Sunday, May 06, 2012
Mission on Stumpy Point
The mission trip was amazing. I never considered that we could have such a cross cultural experience while never leaving the U.S. All 16 of us ended up working on one home on a small island of Stumpy Point, about a 45 minute drive from where we stayed on Roanoke Island in Wanchese. We slept on air mattresses in Sunday School rooms; UMCOR brought in a portable shower in a trailer that was parked behind the church. They also brought in a tool trailer to the job site.
We worked on the home of the Midgett family; Robby, Naomi and three teenagers. Robby is a ninth generation fisherman on that spot. Their home had been flooded with 22 inches of water from Hurricane Irene. With FEMA funds they had the house raised eight feet on pilings. Our jobs were to insulate and attach plywood under the house, sheet rock three rooms in the main part of the house, and caulk and paint one bedroom. The family had been out of their home for nine months and had given up hope of returning any time soon. We gave them hope by getting so much done.
The Midgett's were as far to the right socially, politically and theologically as we are to the left. The beauty of the week was that by working side by side none of that mattered. We were able to move beyond everything that separated us to truly caring about one another and even appreciating the authentic faith of one another. The team was very compatible which helped a lot. We did a lot of laughing and crying, usually all at the same time. Blessings were found in ways we couldn't have imagined or predicted. Thanks be to God!
We worked on the home of the Midgett family; Robby, Naomi and three teenagers. Robby is a ninth generation fisherman on that spot. Their home had been flooded with 22 inches of water from Hurricane Irene. With FEMA funds they had the house raised eight feet on pilings. Our jobs were to insulate and attach plywood under the house, sheet rock three rooms in the main part of the house, and caulk and paint one bedroom. The family had been out of their home for nine months and had given up hope of returning any time soon. We gave them hope by getting so much done.
The Midgett's were as far to the right socially, politically and theologically as we are to the left. The beauty of the week was that by working side by side none of that mattered. We were able to move beyond everything that separated us to truly caring about one another and even appreciating the authentic faith of one another. The team was very compatible which helped a lot. We did a lot of laughing and crying, usually all at the same time. Blessings were found in ways we couldn't have imagined or predicted. Thanks be to God!
