Yes, we’re back.  We worked hard but we also laughed a lot.  Work mission is a magical growth experience for each of us as we spend a week away from our regular jobs, schoolwork, neighborhoods, churches, and homes and join together with other people who want to make a difference in the lives of others.  We not only make a difference in the lives of those whose homes we repair and revive, but we connect with each other.  We also connect within ourselves.

For me, I was constantly reminded of my first work mission trip to Norwalk when I was about 14.  We scraped and painted a house not far from the hosting church.  It may have been the same or a different time when I went on a Norwalk District Youth Retreat led by two young pastors with beards, long hair, and guitars, and we sang “They’ll Know We Are Christians” and had communion while sitting on the floor in the shape of a cross.  It was at a time in my life when I was feeling God’s presence in a way I never have before, and I remember weeping with overwhelming emotion. 

I also made the connection between the elderly couple and my parents.  My parents are similarly having a difficult time keeping up with their hope and experiencing elderhood in ways that surprise them, and me, their daughter.  I believe I was intended to be part of Team 4 at that house in Port Leyden, New York, for that reason.

The connections continue as we live our daily lives in the real world.  Let’s not stop looking and listening for God’s presence.

Claudia Taller

Everyone returned safely to North Olmsted UMC around 7pm this evening. Our missionaries had an amazing week, restoring porches and restoring lives in the Boonville, New York area.

Hear all about the trip, and see photos and videos, at our ice cream socials + slideshows! The dates are available on the ice cream socials page.

Dan Brewster

We’re on the road back to Greater Cleveland. We’re tired and energized at the same time. We are anticipating getting to NOUMC around 6:30. We will clean our travel vans, unload the truck, circle up one last time, and then go home.

On Wednesday our group of travelers took a trip to Camp Aldersgate. After working hard for two and a half days, the teams took a break for some fun and headed off to camp. Teams one and five went in the morning to help get the camp ready for our arrival. The staff at Camp Aldersgate were very kind and provided our dinner for us. Many members went down to the lake to canoe and go in kayaks. These kayaks were appropriately named “fun-yaks” because water would come up through the bottom when you sat down. Today (Thursday) team three went back to Camp Aldersgate to clean up the dining hall. During our lunch break a visitor asked if we wanted to see some goats. We were a little surprised when we went to the back of his truck and he asked us to get the goats out. Eventually we did get the goats out (with some drafting of Pastor Jared). The farmer had a good sense of humor and asked us a few questions like where we were from. He had to ask if Cleveland was in America. We had a lot of fun at camp even though we cleaned almost all day. Lastly we learned, whatever you do, DO NOT DRINK THE KOOL-AID.

- Team 3: Craig, Chris, Jared, Greg, Cameron, Sam, Ally, Brianna, Emily

Ken D. here, so this has turned into a kind of fisherman’s tall tales mission, we’ve taken trips on westbound trains, ducked & rolled off and had to find our way back, we’ve been to New York City for Hotdogs & the kitchen crew took an unexpected turn onto a military base and we’re detained for a while. As with fisherman tales they get longer & more exagerated with each telling. If Pinochio were here we could use his nose as a yardstick. Suffice it to say we are having a good time, the work is getting done & everyone is getting well fed. Thanks to all our supporters back home, Hope the Earthquake didn’t do as much damage there as it did here, (OOPS, there goes that nose again)

Ed here. So today was a half day of work and a fun day at the Camp. Camp Aldersgate is a great get-away and sits on a local ridge top, close to the Black River. Some of the teams got to visit the Black River Canal museum before traveling to Camp Aldersgate. Mother nature was kind and broke out the sun and clouds after a drizzling morning.  Canoes, row boats, basketball, volleyball and Frisbee were among the activities after the showers. We were served a great meal of hot dogs, chips, salad, carrots and the largest 18 gal pan of mac and cheese I have ever seen. After dinner and cleanup, we thanked our hosts and off to our secret rendezvous. We did not tell the youth and on the way back to Boonville, the vans pulled into the Mercer’s Dairy Farm building. They have the best ice cream in the county. After ice cream, we returned to the church for team reports and devotions. It’s just about time for lights out. Talk to you later.  Ed B.

So, as posted in an earlier blog, team 6 has the wonderful task of replacing a cat (and other animal) pee’d on floor. Yummy. Not. Well as of Wednesday night, more than 2/3 of the floor has been insulated and replaced! This is great news considering there was barely any insulation left, you could see the ground below and for that matter even stand on it. The entry way into the trailer has been demolished and the support beams are being adjusted to help with installing a new floor.

On Tuesday, there was an injury count started for team 6. The total ended with 12 injuries. This includes splinters, smashed and cut fingers a bad toe and a hurt ankle (the last one belongs to said blogger). Today was a little better injury wise and we are now praying for the last two days to go injury free as well. We are having a great time with our home owners and their collection of animals. The final count we believe is around 22.

After a successful rec day with a last stop for ice cream, creative team reports and devotions it is bedtime (yes 10pm) and get ready to work hard again tomorrow! Wake up is 6am!!!

Until later….

Karen E.
Team 6 err…. Team Cat Pee

Tammy M. – We need the recipe for those brownie cookies with m&m’s!  Thanks for sending them!

Ken D. here, I am finding the Kitchen to be a bit of a challenge. trying to stay ahead of 58 hungry people is a neat trick, Just when you think you know what they want they ask for something else. While we may not be out in the field we also know an army runs on it’s stomach, So we try to keep our army well fed so they can get the jobs done. If we could just get Dan to remember us once in a while things would be really good. So far no mishaps in the kitchen as is my goal, No Blood, or finger parts in the food, so far so good!!!

Hello everyone, it’s Team One! We have been working at Ann’s house in Boonville this week, and have had a great time.

Lauren has scraped and painted and been involved in a paint war; Julie did those things too (though she feel asleep a lot more). Both of them had some grand adventures during the week.

Kariza has conquered spiders this week; she has worked in the basement to insulate pipes, along with painting and scraping yesterday. Dennis did a lot of cleaning and painting today, and also provided us with some great entertainment. Dan worked on replacing a rotten part of the window frame, and also did more painting and scraping.

Ken and Amy “supervised”, but really did lots and lots of work, including helping people with all of their tasks, insulating, painting, replacing a cellar window, and lots more!

We will be working at Camp Aldersgate tomorrow for our half-day, and then we’re moving to a new site on Thursday.

Team One