Tuesday

Our second day of work and fellowship with some dear ladies made up today.

Once again we divided up into teams to spread the workforce and visitation.

Some photos from yesterday and today at the screen porch project:

One shot of the outdoor kitchen being built at the WWM bunkhouse complex:

And some of the ladies we visited today:

Ms Lily

Ms Bell

Ms Fleming, who had a staircase built by our team.

Ms Bowie and her caretaker, Ms Minnie

Ms Betty (right) with her niece Linda.  Betty suffered a fall yesterday, but was encouraged by some fellowship and singing!

A highlight of today was visiting Sadie.  Sadie is a bit of a legend among folks who have worked with WWM.  As is the case with so many of these ladies, visiting her today gave us a picture of God's excessive grace buoying a spirit, and enabling her to choose joy, service, and humility in a life that would breed resentment, cynicism, and anger in even the strongest who tries to live by his own strength.  Sadie has protected her children from the expectations of failure that have surrounded them due to their race and their neighborhood, and for the past several years, she has nursed a husband who has been severely debilitated by a stroke.  Rather than becoming self-involved and bitter, she spends her days ministering to others.  The God that Sadie serves is able to open the heart, may we all seek Him!  Here's some singing with Miss Sadie:

Widows Watchman Trip 2014

Greetings from Honea Path!

Saturday
We arrived Saturday evening about 4:30 to meet our ministry partners and get settled into our home for the next few days.

Field and bunkhouse complex in the background

WWM (Widows Watchman Ministries) has a newly constructed set of bunkhouses to house visiting groups.  So, we're enjoying the great outdoors and getting to know the folks from Highlands ARP and Christ Reformed Church very well!

Saturday night supper

Sunday
Sunday morning we worshipped with our brothers and sisters at Christ Reformed Church of the Carolinas in Anderson, SC.  Rev. Alexander Campbell taught from I Cor 10, focussing on our responsibility as Christians to surrender our Scripture-backed freedoms for the sake of love when we are called to do so.  An appropriate topic to be sure as we ask the Spirit to fuel us for service through long days, close quarters, and some nice July heat.

Heading into worship.

CRC

After worship, we were wonderfully fed by the folks at CRC (excellent eating has become a theme of our trip), and looked to the afternoon for some Sabbath rest.  "Rest" brings the image of quiet, peaceful respite.  Well, ours was peaceful, but not so much quiet, as we headed out to a local hunting club for some skeet shooting.  I'm pleased to announce WOARP had 100% participation, and everyone hit at least 1 clay.  No starving for us this week!

Jack lines up a shot

After shooting, Paul Patrick, RUF minister at Erskine, fed us some delicious pork BBQ before we headed back to our camp.

Monday
Today was our first work day.  Bill May (WWM Director, and our host) keeps a running list of widows in the area who need all types of service.  Today, we intermixed our churches into four groups.  One group stayed at our camp and began the work on a outdoor kitchen for future WWM groups.  Two groups went out to widows' homes: one re-screening a porch, and the other building a new set of stairs off of a handicap ramp.  The final group was on visitation duty, driving all over the area to sit and talk with the ladies whom we are here to serve.

Of course, this visitation is a big part of what these widows truly need.  We have experienced first-hand the hospitality, humble attitudes, and welcome of the ladies that we heard so much about before we arrived.

A few of our girls Frances May, 94 years old.

Prepping materials for the screen porch.

We end today tired from our work, pretty sweaty, and ready for rest.  Tomorrow we will have more projects to do and love to show and to experience!