Tennessee Work Trip: Hard Yet Satisfying

By Rev. Joy Anderson

We returned from Tennessee Saturday evening, June 25, about 8:00 p.m. after a week of hard work and yet a very satisfying week.

The church where we stayed was 16 miles north of Nashville in Goodletsville and we worked in Sumner County in Gallatin. The house that was our worksite was 23 miles from the church where we stayed. The home owners were Archie and Tyrone Dalton and their 16 year old son Tyron. This family has been out of their house for 13 months due to severe flooding in May 2010 from a creek that runs at the back of their property and through the neighborhood. The flood water backed up in the creek and it ran out of its banks. Over 5000 people in the Nashville area lost their homes. We were only the second group to work for a week on this home. We installed the kitchen cabinets and a bar, installed a hardwood floor in a room about 16' x 25', hooked up the hot water tank and a utility sink in the utility room, installed 2 sinks and 2 toilets in two bathrooms. We also cut their yard and trimmed the bushes, touched up the paint and put in trim in assorted places. There was work for everyone. Two ladies on our team stayed at the church and did all the meal planning, shopping, and preparation for the 12 hungry workers.

The home owners came by several times during the week to check on our progress and were elated at the work that we accomplished. When the plumber hooks up the refrigerator, kitchen sink, and dishwasher and the electrician completes all of the electrical work, and the counter tops get cut and installed, the family will be ready to move back in. It was a week to celebrate on Friday afternoon as all of our assigned tasks were completed. We had a great team and just the right skills to accomplish out tasks.

Read more work trip blog posts HERE. 
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