July has been devoted to two week-long endeavors that were very much alike.
The first project involved a couple dozen members of Epworth United Methodist Church traveling to Cherokee, North Carolina in the western mountains to the Cherokee Indian Reservation to do various types of mission work including painting, cleaning, and building a deck. We stayed at the Cherokee United Methodist Church in the heart of the reservation.
While it may not be obvious why it was necessary to do mission work, in light of the huge casino in downtown Cherokee, there are many families which do not meet the criteria for membership in the tribe and these are the families that, in the words of the pastor, "fall through the cracks". These were the families that the church identified for us to help.
My project was the construction of the 10 foot by 20 foot deck. I found a design for the deck online and originally we were told that it would be 10 foot by 10 foot, but when we arrived the plans changed. There was also intended to be a roof over the deck because the homeowner has contracted cancer and needed to be protected from the sun. Another mission team, to come after us, will be building the roof.
Our mission team was inter-generational which means it was the responsibility of the older members of the team to teach our youth how to operate the power tools and how to construct the deck. This was one of the joys for me. These youngsters had so much energy and enthusiasm that I loved being around them. And, yes, they constantly reminded me to "Drink water, Mr. Ed!" It was very hot and dehydration was always a concern.
The mission trip was also an opportunity for cultural awareness and we learned a lot about the Cherokee Indian tribe...specifically the "Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation." One of our featured speakers was this tribal elder who also gave us a lesson on how to use a blowgun. He had dinner with us at the church hall and afterwards everyone gathered around to hear him tell stories about the early days of lacrosse and hunting for small animals with blowguns. Later in the week, we attended a pageant telling the Cherokee history and a Pow-Wow that included fireworks and dancing.
A week after we returned, our church participated in the Baltimore
County Christian Work Camp. Unlike the mission trip which involved going to a far away place to help people, this was an opportunity to make a difference right here in our backyard. Because our church is particularly adept at building ramps, we were selected for three ramp projects. Other churches, however, do other things such as painting, cleaning, plumbing, etc.
Our first ramp was a relatively small project which we got done in a day. The homeowner had suffered a fall...was in the hospital...and needed a ramp constructed so he could get around. This project was in Woodlawn and despite some surprisingly large rocks, it went very smoothly. I came back the second day to make some final adjustments on the sidewalk in front of the house (added sand and a couple pavers) but basically it was all done.
The next project involved part of our team working with a handful of people from another church and the effort went very smoothly. They were delightful to work with and, again, our youth...now highly trained...were a big asset to the project. There is no replacement for youthful energy. This project was in Middle River.
The final project, however, was very complicated and took three and a half days to build. This was a ramp that included two "switchbacks" (sharp turns) to construct in the limited space we were given. The good news is that we got it done and it turned out really well.
One other aspect about the Baltimore County Christian Work Camp that is very important to mention. We began each day at the Hunts Memorial United Methodist Church in Ruxton and we ended each day at another church. These meals (and the lunches) were provided by the church volunteers and we can't thank them enough for the difference they made in our lives.
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