McAlester News-Capital, McAlester, OK

Local News

November 7, 2009

Volunteers building hope

By Mandy Carter

Nearly 85 volunteers showed up at 8 a.m. Saturday morning, sleeves rolled up and tools in hand, to help frame the construction project taken on by the First United Methodist Church that will result in a new home for a family in need.

“Last Spring Break, a large group of our youth and adults went on a mission trip to help clean up the district where the first levees broke during the hurricane in New Orleans,” said First United Methodist Church Youth Director Robin Woodley.

While working with Crossroads Missions in New Orleans, the group stayed in a school gym in the area, where the scars of the storm were still plainly evident.

“We could see the marks at the tops of the gym walls where the water had been,” Woodley recalled. “We were sleeping in an area that had once been under more than 10 feet of water.”

Woodley said while working alongside members of Crossroads Missions, she began speaking with one of the men from the group about how she wished they could do more than clean up — maybe build something permanent, tangible, for the people who remained.

“That led us to a discussion of Habitat for Humanity, a partnership organization with Help Build Hope,” Woodley explained. “A little different than Habitat for Humanity, Help Build Hope comes to you.”

The organization oversees the delivery of materials to the site where framing takes place, and then the congregation, civic group or volunteer organization builds the walls, assembles them to assure quality and fit, then disassembles them, loads them on a truck, and the whole project is shipped to its final destination.

The First United Methodist Church, formerly Grand Avenue Methodist, received stacks of lumber on the corner of Thirteenth Street and MacArthur Avenue, a lot purchased for a future new church building near the Mike Deak walking track, from Lowe’s in McAlester. Building was done on Saturday.

“The Methodist Men’s Group cut all the lumber to fit, and numbered it. Then members and other volunteers came and put it together,” Woodley explained.

The receiver sites are chosen ahead of time, in areas with a need. This one was headed to Stroud on Nov. 7, where the foundation has already been poured and the plumbing is in place.

“We’re way ahead of schedule because we had so many volunteers show up,” said volunteer John Cotton. “It’s gone really well.”

More than just McAlester volunteers showed up to complete the project, according to Woodley.

“We have had nearly 85 people here throughout the day,” she said. “There are people here from Antlers Methodist Church, Holdenville Methodist, and the boys’ ranch.”

Brian Gioe, a Crossroads Missions representative, came from Indianapolis, Ind. to oversee and help with the process. Crossroads Missions, based in Louisville, Ky., is a non-denominational non-profit organization that provides mission opportunities for churches across the nation.

Woodley has been scouting suitable places for a Habitat for Humanity project in the McAlester area, but has yet to come up with anything that qualifies just yet. In the meantime, she and the congregation continue rolling up their sleeves and working for common goals such as the Help Build Hope project.

“We chose to focus on something for someone else first,” she said of the fact that the Help Build Hope home will be assembled in the lot purchased with the intent of someday soon building a new church building. “We’re building something for someone we’ll never meet. That’s a substantial thing. We’ve been telling these kids, ‘You’re giving someone a home.’”

Contact Mandy Carter at mcarter@mcalesternews.com.

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