Ala., architect, said many of the volunteers
have little to no experience as carpenters or
electricians, but make-up for their iack of
ability with a strong spiritual commitment.
Mac Holcomb, who is making his second
trip with the Brookwood congregation, said
he was unsure about making a construction
trip but was inspired by the'stories he heard
from other members of the congregation.
“I usually need a handbook to screw in a
light bulb,” Holcomb joked as he nailed in a
beam. “My wife would probably be better at
this than 1 would but she stayed home Uptake
care of our children.” ' * %• ^
Holcomb, a Birmingham attorney, said he
originally thought the trip would be like an
“adult summer camp” but quickly learned
there was a lot of work involved.
Even though he said he still wanted to
come back this year, he had to leave Wednes
day to return to his law practice and be in
court on Thursday trying a case.
“When you see the members of New
Covenant come out here and express their
gratitude, you realize that you’re really a
small insignifigant part of a bigger plan,”
Holcomb said. “You really start to focus on
the real purpose of why you’re here.
“Plus this helps to bring our church
(Brookwood) together. People who don’t
come will bake food before we leave and
other members will receive a prayer card and
pray for our safety while were here.”
Melanie Cannon, who just graduated from
high school, said the trip has helped her to
see a different side of the members of her
congregation.
“Most of these people you only see at
church when they are all dressed up,” Cannon
said. “But here you see them in work clothes
and you’re able to call them by their first
name."
Cannon, who made the trip with her
parents, said she became interested in the
building missionary by listening to other
members talk about their experience.
But because of the groups’ rules about
taking only members who have graduated
from high school this was her first opportu
nity to travel.
However, an exception has been made for
14-year-old Bobby Mike Michael who was
making his third building missionary trip
with his 85-year-old grandfather Bobby
Kelly. • -U
Keily, who has been making building
missionaries for 11 years, said the trip is a
chance for him to spend some time with his
grandson as well as receive a reward.
“A lot of people ask me why I would want
to do this?” Kelly said. “But I tell them that
what I do now is a payday in gold.”
Although Carolyn Josey, Loretta
Littlejohn, Dixie Hall and Wilma Guy don’t
do construction work at the site, they still
receive rewards by preparing the meals each
day for the workers.
Brookwood will bring most of its utensils
with them they still have to buy most of their
perishable foods in Nebraska.
For Monday’s breakfast, the women
cooked 162 scrambled eggs and over 250
strips of bacon. Also, the women have to be
at the site by 4:30 every morning in order to
have breakfast ready by 6:15 a.m., when the
crew arrives.
See CHURCH on 8
i anna Kinnaman/DN
Volunteers from Eustis, Fia.,
wear shirts pledging the»r
allegiance to Jesus Christ, a jew
and a carpenter, as their savior,
Below: Tom Tindall, a CPA from
Birmingham, hammers roof
supports to the main sanctuary.
Tindall has participated in 16
mission trips.
