Day 9 - Celebrations & Reflections

Tonight, God brought the Missions Team safely home to Zephyrhills. We have many things to celebrate. God has taught us how to come together as a team and bring the love of Christ to others He loves. He helped us keep our focus on what He had sent us there to do, instead of getting distracted by challenges that surfaced.

Over the course of these last nine days, we were able to accomlish both projects at our first site and assisted another team in a Community Project. While at the Newlon's, we completed the installation of a rubber roof on their home and laid the flooring for their room addition to provide a new bedroom for their darling twin daughters. Then, we joined another team to provide a new roof for a sweet widow named Katie. Katie's home is approximately 100 years and she has been suffering with a number of roof leaks. I think everytime she looks at her new roof, she will be reminded of how much God loves her and provides for her needs.

This trip, however, is about more than roofs and flooring. It's about establishing relationships with others and showing them we genuinely care. It's about learning the great satisfaction that comes from working with other belivers to make a difference. In the days that come, I hope we'll be able to share what we've experienced and perhaps encourage others to take the Savior's light to others. As we return to our "normal routine" it's my wish that we'll take the spirit of our week of being on mission with God to those we encounter every day.

To all of our prayer and financial partners, may God richly bless you for contributing to this wonderful journey. To the new friends we have made, we look forward to the next time we can see you. - Pastor Mark

Day 8 - The Journey Draws to a Close

Well, folks, it is my turn to write the blog and I am kind of at a loss as to where to begin. New friends, new skills, bumps and bruises, lots of water and many tired, stiff and sore moments later, we are finally on our way home. It is phenomenal to see how complete strangers, when they are brothers and sisters in Christ, can come together and bond over a common desire to meet someones desperate need. We worked hard. Some projects we were able to complete and some we did not. The joy we felt to be able to finish one and the sorrow we felt at another project that was so overwhelming that several groups together were still not able to get done. In some cases, teams would work longer hours on Friday to get as much accomplished as possible. We ourselves stayed on the job site until after 5:00 p.m. when we should have left around 3:30 or 4:00. We wanted to make sure the roof we were working on was covered if not completely shingled in case it rained (something that happens quite a bit in West Virginia :0).

I do not say these things to get sympathy from anyone. It was an honor to serve the Lord in this way and the blessings are too numerous to count. So many gracious hosts and new friends. I personally feel I was able to connect with Samantha Newlon. What a tremendous young woman. I didn't know what to expect when we went to our first job site and I met a sweet person I can honestly call "friend." I look forward to staying in touch with her and keeping her in my prayers as well as the rest of the family. I guess that what affected me this week most was to see ordinary people just like you and me, struggling against immeasurable odds, just like you and me, to make ends meet and raise a family or live a life, just like you and me. That is what I find precious. God opened my eyes to see how easy it can be to love people just like His son loved people when He walked among us 2000 years ago - people just like you and me.

I pray that God will continue to grow this love for people in my heart and this desire to serve others to a point that He will be pleased. Thank you so much for your prayers and support. It has been an honor, a privilege, and a joy to be entrusted with this task you have given all of us.

Good night and God bless you.

Robin Warren

Day 7 - Showing God's Love

Between the beautiful and breathtaking view of West Virginia there is a community in need. More than 3,000 volenteers worked in this area last year alone, but it hardly touched the surface. When coal mines and railroads left this area the hard times began. We always hear about all the people in the world that are in need, but we forget we can do a world of good without traveling all that far.

Most of the people we helped this week attend local churches. They did not need to hear about God's love, they needed to see it. We had the chance to worship on Wednesday with the families we helped. Two churches were combined to share in worship, because they share the same pastor. I asked Pastor Eddy how he manages two churches and he laughed. "Two churches, that's nothing. Most Pastors in this area have five." So they know about God, they just need to feel Him.

One of my main focuses this week was the VBS. Our attendance was much lower than I expected, but then I remember that all we needed was one child to plant one seed. We were blessed with 11 children and a lot of seeds. The children, parents and volunteers of our host church gave the program rave reviews. I guess that is a reminder that you do not need all the frills, big props and big numbers to be serving our awesome God.

World Vision is a wonderful organazation that helps so many in this area. Mission work is only one small part. They are able to help this community in so many ways. Every state needs World Vision. This week in the mission area was one of their teen weeks. I felt like I was at camp agian. It was so exciting to see all the youth groups that picked a mission trip as their summer activity. Some of these kids worked so hard and did things I would not dream of doing. It was fun to worship with them in the evenings and work with them during the day.

God has been hard at work this week in WV. I have done things I never could have done without God. I have climbed on roofs, used power tools and even stayed calm around dogs. When I thought I could not do something, I knew God was there to carry me. One of my sisters sent Clyde a text after his journal entry and picture of me on the roof. It said, "God IS awesome, Megan and Mallory were on a roof, amd Megan DIDN'T fall odd." Only God could swing that.

This has been such an amazing experince. Each morning with start with a group of us meet for prayers and devotion around 7 and the day ended with our Westside group sharing about our day.

I know this will be the first of many mission trips for me. Who knows, maybe next time you can join me.

In God's Love,
Megan

Day 6 - Day of Expectation

This was an off day and we had the opportunity to visit the distribution center and were given quite a bit of good information and insight into the operation of World Vision. It was very interesting but because my hearing is not as good as it could be, I will have to depend on Robin and Mark to fill in the blanks. I hadn't realized the scope of the organization and the love they have for children, the youth and adults. That love is channeled through projects that we have been privileged to participate in, and see the appreciation of the recipients and feel the warmth of that love in our own hearts. The way that God opens our minds to the possibilities of giving of ourselves to others by serving them and in that serving opening our hearts to the love of God.

After the tour, we had a choice to have a fun day of river rafting or continuing to work on another project. Part of our team, the Bracknell's and myself chose to go to another project and spend the afternoon working. We were quite amazed at the way things came together. Some other teams had chosen to work also and we arrived after they had been working two or three hours and so we had to fit into the projects as best we could. As it worked out, we filled some gaps that they had and worked very well with the team that had already begun. It was uplifting to us the camaraderie that developed between our teams. The gentleman whose house we worked on - Jimmy was his name - how shall I say this - my preconception of him was totally inadequate. He spent his life as a handyman helping others and in his helping them, he has ignored many of his own needs. He is about six years younger than I and his wife is in a nursing home. I expected to be able to share some of the feelings that I had because my situation somewhat paralleled his. Unfortunately, because he was working with other team members all afternoon, I didn't get the opportunity to talk to him that I would like to have had and remind him of the unconditional love of God that I have experienced and that has helped me through the rough times and that same love can help him through his rough times as well. Please pray with me that God will use me as I interact with him tomorrow and that He will give me the words that Jimmy needs to hear.

I am so proud of our team. They have loved me and I love them. God is fulfilling many of the things that we expected to change us and to help bring change to the lives of others. By serving them, we serve Him. Thank you for allowing me to be your hands and your feet in this endeavor. Love, Randy Gunter (Robin Warren's Dad)

Day 5 - Wow God Is Awesome!!!

Well day 5 is in the books. All I have to say is WOW! God is Amazing! I was not sure how the day was going to unfold. I'll be honest, I was concerned how Tom would react to all of us being at his home. because when we met on Monday he was reluctant or unsure about everyone being there. This is where the wow comes in.... We met again first thing in the morning. He was out working in the yard. I said hello and shook his hand, and went to work. While we were finishing the roof, he and Pastor Mark had a chance to talk. Then when we were cleaning up I was talking with him and he asked if we were going to work on the home down the street, I said Yes. He said he wanted to come help. I was blown away. It had to be God that touched him today. It was a great feeling. We went down the street to another home. We and part of another team scraped off shingles and got part of the roof ready to shingle. While we were working guess who showed up.... Tom, ready to work. God is awesome. He even said that if we returned next year to help someone else in need........he wanted to take a few days off from work and come and help us!!!!!! How can anyone say there is no God? God was definately with us every step of the way on this amazing trip.After dinner we went to a small Methodist church for a church service. It was a very small congragation they have about 10-12 on Wed. night. Mark had to sing from a hymnal, not a power point program, but he did it and survived. Then we had icecream and sweets with the families we were helping. It was truely a blessing. Please keep praying for the Newlon family.
Oh yea, thanks for reading my very first blog. Clyde

Day 4 - New Experiences

Greetings to Westside Baptist Church friends from snowbird friends from Maine, Terry and Linda. We had more students today at vacation Bible School. The students are having a really fun time, and it is rewarding interacting with the children and the other workers. We pray that the enrollment will increase each day.

Hi, this is from Terry. I would like to share some of the new experiences from the job site. None of us had ever had the experience of putting on a rubber roof. From the welding of two rubberized sheets of roofing, to the laying of the sheets on the roof, and securing the sheets to the edge of the roof it's been an interesting experience to see how well we work together as a team. We should be finishing the roof tomorrow , and then moving on to another site with a roof that needs to be shingled.

This evening we attended a community picnic that included the World Vision team and the people in the community who are being helped. It was held at Tygart State Park, which is a very beautiful wooded area with a lake.

Continue to pray that we will be able to meet the challenges that continue to arise. Terry and Linda Taylor

Day 3 - Our Stamp

Hey Guys, its Mallory this is my blog today!

I've already learned alot on this trip and its only the first full day here in Philipii,and what an experience it has been. I remember the Sunday over 6 months ago when this idea of doing missions work with World Vision was laid upon our hearts, and now look, here we are on the trip as I write this! On the way here I asked myself(and boy I had plenty of time to think with that long car ride) what am I going to do to make a difference this week and in the future? Well I thought about it but I never gave myself a solid awnser.

Last night in the evening service our speaker asked us "what kind of stamp, what kind of message, what kind of difference will you leave in Appalacia?" he said "We are here to stamp our name in the book of World Vision, and in the book of this community. How will you make a difference?"

I belive we started putting our stamp on this community today. This morning, VBS started in a local church, it's only a small program but I know God has a plan for this church, these children, and all the workers! Down at the Newlon's home/our current worksite progress was done to the extention of the house while we wait for the materials for the rubber roof to come in. And WOW what progress,the floor was put down! The team came across some difficulties but we worked through them and we are ready and willing for what ever this week throws at us, because God is here with us every step of the way!

Your probably reading this saying, oh wow it seems like they are doing alot and are really busy, well I have a task for you to keep you busy the rest of the week, please pray for our teams safety. Tomorrow we will be working on the roof with ladders and saws and we really need to stay safe. Also pray for the Newlon family Samantha, Tom, Tommy, Kaitlyn, and Maddie! Pray for our team and all the teams here in West Virginia.

We look forward to see what else God has planned for us this week. 'Im sure you will hear plenty more stories up ahead, so keep following this blog! I look forward to seeing you all next week!

-Mallory Rieger:)