2005
Transition/Search
Schedule
of Services
The
Eagle
Dear Friends,
A rather busy and productive day is drawing to an
end. We arose, amidst considerable grumbling about the truly “cruel”
nature of the hour, at 8.00am. Breakfast was served and consisted of
the usual fare (bagels, cereal, toast, juice, fruit) plus bacon this
morning. Sandwiches were made, and we were on our way by 9.30.
Work began at once, and a considerable amount was
accomplished. I suspect we will have only about three hours of painting
left tomorrow. This is a good thing, for we have some other tasks to
accomplish in addition to the painting and will need a good bit of the
afternoon to accomplish them.
It is quite interesting to note that there needed
to be little supervision today. The kids were really quite professional
in their approach to their work. Less and less paint seems to be
finding its way to the floor, and more and more seems to be finding its
way onto the walls and trim smoothly and without too many “holidays.”
You should now accept absolutely no plea of inability from your child
if you ask him or her to help with painting around the house. They each
know how to paint just fine, thank you! There was considerable pride
taken in the job being done, and there should have been. It looks
terrific, and it will present a far more inviting prospect to those who
come to this building that it did two days ago. To those whose lives
know little brightness and who see the Premier Learning Center as one
of the few sources of light in a rather overwhelming darkness, this
seems a most appropriate thing. Lunch was taken together at a table in
the Center. It has become quite hot and humid, and the Center’s air
conditioning was far more appealing than traveling out to a picnic
area. A wonderfully lively conversation concerning the Ten Commandments
and civil law occupied much of the lunchtime. Your children hold their
views strongly and defend them quite well. They are also respectful of
the views of others. It was a pleasure to be “a fly on the wall.”
Painting continued well into the late afternoon, and, just as we were
about finished cleaning up, a huge carload of clothing arrived from a
Church in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. It is quite intriguing to see what
a widespread web of support exists about the Country for the work of
this small project in this most depressed of all areas. Even though the
kids were clearly ready to get back to showers and dinner, they didn’t
miss a beat. Much to the pleasure and surprise of the rather elderly
couple who had delivered the clothes, they just started hauling the
clothes into the storage area. Once that task was accomplished, we were
on our way back to the Parish Hall. Showers followed, as did dinner
prepared by Ashley and Catherine. We had hamburgers and hotdogs on the
grill with all the trimmings. It was delicious. At present, Laurel and
Sean are baking a cake for dessert…though I am not quite certain in
what manner one might refer to the rather copious amounts of ice cream
and chocolate sauce; popsicles; and something called Skittles which
have already been consumed in the wake of dinner…if not dessert.
Perhaps the cake ought to be called an “apres dessert.” As I noted once
before, no one is, or will, starve.
I mentioned last evening that the kids had
delivered announcements throughout Premier Village informing the
resident of the availability of school supplies. They said it was quite
interesting. Some folks invited them in…one elderly gentleman
entertained them with tales of his years as a coal miner…others were
not home…and some were rather put out at being bothered. Regardless,
there was a good return from the effort, and tomorrow afternoon will
begin with us delivering the requested supplies to those households
wishing them. It should offer the kids a good opportunity to interact
with folks in the Village. It will then get even more interesting, for,
once the work in the Village is done, there will still be about 25
packages of school supplies available. We will go outside Premier
Village into the hollows and backroads across the river and simply look
for homes (mostly trailers) with evidence of children living there and
knock on the door and offer the supplies. Hilda Kennedy’s experience
from doing this before is that these offers have been warmly received.
It will be good for our kids to see some of the County even more
closely than passing through in our vans. There should be little doubt
that we are not in Litchfield anymore.
The kids had an interesting discussion with Hilda
in which she pointed out that, in the last year, the State and Federal
governments have made decisions that identify Welch as the only
“viable” area left in the Southern portion of McDowell County, and, as
such, it will be nourished and nurtured and helped to come into the 21st
Century. This same “identifying” process also identified numerous towns
in the area that once were booming coal towns, and are still home for a
considerable number of souls, as “not viable.” This has been a
wrenching experience for the inhabitants of the areas, for it means
that little or no government funds will be coming their way, and, in
effect, is their death knell. In the midst of much hopelessness…total
hopelessness has descended, and men and women will simply end up
leaving what has been home to them and their families for a number of
generations. Into this darkness, your kids are bringing a bit of
light…hardly a flicker given the immensity of that darkness…but a
flicker none the less. Without them, it would not be there, and they
are learning, as we each must, that sometimes that is all we can do.
Movies are now being watched as cake is awaited. We
will say Evening Prayer shortly. You will be in our prayers. Please do
keep us in yours.
Faithfully,
Bob
Linnea, Catherine, and a Chum
Linnea and a Chum
Mack telling about growing up
Premier Park
Premier Park (2)
Premier Park (3)