Day 2 - Karin Desai

During our second day in New Jersey, we went back to Michelle and Summer’s house where we continued to work on the downstairs so that they could finally be granted their C.O. When we arrived to the worksite we were split into groups and I was group 1, we worked on the front room, which would end up being her study. We started off by taping of the floor and ceiling. Then we poured the paint, we painted the ceiling with primer and the surrounding walls were beige. While we were painting Bell brought her kids to the worksite and I spent the first half of the day with Bell’s daughter, helping her paint and clean brushes.  During lunch Bell shared her story with us, it was really inspiring to hear how hurricane Sandy affected her family. It makes me appreciate how lucky we have it, Bell and her family were just able to move back into their house this past October, and they lost everything.  It really shows that we have nothing to complain about, we have it pretty great compared to most of the people that live here in Bayville. But all in all it was a great day.

-Karin

Day 1 and travel day - Amy Newton

This is a great group to travel with!    Watching all of the kids dive in and work so hard has been amazing - and it's only day 1.

Our theme this week is "hope".  We are able to see where much hope has been needed here on the Jersey Shore.   Prior to the trip I had many conversations with friends about this mission trip.  Hearing we were headed to the Jersey Shore for Hurricane Sandy clean up was a surprise to many.  Comments like - "Really, hasn't it been 3 or 4 years since the hurricane?"  The answer was yes, and there is still tons to be done for this community.  When we arrived and heard about all of the work that still needs to be done we were all very surprised.    Many families have been out of their homes for 4 years.  We heard stories of families living in a trailer for 3+ years.  2 parents, 3 kids and a dog makes for pretty tight quarters.  Others have lived with friends for awhile and then move to another friends house and then possibly another move.   The family we are helping this week is a widow and her teenage daughter.  This has been a long road for them and we are excited to provide them with some hope.

Each day once the kids have completed their blog I will add some additional pictures, time and wifi allowing!

- Amy Newton


Day 1 and travel day pics

The Bus....

The dock at Michelle's house, waiting for direction from the leaders.......

Direction from our fearless leader .....

Power tools!!

All three painting in a tiny bathroom.....

Patching the ceiling with help from Belle......

Hmmmm.....

Cleaning brushes and rollers - our house has no water and only one working electrical outlet.  The kids pulled water from the canal, washed out the paint supplies and then dumped the paint water down a drain near the house.....

Day 1 - Trenton Ward

Today we were helping a family repair their house that was devastated in hurricane sandy years ago and is still not repaired.  Our group is starting in the home stretch but there is still a ton of work to do.  This work includes filling the holes and sanding the walls in a second floor utility room.  I’m not quite sure what happened in the room, but judging from all the holes and divits in the walls the hurricane must have started in that very room.  All the walls had to be smooth so that the paint can go on and look clean.  I was tasked to sanding the ceiling at first I tried to use the long sanding stick and it was a pain.  My arms were awkwardly positioned.  After about the eighth stroke I realized that I was tall enough to reach the ceiling easily and just use the hand sander.  I ended up sanding the rest of the ceiling.  This made me realize that God gave and continues to give us all different gifts and we can each use our personal gifts to help others in our own way.

-Trenton Ward

Day 1 - Grace Cracraft

Today in New Jersey we helped out building the interior of a house with the help of Presbyterian Disaster Assistance.  We all worked together to paint walls, cut dry wall, grout bathroom tile, spackle dry wall and sand walls.  The family whose house we helped fix is a widowed woman with one child.  In the past few years she has lost her husband, father and brother.  She has been out of her house for four years since the hurricane hit.  It was so interesting to hear her story.  While working on the house, which is right on a canal, we were washing off her deck.  We were all so hot and wanted to cool off so a few of us stated dumping water on each other!  It was so much fun and gave us a break after the long day.  The mission trip has been so much fun so far and we are all bonding so much as a group. 

- Grace Cracraft

Day 1 - Cameron Oglesby

To start, New Jersey is an extremely hot place. On our way here we passed a town with the name of “New Egypt” which explains the heat. During our 12-hour drive we spent most of our time watching the DvD symbol on the TV bounce directly into the corner. This kept many of us entertained for hours. We also watched the 2005 romantic comedy called “Hitch” starring Will Smith….. truly a masterpiece. During the first day we went to the house we are going to be working on this whole week. It is a beautiful house on the Bayville canals and has direct access to the ocean. Today we worked on applying spackle to the drywall in the laundry room many times while sanding it down, we started painting some rooms on the first floor as well. It honestly feels amazing to finish up Michelle’s house and I can’t wait to finish the first floor and hear her storm stories!

- Cameron Oglesby

Day 1- Isabelle Darragh

This year for mission trip we headed to New Jersey, which took us a wonderful 12 hours.  We are here to help families who were affected by Super Storm Sandy, Which hit New Jersey almost 4 years ago. I was surprised to find out how many families were still out of their home even 4 years after. We are working with JSU (Jersey Shore United) to help Michelle and her daughter Summer.  Michelle has had a lot of hardship in her life.  She has not only has been out of her home for 4 years she has also lost the 3 most important man in her life within a few years her husband, brother, and father. I started my day out by sanding the wall. I also painted, moved boxes and spackled the drywall. Overall today was a fun hot day. I’m looking forward to finish up the house and getting to know all the new people on mission trip this year. 

-Isabelle Darragh

Almost there

Hi all

We are about 15 minutes from the church so I thought I would post now as when we get in the church lots will have to be done. 

Smooth trip!!

Joyfully

Emma