By ASHLEY SAMUELS
Special To The McDowell
News
A light breeze swayed the
limbs of ancient chestnut trees as a white van made its way up a long-neglected
gravel driveway.
It was 10 a.m. when six
fresh-faced teens scrambled out of the vehicle and extended their hands in
greeting to the owner of the house, which was to be their next project.
This
volunteer group, plus their adult driver, were from Carolina Cross Connection,
a Christian youth ministry serving western North Carolina by working on homes
or doing yard work for families who haven't the finances or ability to do the
work themselves.
This
day they were going to tackle a 19th century farmhouse in serious need of
repainting. The teens unloaded the paint and equipment from the van and then
formed a prayer circle to ask for
guidance and success for work they would undertake in the next couple of days.
Carolina Cross Connection is in its 14th year of service to the people of western North Carolina. Sponsored by the United Methodist Church, the organization held summer camps at six different North Carolina locations for four periods, each a week long.
Approximately
1,300 students from North Carolina, as well as other states from Illinois to
Florida, have participated this year. Although most are Methodist, Christian volunteers from other
denominations are welcome to attend camp according to lead field coordinator Natalie
Dorsey.
"I
have been on staff for two years and was a camper for four summers,"
Dorsey said. "CCC has been such a wonderful experience for me. Now, I'm attending Appalachian State
University working toward a teaching certificate.”
Dorsey,
who resides in Albany, Ga. said that she believes that the teens initially come
to camp to help others, but find out in the end that they not only have fun in
fellowship with other youths, they have received a lot in return.
"The
teens do light home repair, painting and cleaning up yards for approximately
800 families in western North Carolina each year. They learn how to do things that will help them later in life,
but they also glean love and friendship from those they help,” said Dorsey.
The
kids who arrived to paint the old farmhouse have worked two days. Another group will arrive in a couple of
weeks to finish the painting on the exterior first floor of the house.
Painting
with brushes is not speedy, but the quality of the work can be easily
seen. The problem arises with the
second story of the house. All paint
and materials are donated, and there is no scaffolding or ladder that are tall
enough to reach it. It would have been
easy for them to excuse themselves from the project, but they chose to do what
they could to offer love to the occupants and to help restore a wonderful old
McDowell County home, which was built many years before the Civil War.
Contributions
or supplies can be donated to CCC through their year-round office at P.O. Box
1457, 201East Main St., Lincolnton, N.C. 28093-1457. For more information, call 704-735-4257.