 Dear Friend of Foundry,
I remember waking up in the middle of the night on a classroom floor in rural Kentucky thinking… what am I doing here? It was my first time joining Foundry for Appalachia Service Project and I couldn’t have been more out of place.
That summer we were building a new foundation for a home. And as we were one of the first groups to work on the project that meant one thing: digging holes. Lots and lots of holes.
Each day we would show up to the home of the family we were working with, grab our shovels, and dig large holes. I know, this sounds monotonous and grueling, and it was! But in a way it also brought some sort of divine balance. Now Im not so naïve as to think my 14 yr old self knew a thing about divine balance but that’s how it felt. For some reason, digging holes was such a direct and tangible way to be of service. My actions painstaking, but the results of said actions were clear and undeniable. I learned that summer the beauty and healing power of service. All as I stared into those holes.
ASP is one of the experiences I’ve had that most shaped me. 19 years on from that first visit and I still continue to go back. Each summer, we load up the vans with sleeping bags, hammers, and eager teenagers for the trip down. And each year I am reminded by how this trip is only possible due to the generosity of this congregation and the thoughtfulness of the ministries team.
|
|
Our contributions, both financial and otherwise, are the fuel that powers this church. I’m fortunate that, through ASP, I get to see firsthand the impact of this congregation’s support. Not just on the communities we serve outside these walls, but also for the members and youth. Giving financially, being of service, these are tools, opportunities for us to contribute and for us to find that divine balance that my 14 year old self first discovered.
The work of this church is powerful and we can all play a role in supporting this ministry.
In gratitude,
Efayomi Carr
|
|
|
|
|
