all black church in Wyco country about 1:20 minutes away to do painting and cleaning. We were also told that they had three active members - Margaret (over 90) and her daughter Geneva. My thinking was that this church would be run down and in need of a lot of help. Boy was I wrong as we drove up the driveway I saw the most beautiful white country church. After meeting both Margaret and Geneva I could see why this church was as it was. It was hard work, hot but very satisfying. You ever have the opportunity to go on a mission trip and go outside your comfort zone - go for it!!!

Connie
Earlier in the week, John asked to be aware of the "Presence of God" as we went throughout the week. The question became, when did I not see the presence of God so I'll share just a few.  The first evening we went to the Riff Raff Arts Collective.  Not only did we hear Lori and her husband sing in their home environment(they performed at out Mission Fair) but saw and witnessed their mission at an open mike night.  I was wonderfully surprised at the quality of their music and faithfulness that the musicians and singers exhibited.  Another moment came when after a longggggg hot day of work at our project site, dinner and then a reflective time in the even as I headed back to my bed, I passed our Pastor John coming in with his laptop to begin is blog.  I am sure that he was just as tired as I was and as we exchanged a few words of good night, I again saw God's mission in Pastor John.  And on our first outing at the pipe/water fall adventure, Chris decided to just watch our crazy antics so we decided that he needed a wet hug.  Evan ran to his dad and gleefully embraced him and you could see God's presence in both Chris and Evan's eyes.  

John

Toward the end of our time, I walked into the sanctuary and found Margaret sitting alone in the back pew.  I sat with her, and, to make conversation, asked her what was her favorite hymn.  Of course, she said that there were many.  She then asked me to get the hymnal from the pew and then started looking through the hymnal.  She saw one she liked and asked if I knew it - and I didn't.  She started to sing it with a rich, soulful voice that touched my soul.  But then she asked me to join in.  She pointed to each word as we sung it, as if to make sure I got what we were singing about.  There were tears in my eyes.  I don't know what came over me, but just singing next to this remarkable woman touched me in a way I've never experienced before.  We sang many more hymns, and were joined by Alison, Chris, Allyson, Evan, Doug, Rick and others.  Most hymns Margaret selected were about how your faith guides you through the hard times in life.  I knew, from hearing her stories, that she lived these hymns out.  It was such a privilege.  A connection unlike any other.  Afterwards, she gave me the hymnal we sang out of, and inscribed it.  I'll treasure this hymnal forever.  I'll never forget that hymn sing.

Tomorrow morning, we will be leaving for the Wade Center, then onto the Beckley Mining Museum, the New River Gorge Visitor Center, then onto Chambersburg, PA, for our first let of our journey home.  It's really hard to leave this beautiful place, yet we can't wait to come home and talk about our experience, share stories and sleep in our own beds.  Thanks again for your prayers!