Month: April 2017

Saturday, April 22, 2017

Today has been cloudy all day and we have been under a flash flood watch all day but we had only a few drops of rain until a few minutes ago. It is now raining like crazy and the outside temperature has dropped 14 degrees in the past 55 minutes. This area still needs rain. Last fall when we were here they were experiencing even worse drought than we were in Alabama and while it is better, the lake is still obviously low. We are just thankful that all but one couple of our team have arrived safely and got set up before the rain arrived. We have one more couple who should arrive tomorrow afternoon.

We walked around the camp today to see the changes since we were last here. They are trying to make some improvements and spruce up the place a bit. Today was Volunteer Work Day and there were a lot of people out working on the grounds/landscaping, helping in the office etc. The flowerbeds are looking good and a lot of weed-eating was done. Dave came over for breakfast with us this morning since his sweet wife isn’t here yet. Cheryl arrived while Dave was still with us and we helped her get parked. No that she needed much help. We spent some time just getting organized and set up after a travel day. Next in was Sandra and Steve. It’s great to see them again. We have met them before but never worked a project with them. We look forward to getting to know them better. We parked them up by Young Commons Building, the building we painted inside and out last fall. We will have two RVs there and four in the lower parking lot. When we walked down to the lake we went by to take a look at the Lake House. The outside looks good but we were not sure if the people had left yet so we didn’t go inside. We will do that tomorrow. Even though the water is down the lakeside still looks good. They are building a pavilion down by the lake that is looking really nice. Another improvement at Hinton is a 9 hole disc golf course. It was here but really not very usable when we were here last fall. With the help of a local NOMAD they have really cleaned up the course, installed needed steps and placed signage at each tee. We will have to get out our discs and try it out on a cool, dry day. Should be fun although it looks like it could be a bit challenging for our skill level. We really aren’t very good.

Our last couple of the day arrived about 5:00 and easily parked next to us. They are relatively new NOMADS and we had not previously met Bryant and Jackie. They seem very nice and we will enjoy getting to know them. Tomorrow we will go to the small church that is just down the road from Hinton and have our opening meeting. Remember to be praying for tomorrow’s services.

Friday, April 21, 2017

Unlike the last time we came to Hinton from Sumatanga, we had an uneventful morning and an easy completion of our departure checklist. We said some final goodbyes to Richard and Bill and Marti. Everybody else was still asleep and we had said goodbye to them last night. Sad to leave such a wonderful group of friends.

It was a sunny day for most of the drive. We left Sumatanga and took I-59 to Chattanooga. It was an uneventful drive until the road construction in Chattanooga. YUK!! Long backup and crazy lane changes and lanes that just run out. Once we were thru there it was an easy and beautiful drive along the Ocoee River. It’s a lot of curves and somewhat narrow, but really nice scenery. We made it to Hinton Rural Life Center with just a few sprinkles of rain and got all the outside setup done before the significant rain started. After settling in a little we met with Bill Curns, our agency contact, to begin going over our work plan. We will be remodeling the Lake House along with some other tasks. The Lake House is rented until tomorrow so we will wait and tour it then or Sunday afternoon. From the project list it sounds like we will have plenty to do and a lot of fun.

While driving over we received a phone call from NOMADS Kathy and Bill who live in Hayesville, wanting to get together tonight, visit and go to dinner. They came over about 7:00 and after we got Dave parked we all went out to dinner at Rib Country. Sorry, we forgot to take any pictures. We are so glad they called and we were able to see them again. We worked with them at MMDC in Chatham, IL last year. Thank you so much Kathy for calling us. Safe travels. We are looking forward to the rest of the team arriving tomorrow and Sunday and getting to know everyone. It should be a really good three weeks. Will try to get some pictures of some of the Center tomorrow.

Thursday, April 20, 2017

We have had almost 2 weeks of near perfect weather. Another gorgeous day!! We always like to do the devotional to close out a project when we are leaders. Today we talked about laughter. “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” (Proverbs 17:22) This group has laughed so much, so hard and so long that we certainly can’t have dried up bones. We reviewed some of the real medical benefits of laughter and then challenged them to take this to their home small groups, to their next project, and pass it on. Certainly with all the bad things happening in the world, our country, and our state, it’s easy to get upset and down. We must share and encourage all to remember “This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it.” We have declared this the NOMADS fight song. We hope we can all share our joy and hope and laughter with others and let by so doing, this three weeks continue.

This is our last day so we reviewed what we have done and today decided to concentrate all our efforts on getting the Lakeside Loo as far along as possible. We knew from the beginning that we probably would not finish this task but left it in good shape and hopefully it won’t take too long for the maintenance guys to finish it up.

We also finally – on this the last day – took the team on a non-hay ride tour of the camp right before lunch.

This three weeks went by really fast. So just what all have we done. We started by moving everything movable out of the kitchen and pressure washing and scrubbing the kitchen floor at Pool Camp. We then started some construction and enclosed the loading dock area of the kitchen at Pool Camp. We built a new wall, moved the sink to that wall and installed the plumbing in the kitchen. We also enclosed some pipes in the kitchen. Then we moved everything back into the kitchen so that it could be used for about 140 kids that came for a weekend retreat that was part of their confirmation classes. We worked in Little Brown, moving some electrical and telephone service so that a closet could be opened making a way to reach the bathroom from the summer staff break room. The walls around the opening had to be framed in and covered with drywall which was then mudded. A new breaker box was installed replacing a quite old fuse box. An exterior door was reopened up for use and a step area framed in for concrete. An enclosure was also build to cover and protect the telephone equipment that was moved. A condensate pump was also installed. The worship supplies storage room was reorganized and supplies were taken to media/worship supply areas at Pool Camp, McKinney, and the Lodge. Flower beds at McKinney, the Lodge, Eva Walker and Pool Camp were weeded and mulched. We put out more than 120 bags of mulch. We completed two previously started tent platforms and built two more for base camp. This included installing 20 foot ridge beams on all four platforms as well as building steps for all four. We also dismantled some of the old ropes course and hauled it off. At the Lakeside Loo the first step was designing and drawing a plan for the remodel. Then the tear out and clean up had to be done. Two windows were removed along with most of the 1×3 trim on the exterior. The rebuild was started with the base plates being installed in both sides and walls and partitions being framed in. Some of the wall board was installed and some of the new 1×3 exterior trim was re-installed. We think that is a lot of work for 12 days work. We are all tired but also pleased with what was accomplished for the camp and the people who will be coming to Sumatanga in the future. It was a great three weeks of working along side the Sumatanga staff and helping them get some of the projects done.

After finishing up today we all went back to Jack’s for BOGO milkshakes. Tim went with us and we all sat around visiting and laughing. Such good times.

Once again, we have made some wonderful new friends, spent wonderful time with old friends, and have been so blessed by this team and everyone at Sumatanga. Please pray for everyone’s safe travel this weekend as all but Bill and Marti will be on the road tomorrow. It’s on to Hayesville, NC and Hinton Center tomorrow for us.

Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Well, it was another beautiful day. Know you are probably getting tired of hearing that, but we are not tired of experiencing a wonderful spring. Actually today felt almost like summer. Working in the heat made for a sweaty day.

Carol had our devotion today and it was another good one. She started by telling us about her first mission project with ASP (Appalachian Service Project). She had never done sheetrock, mudding and taping. But someone took the time to teach her and she learned. Each project she has learned more. In the past we all would call a professional to repair our plumbing or sheetrock. Now with the DIY (Do It Yourself) movement we all watch a video and tackle a lot of projects ourselves. The Bible is filled with DIYers. Ordinary men and women doing extraordinary things. Examples: Moses, Paul, Gideon, the disciples. God qualifies the called rather than calling the qualified. Carol encouraged everyone to not wait until we feel qualified to answer Gods call, but rather offer our life for God to use as he sees fit.

After devotion we reviewed where we were on all our projects then headed out to work. Anne, Marti and Harriet returned to weeding and mulching at the Lodge and Eva Walker. Anne had to leave about 10:00 to take Juno (Max’s Mom) to the doctor. When Marti and Harriet completed the work at the Lodge, they went to Pool Camp to work on a large flower bed there. The landscaping at the camp is really looking better. Patrick and Richard worked on partitions in the women’s restroom at the Lakeside Loo while Carol, Bill and sometimes Max worked on framing up the outside shower pads. Dave and Jim continued at Little Brown. They completed the telephone enclosure and then formed up the concrete pad for the back door area. It was a busy day.

Tonight, the camp staff gave our team a wonderful evening. It was our “going away” get together, just a day early so that Bishop Padgett (Lee’s wife) could also attend. We were served a wonderful meal with lemon ice box pie for dessert. We then gathered in the rocking chairs around the fireplace for a time of sharing. We have been so blessed to serve as team leaders for this great group of NOMADS. After our sharing time we went to the Nina Reeves Chapel for a communion service with our sweet Bishop Debbie. We so appreciate her taking the time from her incredibly busy schedule to join us and serve us communion tonight. It was a wonderful service and message on having a servants heart.

Today was a busy day and we are all tired, but God blessed us once again. We get to spend one more day here and it’s sure to be another good one.