UNCOUNTABLE BLESSINGS

I began this blog with the title of “Counting Our Blessings” but realized immediately after writing it down, that our blessings are too numerous to count, thus uncountable blessings.

It has been at least a month since I updated you on our events and activities here at Point of Hope.  As usual, there have been many activities with volunteers coming and going as you will see in our pictures.   This blog will be more pictures than usual, as the saying goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words”.

CO WORKERS & SUPPORTERS IN THE LORD’S VINYARD



                  Marilyn and Don from Illinois, two more wonderful supporters of Point of Hope arrived on the first Monday around noon and immediately got busy.  Marilyn worked hard for the week getting a trailer in liveable condition, cleaning, measuring and putting up curtains, and everything that goes with it. Don worked on making a cart for us to be able to move furniture around without doing it the back-breaking way.  Our rocking chair is also back to rocking again after being upholstered.   Marilyn and Don have become good friends, always ready to provide not only material help, but their time and moral support for us as well.  Marilyn broke her shoulder while working at her church back home after they left here. Please pray for her speedy recovery.

                Last Thursday Kaija arrived with her son Kody.  While Kody worked with Father Beiting and his gang at the rectory, Kaija and I immediately left to go to Ashland to pick up a new dishwasher and stove so Pat and his crew could install them.  (See “New Kitchen” blog.)  We are grateful to Estella of Wisconsin for helping us with the purchase of this new dishwasher.  It has become a necessity for us to ensure hygiene and safety.   

Back to our volunteers, Kaija  has been pulled to different places away from Point of Hope occasionally while she is here, mostly because she is very flexible and highly motivated to accomplish what she sets out to do.  She also blogs on this sight and I hope she will share her time and experience while here, with you.  I am very grateful when she comes and would like to keep them here for our ongoing support since she works very efficiently.  More importantly, she also has become a good friend who is available when needed.  She has a great love and respect for our beloved Father Beiting.

                The second week of this month began with the arrival of some regular yearly helpers from St Charles Borromeo Parish of Kettering Ohio. These adults and youth worked on painting decks at Point of Hope and building a ramp for an elderly couple across from us.  Others worked at the warehouse and various places, all bringing their faith to share with us through their time and labour.   We are the grateful recipients of their generosity.

                To end this section of our blog, I want to say THANK YOU.  Thank you to all for your prayers, your friendship and financial support.  Without you we would not be here doing what we do.  I am reminded that I am not alone, but that what we do, we do for love of God.  It is truly OUR mission.  You are always a part of my prayer.  Know that whenever I kneel before God, you are there with me.   We are God’s Church and God’s family.

Finally, our second big event of the year has happened.   The first big event was our grand opening and blessing for the new duplex where we now have people living.  And now for the grand finale of this blog, we share our news for the second big event.

NEW KITCHEN

In past months, I have been writing about getting a new kitchen for Point of Hope, a project begun by a faithful volunteer, Kaija.  A year ago this month, she submitted a written proposal for the project to the head office on why we needed a new kitchen, including detailed financial specifications.  Thinking it would end up on the bottom of the pile, I was not sure how this would turn out, but not so when Kaija starts working.  About four or five months after news of this project went out, Pat from the FBAMC (Father Beiting Appalachian Mission Center) of Northeast Ohio called to ask if we would like a beautiful maple kitchen display cabinet he had in his showroom.  Without hesitation, we all accepted.  Thus after much ado with emails back and forth on how and where the cabinets would be placed, etc and on transportation, the cabinets arrived.

Pat and crew arrived on a Wednesday night, June 8 and began working in the wee hours of the morning on Thursday.  By the time we arrived to work at eight that morning, the old cabinets were out in the parking lot and the men were busy at work rewiring and extending pipes for the new dishwasher.  Since we did not have enough money to buy a new stove to go with our new kitchen, these miracle workers also bought us a new stove.  At 4 p.m. Friday, our beautiful maple cabinets were installed and ready for use.

We already see and feel the benefit of this new kitchen.  The space created by these cabinets offers room to safely move around during meal preparation.  Cabinet storage space was also badly needed.  Another advantage we have already experienced with this new kitchen is when we have large groups of volunteers who occasionally have their meals at Point of Hope.  We are already planning on having a cooking class for healthy living taught by the Lawrence County Extension Office here in Louisa.  The center island with the new stove is ideal for teaching. As you know, we host gatherings trying to build a happy, healthy and safe community where people looking for a drug free place can come for different occasions.

Below are some pictures of before, during and after.  A hearty and grateful THANK YOU goes to the FBAMC of Northeast Ohio.  God bless you and your families in this life and in the life to come, Amen.   

Before picture



 

During








OUR NOW BEAUTIFUL AND BETTER
FUNCTIONING KITCHEN
Thank you to all who made it happen and a reality.




This is to show you our center island where we will get tall stools.
From here we can sit behind the counter watching the cook and
taking lessons.