This has been a very productive week of finishing up the framing inside the Sanctuary Building, completing the overhead insulation and getting the exterior doors installed and completing the odds and ends. We are now working on the electrical and as soon as that is completed and inspected, we will be ready to hang the sheet rock.
Piperton Baptist Church, Piperton TN, sent 10 men and 2 women to serve the Lord in the construction of Liberty Hill Baptist Church in Ethridge TN on May 11 – May 15, 2009. Our pastor, Bro Thomas Foy, who planned to come, had to minister to a church family due to death. All of the men have been on multiple mission trips and are so willing to help others in many capacities. God has blessed them with construction skills and a love for missions – Jimmie Cobb and his wife, Louise, are actively involved in Nail Benders, a church building group based in Arkansas. Jimmy Bennett is a sheetrock expert, and a third Jimmy - Jimmy Johnson is talented and willing to help with anything. Our youngest team member is Bubba Smith – family man with 5 children – is quiet but dependable and is a certified electrician. Wallace Dawkins has experience with woodworking, water and septic tank work (and is “full of laughter”). His wife, Sandy, a nurse, came to help with cooking and cleaning. Ray Godwin is a lifetime carpenter, a work-a-holic and not afraid of any height. Pete Rhodes is a longtime mission team member and so useful with those long legs. James Holcomb, a past member of this church, is a hard worker, and familiar with this area where he has bought tack for his mules from the Amish. Rodney Owen, a fairly new Piperton member, and Dan Torvik – retired from AT&T - are both skilled electricians. Each of these team members want everyone to know that all work is done for the glory of Almighty God. He is the source of our strength and the motivation to go show others His power and love.
During the same week, Mt. Olive Baptist Church from Knoxville TN sent a group of 12 volunteers to Ethridge to help with the Liberty Hill Rebuild Project. This group of volunteers from South Knox and North Blount counties represent the following churches: Mt. Lebanon, Madison Avenue, Nance’s Grove and Mt. Olive. This was the first disaster relief trip for some, while others are veterans of several trips, mostly to the Mississippi Gulf Coast to help rebuild after Hurricane Katrina. During the three years after Katrina, Mt. Olive sponsored trips to the Coast every 2 or 3 months, taking teams of 15 to 25 volunteers each. Like all the other trips, this trip to help rebuild Liberty Hill includes volunteers with a variety of skills. The volunteers all have the essential characteristics of a willing heart and the desire to help those in need. This group has received countless blessings in their ministry to others.
A beautiful sight...
The Greyhound bus depot is at the corner of 43 and Clarksville road, where we turn to head to the new church site. This particular day the "parking lot" was rather empty, with only two carriages, a wagon, and 3 horses. We have learned that the Amish use the bus to trav
As one travels the posted 45 miles per hour down the narrow, winding road towards the church site, it is prudent to be ever ready to brake as one never knows whether around the bend there will be slower moving vehicle. I clocked these modes of transportation several times as I waited to pass them and their average speed is 5 to 6 miles per hour.
One crew spent time putting channels on the roof of the smaller building while other crews worked on the siding of the larger structure.
By late afternoon the progress made this day was outstanding!
We (Jim and I) have enjoyed our time here in Tennessee. As Jim has told many of the church members, "Tennessee sent Texas some really good hands when we had our dust-up with the Mexican Army back in 1836. As native Texans, we thought this would be a great way to return the favor to our Tennessee brethren." 