On Thursday, June 23, twelve high school students and two adults (a third met us later in the trip) left Marth'a Vineyard for a mission trip in Tennessee. The first leg of our trip was to fly to Nashville, where we spent two days sightseeing while waiting for our assignment. We saw the city, went on a ghost tour, ate BBQ, shopped and attended a Nashville Sound baseball game.
On Saturday we headed to Franklin, TN, which is where our home was for the remainder of the trip. We met wonderful people at our new home church, Christ United Methodist Church, who provided us with not only a floor to sleep on but mattresses, pillows, linens and towels. The best "digs" we have ever had while on a mission trip!
Monday we began work in Fairview, TN. We learned during our trip that Fairview is one of the poorest towns in one of the poorest counties of Tennessee. Here they were affected mostly by the incredible amounts of rain in May, 2010, which ultimately caused all of the flooding in Nashville. The people of Franklin and other towns that are not populated by the more wealthy citizens, found they had no funding or large amounts of help coming to their rescue. So they created their own organization to help each other.
This is where we came in. Our task was to help one woman, Mrs. Latham. She is a widow and former high school teacher/guidance counselor. She loves teenagers and was thrilled they were coming to help her out. Mrs. Latham is suffering from cancer, among other medical issues and has been in the hospital for long periods of time lately. We learned quite quickly that she also has a passion for animals and rescues unadoptable animals. She has 27 cats (who have their own house), three dogs, two geese and a donkey, all ona lovely piece of property with a large pond that is home to very large catfish who seemed to also be tame.
During our trip we learned how to sheetrock, putty, paint, put in new glass panes, lay a wood floor, design a drainage system, plumb a kitchen sink, put up those pesky accordian fold closet doors and many other handyskills. We also learned to do all of this with little or no tools. Who needs a wheelbarrow to haul dirt and rocks - we can make our own out of old items we find laying around. Who needs shovels to dig trenches - we have hands don't we?
We also learned how appreciative others are when we help them and how good we feel when we can be of help to others. On the last day we were there, Mrs. Latham told Paige and Taylor how she felt as if she had won the lottery, and she hadn't even entered. No, Mrs. Latham, we are the one who have won the lottery. Thank you for welcoming us into your home and allowing us to do what little we could for you.
