Eastern, KY – Feb. 18-24, 2024

This week we were blessed to have three groups of volunteers join us. A group of 8 from Pennsylvania, 4 young women from Ontario, and a family of 8 from New York. It was great to see the three groups get to know each other and have fun working together. Inko, a year-long volunteer with MDS, left Eastern Kentucky for his next assignment and we sent him off with a blessing and a commissioning.

The Noble house was sanded for the final time and all the walls and ceilings were painted. The flooring was installed except for the kitchen, where we are waiting for kitchen cabinets to arrive. Bethany, a 7-year-old volunteer, made friends with Donna’s dog, who continually hangs around the new house.

At the Shepherd house, we taped, mudded, and sanded. The walls and ceilings were painted. Michael’s daughter was able to paint a few strokes in the closet in her new bedroom.

At the Little house, the ramp was completed. We hung the sheetrock and started taping and mudding. We also finished up the steps.

The Holbrook house went from the block foundation to a house with a roof! The floor joists were set, center beam installed, subfloor and walls went up. Sheeting was installed on the walls and roof. The porch was framed. Rafters were set, ice and water shield installed, the house wrap was put on, and the roof was shingled. The windows were also installed. We put in 429 volunteer hours on this house alone and it was exciting to see the progress from day to day.

On Wednesday evening Janet and Larry Little joined us for supper and shared Janet shared their experience with the flood and their current living situation. It made the emotional turmoil of her experience so real to all of us. And we are so excited to be building her a new house.

Submitted by Gayle Frey

On behalf of the Eastern Kentucky Team