Barre, VT – July 21-27, 2024

Transformations.  One afternoon a group of long-term volunteers were sitting in the office.  Someone with a familiar voice walked in asking for information cards for Hope Coalition.  No one was able to place a name to the face and voice. After he introduced himself, he was known, but recognition by his appearance took just a bit longer.  When we began working with him, he was angry and intoxicated.  In fact, he had rejected our services initially.  This day he was clean, dressed well, and no smell of alcohol.  His children, who had been ashamed of him and his collected junk and his drinking habits could now invite friends and neighbors to play in a small pool in his yard.  Now Todd’s job was to supervise their play activities.  Before the workers left his house, he asked them to gather for prayer and he led them in the Lord’s prayer.  His life was transformed because of the worker’s quiet witness. 

Work was nearly completed on a house that had previously been rejected because it was declared to be “too toxic.”  After multiple visits to the house, MDS decided to undertake the job.  Her kitchen sink had a bucket to catch the water.  She needed a new toilet, vanity, and shower in the bathroom.  Work had to be done to level the floors in the kitchen, bathroom, and hallway, and joists were replaced, and new flooring was put down.  One day several of the workers heard her moaning as if in pain.  They checked on her and she was in pain because fluid had collected in her body.  She hadn’t taken her necessary diuretic because she had no toilet.  Plans were for the SYP volunteers to work half a day and then spend the afternoon exploring the community.  One young man chose to stay and spend the afternoon tp work so that she could have a working toilet by day’s end.  The joy on her face when her toilet was working was indescribable!   

We were blessed once again with a great group of SYP volunteers and their sponsors from Harrisonburg, VA.  They installed flooring and trim at one of the homes.  They enjoyed food provided by the homeowner who was from Ghana.  Emmanuel had been reluctant to accept MDS’s help.  He asked Herb if he knew what his name meant.  Herb responded, “God is with us.”  He accepted our help.  Another homeowner is an artist, and she gave each of the people working at her home a unique hand-made mug.  More mucking from 2023’s and 2024’s floods was done at several homes.  Plumbing at another house was done with the help of a plumber from the RV unit.  A garage was torn down.  All went well until ten minutes were left at the project.  One of the volunteers stepped on a nail!  At Numa’s house a variety of jobs were done, including building a wall to seal off the second and third floors for winter. 

Three MDS communications staffers visited this week.  They “toured” several job sites and visited with SYP volunteers.   

It’s been a busy week of transitions.  We welcomed Brent, Lois and Wayne, Kent and Betsy and Ryan.  Goodbyes to Edith, Herb, Tim and Judy, Emily, and Bill.  

Reporting from all of us at Barre, office manager Edith