SOOP Volunteers Reflect — Tell a Story
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MARP SOOP Volunteers Reflect — Tell a Story |
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Why do we serve? More older adults find meaning along with new friends and new ideas as they volunteer with SOOP. Read on as they share these insights and some of the challenges as well as the joys of serving in Jesus' name.
Reflections On SOOP Service — Winter 2003
Dale & Linda Miller (Kalona, Iowa) served from January to March 2003 as SOOP volunteers in Homestead, Florida. Dale: We worked with people from Cuba, Greece, Puerto Rico and Haiti. Seeing so many nationalities working for a common cause in such harmony was a learning experience. Linda: I sat in with the teen-moms meetings. These mothers are so young and lack understanding of the cost involved with having a baby — their innocence is heartbreaking. We loved working with people from many countries — I now understand better "culture differences."
Walter & Lorene Good (Armington, Illinois) returned to Tucson, Arizona where Walter helped again in repairing houses for single parents and elderly clients. Lorene assisted as a tutor of adult learners at Pima Community College and sewed adaptive items for special-needs children. Lorene tells of one grateful student who hugged her asking for her address. "You've helped me so much. I'm going to write to you when I pass that last test in math and I get my GED." Lorene: Every winter's experience is different .... We need to approach the service situation with an open mind, ready to adapt.
Doyle Short & Barbara Emmons-Short (Archbold, Ohio) served a day a week all winter long in Sarasota, Florida (November 2002-April 2003). Barbara: Every Thursday we are up by 6 a.m. ready to leave home at 9. We arrive at Sunnyside Viillage at 9:30 and spend two hours bowling with the residents — taking them to and from and then to their dining room for lunch. By 11:45 we are head home and pick up a quick sandwich and then go to the All Faith Food Bank to stock shelves, etc. till about 2:30. It amazes me how many hungry people — especially children — are in this area. Often we return to Sunnyside to take Doyle's sister to do errands — Doyle is our wonderful driver and doesn't mind going in fabric places with us. Catherine is an excellent quilter. I even got to help put the quilt in the frame — a big one for the March MCC Sale. We return home by 5 o'clock. Life is good. Our God is good to us! What a great way to start a new marriage — I feel very blessed.
Alvin & Mary Bontrager (Topeka, Indiana) assisted the Habitat for Humanity project in Immokalee, Florida. Alvin: We were able to help with the completion of several houses — hang doors, paint, lay tile, put on siding, do trim and soffit work .... Most people who receive these houses are very grateful. The areas where they are built are much cleaner and well-kept than other poor areas of Immokalee. Mary: I had never done any painting or construction but found the work satisfying and rewarding. Working with Hispanic women who would be homeowners was interesting. The Bontragers and other SOOP volunteers visited Cape Christian Fellowship in Cape Cord. "It was truly an inspiration to see this Mennonite church which grew from 6 people to 700 in 15 years."
Fannie & Wilbur Schlabach (Middlebury, Indiana) assisted for three weeks (end of January-February 12, 2003) with carpenter work and meal prep in El Dorado, Arkansas. Fannie knotted comforters at "Pearly's mission" and notes the value of "stepping out of my comfort zone." Learning to make "hot water corn bread" from Miss Pearly's daughter-in-law meant rolling it into cones to deep-fry. Fannie: We all love the same God .... There is enough love for all of us.
Grace Brenneman (Souderton, Pennsylvania) served three weeks this winter while visiting with two sisters. First, she lived with a sister in Sarasota — giving time at the Goshen College education center, at Sunnyside Village and also adding stitches to the MCC quilt. Later while visiting a sister in Akron, PA, Grace worked with Ten Thousand Village warehouse in Leola. Grace took along her good friends introducing them to the flavor of SOOP service, Sarah Ellen Histand (Doylestown, PA) to Florida and Elverda Landis (Telford, PA) to Akron. Grace reports, "Arlene & Charles Mininger [Sarasota] had a lovely lunch for all the SOOP workers on Wednesday evening — we learned to know wonderful people — all eager to work."
Erv & Ruth Kauffman (Portland, Oregon) stayed on in the Goshen area after a family visit over the holidays to serve for three weeks as SOOP volunteers at "The Window" — among other things, they answered phones, did data entry, assisted with telecare calling and with maintenance tasks such as loading and unloading and building shelves. Erv and Ruth spoke appreciatively about this opportunity to make a significant contribution as they encountered those touched by this social service ministry.
Ted & Elinor Shattuck (Grafton, New Hampshire) gave a second winter of service assisting low-income residents in the Tucson, Arizona, area. Ted: Facing abject poverty and heartrending dysfunction in households every day takes its toll. We come hoping that those for whom we work might see the love of Christ through our work, but some experiences are more encouraging than others. Ultimately we do our work and trust that the Lord is using it whether we see it or not. Elinor wrote a three-page account of the amazing coming together of many puzzle pieces to make possible a dream of one woman with special physical needs who worked alongside Ted and Elinor on her dream of installing kitchen cabinets. Ted and Eli saw God at work as the many puzzle pieces came together to make it possible. One crucial piece was the goodwill of their home congregation in Taftsville, Vermont, who sponsored a 10-day work trip by their pastor, Randy Good, also a cabinetmaker. All worked together and all were exhausted when the cabinets were hung in place just hours before Randy's scheduled return flight. Elinor's story ends with the woman's grateful words, "Thank you, thank you, thank you." (For complete story click on "Sheri's Dream")
Dolorez Roth (Paxton, Illinois) comments that her read-aloud time with the children of farm workers in Immokalee, Florida, was in great demand. "Finally the teacher had to work out the schedule to start at the beginning row of seats ... so everyone got a chance to read ... the children enjoyed the one to one exchange as they were learning to talk and read in English as a second language. At home their parents spoke Spanish or Creole. I could tell a big difference in their reading when I left" [two months later.]
Ferne P. Pellman (Lancaster, PA) had a varied assignment during her two weeks in Phoenix, Arizona giving time at the food bank, a homeless shelter, a retirement community, and sorting clothing at Love in Action. "We took a history of elderly persons .... Some shared willingly; others were more quiet. Listening to others' experiences always makes me doubly conscious of the blessings of caring family and advantages I've had in life." Ferne enjoyed the "cohesive" group of SOOP volunteers serving from a variety of home areas and giving various lengths of time. She saw returning volunteers along with local members of Trinity Mennonite, Peter and Rheta Mae Wiebe and Jim and Carol Hilty, as providing invaluable hospitality and leadership. Dottie Yoder from Harleysville, PA, also served at Love in Action and adds a story. "On one very busy day a woman was trying to find clothes appropriate for a job. I happened to be hanging clothes on the rack and decided to help her. At one point I discovered that my show lace was untied. Before I had a chance to tie it, the woman asked, 'May I tie it for you?' I felt as though I had just experienced 'foot washing!'"
Mary Ann & Charles Woelk (Goessel, Kansas) served for two weeks in El Dorado, Arkansas. Charles did maintenance repair of wheel chairs, hot carts and laundry carts at a local nursing home while Mary Ann assisted with activities. They also worked at a Salvation Army thrift store and soup kitchen. "I went there thinking I'd work hard, but people in the South do things at a slower pace. After a while I changed my attitude!" Mary writes, adding, "The members of the Mennonite church did a good job of making us feel at home."
Mildred & Levi Weaver (Bath, New York) served in El Dorado the month of February. Mildred: When Levi and I went to the RSVP office to register, they said the people who come through the SOOP program are angels. Levi noticed that the craft room at the nursing home needed a place to organize and store spools of ribbon. "I made a board with pegs to store 30 different kinds of ribbon, then I mounted it on the inside of the closet door. Were they ever happy!" Levi and Mildred mention the satisfaction of working alongside and playing games with the other SOOP volunteers and the good fellowship and worship with friends at First Mennonite.
Peter & Gladys Buller (Goshen, Indiana) returned to Phoenix, Arizona for six weeks in February and March. "We have worked in Love-In-Action Ministries for seven years as we live with our daughter there in Phoenix," Gladys shares. "During Spring Break a little girl of Grade Five willingly helped her mother and other friends go through counseling ... she was willing to translate even the prayers and I was blessed. One day [after I had prayer for her] a woman turned and asked if she could pray for me and she blessed me. I have learned that God is not a respecter of persons. The volunteers came from many areas and we strengthened each other in the faith."
Phillip & Estella Headings (Orlando, Florida, or wherever their mobile home takes them to serve) spent four months this winter in Carlsbad, New Mexico. Estella helped in the city soup kitchen and at a bargain store connected to a special program for mentally-challenged young people. During much of his service time Phil used his skills in the Habitat for Humanity project. "People are the most important part of any project," wrote Phil. "[One new home owner] was so proud and happy as we worked together. He said to me in his best English, "When you come back to Carlsbad, you must stop here at this place!" Phil and Estella found the Carlsbad Mennonite church people so friendly. "They all seemed to be part of the [SOOP] program."
Francis & Eloise Schrock (Goshen, Indiana) arrived in Tucson, Arizona, at the end of January and stayed through March. Francis worked at the Community Home Repair Projects of Arizona (CHRPA) — repairing bathroom fixtures, windows, gas and water lines, leaky roofs, building ramps and even retooling a wheelchair. Francis: "It is amazing how people get along without things we take for granted." He felt he offered "peace of mind.' One unique assignment was building a deck which needed to have chicken netting in place so the owner's mentally ill husband would be safely contained. Meanwhile Eloise sometimes wishes for more hours in the week: "At the Adaptation Center I need to be able to sew or repair anything the physical therapist requests. At the food bank I help with paper work but also lend a listening ear .... The children's center needs help with a variety of office duties. At each location I am introduced as "one of the Mennonite ladies that come from the east and give volunteer service to agencies that need help"! Francis and Eloise return as SOOP volunteers each year, not only for Tucson's warmer weather, but because they hear over and over, "I really miss you when you leave."
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Lois Shenk Zehr & Michael Zehr (Goshen, IN) worked at Habitat for Humanity in Immokalee, Florida. Lois: I was surprised today when something I was apprehensive about turned into a blessing. My co-worker and I needed water to assist us in our caulking .... I asked the supervisor where I could get water and he pointed to a house at the end of the street. I got my pail and headed for the house. Just as I entered the yard I noticed a big sign, "KEEP OUT." I also saw a dog. [When I headed back without water, an older man came out of the house and called to me, "Do you need water?" He showed me where the water hose was and said, "Come over any time you need water. You don't have to ask, just come and help yourself." He then proceeded to tell me that his house was the first one [built] in that area, how long he had lived there, how the neighborhood had changed, etc. He seemed pleased to have someone to talk to .... Each year I appreciate anew the camaraderie of the other SOOP workers, the feeling of living in another culture since I am a minority in population of mostly Hispanics and Haitians, spending meaningful time in the sunshine, and enjoying the beautiful water fowl."