Beautiful Country

Well here I am in the beautiful state of Kentucky at my next workcamp. All I have to say (but not really) is that it is sooooo amazing to be back in the mountains! Everything here is so green and absolutely gorgeous. I've been here since Saturday and all my kids got here on Sunday. It's kinda cool because the majority of the group is from the Bridgewater area! There's also a group from Indiana and then one really cool kid from Pennsylvania. Most people round these parts have amazing accents and I could sit and listen to them talk for hours on end. We're working with HOMES, Inc (Housing Oriented Ministry Established for Service) and they work to obtain land and then build homes that people around here can afford due to the many grants they receive and through the volunteers that come in and help. It is a great program and although they are struggling financially, they are doing what they can to help the surrounding communities.

All in all it's a great group, lots of energy and willingness to serve others. It isn't always easy though, sometimes I feel as though I'm pulling teeth to get them to volunteer to do something. It's hard though because they were coming with the expectation of doing demolition work and building but so far no one has done much of that, or they have done it indirectly. So far we've been pulling nails out of boards so they can be sold and reused, cut and burned brush and debris, painted road curbs and worked to hang sheetrock (drywall) for a local community center that will (hopefully) be opened next month.

The community center that we're working at is such a great project because of what that center will mean to the community when it's done. We are in the heart of Appalachia and there are two jobs here: mining and logging. These 'towns' that we're working in are coal towns and most of the houses used to belong to the local company and everyone got their goods at the company store. So the community center that is being finished was built on the foundation from the company store that used to be in McRoberts. The area has a high drug rate even among adults and the elderly. The center will offer a place for youth to go and hang out in a safe space rather than being out in the hollows getting into trouble. They have plans for a pool table, a ping-pong table, big screen TV and lounge space and then a room for computers that will have Internet access and a crafting room. It is really exciting and I know that a lot of people are really excited for it to be up and running.

It really is such an interesting area in so many ways. And many people around here have similar stories. There are two predominate ones. First, there are the people who were born here and never leave, they choose to work the mines or do whatever work they can. Or, some people, after they go to school, realize they need to leave in order to find a job so they leave for 30 or 40 years, but then they come back. It is amazing how many people decide to come back to this area. And honestly, I can see why. As I said earlier it's beautiful country here. Yeah there's a lot of 'stuff' to deal with, but the people love it here. It's what they know. I know that I absolutely love coming here, it really is a great place to be. The people take the time to slow down and relax and enjoy life. It isn't easy, but then again what is?