The Positive Side Effects of Serving
This past spring, three of our team members joined staff from the Virginia Conference for a day of service to a growing ministry among low-income residents of Amelia County. The Journey Community Center developed from an original thrift store in 2009, staffed solely through volunteers, and now includes a family-style restaurant and a furniture barn.
In addition to regular worship services, the ministry is transforming a former motel of 12 rooms into 10 efficiencies of transitional housing for formerly homeless residents of Amelia County to begin the path to independent permanent housing and more stable lifestyle. Two of the units will be outfitted as wheelchair-accessible living quarters.
The focus of our day of service was to help the Journey Community Center volunteers prepare the units for remodeling. Since the motel had been uninhabited for more than a decade, this included tearing down ceiling tiles, dismantling cast iron bathtubs, stripping wallpaper, clearing debris, etc. It was still early spring with mild temperatures, but sweaters and jackets were quickly discarded as we worked. The comradery among all present grew as we worked side-by-side.
“We met a number of new people and were able to put familiar names with faces,” shares Courtney Howell, the Foundation’s Director of Operations. “We even met the pastor from the Methodist Nomads. The day was rewarding in so many ways.”
After a delicious home-cooked meal, some of us returned to our work stations while others switched to supporting the thrift store and furniture barn. Although we share the same building as the VAUMC, we don’t always know everyone, so this was an excellent opportunity to get to know staff from the Conference better.
As we climbed into our vehicles to depart that afternoon, we were physically tired but emotionally charged, knowing we had devoted a valuable asset, our time, to this important ministry. What a positive feeling to realize folks will soon have a roof over their heads while they search for more permanent housing solutions.
While we usually support other Methodists through our financial services and investment opportunities, on this day, we were living according to our motto of “Methodists Helping Methodists” in a tangible, hands-on way.
Reflecting on her volunteer experience, Client Services Representative Janice Clark shares, “Participating in the demolition phase of the old motel into the ‘Journey Village’ led me to discovering some new skills, new friends, and the thrift store where I will most definitely be donating and purchasing goods in the future to help continue their mission. I was very grateful and blessed to be a part of the ‘Journey’!”
Courtney Howell summarizes her impression of JCC’s motel transformation, “It was truly touching to be a part of such an extraordinary project. The members of Journey identified the need for transitional housing and are actively making it happen. The selfless individuals who give their time and talents on a regular basis to the Journey Community Center are such an inspiration!”
By Janice Clark, Courney Howell & Melissa Knabe
Image: VAUMF
