Today was our last full day here in WV and we were excited to get another full day of serving in before we head home tomorrow morning. For the final time, here's how the WV team spent their day:
Group 1 (the "Zion Zingers") spent their final day of serving in limbo as we were at the mercy of the weather and spent the first hour of our day cleaning up at the camp waiting to head to the work site. When we finally arrived at Miss Retha's, a recent widow who needed help with some yard work. The group spent the rest of their work day weeding, mulching and cleaning up around Miss Retha's. They finished up just as another round of showers came through and headed back to the 4H camp to prep dinner for the community cookout we had tonight.
Group 2 (the "Appalachian Aces") finished their week at Energy Express. It's been a great time with the students there, and a great example of the ministry of presence. It hasn't been as physically draining as some of the other worksites groups have visited, but one of our Porch Time talks emphasized living in the common or mundane moments of life by the power of God. Our mornings here may have felt common at times, but we have no idea how God will grow the seeds sown here in Beckley this summer! After lunch we went on a brief prayer walk. Visiting some familiar sites from our week and a few new ones, we prayed over a day center for senior citizens, a local church, the local Salvation Army, and other local businesses and homes. The tour ended at Grandview Park with a beautiful view of the West Virginia mountains, prompted to pray for the "wild and wonderful" pieces we've encountered this week.
Group 3 (the "Rocky Rangers") weren't able to make it to Ms Jean's due to the rain but had a wonderful time at Harper Mills Retirement home. The group spent all morning in the garden where they grow vegetables for the residents. We tied tomato plants, painted boxes/frames, pulled weeds, and put up wire for the cucumber and squash plants to climb. The girls were super energetic and eager to finish their last day of service strong. After lunch, they worked through the rain to finish the fencing. The rest of the day was spent connecting with the residents. We watched funny animal videos, played uno, checkers, and most importantly had great conversations. It's been encouraging to see this group serve together while growing in both relationship with each other and in their faith.
Group 4 (the "Himalayan Homies") had the opportunity to serve at the School of Harmony today. This old school building offers music lessons to less fortunate children in the local area and rents office spaces to small non-profit organizations. We had the opportunity to paint the front stairs of the building. This gave the school a fresh and more appealing appearance. It was so amazing to watch the girls sit out in the heat all day while painting and yet not complain even once. They are really embracing the idea of acting as the hands and feet of Jesus. While some girls painted, other girls pulled weeds surrounding the building. Again, their positive attitudes about performing less desirable tasks is inspiring! Upon finishing these outdoor tasks, we were afforded the opportunity to go inside the School of Harmony and speak to some of the great people who work there. We met a man who shared his story of being a color-blind animator for television commercials.
Group 5 ( the "Pyrenees Pals") spent their last day with the kids from the Heart of God church camp. Today they did a repeat of Tuesdays activities and took more kids back to WVU Tech Gymnasium, where they spent hours playing games with the kids. It has been such a blessing seeing our students connect and grow in relationship with kids and members of the Beckley community. While it is never fun saying goodbye to those who we have built relationships with, we know we have made lasting friendships and even more so, developed a community that we will always be welcomed in.
The whole West Virginia team reconvened at Heart of God Church to have a community cookout with some of the residents of Beckley that we have served and come to know throughout our time here. It was fun to see them once more before coming back to the camp for our final Porch Time. At final Porch Time Nick finished the study on Gideon that we had began all the way back at our first training meeting in May. We looked at Judges 8 and talked about how as we transition back to Williamsburg we need to surrender any idols we are holding on to, show steadfast love, and embrace a discipline of remembrance. We have had an incredible time here in West Virginia, but are excited to come home and tell you all about it! We will text when we hit the road in the morning and update ETA's as we drive, so if you're not on the text list yet you can join by texting "WVPARENT" to 41411. See you soon and thank you all again for your prayers and support this week!
