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March 2009
Description
West Virginia is not currently responding to a recent disaster, although historically we are aware that this can change without a moment’s notice. Through disaster recovery projects since 2001 (following flooding), we have built up momentum and a volunteer base as well as a full summer mission team program. Our current response will be in the areas of advocacy and in mitigation against further disaster in areas where poverty compounds disaster.
Structure
West Virginia Ministry of Advocacy and Workcamps, Inc. (WVMAW) was started as the Disaster Recovery arm of the Presbytery of West Virginia in September 2001. The organization was incorporated in May 2002. WVMAW’s executive director reports to a board, which represents Presbyterians from around the state. The executive director also periodically presents reports to the presbytery, is an agency member of the Social and Ecumenical Ministry Committee and a clergy member of the Congregational Development Committee.
Volunteers
There are 56 work groups on scheduled for 2009. So far this year, four groups totaling 94 individuals have worked eight days in West Virginia.
Individuals served
Montgomery, W. Va.: Repairs and projects for two families representing seven people; work with an ecumenical ministry that serves about 70 people weekly; work on the mission center that houses approximately 300 mission workers each year.
Kopperston, W. Va.: Repairs and projects for one family representing two people; demolition of a house that was a danger to the community.
Colcord, W. Va.: Repairs to four homes representing five people; work with an ecumenical ministry that serves approximately 100 people monthly.
Type of work
Montgomery, W. Va.: The work in one home consisted of replacing flooring that was caving in and putting in a ceiling. The groups also painted several interior rooms. Sheetrock was put up on an inside wall in the mission center accommodations, along with completing a drop ceiling in an effort to cut the energy costs for the site. The groups assisted with the outreach ministry in the clothing closet where they worked with community volunteers to organize donations. Furthermore they helped to serve free breakfast to people in the community and worked with volunteers to cook and clean. Finally, they built a wall to contain donated items and make the hallway safer and within fire code.
Kopperston, W. Va.: Work is continuing from last year’s project in a home that was burned and replaced by a mobile home. Mission teams are helping to complete a room that has been added to expand the home. The group also helped to demolish a house that was becoming a danger in the community. (This was great fun I might add!)
Colcord, W. Va.: Students learned a variety of skills in Colcord as they fixed a leaky roof in two homes, repaired a porch, and painted a mobile home; they repaired a bedroom and hallway floor for another home; they replaced rotted siding on another home until it began to snow and they had to stop! Some built racks and shelving and helped to re-organize the items in a clothing closet ministry. Comment from one leader: “I never expected to experience all four seasons in one week, but here we went from 70 degrees to snow in a matter of days!” My only response is that we aim for a variety of experiences in many ways.
Examples of how Presbyterian congregations worked in partnership with other faith-based organizations
- Students from the Newman Center at Temple University, led by Fr. Shaun Mahoney, were from the Catholic student community organization working in Colcord during the week of March 8-14. On Sunday evening the Colcord Presbyterian Church hosted a five church choir concert involving four local Baptist church choirs as well as their own. The students were treated to gospel music and Appalachian style worship, and then a covered dish dinner. Oh — the mission team also sang for the church choirs. From the description of the evening, it must have sounded like angel choirs from all around.
- Some students from Temple University worked with Good Samaritan Ministries in Whitesville, West Virginia. This is an ecumenical ministry that serves individuals and families in Boone and Raleigh Counties by providing clothing, household goods and construction materials at little or no cost. The students helped to organize the racks and built shelving for expansion of the ministry.
- Through membership in the ministerial association, the Montgomery Presbyterian Church houses a food pantry and clothing closet for outreach in the community. Mission workers from Cabrini College and the College of Wooster helped people in the community sort clothing and organize the clothing closet. They also helped to re-organize the Crisis Closet, an ecumenical endeavor to provide household goods for families in need. On Tuesday they helped to serve breakfast to people in the community and assisted running the clothing closet.
Stories of hope
International Perspective
Students from the College of Wooster, Ohio, were an ecumenical international group in Montgomery during the week of March 14-21. Of the 25 students, exchange students were here from India, China, Korea, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Ireland, Pakistan, Burma and Palestine. Backgrounds ranged from un-churched to Roman Catholic, a variety of mainline protestant, two Muslims and one Buddhist. Without apology for being Christian, yet in order to respect all faith backgrounds, we sought common ground: one God, seeking justice for all of God’s people. It was an enriching week of sharing about poverty in the U.S. and learning about the perspective of people of other cultures. A final debriefing with students was most insightful. Read the full story.
Advocacy
On January 12, 2009, about 60 people gathered at the Ashland Company Store, Ashland, West Virginia, to celebrate the official ground breaking for the alternative wastewater treatment system for the Ashland Community. Although ground had actually been broken in 2008 by WVMAW volunteers who dug the drain field for this project, the engineering piece of the project was about to begin.
Representatives from the offices of a congressman, a senator and the governor were there to congratulate the community and the Wastewater Treatment Coalition (of which WVMAW is a partner). We would like to think they were properly surprised at the accomplishments of the coalition and the community of Ashland. The project received some media attention and a few articles in local newspapers to help educate the public on the progress of the Coalition.
WVMAW, along with other agencies outside of the county, was recognized as a partner of the Coalition.
The County Commission president announced that McDowell County Commission would support a grant to hire a full time executive director for the Wastewater Treatment Coalition. Peni Adams was hired by the coalition in February. She is motivated to take on the tasks of grant writing, public education, and coordinating the activities of the Coalition.
Education for the future
The Wastewater Treatment Coalition received a grant for an outdoor classroom program at Mount View High School and Mount View Middle School, where students can learn about water quality and environmental issues that pertain to water and plant life. The classroom is partly complete, projected to receive plantings as the weather permits.
On March 10, I met with students from Temple University at Colcord to discuss the ministry of WVMAW, particularly as it pertains to social justice and advocacy. On March 11, students from Notre Dame who were with WVMAW as well as students from there who had joined with another outreach ministry gathered in Ashland, W. Va., to learn about the Ashland Community Project and discuss issues of social justice. On March 12, I had this same discussion with students at Cabrini College in Montgomery. At a retreat for middle school students on March 14, I made a presentation about WVMAW, including Advocacy issues, to a surprisingly attentive group of young people. On March 16, I made this presentation to the students from the College of Wooster.
We are committed to continuing the education of students who study Appalachian issues as they pertain to social justice and ecology. Wastewater treatment is not a hot topic, and yet people are amazed at the problem faced in so many communities. We believe in stewardship of the earth, clean water and opportunities for good health for all of God’s people. Thus we remain committed to this project, and educating people about the dilemma and about the hope for the future!
Future
Micah 6:8 is the template for the work to which God calls us to do: What does the Lord require of you? To do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God.
Doing justice is bridging the gap in the name of Christ. The gap is between the rich and poor; the gap is between those who are safe and those who are victims of disaster; the gap is between those blessed with abundance and those who are victims of the disaster of unemployment, poverty, age or illness. The gap is between those who can do for themselves and those who cannot.
To love kindness is to build relationships with individuals, not simply do something for “those people.”
Walking humbly with God is to recognize that this is not about us — it is about loving God with all our heart, soul, and mind and loving our neighbor as ourselves. Walking humbly with God is allowing God to surprise us with grace and hope.
Affirmed by response, encouraged by prayer and support, and energized by the excitement for what another year will bring, the first quarter of WVMAW is complete and we are looking at our busy season on the way. With hands ready to reach out, feet ready to go where God calls, and eyes looking for God’s vision for us, we are ready for whatever is next! Bring it on!
This report was submitted by Joan Stewart, executive director of West Virginia Ministry of Advocacy & Workcamps (WVMAW). |
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