As part of this faith-based Alternative Break, participants share
their thoughts about the day and spend time praying for one another
and the work that is being done.
For the past few days we have been joking that the snow followed us from Michigan. We were starting to believe that it would stay with us until we leave on Saturday. At seven in the morning we awoke to snow on the ground. In elementary school we looked forward to snow days, but everyone here just wanted a clear, sunny day so that we could make it to the sites to help the families.
Once breakfast was eaten, various jobs were divvied up until the roads were checked. Two people rode with the ASP workers to the work sites to see how icy the roads were. One group was able to go, but the other group had to stay at the ASP center because the roads were somewhat treacherous.
It was a very humbling day for those who went to visit their family. The house the family lived in was very small for the number of people it contained and the conditions were hard for many to conceive. Some members of this group worked on building a wall for the family’s new bathroom while others installed insulation. A few of them later shared hilarious outhouse stories, but at the same time it made them realize how blessed they were for having a bathroom.
The group that stayed at the center painted the apartment of the ASP staffers for most of the day. It was fun to be able to do something for the workers because they are constantly helping others. After reorganizing the apartment furniture the group walked down the hill to visit the town store. While they had been working and having fun all day it was nice to be able to explore different parts of the town and have some fresh air.
After dinner we worshipped at the Pentecostal church that we had visited on Sunday. We were welcomed once again and this time shared a song with them. Upon returning to the center we discussed how fellowship was a common theme today as everyone spent more time with each other. We shared stories about ourselves, the people we helped, and our experiences throughout the day. Each story and the laughter often shared brought us closer together.
Katie Matonich '08, Dr. Brian Stratton and Marc Hong '07 are
proud of the wall they are making for their family's new bathroom.
Sarah DeYoung '07, Katrina Bundy '07, Amy Kline '06 and
Kristin Kuczera '08 pause during their afternoon walk to admire
the coal mine in the distance and visit with a neighborhood dog.
Photos, captions and layout by Tom Harding ’07 and Sarah DeYoung ‘07
