Reports from the April 2016 Mission Trip to Bland, VA
From Kenny and Kim Rowland
During the week of April 4-8 a team of 27 youth and adults traveled to Bland, VA on a mission trip. We were able to accomplish many things while we were there. We were able to divide into four groups which allowed us to be in several places at one time. Together we were able to convert a bathroom to make it handicap accessible, build a wheelchair ramp, build an 8x8 porch, upgrade a bathroom at the Bland Ministry Center, complete some maintenance projects at the Wade Center, and we had a team that stayed behind at BMC everyday to help with distribution of food and clothes. It was a great week and we are so thankful that we were able to go and work and minister for the week in the name of Jesus.
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From Pastor Calvin Halcomb"Sometimes you wonder, before going on a mission trip, what to expect. Most all of our church has not been to Bland, VA before, so it was a new experience. We were blessed to be working with a team from East Dublin Dayspring Worship Center who had traveled this road before. The entire team jumped in with gusto to serve the needs of the people there. Some of us went to Richlands, VA to convert a bathroom into a handicap accessible one for a man who had an auto accident in January, and is now a paraplegic. We completed our project in four days, completely gutting and remodeling the bathroom so he could have a "drive-in" shower. Others of our team served at the Wade Center painting, cleaning and interacting with the children there, while others served faithfully in the food and clothing ministry, organizing and helping the clients with obtaining their food and clothes.
The trip was enlightening to all of us to see not only the physical poverty but the spiritual poverty as well. We were able to share about Christ with one of the family members and overall just let them know the love of Jesus through service. We are continuing to pray for the people Bland and the surrounding area that God will work in and through them there." |