Our final segment of news from the WV mission trip is about the work done by the young people for whom Covenant mission team was providing meals. As one of the team members put it, “We serve you (the youth) so you can go out and serve the community.”
The area in which the young people worked has many families who are in the lowest economic segment of our society, and one of their greatest needs is a safe and secure home with electricity and running water. While the youth can’t claim to be professional builders/painters/ etc. they have energy (well—most of them!) and good intentions, and the people they help are grateful for the improvements they make. And, of course, there are adults on hand who have the know-how to direct their efforts.
Some worked on a home that was being built on land so steep that those riding in the 4-wheel drive truck had to get out when they came to the steepest grade so the truck could make it up the last stretch. Now that’s steep!
Picture a two story house “in process” with no water or final plumbing yet. However, a grandmother of the family lived up the hill (yes there were a few more houses even higher!) who had a hose long enough to run down to the new house. This would provide water until the plumbing could be completed. The plan was to first complete the second story which would have bedrooms and a bathroom. Consequently the group was hanging drywall on the second floor before the 1st floor was completed.
The other thing needed was a deck which may sound like a luxury but was a necessity for this family. From the front door there was a significant drop to the ground which required at least a small deck with steps down to the ground in order for them to get the U & O certificate needed before they could live there. (U & O stands for Use and Occupancy, folks! When you write about mission trips in needy areas, you learn about all sorts of things!)
Rain the first day meant digging in the mud for the foundation of the deck. This was decidedly unpopular with the youth who would almost certainly have had a ball with such a task when they were 5 or 6 years old. However the weather cleared, and progress was resumed.
One of the most conscientious workers was a 14 or 15 year old girl who was absolutely dedicated to the work and stayed with whatever was the task at hand. Who knows—in this world of disappearing stereotypes, she could end up a contractor and build the house of your dreams!
Next in the mission trip schedule: providing lunch at the Outley House shelter in Philadelphia on Saturdays of the next two holiday weekends: September 6 (Labor Day) and November 29 (Thanksgiving.)
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
MORE TO COME FROM FROM WV
Everyone arrived home safely from WV, and the stories continue to circulate. At the top of the list is Quintin's fall over the canyon rim with the horse he was riding. Everyone is very grateful that both are safe, and neither has injuries which, considering the circumstances and what could easily have been a less fortunate outcome, many consider a miracle.
Check back Monday, Aug. 25 for Rich's recollections from his time working on house repairs and construction with the youth during the week. He's a high school biology teacher during the school year and works as a carpenter during the summer, so both backgrounds prepared him for the week. (I trust you remember he also worked all week helping to prepare, serve, and clean up meals along with the rest of the team!)
The next mission trips will be led by multi-talented Rich and will take place Saturdays Sept. 6 and Nov. 29 (a Dec. date TBA) where the team will prepare and serve lunch to the residents of Outley House, a drug rehab shelter in Philadelphia. Call Covenant (610-648-0707) if you'd like to join in.
After that--a team will travel Feb. 21 to 28 to Naranjito, Mexico to work with the women in the Presbyterian Church teaching them crafts and sewing skills. Once again, we plan to have reports for the blog--so be sure to tune in!
Check back Monday, Aug. 25 for Rich's recollections from his time working on house repairs and construction with the youth during the week. He's a high school biology teacher during the school year and works as a carpenter during the summer, so both backgrounds prepared him for the week. (I trust you remember he also worked all week helping to prepare, serve, and clean up meals along with the rest of the team!)
The next mission trips will be led by multi-talented Rich and will take place Saturdays Sept. 6 and Nov. 29 (a Dec. date TBA) where the team will prepare and serve lunch to the residents of Outley House, a drug rehab shelter in Philadelphia. Call Covenant (610-648-0707) if you'd like to join in.
After that--a team will travel Feb. 21 to 28 to Naranjito, Mexico to work with the women in the Presbyterian Church teaching them crafts and sewing skills. Once again, we plan to have reports for the blog--so be sure to tune in!
Monday, August 11, 2008
LAST DAYS...
West Virginia - Part 4
Wednesday August 6, 2008
Raindrops Keep Falling on My Eggs - A Company Store - Two Good Samaritans (Job #1)
When you are up at 5:30 in the morning you see so much more of your surroundings. The griddle we referred to in previous emails is actually outside under an 8x8 tent cover. Because it is propane we keep it and the fuel tanks outside. Because it is gas it also has an open flame. So for safety we are outside.
Daylight arrives around six o’clock. We seldom see the sun that early because of the surrounding high mountains. But the light filters through the haze that covers the top of the mountains. On good days Carl and Quintin are treated to an array of colors as the haze burns off and the mountaintops appear.
Today is not one of those days. It is overcast and we can hear thunder coming our way. On the griddle Wednesday morning we do eggs over easy. We are just into serving breakfast at 6:30 when the rain comes in torrents. The tent cover cannot take the deluge and is leaking badly. So much water is pouring onto the griddle that my eggs over easy become poached eggs. It is impossible to continue. And then, just as quickly as it started, the rain stops. We continue.
You may remember that Wednesday afternoons everyone has off. The teens work until one o’clock and then are free until curfew at 10:30. Luckily it clears by noon.
Rich has fallen in with a work group working on a new house. Rich’s carpentry skills have made him an integral player in building a deck on a new construction. We pick him up and drive to a town named Whipple and a building named “The Company Store” which is now over 100 years old. It’s design and the remnants stored in the building in that time are now on display. The guided tour and artifacts help us to understand what life really was like back then. Carl, with his interest in history, just delves right in with question after question. On the other hand Rich looks at the building as a carpenter and thinks they should just tear the building down. But he endures the tour.
Around five we return to the school to tackle two projects. First we make creamed dried beef for Thursdays breakfast. Then Pat pulls out the novel she is reading because Carl and Rich are going to do a service project for Brenda the school custodian. In the main hallway there was a water leak that destroyed ceiling tiles several months ago. The tiles are still not replaced because they have sprinkler valves and smoke alarms protruding through some of the tiles. This involves close measurement and cutting. We spend the next two hours measuring and cutting. We complete all but one opening. We need to turn the fire alarm off to do that opening so we wait to talk to Brenda on Thursday.
I think the above project points out the big difference between our schools and the one we were in here in WV. Could you see some one in Great Valley School District asking two guys off the street if they will fix something in the school? Yes even we think it is a strange request but with all Brenda is doing to help us with the food here we do not want to let her down.
As it turns out Bonnie (the school cook helping us) also has a request.
Thursday August 7, 2008
Good Samaritans (Continued) and ER Visit #2
Bonnie and Brenda have a head start on breakfast by 5:30 am. Brenda has already cooked the sausage to go with the pancakes from the griddle. She has also baked cinnamon rolls for breakfast and a sheet cake for tonight’s dessert. I couldn’t ask for better, but I can’t help to wonder if she will be a whirlwind if we come back next year. Yes even Bonnie and Brenda are talking about a come-back by PACE (PA Christian Endeavor) next year.
The school principal initiated that sentiment just yesterday when he expressed how happy he was with what we were doing.
After dinner Rich and I tackle the last ceiling tile. Brenda doesn’t know how to deactivate the smoke alarm. I trace the control panel and spot where the ac power is converted to dc and disconnect. I can’t believe I am doing this. We replace the tile with the cutouts falling just right. And turn the alarm back on. My only hope is the school doesn’t burn down this week.
Rich and I look at Bonnie’s project. She needs a gatepost reset. Sounds simple, but not really. The post was set in cement but only three inches was actually in the cement. That is basically why it did not last very long. We need to think about it, and we only have tomorrow.
During the last few days I have had a pain in my left back. When I would stand up it would hurt but I was able to wiggle this way and that and it was gone. I was able to continue with what we were doing.
That is until Thursday night. Lying in bed no matter how I tried to move I was in severe pain. There was no solution except to call an ambulance. Quintin (remember, he's 13 years old) went down stairs to the lobby and asked the night clerk to call an ambulance. It was midnight.
The ambulance crew arrived promptly and Quintin met them in the lobby. “You’ll want a stair chair or a backboard,” he tells them from his fire company experience. They are not thrilled that we are on the third floor. They transferred me to a stair chair and we started the journey down the steps.
Now I have run ambulance here in East Whiteland for fifteen years. I have brought many a person down steps in a stair chair. But tonight as the patient it was not fun. Of course my weight added something to the difficulty of the attendants
Fifteen miles to the nearest hospital, and I feel every bump. But I was lucky; it was a slow night at the emergency room. Me, a convict from the nearby state prison along with deputies, and a little girl with severe head lice. The series of events at the hospital would make a book in itself so I will merely say after the right shots I was discharged. Rich drove Pat and Quintin following the ambulance so they were ready for me when I was discharged.
It was just about 3:00 when we got back to our room.
Friday August 8, 2008
Left-overs - A State Park - An Aerial Tramway - and Good Sam Project #2
My body has a way of rebelling after just two hours of sleep. When the alarm goes off I crawl out of bed to find Rich already up and greeting me. We let Pat and Quintin sleep and head out for breakfast.
Here is where my description of Bonnie in yesterday’s events really pays off. Friday is “anything we have left over” morning. And she has almost everything ready. Rich makes pb&j sandwiches and I do French toast on the griddle to use up all the bread.
Rich has to go on site even today to set stair supports for the deck they are building. But he is also very tired. He judges he can be done by noon. We arrange for someone to bring him out to the store and I will pick him up at noon.
A little sleep can work wonders. Pat, Quintin and I pile in the car and head out to pick up Rich. Then all of us head to Hawks Nest State Park. We ride the aerial tramway down to the river to talk to someone whose church was the beneficiary of our left over food. A quick lunch at the lodge and we head back to Gauley Bridge.
Rich and I discuss Bonnie’s project. Is there really enough time to start the project. Friday night is a snack night so we have to be in the kitchen for that around 8:45. We have the time between dinner and snack. We’ll try it. So off to the hardware store to pick up supplies.
As it turns out there is enough time to do the project. All I have to do is keep the principal busy as he watches us work and of course talks with us at the same time. 8:30 as it is getting dark, we mix the concrete and complete the project.
Saturday August 9, 2008
Cold Pizza - Homeward Bound - Zzzzzzzz
Cold pizza is always a hit as the teenagers file in for breakfast. In the meantime I am grouping boxes of left over paper goods to be packed in a trailer to take home.
The left over food products will go to the Senior Center here in Gauley Bridge. The mayor, who is also Brenda’s brother in law, will be here at 8:30 to pick it up.
Rich, who rode down last Sunday with someone else is leaving at 7:00 with them. Maybe he will be able to sleep on the way home. One thing is for sure; he needs to get home to get some rest.
We stand outside the school with Bonnie and Brenda and hug all round. They really hope we will be back next year.
Carl Lotz
Wednesday August 6, 2008
Raindrops Keep Falling on My Eggs - A Company Store - Two Good Samaritans (Job #1)
When you are up at 5:30 in the morning you see so much more of your surroundings. The griddle we referred to in previous emails is actually outside under an 8x8 tent cover. Because it is propane we keep it and the fuel tanks outside. Because it is gas it also has an open flame. So for safety we are outside.
Daylight arrives around six o’clock. We seldom see the sun that early because of the surrounding high mountains. But the light filters through the haze that covers the top of the mountains. On good days Carl and Quintin are treated to an array of colors as the haze burns off and the mountaintops appear.
Today is not one of those days. It is overcast and we can hear thunder coming our way. On the griddle Wednesday morning we do eggs over easy. We are just into serving breakfast at 6:30 when the rain comes in torrents. The tent cover cannot take the deluge and is leaking badly. So much water is pouring onto the griddle that my eggs over easy become poached eggs. It is impossible to continue. And then, just as quickly as it started, the rain stops. We continue.
You may remember that Wednesday afternoons everyone has off. The teens work until one o’clock and then are free until curfew at 10:30. Luckily it clears by noon.
Rich has fallen in with a work group working on a new house. Rich’s carpentry skills have made him an integral player in building a deck on a new construction. We pick him up and drive to a town named Whipple and a building named “The Company Store” which is now over 100 years old. It’s design and the remnants stored in the building in that time are now on display. The guided tour and artifacts help us to understand what life really was like back then. Carl, with his interest in history, just delves right in with question after question. On the other hand Rich looks at the building as a carpenter and thinks they should just tear the building down. But he endures the tour.
Around five we return to the school to tackle two projects. First we make creamed dried beef for Thursdays breakfast. Then Pat pulls out the novel she is reading because Carl and Rich are going to do a service project for Brenda the school custodian. In the main hallway there was a water leak that destroyed ceiling tiles several months ago. The tiles are still not replaced because they have sprinkler valves and smoke alarms protruding through some of the tiles. This involves close measurement and cutting. We spend the next two hours measuring and cutting. We complete all but one opening. We need to turn the fire alarm off to do that opening so we wait to talk to Brenda on Thursday.
I think the above project points out the big difference between our schools and the one we were in here in WV. Could you see some one in Great Valley School District asking two guys off the street if they will fix something in the school? Yes even we think it is a strange request but with all Brenda is doing to help us with the food here we do not want to let her down.
As it turns out Bonnie (the school cook helping us) also has a request.
Thursday August 7, 2008
Good Samaritans (Continued) and ER Visit #2
Bonnie and Brenda have a head start on breakfast by 5:30 am. Brenda has already cooked the sausage to go with the pancakes from the griddle. She has also baked cinnamon rolls for breakfast and a sheet cake for tonight’s dessert. I couldn’t ask for better, but I can’t help to wonder if she will be a whirlwind if we come back next year. Yes even Bonnie and Brenda are talking about a come-back by PACE (PA Christian Endeavor) next year.
The school principal initiated that sentiment just yesterday when he expressed how happy he was with what we were doing.
After dinner Rich and I tackle the last ceiling tile. Brenda doesn’t know how to deactivate the smoke alarm. I trace the control panel and spot where the ac power is converted to dc and disconnect. I can’t believe I am doing this. We replace the tile with the cutouts falling just right. And turn the alarm back on. My only hope is the school doesn’t burn down this week.
Rich and I look at Bonnie’s project. She needs a gatepost reset. Sounds simple, but not really. The post was set in cement but only three inches was actually in the cement. That is basically why it did not last very long. We need to think about it, and we only have tomorrow.
During the last few days I have had a pain in my left back. When I would stand up it would hurt but I was able to wiggle this way and that and it was gone. I was able to continue with what we were doing.
That is until Thursday night. Lying in bed no matter how I tried to move I was in severe pain. There was no solution except to call an ambulance. Quintin (remember, he's 13 years old) went down stairs to the lobby and asked the night clerk to call an ambulance. It was midnight.
The ambulance crew arrived promptly and Quintin met them in the lobby. “You’ll want a stair chair or a backboard,” he tells them from his fire company experience. They are not thrilled that we are on the third floor. They transferred me to a stair chair and we started the journey down the steps.
Now I have run ambulance here in East Whiteland for fifteen years. I have brought many a person down steps in a stair chair. But tonight as the patient it was not fun. Of course my weight added something to the difficulty of the attendants
Fifteen miles to the nearest hospital, and I feel every bump. But I was lucky; it was a slow night at the emergency room. Me, a convict from the nearby state prison along with deputies, and a little girl with severe head lice. The series of events at the hospital would make a book in itself so I will merely say after the right shots I was discharged. Rich drove Pat and Quintin following the ambulance so they were ready for me when I was discharged.
It was just about 3:00 when we got back to our room.
Friday August 8, 2008
Left-overs - A State Park - An Aerial Tramway - and Good Sam Project #2
My body has a way of rebelling after just two hours of sleep. When the alarm goes off I crawl out of bed to find Rich already up and greeting me. We let Pat and Quintin sleep and head out for breakfast.
Here is where my description of Bonnie in yesterday’s events really pays off. Friday is “anything we have left over” morning. And she has almost everything ready. Rich makes pb&j sandwiches and I do French toast on the griddle to use up all the bread.
Rich has to go on site even today to set stair supports for the deck they are building. But he is also very tired. He judges he can be done by noon. We arrange for someone to bring him out to the store and I will pick him up at noon.
A little sleep can work wonders. Pat, Quintin and I pile in the car and head out to pick up Rich. Then all of us head to Hawks Nest State Park. We ride the aerial tramway down to the river to talk to someone whose church was the beneficiary of our left over food. A quick lunch at the lodge and we head back to Gauley Bridge.
Rich and I discuss Bonnie’s project. Is there really enough time to start the project. Friday night is a snack night so we have to be in the kitchen for that around 8:45. We have the time between dinner and snack. We’ll try it. So off to the hardware store to pick up supplies.
As it turns out there is enough time to do the project. All I have to do is keep the principal busy as he watches us work and of course talks with us at the same time. 8:30 as it is getting dark, we mix the concrete and complete the project.
Saturday August 9, 2008
Cold Pizza - Homeward Bound - Zzzzzzzz
Cold pizza is always a hit as the teenagers file in for breakfast. In the meantime I am grouping boxes of left over paper goods to be packed in a trailer to take home.
The left over food products will go to the Senior Center here in Gauley Bridge. The mayor, who is also Brenda’s brother in law, will be here at 8:30 to pick it up.
Rich, who rode down last Sunday with someone else is leaving at 7:00 with them. Maybe he will be able to sleep on the way home. One thing is for sure; he needs to get home to get some rest.
We stand outside the school with Bonnie and Brenda and hug all round. They really hope we will be back next year.
Carl Lotz
Thursday, August 07, 2008
2ND WEEK OFF TO A GOOD START!
West Virginia - Part 3
Sunday, August 3, 2008
A mist is coming off the water from the falls. It’s a quiet Sunday morning. No trains, no trucks hauling coal, just quiet. It reminds me of a Johnny Cash song – “Sunday Morning Coming Down.” Later today we are going to do our laundry from the week, but we have some things to do first. We put on our cleanest dirty shirt and head out for a tour of Thurman, a railroad town within the National Park. Going the 20 miles to Thurman we pass many, many small churches, all with just a few cars in their parking lots.
Pat is dropped off at the local Laundromat with piles of clothing. When you cook for the masses you go through a lot of clothes. Since the cell phones do not work here we set a specific time for us to return to get her. Quintin and Carl head up to the school and start making meat sandwiches for Monday morning. 48 ham and 48 turkey. Boy is this easy--preparing for 115 compared to last week's 200 plus.
We return to the laundromat to find Pat not quite done. It’s hard to find washers and dryers that work much less work well. “Can we get something to eat?” she requests. The only problem now is Quintin and I ate sandwiches while we made them. We better go to plan B.
Rich Smith from CAMT (Covenant) is due in about 4:00. We wait at the elementary school for him. When he does not show up we head to the check-in table to see if he is around. Yes, he is here. But we can’t find him.
In the meantime, the driver of the car Rich is in misses the turn off into Gauley Bridge. They are down the road to Glen Ferris. Rich recognizes the Inn where we will be staying, so he drops off his bags.
Luckily, Rich read our blog before coming, because as soon as they turn into Gauley Bridge they get stopped for speeding. Rich is a little more overt than the rest of us and asks the police officer to take them to the school. He does.
We have dinner at the Glen Ferris. If we had brought our church bulletin with us they would have given us 10% off our check.
At 9:30 Rich gets introduced to the routine at the Sunday night ice cream social. He handles dipping strawberry. There is very little demand for strawberry compared to the other flavors. The new guy always gets strawberry.
Monday August 4, 2008
We are now all up at 5 am since there is now only one car. On site at 5:30 everyone starts their assignments. Pat lays out the breakfast bar, Rich joins Tracy Farmer, a young woman who came just to work with us, in making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Carl and Quintin cook French toast on the griddle while Bonnie does bacon. Bonnie, the custodian, also handles the dish washer. This is easy. This is almost too easy. Pat and Carl are almost in shock how easy working with these numbers are. If it were not for the fact that we had to replenish the salad bar items for dinner, we would have been out early this morning.
Rich Smith is a biology teacher at Haverford High School. During the summer he works as a carpenter. He decides he would actually like to do double duty. He is going to work in the field during the day and help in the kitchen early and late. When we finish we transport him to a work site in Montgomery about 15 miles away.
Actually this is good because the local hospital is in Montgomery and we need to have Quintin checked out. He is having some residual problems from the horse rolling on him. It seems it is only swollen glands, probably from the bee stings. He is told they’ll see him again in 10 days, but we say he’ll be home by that time, so he’ll see his own doctor then.
At 3:30 then it’s back to work getting ready for dinner. Tonight it is salad, chicken corn soup, sloppy joes and peas with white cake for dessert. Everyone is so appreciative you’d think we were doing them a big favor by feeding them. It’s still daylight when we get back to the Glen Ferris and early to bed!
(More to come…..)
Sunday, August 3, 2008
A mist is coming off the water from the falls. It’s a quiet Sunday morning. No trains, no trucks hauling coal, just quiet. It reminds me of a Johnny Cash song – “Sunday Morning Coming Down.” Later today we are going to do our laundry from the week, but we have some things to do first. We put on our cleanest dirty shirt and head out for a tour of Thurman, a railroad town within the National Park. Going the 20 miles to Thurman we pass many, many small churches, all with just a few cars in their parking lots.
Pat is dropped off at the local Laundromat with piles of clothing. When you cook for the masses you go through a lot of clothes. Since the cell phones do not work here we set a specific time for us to return to get her. Quintin and Carl head up to the school and start making meat sandwiches for Monday morning. 48 ham and 48 turkey. Boy is this easy--preparing for 115 compared to last week's 200 plus.
We return to the laundromat to find Pat not quite done. It’s hard to find washers and dryers that work much less work well. “Can we get something to eat?” she requests. The only problem now is Quintin and I ate sandwiches while we made them. We better go to plan B.
Rich Smith from CAMT (Covenant) is due in about 4:00. We wait at the elementary school for him. When he does not show up we head to the check-in table to see if he is around. Yes, he is here. But we can’t find him.
In the meantime, the driver of the car Rich is in misses the turn off into Gauley Bridge. They are down the road to Glen Ferris. Rich recognizes the Inn where we will be staying, so he drops off his bags.
Luckily, Rich read our blog before coming, because as soon as they turn into Gauley Bridge they get stopped for speeding. Rich is a little more overt than the rest of us and asks the police officer to take them to the school. He does.
We have dinner at the Glen Ferris. If we had brought our church bulletin with us they would have given us 10% off our check.
At 9:30 Rich gets introduced to the routine at the Sunday night ice cream social. He handles dipping strawberry. There is very little demand for strawberry compared to the other flavors. The new guy always gets strawberry.
Monday August 4, 2008
We are now all up at 5 am since there is now only one car. On site at 5:30 everyone starts their assignments. Pat lays out the breakfast bar, Rich joins Tracy Farmer, a young woman who came just to work with us, in making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Carl and Quintin cook French toast on the griddle while Bonnie does bacon. Bonnie, the custodian, also handles the dish washer. This is easy. This is almost too easy. Pat and Carl are almost in shock how easy working with these numbers are. If it were not for the fact that we had to replenish the salad bar items for dinner, we would have been out early this morning.
Rich Smith is a biology teacher at Haverford High School. During the summer he works as a carpenter. He decides he would actually like to do double duty. He is going to work in the field during the day and help in the kitchen early and late. When we finish we transport him to a work site in Montgomery about 15 miles away.
Actually this is good because the local hospital is in Montgomery and we need to have Quintin checked out. He is having some residual problems from the horse rolling on him. It seems it is only swollen glands, probably from the bee stings. He is told they’ll see him again in 10 days, but we say he’ll be home by that time, so he’ll see his own doctor then.
At 3:30 then it’s back to work getting ready for dinner. Tonight it is salad, chicken corn soup, sloppy joes and peas with white cake for dessert. Everyone is so appreciative you’d think we were doing them a big favor by feeding them. It’s still daylight when we get back to the Glen Ferris and early to bed!
(More to come…..)
Sunday, August 03, 2008
FOOD, FUN AND A VERY CLOSE CALL
West Virginia—Part 2
Received August 2, 2008
BACK IN HARNESS
Carl and Pat and their 13 year-old grandson, Quintin, plus Mary, Molly, Millie and her friend, Nancy, have prepared meals together now for several years and work together like a well-oiled machine. Pat and Millie do the breakfast bar in the morning and the salad bar at night. Nancy does the baking of deserts plus the cookies for lunches. Mary and Molly can spot an area that needs help and fill in immediately. Gloria from Lancaster and Sylvia from the Pittsburgh area handle sandwiches, assemble other items that go into the bag lunches and do other jobs as necessary.
Imagine a bunch of people you never saw before coming into your kitchen and taking over the preparation of meals. Bonnie, the head cook at the school where the meals are prepared and served, was in this position. However, she finally got used to the idea and became part of the team along with Brenda, the maintenance person who was on hand “just in case.” Bonnie also had to get used to Nancy who heads her own school kitchen back home. However, they quickly made the adjustment and really enjoyed working together. (FLEXIBILITY is a key attribute for anyone on a mission team!!)
MONDAY: Breakfast: French toast and bacon. Bag lunches are assembled complete with fruit, cookies and a soda. Others do their assigned chores including building sandwiches for the next day, and pre-prep of dinner items. Kids are out the door by 8:00.
The team planned on going for a walk during off time in the middle of the day, but ultimately, they just rested. (First mornings are always a bit of a drain!) Returned to the kitchen at 3:30. Dinner: chicken corn soup, salad bar, sloppy joes and cake.
Serving 208 people in a place that seats 140 forces eating in shifts. (“Welcome to my cruise line,” says Carl.) 4:45 salad bar, 5:00 dinner for groups from Lancaster. 5:30 second seating salad bar, 5:45 dinner for those from the Pittsburgh area.
The team retires to the hotel by 7:00 pm. Pat, Mary, Millie, Molly and Nancy play games in the hotel parlor game room whenever they have free time: cribbage, card games, rummy cube, etc.
TUESDAY: Breakfast: PACE McMuffins (sausage, cheese, scrambled eggs, on an English muffin.) Kids have been away 2 days. The team wants them to feel close to McDonalds. Bonnie and Sylvia cut up 4 flats of strawberries for tonight’s dessert: strawberry shortcake with whipped cream.
The young people sign up for certain jobs. They help clean up after breakfast by sterilizing tables and seats, cleaning under tables and mopping the floor. The clean up crew at dinner also mops the kitchen.
Supper: chicken breasts over rice with carrots and Carl’s Country Tomato Soup (Campbells tomato soup mixed with chunky spaghetti sauce. (Don’t laugh! It was served at Covenant’s gourmet Ladies Night dinner and got rave reviews!)
WEDNESDAY: Breakfast: scrambled and over easy eggs, syrup for scrapple (If you like it we’ll tell you what’s in it…), left-over bacon from Monday, home fries. (Carl likes to bring scrapple to the south. He says grits is cream of wheat with sand in it.)
The Covenant women went shopping after breakfast, and Quintin and Carl planned to go swimming, but because it rained they got haircuts. Quintin had his hair shaved off almost to his scalp in preparation for playing football when he comes home (an event that played a major role two days later.)
THURSDAY: A highlight was dinner which featured a classy chopped steak (7 oz.) with sautéed onions and peppers, real mashed potatoes, and green beans with watermelon for dessert. (Now you know why some teams schedule their work in WV when Covenant's team is preparing the meals!)
A VERY CLOSE CALL!!
FRIDAY: Carl and Quinton had to beat it out at 9:00 because they had booked a 1½ hour trail ride at 10:00am with a man who owns Canyon Rim Ranch. Carl and Quintin were to meet Pat for lunch at noon. They mounted two of the seven horses at 10:00 and planned to literally ride through a coal mine near the rim of a canyon.
The group took a break at the half way point. Quinton was on the horse in position 6 and Carl was number 7. The number 1 or 2 horse kicked a yellow jacket nest. From that point on yellow jackets swarmed and stung some of the riders as well as the horses who responded by bucking. Quintin’s horse (1200 lbs.) accidentally backed over the ledge. As he went over the ledge, he rolled over Quinton (150 lbs.). Thankfully, Quinton was not injured by the horse, but he went over the edge, too! Luckily, he was able to grab a tree limb. The horse landed about 1000 feet down in the canyon, and Carl said he never expected to see horse again.
Fortunately, they were able to rescue Quintin, and after they got things all together, they spotted the horse which amazingly was able to work it’s way back up to the top by itself.
After filling out accident reports, it was almost time to go back to work. (Picture Pat waiting at the restaurant for Carl and Quintin and worrying about whether something terrible had happened!)
Now is the time to remember Quintin’s shaved head. Because his hair was almost gone Carl could see the yellow jacket stingers in his head. He took a credit card out of his wallet and was able to scrape the stingers off. (Remember the American Express credit card commercial, “Never leave home without it.”) Both Carl and Quinton had learned this use of a credit card in Boy Scouts.
Most of the riders decided that, in view of the circumstances, they wanted to walk, rather than ride back, but the trail leader knew he’d have difficulty controlling 7 horses and said it would be helpful for some to ride. First volunteer: Quintin, followed by Carl and then a few others.
By the time they got back to the school, everyone was sitting outside waiting for the door to be unlocked. After hearing of their adventure, Pat decided she was not going to let Quintin out of her sight! (Probably should keep an eye on Carl, too!)
A TRAFFIC TICKET – ALMOST!
Carl was stopped in Gauley Bridge for doing 35 mph in a 25mph. The cop took Carl’s license, etc., reviewed them and asked if he was headed back to PA. Carl explained why he was in Gauley Bridge. Turns out the cop lives across the street from the school where the team was working. Result: no ticket!
SATURDAY: Everyone (except Pat, Carl and Quintin) will return home after a cold breakfast (except for slightly warmed left-over pizza.) It wasn’t the worst day for the electricity to go off as a result of a storm. Noting the ambience of the emergency lights, Carl—in his make-the-best-of-everything, find-the-humor-where-you-can—view of life says, “Why didn’t I think of candlelight dinners before?”
Molly, Mary, Millie and Nancy leave for home by 8 am. Next week Richard, who leads Covenant mission teams that serve lunch several times a year to residents of Outley House in Philadelphia, will join Carl, Pat and Quintin. Even though there will be “only” 115 young people next week, Carl is hopeful that a few of their adult leaders will be able to give extra hands in the kitchen.
Pray for safety (!), and a wonderful week of witnessing--and check back in a few days for more news!
Received August 2, 2008
BACK IN HARNESS
Carl and Pat and their 13 year-old grandson, Quintin, plus Mary, Molly, Millie and her friend, Nancy, have prepared meals together now for several years and work together like a well-oiled machine. Pat and Millie do the breakfast bar in the morning and the salad bar at night. Nancy does the baking of deserts plus the cookies for lunches. Mary and Molly can spot an area that needs help and fill in immediately. Gloria from Lancaster and Sylvia from the Pittsburgh area handle sandwiches, assemble other items that go into the bag lunches and do other jobs as necessary.
Imagine a bunch of people you never saw before coming into your kitchen and taking over the preparation of meals. Bonnie, the head cook at the school where the meals are prepared and served, was in this position. However, she finally got used to the idea and became part of the team along with Brenda, the maintenance person who was on hand “just in case.” Bonnie also had to get used to Nancy who heads her own school kitchen back home. However, they quickly made the adjustment and really enjoyed working together. (FLEXIBILITY is a key attribute for anyone on a mission team!!)
MONDAY: Breakfast: French toast and bacon. Bag lunches are assembled complete with fruit, cookies and a soda. Others do their assigned chores including building sandwiches for the next day, and pre-prep of dinner items. Kids are out the door by 8:00.
The team planned on going for a walk during off time in the middle of the day, but ultimately, they just rested. (First mornings are always a bit of a drain!) Returned to the kitchen at 3:30. Dinner: chicken corn soup, salad bar, sloppy joes and cake.
Serving 208 people in a place that seats 140 forces eating in shifts. (“Welcome to my cruise line,” says Carl.) 4:45 salad bar, 5:00 dinner for groups from Lancaster. 5:30 second seating salad bar, 5:45 dinner for those from the Pittsburgh area.
The team retires to the hotel by 7:00 pm. Pat, Mary, Millie, Molly and Nancy play games in the hotel parlor game room whenever they have free time: cribbage, card games, rummy cube, etc.
TUESDAY: Breakfast: PACE McMuffins (sausage, cheese, scrambled eggs, on an English muffin.) Kids have been away 2 days. The team wants them to feel close to McDonalds. Bonnie and Sylvia cut up 4 flats of strawberries for tonight’s dessert: strawberry shortcake with whipped cream.
The young people sign up for certain jobs. They help clean up after breakfast by sterilizing tables and seats, cleaning under tables and mopping the floor. The clean up crew at dinner also mops the kitchen.
Supper: chicken breasts over rice with carrots and Carl’s Country Tomato Soup (Campbells tomato soup mixed with chunky spaghetti sauce. (Don’t laugh! It was served at Covenant’s gourmet Ladies Night dinner and got rave reviews!)
WEDNESDAY: Breakfast: scrambled and over easy eggs, syrup for scrapple (If you like it we’ll tell you what’s in it…), left-over bacon from Monday, home fries. (Carl likes to bring scrapple to the south. He says grits is cream of wheat with sand in it.)
The Covenant women went shopping after breakfast, and Quintin and Carl planned to go swimming, but because it rained they got haircuts. Quintin had his hair shaved off almost to his scalp in preparation for playing football when he comes home (an event that played a major role two days later.)
THURSDAY: A highlight was dinner which featured a classy chopped steak (7 oz.) with sautéed onions and peppers, real mashed potatoes, and green beans with watermelon for dessert. (Now you know why some teams schedule their work in WV when Covenant's team is preparing the meals!)
A VERY CLOSE CALL!!
FRIDAY: Carl and Quinton had to beat it out at 9:00 because they had booked a 1½ hour trail ride at 10:00am with a man who owns Canyon Rim Ranch. Carl and Quintin were to meet Pat for lunch at noon. They mounted two of the seven horses at 10:00 and planned to literally ride through a coal mine near the rim of a canyon.
The group took a break at the half way point. Quinton was on the horse in position 6 and Carl was number 7. The number 1 or 2 horse kicked a yellow jacket nest. From that point on yellow jackets swarmed and stung some of the riders as well as the horses who responded by bucking. Quintin’s horse (1200 lbs.) accidentally backed over the ledge. As he went over the ledge, he rolled over Quinton (150 lbs.). Thankfully, Quinton was not injured by the horse, but he went over the edge, too! Luckily, he was able to grab a tree limb. The horse landed about 1000 feet down in the canyon, and Carl said he never expected to see horse again.
Fortunately, they were able to rescue Quintin, and after they got things all together, they spotted the horse which amazingly was able to work it’s way back up to the top by itself.
After filling out accident reports, it was almost time to go back to work. (Picture Pat waiting at the restaurant for Carl and Quintin and worrying about whether something terrible had happened!)
Now is the time to remember Quintin’s shaved head. Because his hair was almost gone Carl could see the yellow jacket stingers in his head. He took a credit card out of his wallet and was able to scrape the stingers off. (Remember the American Express credit card commercial, “Never leave home without it.”) Both Carl and Quinton had learned this use of a credit card in Boy Scouts.
Most of the riders decided that, in view of the circumstances, they wanted to walk, rather than ride back, but the trail leader knew he’d have difficulty controlling 7 horses and said it would be helpful for some to ride. First volunteer: Quintin, followed by Carl and then a few others.
By the time they got back to the school, everyone was sitting outside waiting for the door to be unlocked. After hearing of their adventure, Pat decided she was not going to let Quintin out of her sight! (Probably should keep an eye on Carl, too!)
A TRAFFIC TICKET – ALMOST!
Carl was stopped in Gauley Bridge for doing 35 mph in a 25mph. The cop took Carl’s license, etc., reviewed them and asked if he was headed back to PA. Carl explained why he was in Gauley Bridge. Turns out the cop lives across the street from the school where the team was working. Result: no ticket!
SATURDAY: Everyone (except Pat, Carl and Quintin) will return home after a cold breakfast (except for slightly warmed left-over pizza.) It wasn’t the worst day for the electricity to go off as a result of a storm. Noting the ambience of the emergency lights, Carl—in his make-the-best-of-everything, find-the-humor-where-you-can—view of life says, “Why didn’t I think of candlelight dinners before?”
Molly, Mary, Millie and Nancy leave for home by 8 am. Next week Richard, who leads Covenant mission teams that serve lunch several times a year to residents of Outley House in Philadelphia, will join Carl, Pat and Quintin. Even though there will be “only” 115 young people next week, Carl is hopeful that a few of their adult leaders will be able to give extra hands in the kitchen.
Pray for safety (!), and a wonderful week of witnessing--and check back in a few days for more news!
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