A Future With Hope Mission Team
After a long but pleasant drive Saturday and Sunday, our
mission team arrived in Somers Point, New Jersey on Sunday afternoon. We met Heidi Hibbs, our host from the
organizing group and also one of the 35 or so active members of the Somers
Point UMC that is hosting us in their parsonage (their current pastor has his
own home.)
On Monday morning, we gathered with another mission team
from Maryland, which is staying several miles away at the Seaville UMC, for a
brief instructional and organizational meeting.
It was decided that the two teams will work together, for at least
Monday and Tuesday, at a small house in the resort community of Wildwood—about
35 minutes south of where we are staying—in hopes of getting the 84 year old
homeowner finally back into her home, which was rendered unlivable after Super
Storm Sandy over two years ago.
Prior to our arrival, previous crews removed
approximately 80 cubic yards (3 large dumpsters) full of damaged belongings, as
well as rotting drywall and other building materials that were damaged by the
storm. Wildwood is a community of
approximately 5,400 year round residents, that swells to over 250,000 in the
summer months! (That is not a misprint.)
Together, our teams stained a new back fence (built by previous teams),
finish sanded and mudded the last of the drywall, installed new flooring, and
cut, trimmed and painted baseboard molding throughout the small house. Tomorrow, we will finish the fence, finish
installing the moldings, and place the new kitchen cabinets. After we leave, contractors will finish
installing the electrical wiring, install the plumbing fixtures in the kitchen
and bathroom, and connect the Heating and Cooling ducts, and the house will be
ready for occupancy at last!
We are tired—and a bit sore—but feeling very gratified to help make a difference in the life of this homeowner, who has been struggling with being displaced from her home, and distraught at the loss of all her possessions.
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