The Highland Presbyterian Church is located in Fayetteville, NC. In November 2010, the congregation adopted “Share HIS Love” as its mission statement and embarks on a journey of purposeful mission. As Highland begins its second hundred year, it embraces a vision of church renewal as it continues its service to the community and to God.
So after a hurricane and subsequent heavy rains and flooding devastated the Fayetteville area in 2016, the good people of Highland Presbyterian Church opened its doors to house mission work groups from all over the country to work with UMCOR, providing home repair and maintenance on homes damaged by these natural disasters. The Highland Presbyterian Church facilities can house up to 30 people and have on-site showers and a kitchen.
During the week of Oct. 19-25, Helping Hands volunteers from Lehigh Presbytery landed back in Fayetteville to continue their work in that area. This is the third time the volunteers have been welcomed by the gracious folks at Highland Presbyterian Church. The church’s facilities make it easy to come back to after a hard day’s work. They are grateful to have such wonderful accommodations and friendly, hospitable hosts.
On this trip, the 18 Helping Hands volunteers worked on three different sites. The group was overjoyed to learn that there were no roofs to work on this time. Instead, the group did a sundry of different jobs from:
- replacing several floor joists
- installing new floor underlayment
- stripping a kitchen walls
- replacing a water heater
- removing and re- installing kitchen cabinets
- installing new plumbing to the water heater, kitchen sink and washer, some electrical to the same
- scraping water damaged ceilings and then painting the rooms that they were in
- replacing rotted window sills and trim
- installing a washer and dryer
- installing fiberglass panels on a bathroom ceiling along with bathroom fixtures
- and painting both inside and out trim and washing windows.
Some of the work was challenging, especially the plumbing and changing out the window sills.
One of the houses Helping Hands worked on was located across the street from a house they worked on this past spring. It is very seldom that this happens. The homeowner was there moving a few items back into her home and gave them a tour of her finished home. It was wonderful to be part of her great joy and to see the circle completed.
All in all it was a great trip, a lot of work was done and one of their homeowners is now able to move out of the tent in his backyard into his almost-finished home. Another’s home was completed and they moved in. The homeowner even participated in the Trunk & Treat at the church Helping Hands stayed at.
Helping Hands is looking forward to its next trip on March 28-April 4, 2020. Helping Hands is always looking for new folks to join in the fun. Where else can you see other parts of the country, learn new skills and share some skills you have, help people get back into their home, and laugh as much as they do?
Consider joining them on their trip this spring!