My name is Zachary Krueger. I am a junior at Iowa State University. I go to a lot of different churches, so I have been to Bridgeway services a few times, and I went on the Spring Break trip to Kentucky last year after I worked at Camp JCM for a summer and heard about Bridgeway's missions to it through a friend of mine. So now you understand who this stranger is writing on your blog. Nice to meet you.
Despite how deceptively close Kentucky might appear to Iowa on a map, it's actually in another time zone, which is a little interesting for a number of us, especially compounded by the recent change of daylight savings time. Or maybe it's all in our heads, and we (the college men at least- Mark, Evan, and I) are just not used to waking up before 7am for breakfast- or for anything else except maybe a fire alarm. Nevertheless, basically everyone in the group is doing fine handling his or her own early-morning grogginess, and by the time letters from our prayer partners are distributed at breakfast, people seem to be generally aware of what's going on around them, and a high percentage of adults seem miraculously alert.
I don't know about anyone else's letters, but mine always begin with a Bible verse, and I think that's wonderful. Today's Bible verse was actually John 3:16, which struck at first as being an easy choice, but now it is resonating with me WHY. John 3:16 has a message, The Message, and if I could be so blessed as to be able to keep that verse and everything it means in my mind and my heart all day, I would have the energy for a million mission trips. My thanks go out to all the letter writers for building us up, and feeding us with the Bread of Life.
Having packed my lunch today, I went out with the group of people working on the off-campus site: a house north of McKee (McKee is the main city of the county we are in right now), which is getting pretty heavily remodeled. Floors, roofing, walls getting painted, cement being poured, literally top to bottom we are working on this house for a couple, the McKinneys. The wife has had a few falls and now has some trouble getting around. She walks slowly and talks quietly, but is very willing to chat with you and share a smile and exchange stories. I want to be able to do more, because some of the materials that we work with are not the greatest, but considering the very large number of projects on Frank Van Hoeve's (the housing ministry coordinator's) to-do list, and the average cost of things we take for granted, like cabinets, I give thanks to God that so much can be done in the first place. And the fact that we provide lots of semi-skilled labor reminds me also that the point is not to swoop in and to take all the problems away. The point is to offer what we can, and the idea that I can offer perfection or should be able to offer perfection suggests that I can find or should be able to find perfection in myself, which is arrogant to say the least. So I'm not the epic hero in the lives of the people that I am serving. So they are not going to be sitting in elegance years down the line clinking champagne glasses together and reminiscing about the time that delightful young man Zach Krueger and his band of volunteers came in and rescued them from the realm of poverty. That is thoroughly not the point. The point is that we, a team, a brotherhood (and sisterhood), are all doing something good for someone else and for God, and even if we as individuals are all forgotten by the time we reach Ames, the people that we help are still going to be living in a home that has been changed, and those changes were fueled by divine love, and that when they see the new countertop or the small cement extension on their patio, then sometimes they will remember the power and the glory of God. And even when they do not remember, they still have a countertop and patio, and just that is progress.
As a status update, the living room floor is done, the cement extension (one of two) should be dry by the time we return tomorrow so we can work on the other one, the roofing (at this point we are working on the trimming) is coming along nicely, and the lower cabinets with the kitchen sink --yes, we really are doing everything, aren't we? even the kitchen sink-- are basically installed, even though the cabinet drawers will still need to be fiddled with a little. The painting in the bathroom and the rest of the cabinetry installation should happen Wednesday. People are finding their niches and capitalizing on their skills and teamwork, and by and large people are keeping busy with smiling faces and singing hearts. The Book of Ecclesiastes, in the midst of all its lamentations, does not that finding satisfaction in one's work is "from the hand of God." This is most certainly true, and is making itself evident to us. Our sore muscles are no match for our soaring souls. We are in fellowship with God, with each other, and with nature. Kentucky is a beautiful place to get in touch with nature. The sun was shining and the breeze was light during our work today, which for me was mostly outside where I could enjoy the weather.
Those people who remained at Camp JCM today also had another small project (in addition to the work being done on general campsite improvements), acting out the story of St. Patrick for the kids who go to school here. To sum up: Patrick was in England when he was captured by Irish slave traders and made to be a shepherd. He spent his days in the field diving headlong into prayer, and by the time he escaped capture (God spoke to him to tell him the night to flee), he was a very devout and bold Christian. He spoke the word in northern mainland Europe, and eventually in England again, but he is mainly famous for eventually answering the call to return to Ireland and massively increasing the spread of Christianity through the largely druidic paganistic country after winning the hearts and allegiances of several Irish rulers.
Since I worked at this camp before, I split off from the rest of the group for supper today in order to meet up with people who were counselors with me who live right across the street, but I cam back in time for the final event of the day. Denny Peyman (Peyman rhymes with Simon), who is the youth minister who does most of the outreach and social-services-type work here, came to talk to us about his work here and little bit of background about other ministry he has been apart of before answering the call to come live in Kentucky. Despite the difficulty reaching out to a very depressed and often hope-lacking community, his faith in God and the courage and resilience with which he does his work for him is immense and admirable. His testimony was a blessing to us all.
A good night's sleep is also a blessing, so I think I am going to let the person who actually owns this computer have it back now so he can upload what I have written and partake in that particular blessing. Thanks for reading. G'night and God bless you all. -ZK
Despite how deceptively close Kentucky might appear to Iowa on a map, it's actually in another time zone, which is a little interesting for a number of us, especially compounded by the recent change of daylight savings time. Or maybe it's all in our heads, and we (the college men at least- Mark, Evan, and I) are just not used to waking up before 7am for breakfast- or for anything else except maybe a fire alarm. Nevertheless, basically everyone in the group is doing fine handling his or her own early-morning grogginess, and by the time letters from our prayer partners are distributed at breakfast, people seem to be generally aware of what's going on around them, and a high percentage of adults seem miraculously alert.
I don't know about anyone else's letters, but mine always begin with a Bible verse, and I think that's wonderful. Today's Bible verse was actually John 3:16, which struck at first as being an easy choice, but now it is resonating with me WHY. John 3:16 has a message, The Message, and if I could be so blessed as to be able to keep that verse and everything it means in my mind and my heart all day, I would have the energy for a million mission trips. My thanks go out to all the letter writers for building us up, and feeding us with the Bread of Life.
Having packed my lunch today, I went out with the group of people working on the off-campus site: a house north of McKee (McKee is the main city of the county we are in right now), which is getting pretty heavily remodeled. Floors, roofing, walls getting painted, cement being poured, literally top to bottom we are working on this house for a couple, the McKinneys. The wife has had a few falls and now has some trouble getting around. She walks slowly and talks quietly, but is very willing to chat with you and share a smile and exchange stories. I want to be able to do more, because some of the materials that we work with are not the greatest, but considering the very large number of projects on Frank Van Hoeve's (the housing ministry coordinator's) to-do list, and the average cost of things we take for granted, like cabinets, I give thanks to God that so much can be done in the first place. And the fact that we provide lots of semi-skilled labor reminds me also that the point is not to swoop in and to take all the problems away. The point is to offer what we can, and the idea that I can offer perfection or should be able to offer perfection suggests that I can find or should be able to find perfection in myself, which is arrogant to say the least. So I'm not the epic hero in the lives of the people that I am serving. So they are not going to be sitting in elegance years down the line clinking champagne glasses together and reminiscing about the time that delightful young man Zach Krueger and his band of volunteers came in and rescued them from the realm of poverty. That is thoroughly not the point. The point is that we, a team, a brotherhood (and sisterhood), are all doing something good for someone else and for God, and even if we as individuals are all forgotten by the time we reach Ames, the people that we help are still going to be living in a home that has been changed, and those changes were fueled by divine love, and that when they see the new countertop or the small cement extension on their patio, then sometimes they will remember the power and the glory of God. And even when they do not remember, they still have a countertop and patio, and just that is progress.
As a status update, the living room floor is done, the cement extension (one of two) should be dry by the time we return tomorrow so we can work on the other one, the roofing (at this point we are working on the trimming) is coming along nicely, and the lower cabinets with the kitchen sink --yes, we really are doing everything, aren't we? even the kitchen sink-- are basically installed, even though the cabinet drawers will still need to be fiddled with a little. The painting in the bathroom and the rest of the cabinetry installation should happen Wednesday. People are finding their niches and capitalizing on their skills and teamwork, and by and large people are keeping busy with smiling faces and singing hearts. The Book of Ecclesiastes, in the midst of all its lamentations, does not that finding satisfaction in one's work is "from the hand of God." This is most certainly true, and is making itself evident to us. Our sore muscles are no match for our soaring souls. We are in fellowship with God, with each other, and with nature. Kentucky is a beautiful place to get in touch with nature. The sun was shining and the breeze was light during our work today, which for me was mostly outside where I could enjoy the weather.
Those people who remained at Camp JCM today also had another small project (in addition to the work being done on general campsite improvements), acting out the story of St. Patrick for the kids who go to school here. To sum up: Patrick was in England when he was captured by Irish slave traders and made to be a shepherd. He spent his days in the field diving headlong into prayer, and by the time he escaped capture (God spoke to him to tell him the night to flee), he was a very devout and bold Christian. He spoke the word in northern mainland Europe, and eventually in England again, but he is mainly famous for eventually answering the call to return to Ireland and massively increasing the spread of Christianity through the largely druidic paganistic country after winning the hearts and allegiances of several Irish rulers.
Since I worked at this camp before, I split off from the rest of the group for supper today in order to meet up with people who were counselors with me who live right across the street, but I cam back in time for the final event of the day. Denny Peyman (Peyman rhymes with Simon), who is the youth minister who does most of the outreach and social-services-type work here, came to talk to us about his work here and little bit of background about other ministry he has been apart of before answering the call to come live in Kentucky. Despite the difficulty reaching out to a very depressed and often hope-lacking community, his faith in God and the courage and resilience with which he does his work for him is immense and admirable. His testimony was a blessing to us all.
A good night's sleep is also a blessing, so I think I am going to let the person who actually owns this computer have it back now so he can upload what I have written and partake in that particular blessing. Thanks for reading. G'night and God bless you all. -ZK
Everybody works when Marcy is in charge!
The kids with a load of raked leaves
Fragile load
The skit (the upside-down Christmas tree holder is a crown)
Beware leaves!
Hi y'all!
ReplyDeleteWell, it certainly sounds as though you guys are "abounding" in good work! I thank God for how you are making the LOVE of God visible! It is a beautiful thing to be able to fix up the house and property of the McKinney family, making it safer for the wife. I'm preparing for my sermon right now, and a great truth (which you have been living out) has leapt out at me from the text of I John 4:12: God's love perfected means, God's love incarnated through us! I think that is happening with you guys.
We continue to pray for you back here in Iowa. Zach, thank you for the great comments- glad I got to meet you before you left! Taylor, I'm praying for you today especially! Have a great day in the Lord's love and in light of his Cross!
Blessings all, in Christ-
Eric