Day 5

Today was the last day of being on our site. Our crew, Ray Markunas, Doug O'Melia, Peter Friedrich, Sam Bruno, Danika Yacik, Kim Hutchins and myself have worked all week to get a new kitchen floor installed for Doris, our homeowner.

Doris is a very sweet person who takes care of her daughter Tina's four girls, who range in age from 2-12. In addition to these six individuals, she also has her son his girlfriend living with her. Doris used to work in the coal mones but had to quit after getting hurt. Throughout the day, Doris gets many visitors and enjoys talking to all of her cousins and neighbors who stop by.

Our goal today was to get the water heater hooked back-up, all the kitchen flooring down, some installation installed in the part of the kitchen you couldn't get to from underneath the house and all the appliances back in their place. It was a very tall order and when we took a break for lunch at 1:30 I was not sure we would get it all done.

We were all beginning to get very exhausted and it was difficult to ramp back up after lunch. (Lunches are always an experience with our crew!) We did eventually get back on track because we had a goal to reach. Lots more cutting was needed to fit the OSB, the shims and the cross beams nailed into place. The sun was beating down on everyone and the two youngest girls, Kinsey and Kassidy wanted someone to play with them, but we continued on.

During a small break from the sun, Doris began talking about how raising the four girls with little help from their mother and how everything in general was very difficult for her. She said she prayed to God to make things easier and to help her get through this timein her life. I was a little speachless and really didn't know what to say. I then turned to her and said that we were here to help her and I hoped that we made it a little easier on her this week. It was a very moving moment.

Many individuals say that people are brought into our lives for a minute, a week, a year or a lifetime for a reason. We may never know why we are brought into people's lives but there is a reason. Nothing is a coincedence and this became crystal clear to me when I thought back on this specific conversation. We were not only there to help Doris and her family but she was there to help us. When I think back on the experience with Doris a memory will pop into my mind and something new will be revealed to me. It may be about Doris, one of our crew, about ASP, about West Virginia or nothing that relates to this trip at all but it will be special and will be different for each one of us. God works in mysterious ways and we have to trust in his power and the message he has decided to reveal to us.

We did get all the OSB down and nailed in place, the water heater hooked back-up and some installation installed in the kitchen. Next week's crew will finish up her kitchen with luann and tile. She is so excited to have a warm house this winter and firmly believes that the Lord has brought ASP to her to help her out.


Tricia Flynn

Beadazzlers

We are the Beadazzlers How's that for a team name. We are John Almendinger, Daryl Thomas, Danielle Hauer, Kylie Lefkowitz, Katy Goodson, Danny Shea, Justin Jackson and Zach Hamilton.

Our home owner is a friend named Elva and her son Neal. Neal is quite a character with his enerty, his clubhouse, his funny faces when he looks at you. The home need many repairs. I am so happy with this group of volunteers. We have accomplished much. The house is now inderpinned, there is a new floor under the water heater and the porch that had come off the house is now back in place. We have begun repairing a bedroom floor and the windows.

There is still much to do, but God has helped us do so much.

John Almendinger

First Time by Daryl Thomas

This is the first time my husband LT (Larry) and I have participated in the ASP trip. We are so grateful that we are able to be here. We were both a little anxious, because we had no idea what it would be like. We knew we were coming to repair homes, but this week has been so much more than that.

First of all, we are amazed at how organized ASP is, from those at BBPC who are involved in the planning, fundraising, travel maps, cookies, etc. to the ASP staff in WV who plan the activities, chores, repair work, and supplies.

We are also so appreciative of how hard all the kids are working. I say I have the best crew, but LT says his is the best. All the kids are great. And for us, it brings back great memories of all the years we spent teaching.

We are getting to know so many more people from BBPC too!

It has been great meeting getting to know our families. And it feels good to give to people who really need our help. We can go home at the end of the week and be grateful for all that we have.

Day 3

Today is my birthday! Of course it's everyone elses birthday too. In keeping with our holiday tradition (this week at ASP) its everybodys birthday day.

Our crew worked on many projects on our site simultaneously. We are a double crew consisting of: Team 1--our fearless (and I mean fearless!) leader Doug Flannelly, Chris Anderson, Laura Goodson, Linda Ferreira, Victoria Markunas, Lee Goodson, Kyle Bennet and Danielle Lewis. Team 2 is led by Paul Gindler and Luke Wolff. There members are Chelsea Sebastian, Melissa DeCapua, Erin Cascio, Mickey Hauer, Max Biederman and Zach Battista. We have decided to "mix and match the crews", which has worked out well. We have done some roofing, shingling, and rafter work -- Doug, Lee, Kyle, Danielle, Victoria, Laura, Luke and Linda. Chelsea and Erin have found there new calling hanging on ladders and scaffolding while putting on the new soffits and facia with Paul and Mickey. Meanwhile, big excitement is happening in the addition of the house -- Zach, Melissa, Max and Chris are insulating and sheeting. Of course some of the sheetrock landed on Chris's head but it's just a small bump in the road, or in this case, on his head.

Our homeowner, Linda, comes out and settles herself in a chair under a tree in her front yard. Then the orders begin. . . Linda likes to direct our project and has no qualms about giving her opinion. She is quite straight forward about voicing her ideas and she often helps to refocus the boys(of all ages) at times by threatening to "get a switch" if they don't get in line.

Linda is a great, albeit unique person who has had a difficult life. She doesn't complain and she is very grateful to ASP for both the work accomplished in her home and the companionship she has had this summer. She told me that she has liked every single volunteer who has worked on her house "except one". I'm quite certain that that person knew how she felt, too. She said that she well miss both the staff (which is awesome) and the people who have come to be a part of her life for a week.

Linda shared with me that she is a new Christian. She had a powerful conversion experience and it has changed her life forever. That is similar to the ASP experience -- whe you come to these beautiful mountains and meet these incredible people, you con't help but be moved by the experience and changed in some small way, forever.

Laura Goodson.

Thoughts

We aren't really sure where to begin when it comes to ASP. There is so much to say and we can only type so much for now. We started off feeling anxious about what the week ahead would bring. For some of us, it was a new experience and we didn't know what to expect. For others, it was exciting because we had been on ASP before and were ready to get going on our projects and see the houses we would be working on for the week. The journey down to West Virginia was quite an adventure and the excitement built up once we got to Virginia and stayed over at the church. We were growing impatient and simply wanting to get there. Sunday afternoon we arrived at our destination and were greeted by the friendly and witty ASP staff. We got our name tags and we were thrilled to have arrived.
Monday morning we woke up early and were prepared to be introduced to our family and work site. We all staggered into our cars and were off to our first day of work. Once we arrived we were introduced to Linda, the owner of the house we would be repairing. She had a lot of spunk and we felt a connection with her right away. Since we had two groups on our site, there were many people and only so much to do at first. Some of us felt useless, while others were working really hard. But we didn't let that bring us down, we knew we were here for a reason which was to restore hope. We got our tools and were prepared to work to our best abilities.
It is now Wednesday and our eyes have opened wider than ever. Our minds are filled with random thoughts and we are overwhelmed with what we have witnessed. When they told everyone back home that this experience would change our young lives, they were absolutely right. We realize how thankful we are for what we have, and to live life to the fullest. Today, it is Wednesday and we had a reflection and some silent time to ourselves. We may only be working for 5 days, but this experience will stay with us for a lifetime. Not only have we gained a new outlook on life, but we have gained friendships along the way. ASP is truly life changing, and we are going back home with something some of us might not have come with in the first place, and when people ask us how our trip was, we can simply say . . . you had to be there.

Written By: Chelsea Sebastian
Thoughts Contributed By: Erin Cascio and Zach Battista

It's Not Just a Mission Trip. . . It's a Math Lesson! (by Linda Owens)

(Andy Biederman, Kristen Wolff, Kalyn Nevitt, Kira Biedermann, Andy Gugel, Wade Hunt, Max Hoagland, Linda Owens)

Our Crew is working to complete a wheelchair ramp for a middle-aged man who suffers from kidney disease. You might be picturing a simple 15 foot ramp from a front porch to the ground... something simple... a great ASP project. There is nothing simple about this ramp! But it is a great ASP project.

The house sits on a hill, nestled in the mountains. The rise from the porch to the ground is approximately 15 feet! Consequently the ramp runs in a zig-zag pattern in three 16 foot runs and ends with a 32 foot run to a concrete pad at the end. This is a math teacher's dream... angles, ratios, proportions, right triangles and all that good stuff. Fortunately we have a math teacher... Kristen Wolff. Our crew thought we were coming to ASP for a Mission Trip, but we have found ourselves in Math Camp!

Fortunately between Kristen's calculations and Andy's skill with tools, everyone has risen to the occasion and has jumped right in! There is plenty of work to go around and everyone is very busy. What has made the work particularly meaningful is that while our home owner sits on the porch and encourages us his brother is right there working side by side with us. He is a 53 year old retired furniture maker who helps his brother daily. He tells great stories as he helps Wade install the railings. Meanwhile Kira and Kalyn have discovered there gift for accurate cuts with a chop saw and Andy and Max have become experts with a hammer and a shale bar. And what does Linda do? Today it was shoveling and taking pictures!

Words of wisdom from our crew. . .
"The knot is not always where it is!"
Andy

ASP Day 1 -- meeting the family

Today was a very interesting first day. I work for a man named Roy, his wife Reosebud, and his daughter Andrea. We're currently spackling their ceiling and framing their window. This does not take many people to do these things, but is gave some of us a lot of time to get to know the people we are working for. Roy loves talking and has lived in his home for 39 years. he has many ideas about the government and mode me laugh all day. His wife Rosebud is also very kind and loves to listen to our stories.

Roy and Rosebud have a daughter named Andrea who is pretty shy, but showed Kelly and I how to "pop-a-leaf". Its only the first day we've already grown attached to our family. We hope to complete the spackling and framing so we can move onto siding the back of their house and replacing a floor for them.

Cassey Flannelly