Saturday, August 8, 2009
Friday, August 7, 2009
A Followup from the Homeowners
I got an email from Eddie Bingham and thought I would pass it along. He is the homeowner of the main project we worked on last week. Eddie writes...
Pastor John;
If possible, I would like for you to share this with the families of the group that came to the Basin, and with you congregation.
Until we meet again, God Bless.
Pastor John;
If possible, I would like for you to share this with the families of the group that came to the Basin, and with you congregation.
I would like to start with saying thanks for all you all did to send tha "Kids" into our lives.The work they done to our house was greatly needed, and as much as the work they done, having them come into our lives, was a blessing from God. As you all should know they are some great Kids.I know they are young adults, but when you are 56, 12 to 20 is kids.
This old house needs lots of work. We moved out of a much better house than where we now live, but this is Betty's old home place. After her Mother and Father went on to be with our Lord, She inherited the old home place.We can sit on the porch since the work was done by the group and she gets tears in her eyes as we talk about the kids and what they done for us.
It was not just the Kids, but Pastor John, Amy, Al and Jean. They were great with the Kids. By the time they left our area, it was if we had know all of them for years.We may never meet again in this life, we hope to some day. If not,we will meet in Heaven.The Bible talks about you never know when you are in the presence of Angels. I can say that the last week of July, 2009, we had 18 here at our house.
Zack, when you got home and your parents ask about your trip, I would love to have seen their faces when you started talking about the garden and brought out your eggs.
D.J. you were worried about not being able to do much with your knee injury.We love and respect all of you that were here.
Sara, I love the spirit that you have. Never change.
Philip, on the table you wrote that you hope we think of you all every time we go on the porch. After what you all done for us, and spending time with you all, you will never be forgotten.
Jake you were always thinking and planning on how to do a job.
Danielle, when I look at the house I can see you laying on top of the house,reaching under to paint the eaves, in the rain. Wonder what your parents would say to that.
Katlynn and Stephanie, every time I see the baby chickens in the yard I look to see if you are after them. I am sorry that I did not catch them for you to hold.
Jessie will never eat another yellow watermelon without thinking of you.
Charlene and Dominique you two arrivied on Monday shy and quite, like caterpillar in a cacoon. The last time we say you, you were two beautiful butterflies.
Cristina you were always smiling. When you get to college, remember you have another family in McCaysville.
Anna, last but not least. What was that favorite word, awesome? That you are alonge with all the group that was here.
We let Betty read the poems at Horseshoe Bend Park that night because Jaclyn and I did not think we could get through them. After we left you all, Jaclyn said that she had things to say but was afaid she would start to cry.We want all of you to know you are always welcome at our house. Pastor John will have our address and e-mail if you ever want to contact us. Pastor you are welcome to give it to anyone that ask.
Just a few hours after you all left for home we had an earthquake in Ducktown. It was a 3.2 and the center was close to the camp where you stayed. I said it was God filling in the void caused by you leaving the area.
Words can never say thank you enough. You will always have a place in our hearts, and there is always a place for you when you are in the area.God bless you all, and walk with God in your hearts.
Until we meet again, God Bless.
The Binghams - Betty, Jaclyn, and Eddie
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Day Seven - Saturday, August 1
Grace and peace...
I was the only one who showed up for breakfast at 5 am. All else were desperately clinging to a few more minutes of sleep. I understood this because I too was exhausted. Still, I managed to get up after only 3 1/2 hours sleep, so I was not pleased that we had the camp crew show up at 5 am to serve us breakfast and no one but me showed up. I was not sympathetic to cries of hunger later in the morning. I was not happy that the 5:45 am time set to load the van time was a half hour later because the girls cabin was not ready. I was tired and ready to leave. I was the horse moving faster with the barn in sight. I was ready to go home.
Fortunately, once we were finally down the road a few miles, I felt better. About an hour from the camp on the north side of Atlanta, we went right by the first house Cile and I bought and the home in which our girls first lived. Not far from there, we passed by the exit to the church where we worshiped for nearly ten years. It was the church where I went from knowing about Jesus to actually knowing Jesus in a real and personal way. It was the church in which our daughters were baptized. Not far from that exit we were in downtown Atlanta where we dropped off one of the students, Stephanie, who was going to spend a few weeks with her aunt. My family and I spent many hours in downtown. We would often go downtown after church. Cile worked at an advertising agency not far from where we dropped off Stephanie. We went to concerts, plays, ball games, ballets in Atlanta. We met friends for dinner. The trip that morning to familiar grounds was a reminder to me of how God works in human lives. There is a connectedness to life. God met me and my family in those very places, that geography, and that terrain. Through those places and experiences, God was preparing me for my life's path of seminary and then life as a pastor. He was also preparing my wife and children for their life's path which would take them from Atlanta to Princeton, Scotland, Ohio, Tennessee and then back to our home state here in Florida. Through weary eyes, I was aware during our drive to and through Atlanta that God had been orchestrating so many events, seen and unseen, that prepared me for all that followed. The result was a warm glow of gratitude that I felt more so than was consciously aware of in the moment. I was thankful to God that morning. God had given us a great week and God had given me life, love, family, calling, friends, mission, purpose and hope.
We made it the rest of the way home without incident. All but Amy and I slept during that tedious drive (have you noticed that the state of Georgia seems to be about 2,000 miles long?). Amy was nauseated and didn't feel well the whole way home. She said it was exhaustion. I put my money on the sloppy joes the day before. We got back to Dunedin, distributed children to their homes or delivered them to their drivers at the church in the evening and all went home.
Those responsible for laundry in each home likely went to work right away. Stale towels, wet clothes, mud and paint stains filled each suitcase. I didn't wear everything I brought, but every bit of it went in to the wash.
The best part of coming to a close of a trip like this is the pondering of what God will do with all that happened. These students and leaders worked hard, played hard, grew closer together and experienced God in the mountains of Tennessee and Georgia. One cannot return from such a time unchanged. I suspect that the group will reunite with a different sense of bonding. I suspect that they will go back to the sarcasm of youth culture, but with an asterisk in their mind as they do so: "I have been to the mountain and met God with this person. I have spoken words of praise about this person. I can only go so far in my criticism of them because this person means something to me." I have no doubt conflicts and frustrations and other things will continue, but it is my great prayer that this group will not forget what happened in Tennessee. It is my hope that the parents, family and friends of this group won't let them forget. It is my hope that this group returns to the mountain of God in their minds many times after this trip. I know I will.
I am certain that sleep will be no problem for this team tonight. Church is tomorrow and I can't wait. I hope I am able to think straight. I pray, as always, that no matter my state of restedness, God speaks clearly through me.
I cannot close this final journal without thanking you who have been praying for the team. Your prayers have been valuable and I hope you have read how God has been working. Perhaps you have seen specific answers to your specific prayers in these posts. Bless you for your faithfulness in praying for us.
I was the only one who showed up for breakfast at 5 am. All else were desperately clinging to a few more minutes of sleep. I understood this because I too was exhausted. Still, I managed to get up after only 3 1/2 hours sleep, so I was not pleased that we had the camp crew show up at 5 am to serve us breakfast and no one but me showed up. I was not sympathetic to cries of hunger later in the morning. I was not happy that the 5:45 am time set to load the van time was a half hour later because the girls cabin was not ready. I was tired and ready to leave. I was the horse moving faster with the barn in sight. I was ready to go home.
Fortunately, once we were finally down the road a few miles, I felt better. About an hour from the camp on the north side of Atlanta, we went right by the first house Cile and I bought and the home in which our girls first lived. Not far from there, we passed by the exit to the church where we worshiped for nearly ten years. It was the church where I went from knowing about Jesus to actually knowing Jesus in a real and personal way. It was the church in which our daughters were baptized. Not far from that exit we were in downtown Atlanta where we dropped off one of the students, Stephanie, who was going to spend a few weeks with her aunt. My family and I spent many hours in downtown. We would often go downtown after church. Cile worked at an advertising agency not far from where we dropped off Stephanie. We went to concerts, plays, ball games, ballets in Atlanta. We met friends for dinner. The trip that morning to familiar grounds was a reminder to me of how God works in human lives. There is a connectedness to life. God met me and my family in those very places, that geography, and that terrain. Through those places and experiences, God was preparing me for my life's path of seminary and then life as a pastor. He was also preparing my wife and children for their life's path which would take them from Atlanta to Princeton, Scotland, Ohio, Tennessee and then back to our home state here in Florida. Through weary eyes, I was aware during our drive to and through Atlanta that God had been orchestrating so many events, seen and unseen, that prepared me for all that followed. The result was a warm glow of gratitude that I felt more so than was consciously aware of in the moment. I was thankful to God that morning. God had given us a great week and God had given me life, love, family, calling, friends, mission, purpose and hope.
We made it the rest of the way home without incident. All but Amy and I slept during that tedious drive (have you noticed that the state of Georgia seems to be about 2,000 miles long?). Amy was nauseated and didn't feel well the whole way home. She said it was exhaustion. I put my money on the sloppy joes the day before. We got back to Dunedin, distributed children to their homes or delivered them to their drivers at the church in the evening and all went home.
Those responsible for laundry in each home likely went to work right away. Stale towels, wet clothes, mud and paint stains filled each suitcase. I didn't wear everything I brought, but every bit of it went in to the wash.
The best part of coming to a close of a trip like this is the pondering of what God will do with all that happened. These students and leaders worked hard, played hard, grew closer together and experienced God in the mountains of Tennessee and Georgia. One cannot return from such a time unchanged. I suspect that the group will reunite with a different sense of bonding. I suspect that they will go back to the sarcasm of youth culture, but with an asterisk in their mind as they do so: "I have been to the mountain and met God with this person. I have spoken words of praise about this person. I can only go so far in my criticism of them because this person means something to me." I have no doubt conflicts and frustrations and other things will continue, but it is my great prayer that this group will not forget what happened in Tennessee. It is my hope that the parents, family and friends of this group won't let them forget. It is my hope that this group returns to the mountain of God in their minds many times after this trip. I know I will.
I am certain that sleep will be no problem for this team tonight. Church is tomorrow and I can't wait. I hope I am able to think straight. I pray, as always, that no matter my state of restedness, God speaks clearly through me.
I cannot close this final journal without thanking you who have been praying for the team. Your prayers have been valuable and I hope you have read how God has been working. Perhaps you have seen specific answers to your specific prayers in these posts. Bless you for your faithfulness in praying for us.
Day Six - Friday, July 31
Grace and peace...
Today was a day for the team. There was no labor. No painting or projects; only playing and worship. The day began with the usual breakfast of some tasteless things and then the team was off to white water rafting. DJ, my young friend, and I were on injured reserve and did not go, so I report what others have told me. DJ hung around camp for a while and I slept the sleep of the dead for about an hour and a half. It was raining, I was exhausted and sleeping under a tin roof with rain falling while in a warm sleeping bag was the rest state of a fetus in the womb.
White water rafting was a blast for all. It was not only raining as they rafted, but it had been raining off and on throughout the week, so the water level and speed were both elevated. Most managed to stay in the raft, but a few got to experience full immersion into the 70 degree water. On one particular rapid, the rocks sent the raft one way while inertia continued its riders forward and the team watched Christina in a weird slow-motion kind of way slide over in the raft and then right over the edge into the water. Christina has been giving Phillip (son of Felinto, our Brazilian seminarian friend) a hard time since then because, as she says, "He just watched me slide into the water and didn't reach out to grab me." Phillip has his defense and the two are enjoying verbal sparring over the episode. A few others fell in a different points, but all made it through the rapids safely.
Teamwork and unity are a requirement in white water rafting. When the guide says to paddle, all have to paddle. When the guide says to pull the oars up, all have to do it. Again, this was a good exercise for our youth. They were required to work together for a common purpose. I wish I could take the entire church out for an event like that so we could realized that we are all working for a common purpose of making Christ known and work together to make that happen. The youth came back from their white water excursion chattering away about the trip and in a way most didn't realize: closer to each other.
When we were all reunited and the rafters put on dry clothes it was time for lunch. I will tell you that the enjoyment of mission camp is the mission itself (see previous post for how I now see this mission), not the food. The food at camp keeps us alive. That's about all I can say about it. Today, it was sloppy joe's for lunch. I could only get through about a quarter of my sloppy joe before giving it a proper burial in the trash can. And that is unusual for me because I hate throwing away food. But it was that bad. The fries with the sloppy joe's were like eating pencils. We determined then and there that we wanted pizza from a recognizable source like Papa Johns or Dominos for dinner.
After lunch we went into town to do a little sightseeing. Small as the town of Copperhill is, at this time of year, there is a constant stream of tourists. The Blue Ridge Expressway train carries a new load of tourists in every hour. There are shops with mountain decor and speciality items, a nice scenic river, and a few places to eat. Near the center of town, there is a blue line painted across the main street and into some parking lots that is the official state line between Georgia and Tennessee. Several posed for pictures with a foot on both sides of the line proving that a person can, in fact, be two places at one time.
We returned to camp, had some free time then headed back to town for our closing ceremony. We were meeting Al and Jean MacKenzie at the Horseshoe Bend park again. Al and Jean picked up Pizza Hut pizza from Blue Ridge. They stayed in Ellijay, Georgia at an RV park and Blue Ridge was on their way to Copperhill. Blue Ridge also had the only chain pizza place around. Pizza Hut was a big hit. Compared to camp food, it was five star dining. Veritable manna from heaven.
Eddie, Betty and their daughter Jaclyn, owners of the house where we spent most of our week, joined us in the park. They came to bless and thank us. They also brought a bench that our team started and they completed, painted and wanted us to sign. All of us signed it and Betty was going to seal it then put it on their porch to remember us. We circled together and talked and laughed for a while. Betty shared some poetry with us on what it means to them to have met us and how we helped them. With tears in her eyes, she thanked us. Eddie too talked about what this week meant to him. It was hard for this strong man to not be able to provide for his family after a job loss and with a chronic health issue causing him great pain as he walks. It occurred to me that many in this country know Eddie's inner struggle in today's economy. With a prayer from Al MacKenzie and after lots of hugs from the team, they were off and that chapter of our mission was over. There was a feeling of loss mixed with the satisfaction of having done something useful for God and for a family in need.
The final act of the week took the next four hours. In that same circle, the team took turns sharing where we saw Christ at work in each of the team members during the week. When it was time for each person, we began with a fun award printed on a paper plate for each person. Little Charlene, for example, got overcoming her fears award for dealing with her fear of bugs, minnows that nip at your toes, "roller coaster" roads and others. I got an award for being able to change out of jeans and into a bathing suit in broad daylight with complete modesty under cover of a single towel. The bathrooms were closed and I wanted to swim, so I got into the bushes, grabbed a towel and improvised. After each person got their award, the sharing began. And so did the tears. And so did the laughter. It was a meaningful, if not exhausting (four hours!) process. No one was skipped and heart-felt thoughts were shared. Poor Amy started the tears when she began to talk about Al and how much he meant to her. Then the faucet of her eyes opened more when she got to Jean who is like a mother to her. By the time she moved on to a few others, she was a wonderful, blubbering mess.
Imagine yourself as a middle or high school student and a group of your peers and leaders share their thoughts about what an important person you are and how God is visible in your life in very specific ways. Imagine what an affirmation that is. In a youth culture that is filled with biting sacrasm and put-downs, this was the polar opposite. This was encouraging. This was seeing the good and speaking it. This was blessing in the fullest sense of the word.
Part of the reason for the lengthy ceremony is we had to leave the park when it closed. We also left the strangest duck on the planet. It was a black duck with no fear of humans and a not-all-there kind of personality. He wanted food, of course, but even when he realized he wasn't getting any, he still hung around and stared us down. Odd duck. Once we got back to camp, we also had a few episodes of teenage drama to deal with during the closing. In some ways, they were welcome relief to the tears and laughter and heart-felt sentiments being shared. It other ways, they were just plain frustrating.
Satisfied, we finished the ceremony at 1 am. Breakfast I announced, was at 5 am. Departure for home was 6 am. Like the trip here, travel would be done on little sleep, especially for Amy and me, the drivers.
Today was a day for the team. There was no labor. No painting or projects; only playing and worship. The day began with the usual breakfast of some tasteless things and then the team was off to white water rafting. DJ, my young friend, and I were on injured reserve and did not go, so I report what others have told me. DJ hung around camp for a while and I slept the sleep of the dead for about an hour and a half. It was raining, I was exhausted and sleeping under a tin roof with rain falling while in a warm sleeping bag was the rest state of a fetus in the womb.
White water rafting was a blast for all. It was not only raining as they rafted, but it had been raining off and on throughout the week, so the water level and speed were both elevated. Most managed to stay in the raft, but a few got to experience full immersion into the 70 degree water. On one particular rapid, the rocks sent the raft one way while inertia continued its riders forward and the team watched Christina in a weird slow-motion kind of way slide over in the raft and then right over the edge into the water. Christina has been giving Phillip (son of Felinto, our Brazilian seminarian friend) a hard time since then because, as she says, "He just watched me slide into the water and didn't reach out to grab me." Phillip has his defense and the two are enjoying verbal sparring over the episode. A few others fell in a different points, but all made it through the rapids safely.
Teamwork and unity are a requirement in white water rafting. When the guide says to paddle, all have to paddle. When the guide says to pull the oars up, all have to do it. Again, this was a good exercise for our youth. They were required to work together for a common purpose. I wish I could take the entire church out for an event like that so we could realized that we are all working for a common purpose of making Christ known and work together to make that happen. The youth came back from their white water excursion chattering away about the trip and in a way most didn't realize: closer to each other.
When we were all reunited and the rafters put on dry clothes it was time for lunch. I will tell you that the enjoyment of mission camp is the mission itself (see previous post for how I now see this mission), not the food. The food at camp keeps us alive. That's about all I can say about it. Today, it was sloppy joe's for lunch. I could only get through about a quarter of my sloppy joe before giving it a proper burial in the trash can. And that is unusual for me because I hate throwing away food. But it was that bad. The fries with the sloppy joe's were like eating pencils. We determined then and there that we wanted pizza from a recognizable source like Papa Johns or Dominos for dinner.
After lunch we went into town to do a little sightseeing. Small as the town of Copperhill is, at this time of year, there is a constant stream of tourists. The Blue Ridge Expressway train carries a new load of tourists in every hour. There are shops with mountain decor and speciality items, a nice scenic river, and a few places to eat. Near the center of town, there is a blue line painted across the main street and into some parking lots that is the official state line between Georgia and Tennessee. Several posed for pictures with a foot on both sides of the line proving that a person can, in fact, be two places at one time.
We returned to camp, had some free time then headed back to town for our closing ceremony. We were meeting Al and Jean MacKenzie at the Horseshoe Bend park again. Al and Jean picked up Pizza Hut pizza from Blue Ridge. They stayed in Ellijay, Georgia at an RV park and Blue Ridge was on their way to Copperhill. Blue Ridge also had the only chain pizza place around. Pizza Hut was a big hit. Compared to camp food, it was five star dining. Veritable manna from heaven.
Eddie, Betty and their daughter Jaclyn, owners of the house where we spent most of our week, joined us in the park. They came to bless and thank us. They also brought a bench that our team started and they completed, painted and wanted us to sign. All of us signed it and Betty was going to seal it then put it on their porch to remember us. We circled together and talked and laughed for a while. Betty shared some poetry with us on what it means to them to have met us and how we helped them. With tears in her eyes, she thanked us. Eddie too talked about what this week meant to him. It was hard for this strong man to not be able to provide for his family after a job loss and with a chronic health issue causing him great pain as he walks. It occurred to me that many in this country know Eddie's inner struggle in today's economy. With a prayer from Al MacKenzie and after lots of hugs from the team, they were off and that chapter of our mission was over. There was a feeling of loss mixed with the satisfaction of having done something useful for God and for a family in need.
The final act of the week took the next four hours. In that same circle, the team took turns sharing where we saw Christ at work in each of the team members during the week. When it was time for each person, we began with a fun award printed on a paper plate for each person. Little Charlene, for example, got overcoming her fears award for dealing with her fear of bugs, minnows that nip at your toes, "roller coaster" roads and others. I got an award for being able to change out of jeans and into a bathing suit in broad daylight with complete modesty under cover of a single towel. The bathrooms were closed and I wanted to swim, so I got into the bushes, grabbed a towel and improvised. After each person got their award, the sharing began. And so did the tears. And so did the laughter. It was a meaningful, if not exhausting (four hours!) process. No one was skipped and heart-felt thoughts were shared. Poor Amy started the tears when she began to talk about Al and how much he meant to her. Then the faucet of her eyes opened more when she got to Jean who is like a mother to her. By the time she moved on to a few others, she was a wonderful, blubbering mess.
Imagine yourself as a middle or high school student and a group of your peers and leaders share their thoughts about what an important person you are and how God is visible in your life in very specific ways. Imagine what an affirmation that is. In a youth culture that is filled with biting sacrasm and put-downs, this was the polar opposite. This was encouraging. This was seeing the good and speaking it. This was blessing in the fullest sense of the word.
Part of the reason for the lengthy ceremony is we had to leave the park when it closed. We also left the strangest duck on the planet. It was a black duck with no fear of humans and a not-all-there kind of personality. He wanted food, of course, but even when he realized he wasn't getting any, he still hung around and stared us down. Odd duck. Once we got back to camp, we also had a few episodes of teenage drama to deal with during the closing. In some ways, they were welcome relief to the tears and laughter and heart-felt sentiments being shared. It other ways, they were just plain frustrating.
Satisfied, we finished the ceremony at 1 am. Breakfast I announced, was at 5 am. Departure for home was 6 am. Like the trip here, travel would be done on little sleep, especially for Amy and me, the drivers.
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