“Love one another and help others to rise to the higher levels, simply by pouring out love. Love is infectious and the greatest healing energy.”  Sai Baba

Today started much like the last few days, with rain. Luckily the rain showers stopped pretty early on in the day so we were able to accomplish quite a bit. We returned to the site in Alpoca Bottom and finished patching the drywall and laying luan in preparation of laying tile tomorrow. This site has seen many PVs investing their time and talent, but it is matched by the homeowner who continues to work after we have gone, painting and cleaning.

We were also able to return to the site in Cabin Creek to finish up the guttering work started last week. All the guttering has been reattached and now we are ready to continue the work outside next week.

The third group of PVS had quite the vast and varied project list. While they were mostly at The Way so kids could come to the open gym, they managed to fix up a few minor things around the center as well as get a great jump on cleaning. If all this wasn’t enough, the group also spent a couple of hours over at the Itmann Food Bank helping to put away a food donation delivery that they received and will give out next week for distribution day. Just hearing all they did during the day makes me tired!

Per usual, we had a wonderful dinner again tonight. On the menu tonight was macaroni and cheese (some with bacon, some without), green beans and salad. If that wasn’t enough, for dessert there was banana bread with chocolate chips and homemade apple pie (thanks Donna!) Needless to say we were quite satisfied when the meal was over.

As we gathered for reflection we were asked to reflect on our sense memories and how powerful those memories can be. We were asked to share something that triggers one of our senses and what that memory was. The memories ranged from childhood to present day.

“Sometimes, what a person needs is not a brilliant mind that speaks, but a patient heart that listens.” Unknown

Rain, rain go away!!! It has rained on and off for the last two days, making our work a little bit more difficult than it had to be. While driving around the county today, it would be totally dry and then as you turn the corner torrential rains, and the next corner, dry again. You had to be ready for everything.

Even with the rain, we were able to get two roofing sites done. There was some waiting to let showers pass, but in the end the crew was able to finish both sites. One was a rubber roof patch and the other hanging a new gutter and replacing shingles at St. John’s rectory in Mullens, that were damaged in the storm a couple of weeks ago. Both are now drip and leak free!

The other home repair group continued at the site in Alpoca Bottom. More drywall was hung, another toilet was made to work, and ceilings were painted! The site is coming along and looking great.

The non-home repair site was a combo site. The group started the morning visiting the folks at the Council on Aging next door to The Way and finished up helping at St. Vincent DePaul sorting clothing.

Dinner tonight was chicken, veggies, beans and rice. A nice tasty and filling meal. And if that wasn’t enough, we had fresh baked brownies with ice cream and chocolate sauce for dessert. Yum Yum.

At reflection tonight we explored our memories. We were each given a question which prompted us to remember something from our past. We shared our memories with the community and learned that much more about each other.

“It is an absolute human certainty that no one can know his own beauty or perceive a sense of his own worth until it has been reflected back to him in the mirror of another loving, caring human being.”  John Joseph Powell

Happy Fourth of July!!! We were welcomed this morning to a torrential downpour of rain. Luckily we did not plan to do work outside today since it was the 4th, but instead planned to go to St. Vincent DePaul en mass to help with various tasks. Volunteers help label, fold and stuff envelopes for a mailing, sort and hang clothing, put together furniture and even fix a leaky pipe. A very productive day!

On the menu for dinner tonight was scrumptious enchiladas and beans and rice. All VERY good and filling. Luckily there are lots of leftovers for the days to come!

We gathered in the evening to reflect on obstacles in our lives that may have turned into opportunities. There were many beautiful sharings about obstacles and goods from the day.

Thank you for all your hard work and dedication. We miss you already! Pictures from the week will posted as we receive the pictures…

“It takes courage to endure the sharp pains of self-discovery, rather than choose to take the dull pain of unconsciousness that would last the rest of our lives.”  Marianne Williamson

Friday is always a day of mixed emotions during our time in West Virginia. There is joy in hearing of the work accomplished and a sense of completion in knowing that a roof will now keep a home dry, new pipes will provide water to a family’s home, and a mother will soon be able to provide a safe and secure home for her family.  Yet Friday also brings with it the time for saying goodbye. Volunteers begin packing up their belongings to prepare for their journey home.  The first week of the program is drawing to a close.

We look back at the work done this week through lens of our shared experience.  Together we finished staining the deck at the home of a man whose strength has taught us to continue to push forward even when we want to stop.  We repaired the roof, soffit, and fascia for a woman and her sister who are turning the structure in which they live into a home by starting from the inside, where home matters most.  We have fixed the cracked water pipes under a woman’s inherited home and this young woman and her children will be moving into this new place they will soon call home.

Our evening ended, as it does each evening, with a delicious meal (penne ala vodka, marinated vegetables) and a reflection service.  Tonight, as we closed out our week, we reflected how our experience has changed us.  For those returning home, they carry with them the love they witnessed in the homes of those we served, the sense of community they shared with their fellow volunteers, and the celebration of having done the little things with great love!

“We must learn to regard people less in the light of what they do or omit to do, and more in the light of what they suffer.”  Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Another beautiful and busy day Wyoming County. Volunteers were spread out at five different sites, four home repair and one group went the St. Vincent DePaul to organize the warehouse and help to distribute furniture.

Volunteers returned to the site in Alpoca Bottom and continued drywalling, mudding and sanding the ceilings in the two rooms. We are getting close to finishing, but he site will go into next week.

A very small crew went to the site in Brenton to finish up the ramp. The finished project is beautiful and the home owner could not be happier.

We started two new sites today. We worked in Corrine Bottom staining a ramp that the spring break group from Northern Illinois University built in March and we began working on a roof and gutters on cabin creek road. The staining site should wrap up tomorrow, but the other site will continue into the summer.

We were nourished tonight with chili, veggies, and tomato cheese bread. Very yummy and very filling. The meal was topped of with quite the selection of desserts, most prominent of which was the Moon Pie. You long time PVs will remember a time, years ago, when this was a staple of our diet.

The evening finished up with a reflection on when we feel that Jesus was smiling and laughing a something he saw the volunteers do in West Virginia. There have been many wonderful moments over the years.

Wyoming County Friends: We would love to have you join us tomorrow, Friday, at The Way Youth Center in Mullens. We will be here from 10am until 3pm to open up the gym and to do crafts. We also have two special activities tomorrow. At 10am there will be a self defense class taught by two volunteers who are well versed in the martial arts, as well as an opportunity to tie-dye t-shirts. All materials provided and all ages welcome, we hope to see you!

It is only possible to provide help when it’s asked for. The rest of the time, all you can give is love.  Jess Lourey

The weather was beautiful today, a little cooler and slightly breezy. A great day for working outside. Today we continued our two home repair sites from yesterday. We almost finished up the ramp, only a quick few boards to attach tomorrow. The home owner and family were thrilled with the (almost) finished project. Today’s work there also allowed a lot of our younger PVs a chance to learn how to use a drill and see the end results of all their work. The other site in Alpoca Bottom made great progress as well. The water/plumbing issues have been pretty much resolved and most of the drywall has been hung on the ceilings. Tomorrow mudding and taping will continue and new tile will be laid in the bathroom.

The activitiy for the day was at The Way. As a thank you for allowing us to stay here and as a way to meet more of our neighbors, we will be opening up The Way Monday, Wednesday and Fridays. Today was the first day it was open. Besides offering an open gym and crafts, today one of the volunteers offered to teach crochet for any and all who were interested. Unfortunately we did not have any local kids, but the volunteer kids and one of the adults learned to crochet. We hope to see more people on Friday.

Tacos were on the menu tonight, a well as chocolate chip cookies and apple crisp made with apples that were given to us as a gift.

Reflection was a wonderful sharing how the PVs and/or PV experience has touched and changed us.

“Compassion is not just a feeling with someone, but seeking to change the situation. Frequently people think compassion and love are merely sentimental. No! They are very demanding. If you are going to be compassionate, be prepared for action!”  Desmond Tutu

Today we had three groups of volunteers working throughout the county. We started a site out in Brenton building a ramp for a disabled women. The site went very well, even though there was little to no shade and became quite warm. Besides the work being done, there was a lot of visiting with the family of the lady which included 10 kids and 7 puppies.

The other home repair site was in Alpoca Bottom and included drywalling ceilings and plumbing. The young woman, who is the home owner, is trying to fix up the house before school starts so she can move in with her three young children. She inherited the house when her dad passed away and her mother has been helping to get it into a condition to move in. The major issue at this point is getting the water running to all the faucets, finding and fixing a leak. One bathroom ceiling was drywalled and the plumbing issue was identified, so all were happy with the progress.

The third group of volunteers has a three part day. They started off putting non-slip tread on the stairs in The Way to make them safer to navigate. Next they went next door to the Council on Aging to visit with the people who came in for the day. After lunch back at The Way, they headed to Pineville to help organize in the St. Vincent DePaul warehouse. If that wasn’t enough activity for the day, the group also went grocery shopping for the cooks for dinner.

Speaking of dinner, tonight was the annual Breakfast for Dinner breakfast prepared by several of the men of the group. Scrambled eggs, pancakes, sausage and even doughnuts and coffee!

This evening’s reflection was a nice reminder of our commonality in coming together to try and do good. We share our “new and good” for the day while creating an inter-connective web. The night didn’t end there. As I type there is a hearts game, rummicube game, several chess matches and many conversations being had. A true spirit of community.

The Way Youth Center in Mullens WV will be open tomorrow between 10-3 with free admission. Come for open gym, and arts and crafts. Tomorrow we will also be offering crochet lessons for anyone who wants to learn.

One note, if you are planning coming tomorrow and are under the age of 18, we will need a parent or guardian with you to sign a permission slip. After the first time, you can just be dropped off.

Hope to see you tomorrow!