Charity Baptist Church in Keokee, VA

Here are some pictures of the outside and Worship Center of CHarity Baptist Church where we worked last week. This building and work is truly a miracle from God. Keep praying for Dave Parsons and the people here in this "holler" that God will work in some mighty ways through them.

Keokee Ministry Trip Update

We headed back down the road to Laurinburg, Thursday afternoon. This week of work has gone by quickly. Thursday was a busy day to finish up what we had started. And we were able to finish up and clean up before noon.

The weather forecasts for the areas we were to be driving through this morning (Friday) we calling for a lot of wintery mixes - and snow of 1 - 3 inches in places. That encouraged us to come back early.  we arrived back in Laurinburg after 8 pm - tired, but excited about what God had allowed us to accomplish while there.

If you have the opportunity to be a part of a team on mission for God - grab it. Being a part of what God is doing with others is exciting, encouraging, and life-changing.

Next week we will return to the format of the blog that I am writing. I have been up since 4:00 AM, and I am writing this at about 10:00 PM. My body and mind are telling me that it is about time to shower and get a good nights sleep. So since it is two against one, I guess I will listen. Thanks to everyone for your prayers for our safety while traveling and while we were working. God Bless - and Good Night.

Keokee Ministry Trip Update

Well, here it is Wednesday evening, already. One more day of work in front of us and then the trip back to Laurinburg, NC.

We had another full busy day at Charity Baptist Church today. The plumbing has been finished, the two shower stalls are in, and the men are building the walls around them. They will sheetrock and spack - and then we will basically be finished with the task.

Dick Britt has done a wonderful job putting this trip together. Everyone of the  group has had a vital part in the mission work being accomplished here at Keokee. Jim Walker and Tommy Brooks have worked tirelessly. Morris Britt has been consistent is seeing things through. Bill Short has been available for whoever needs a hand. John Miller has taken on the task of driving the van and trailer to and from the church site.

Art Brown and Jimmy Caulder spent the entire day under the building in the crawlspace putting in the water lines to the sinks and all the new sewer lines. when they came out today, they looked like a couple of miners crawling out of the mine. They did a terrific job. The bathrooms are beginning to look useable again. We cleaned up our mess and stored the tools so that the church could worship together tonight. After our dinner - spaghetti this evening - we will be worshipping with them. We give a great big thanks to Carroll Scarboro and George Phelps our two resident "chefs" for fixing our breakfasts and dinners (along with others from time to time). And we couldn't start the day without Tony Ciarrocco's coffee! He is an inspiration to me for his tireless work on any project that is needed.

We had a wonderful time worshipping and studying God's Word with the people of Charity Baptist on wednesday night.  Our group of 12 greatly swelled their attendance. Pastor David Parsons taught the 5th chapter of 1 Timothy this evening. Great words to remind us of our interactions with each other.

We thought again today, how that we are doing this for our Savior - to reach out to others to help them reach out to others. The importance of being a Christian is ministering to others so that they can see Jesus in us. Not for our praise - but for His!

As we serve, we are reminded of Jesus' words in Mark 10:45 - "For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister..."

Keokee Ministry Trip Update

Here it is Tuesday evening, and we have had a very busy day.  Because we lost so much time yesterday because of the weather, we started out at 7 AM. We found the roads very travel safe and went and picked up more materials for the work on the two showers at Charity Baptist Church in Keokee, VA.

The 12 of us have worked very hard and one of the two bathrooms is almost completed. The water for the showers is installed, and the stall is in place. Tomorrow, we will connect the drain and get the sink re-plumbed. The second bathroom has the water for the shower in, the stall is being setup for the fixtures and then the sink will be placed.

We have had a great time of fellowship while serving with Christ for these people in this "holler." The pastor David has spent most of the days with us and is a very encouraging person.

This evening we have had a delicious BBQ dinner (from Johnny Brooks and the Rockin' Pig) and spent a brief time in part two of the devotional study on Romans 1: 14-16. God has given us so much that we are obligated to minister to others, and we should be as Paul was - "ready" or excited and encouraged to minister for Christ.

Tomorrow will come early again, and it appears so many of us are ready to rest and sleep.  Continue to pray for our trip to Keokee.  We covet your prayers for continued safety in our work and for a safe return on Friday of this week.

On a brief side note - please remember my family in your prayers - my cousin Charles Thorpe (in Michigan) died Monday night.

Keokee Ministry Trip Update

I am with a group of men from New Hope Baptist Church who has the missional gene in their DNA, the Baptist Builders of New Hope Baptist Church in Laurinburg. We have gone to Keokee, VA to work in ministry to a local SBC church. We are helping the area by installing showers in this local church so that other ministry and mission-minded groups can come and stay and work. each day this week, I will attempt to update you on what we are doing, and how our ministry to the people in this area is going.

We arrived in Keokee on Sunday afternoon and began to set up our living areas in the Ministry Building for the Association. We had a quiet evening which allowed for us to set up our kitchen and sleeping facilities. This allowed us to prepare for our work on Monday.

On Monday, we woke up to rainy weather - with the threat of snow and sleet for the day. We started the demo and moving of the sinks in the two bathrooms. We were able to get everything ready for the plumbing when we had to leave because of the icing of the bridges and snow. we will be back to continue on Tuesday.

God has really blessed the Charity Baptist Church in this small holler community, and it is a blessing for us to go and assist them.  we are excited to go and work some more with this church.