2005
Transition/Search
Schedule
of Services
The
Eagle
Dear Friends,
Our final day I McDowell County is drawing to a
close. We arose quite leisurely this morning, had breakfast, and did
some packing and cleaning up. We then clambered into our vans and
headed for Beckley. We visited the quite remarkable Tamarack Center…an
exhibition center for a marvelous array of really fine West Virginia
arts and crafts. Lunch was taken there, and then we were off to the
Beckley Coal Mine Exhibition. It is made up of a fine group of restored
coal mine building…everything from the humblest miner’s shack to the
foreman’s home; the Church; Schoolhouse; Post Office; Barber Shop; and,
even, a privy. Having toured these sites, we boarded a coal engine,
which took us into the mine. Our guide was a delightful man who had
worked in the mines for some 30 years and provided wonderful
explanations of the purpose of much of what we were seeing. I was,
again this trip, somewhat shaken to realize the nature of the
relationship of the coal companies to those who worked for them as
miners. Truly the miners were indentured servants with absolutely no
hope of improving their lot. Their wages were quite modest, and, from
them, the mine took rent, medical assessments, dues, etc and then gave
them the remaining funds as scrip…paper redeemable only at the company
store for groceries, etc. Our guide pointed out that Ernie Ford’s old
lyric, “I owe my soul to the company store…” was not far from the truth
for generations of coal miners. His further description of the
conditions in the mines was hair-raising…men crawling on their bellies
into coal seams and working that way for twelve to fourteen hours a day
make, as I noted two years ago, England’s “dark satanic mills” seem
somewhat tame by comparison. We left the Coal Mine Exhibition and
stopped a Dairy Queen for a bit of ice cream and then home for fried
chicken, fresh corn on the cob, and salad.
After that, we celebrated the Eucharist simply
together. You we very much in our prayers as we joined in that time.
Please do keep us in yours as we travel tomorrow.
At present, bags are being packed and very warm
conversations taking place between youngsters who, but five days ago,
were strangers and now are friends. It has been a privilege to have
these days with them. They are fine and caring young men and women.
They have made a difference in the lives of some of the people here and
brought a wee small bit of light into a terrible darkness. They
promised to respect the dignity of every human being, and they have
done so. They promised to seek Christ in all persons loving their
neighbor as themselves, and they have. No one could ask more or better.
Please be proud of them. They merit that pride.
Thank you for entrusting these dear one of yours to
us. It has been a great joy and honor to have this time with them.
Faithfully,
Bob
Our Coal Mine Guide
Welch, West Virginia