Past Adult Mission Trips
September 23-29, 2012 Harrisburg, Illinois
Michelle Jackson:
What a beautiful mission trip! I went with three fantastic ladies—Marlene Stewart, Becky Mootz, and Gabby Kutz—and we had a fantastic and blessed time. Even though rain was called for all week long, it held off until night time and only once did it rain (more like drizzled with some sprinkles) during the day. We were warm and secure in the Dorrisville Baptist Church where the four of us shared a room. The church provided us breakfast each morning with cereal and fruit, and on Thursday, they came in and cooked us a hot breakfast to enjoy. Other meals were supplied by area businesses and churches either at the work sites or at the church. We did have a few special meals, though. They were provided by the United Methodist Church (ever heard of Tagliarini? Yum!), St. Mary’s Catholic Church, home owners of the McIlrath house (where Marlene and I worked), and by another volunteer. The week was filled with lots of fried chicken and barbecued/smoked meats.
The fantastic and well-organized committee that is coordinating everything in Harrisburg, IL is called Project STORM. It consists of members from various churches, town clubs and volunteers, and we worked closely with Harrisburg residents Joe Jackson and Bill “Bosco” Watson. Project STORM is helping those devastated by the EF04 tornado that hit February 29, and even though a lot has been accomplished, we could still see the tornado’s path by the vacant lots and empty concrete slabs. Sadly, due to FEMA declining to assist, much of the work is being done by volunteers such as our group. (We learned during our visit that FEMA figures out if they will help by calculating damage against state population. Since Harrisburg is a rural area, there wasn’t enough financial damage for them to come in and help, even though hundreds of homeowners needed help of some kind.) Needless to say, the locals were highly appreciative of our visiting and helping out.
Another group leading the reconstruction was called The King’s Carpenters. Mike and Julie Robinson travel to different areas and help groups with their mission projects, and they have been working with Project STORM since March, living in a 29-foot travel trailer they purchased for this reason). Between The King’s Carpenters, Project STORM and Dan Moutria (another volunteer staying at the church for the past three weeks), much is being accomplished.
Our small group attended with VIM (Volunteers In Mission) of the United Methodist Church of Wisconsin Annual Conference, and hopefully I can speak for all of us when I say we are looking forward to joining them again! Each morning and evening was spent with devotions, prayers and sing-a-longs. There was lots and lots of laughter, helpfulness and team work. Plus, by the end of the week, these people were family. We each had a mystery prayer partner for the week, and at the end of the week, we gave them love gifts made from worksite scraps or messages and scripture written down, and there were lots of tears (by those of us that are the weepy sort). We have embedded ourselves into each other’s hearts.
So, be on the lookout. After VIM meets in October, we’ll start seeing new mission trips being available. We are hoping to choose one in the summer and will hopefully be able to announce 2013’s mission trip in November!
Gabby Kutz:
I worked on a home that was dubbed the “Ice House.” The homeowner lost her home that was in direct line of the tornado. She and her husband were still in the home when the tornado hit. He passed away three months later from his injuries. She used insurance money to rebuild a new concrete block home in the same spot, and she asked STORM for help when her son, who had been doing a lot of the work, felt he was in over his head. The main projects our crew was able to work on was siding the home and building a deck with stairs. A few others worked inside the home building stud walls in the bathrooms and working on the ceiling throughout the home. We started with a small crew and picked up a few others from the other two teams throughout the week. 20 strangers went to Harrisburg and left a family. I would not take a second of this week back.
Marlene Stewart:
Let me first start by saying, when is the next VIM trip? Count me in! This was my first official mission trip and what a fantastic experience it was. Although we worked hard, we had so much fun and I truly left there with an even stronger calling to serve and show others the power of God's love. The home I was assigned to along with Michelle was the "McIlrath House" (named for the street it was located on). The young couple we were helping had a 1 1/2 year old son and a 6 year old daughter. This home was originally a very small one bedroom home and our young couple was able to qualify for help relocating after losing most of what they had in the tornado. They were currently living in a camper in the wife's parents driveway with their two children. They were in the camper because the parents had 12 other family members who had lost their homes in the tornado in the house with them and there was literally no room for them. The Church of Christ also stepped in to help this young family and gave a generous donation to build an addition on to the home. The addition added a second bathroom, two more bedrooms, and a utility room on to the home to accommodate the family. When we arrived there was still much work to be done with hanging dry wall, taping, mudding, sanding, priming and painting the walls. I had no experience in doing this work but everyone was happy and very patient enough to teach me how to do all of this. By the end of the week we even had the interior trim going up and the young couple were also happy and excited to help work right there with us. Many of their family and friends stopped by to see the progress and everyone was not only grateful to see us but the look of relief that there was light at the end of this tunnel really struck me hard and I was both happy and honored to be there to help and be a part of this. We woke up each morning to our very own "rooster", Chuck- one of our leaders, would crow in the hallway to wake us up at 6:30 a.m. and get the day going. We started each morning with devotionals after breakfast and ended each day with devotionals after dinner. It was overwhelming to see all the churches of different denominations pull together to be the body of Christ and help each other get through this storm all the while praising Jesus' name. The group of 20 volunteers from all over Wisconsin became an extension of my church family by the end of the week and this little volunteer experience became a wonderful calling to serve that I cannot wait to repeat....our God is an AWESOME GOD!
Becky Mootz:
The house I worked on was in the neighboring town of Carrier Mills. The homeowner had lost her home in Harrisburg in the tornado, and she used her insurance money to put a down payment on another house and make some improvements. However, she didn’t have enough to finish the renovations, so STORM was helping to get it finished so she could move out of her temporary housing. Some of my team worked all week running plumbing across the house (in the crawl space) to give her a new utility/laundry room. The old room will be combined with the small bath to make a master bath off her bedroom, a converted garage. We also built 2 sets of stairs outside, stained some interior trim, painted part of the exterior siding, and replaced a window with a smaller one, which required patching of drywall and siding.
This was my first mission trip, so I was a little unsure what to expect. But by the end of the week, our group of 20 felt like family to me. Everyone we came in contact with, whether they were hosting us or preparing and serving our meals, was unbelievably grateful for us coming to help their community. They showed us fantastic southern hospitality!
Michelle Jackson:
What a beautiful mission trip! I went with three fantastic ladies—Marlene Stewart, Becky Mootz, and Gabby Kutz—and we had a fantastic and blessed time. Even though rain was called for all week long, it held off until night time and only once did it rain (more like drizzled with some sprinkles) during the day. We were warm and secure in the Dorrisville Baptist Church where the four of us shared a room. The church provided us breakfast each morning with cereal and fruit, and on Thursday, they came in and cooked us a hot breakfast to enjoy. Other meals were supplied by area businesses and churches either at the work sites or at the church. We did have a few special meals, though. They were provided by the United Methodist Church (ever heard of Tagliarini? Yum!), St. Mary’s Catholic Church, home owners of the McIlrath house (where Marlene and I worked), and by another volunteer. The week was filled with lots of fried chicken and barbecued/smoked meats.
The fantastic and well-organized committee that is coordinating everything in Harrisburg, IL is called Project STORM. It consists of members from various churches, town clubs and volunteers, and we worked closely with Harrisburg residents Joe Jackson and Bill “Bosco” Watson. Project STORM is helping those devastated by the EF04 tornado that hit February 29, and even though a lot has been accomplished, we could still see the tornado’s path by the vacant lots and empty concrete slabs. Sadly, due to FEMA declining to assist, much of the work is being done by volunteers such as our group. (We learned during our visit that FEMA figures out if they will help by calculating damage against state population. Since Harrisburg is a rural area, there wasn’t enough financial damage for them to come in and help, even though hundreds of homeowners needed help of some kind.) Needless to say, the locals were highly appreciative of our visiting and helping out.
Another group leading the reconstruction was called The King’s Carpenters. Mike and Julie Robinson travel to different areas and help groups with their mission projects, and they have been working with Project STORM since March, living in a 29-foot travel trailer they purchased for this reason). Between The King’s Carpenters, Project STORM and Dan Moutria (another volunteer staying at the church for the past three weeks), much is being accomplished.
Our small group attended with VIM (Volunteers In Mission) of the United Methodist Church of Wisconsin Annual Conference, and hopefully I can speak for all of us when I say we are looking forward to joining them again! Each morning and evening was spent with devotions, prayers and sing-a-longs. There was lots and lots of laughter, helpfulness and team work. Plus, by the end of the week, these people were family. We each had a mystery prayer partner for the week, and at the end of the week, we gave them love gifts made from worksite scraps or messages and scripture written down, and there were lots of tears (by those of us that are the weepy sort). We have embedded ourselves into each other’s hearts.
So, be on the lookout. After VIM meets in October, we’ll start seeing new mission trips being available. We are hoping to choose one in the summer and will hopefully be able to announce 2013’s mission trip in November!
Gabby Kutz:
I worked on a home that was dubbed the “Ice House.” The homeowner lost her home that was in direct line of the tornado. She and her husband were still in the home when the tornado hit. He passed away three months later from his injuries. She used insurance money to rebuild a new concrete block home in the same spot, and she asked STORM for help when her son, who had been doing a lot of the work, felt he was in over his head. The main projects our crew was able to work on was siding the home and building a deck with stairs. A few others worked inside the home building stud walls in the bathrooms and working on the ceiling throughout the home. We started with a small crew and picked up a few others from the other two teams throughout the week. 20 strangers went to Harrisburg and left a family. I would not take a second of this week back.
Marlene Stewart:
Let me first start by saying, when is the next VIM trip? Count me in! This was my first official mission trip and what a fantastic experience it was. Although we worked hard, we had so much fun and I truly left there with an even stronger calling to serve and show others the power of God's love. The home I was assigned to along with Michelle was the "McIlrath House" (named for the street it was located on). The young couple we were helping had a 1 1/2 year old son and a 6 year old daughter. This home was originally a very small one bedroom home and our young couple was able to qualify for help relocating after losing most of what they had in the tornado. They were currently living in a camper in the wife's parents driveway with their two children. They were in the camper because the parents had 12 other family members who had lost their homes in the tornado in the house with them and there was literally no room for them. The Church of Christ also stepped in to help this young family and gave a generous donation to build an addition on to the home. The addition added a second bathroom, two more bedrooms, and a utility room on to the home to accommodate the family. When we arrived there was still much work to be done with hanging dry wall, taping, mudding, sanding, priming and painting the walls. I had no experience in doing this work but everyone was happy and very patient enough to teach me how to do all of this. By the end of the week we even had the interior trim going up and the young couple were also happy and excited to help work right there with us. Many of their family and friends stopped by to see the progress and everyone was not only grateful to see us but the look of relief that there was light at the end of this tunnel really struck me hard and I was both happy and honored to be there to help and be a part of this. We woke up each morning to our very own "rooster", Chuck- one of our leaders, would crow in the hallway to wake us up at 6:30 a.m. and get the day going. We started each morning with devotionals after breakfast and ended each day with devotionals after dinner. It was overwhelming to see all the churches of different denominations pull together to be the body of Christ and help each other get through this storm all the while praising Jesus' name. The group of 20 volunteers from all over Wisconsin became an extension of my church family by the end of the week and this little volunteer experience became a wonderful calling to serve that I cannot wait to repeat....our God is an AWESOME GOD!
Becky Mootz:
The house I worked on was in the neighboring town of Carrier Mills. The homeowner had lost her home in Harrisburg in the tornado, and she used her insurance money to put a down payment on another house and make some improvements. However, she didn’t have enough to finish the renovations, so STORM was helping to get it finished so she could move out of her temporary housing. Some of my team worked all week running plumbing across the house (in the crawl space) to give her a new utility/laundry room. The old room will be combined with the small bath to make a master bath off her bedroom, a converted garage. We also built 2 sets of stairs outside, stained some interior trim, painted part of the exterior siding, and replaced a window with a smaller one, which required patching of drywall and siding.
This was my first mission trip, so I was a little unsure what to expect. But by the end of the week, our group of 20 felt like family to me. Everyone we came in contact with, whether they were hosting us or preparing and serving our meals, was unbelievably grateful for us coming to help their community. They showed us fantastic southern hospitality!
March 12-19, 2011 Chavies, Kentucky
We’re back from a fantastic week in Kentucky! If you’ve seen the tired faces of Brad Mootz, Kathy Bennett, Elizabeth Whitford, Briana Hinzman, Lee Gill, Art & Lois Finnigan, Dan & Linda Dillon, or Mike & Michelle Jackson, it’s due to the all the work and travel from Chavies, KY. Also, we would like to provide a special thank-you to Rod & Marlene Stewart, LeAnn Wurtzbacher, and Terry Hicks for helping us raise funds for the mission trip even though they were unable to attend at last moment. They were remembered and thought of often while the group was in Kentucky.
March 12-19, the group travelled down to the Appalachian mountains to work with Appalachia Service Program (ASP) where they helped update two homes. The “Christmas Bear” team helped a family of five rebuild part of their porch and gate, secure their door, and added trim to the roofing that was put on their home the week before. The “Blair’s Roof” team rebuilt part of a roof and added new tin roofing to the home.
We had great moments that included making new friends with people from Drake University and Indiana University, ping-pong games, Apples to Apples, S’mores by the campfire, and a Bluegrass Jamboree. There were also some moments that could have gone better. Michelle had the flu for two days, Mike smashed his thumb, Dan almost went through a ceiling, Art’s extension cords were taken from the job site, and his truck’s water pump went out half way home. However, it did not deter our spirits.
It was helping the families who needed us that really made the greatest difference. “Christmas Bear” family now has a secure door to help keep their autistic child from wandering off in the middle of the night, and “Blair’s Roof” home owner can now sit in his living room when it’s raining outside. Their genuine appreciation of receiving our help has the team excited and ready to sign up again for another experience next year. Hopefully, you’ll be able to go with us! Be on the lookout for a meeting next month to begin plans for next year’s mission.
We’re back from a fantastic week in Kentucky! If you’ve seen the tired faces of Brad Mootz, Kathy Bennett, Elizabeth Whitford, Briana Hinzman, Lee Gill, Art & Lois Finnigan, Dan & Linda Dillon, or Mike & Michelle Jackson, it’s due to the all the work and travel from Chavies, KY. Also, we would like to provide a special thank-you to Rod & Marlene Stewart, LeAnn Wurtzbacher, and Terry Hicks for helping us raise funds for the mission trip even though they were unable to attend at last moment. They were remembered and thought of often while the group was in Kentucky.
March 12-19, the group travelled down to the Appalachian mountains to work with Appalachia Service Program (ASP) where they helped update two homes. The “Christmas Bear” team helped a family of five rebuild part of their porch and gate, secure their door, and added trim to the roofing that was put on their home the week before. The “Blair’s Roof” team rebuilt part of a roof and added new tin roofing to the home.
We had great moments that included making new friends with people from Drake University and Indiana University, ping-pong games, Apples to Apples, S’mores by the campfire, and a Bluegrass Jamboree. There were also some moments that could have gone better. Michelle had the flu for two days, Mike smashed his thumb, Dan almost went through a ceiling, Art’s extension cords were taken from the job site, and his truck’s water pump went out half way home. However, it did not deter our spirits.
It was helping the families who needed us that really made the greatest difference. “Christmas Bear” family now has a secure door to help keep their autistic child from wandering off in the middle of the night, and “Blair’s Roof” home owner can now sit in his living room when it’s raining outside. Their genuine appreciation of receiving our help has the team excited and ready to sign up again for another experience next year. Hopefully, you’ll be able to go with us! Be on the lookout for a meeting next month to begin plans for next year’s mission.