Dr. Elijah Prewitt-Davis’s class on Appalachia Culture & Spirituality was a seven-week course that dove deep into the history and culture of the Appalachian Mountains and the people who call the region home. To tie the course together, we went on a service trip over spring break to spend the week with the Christian Appalachia Project (CAP) at Camp AJ in McKee, Ky. While with CAP, we worked with other student volunteers and project leaders to restore homes in need around the area.
As soon as we arrived, we were assigned to different groups based on our experience and comfort with certain job requirements, like ladders and roofs. I was assigned to the yellow team, along with some familiar faces from the Mount and even some from another school in Indiana. Together, we’d spend the week building a new roof for a family that’s struggled with leaks for years.
Before traveling to our worksite each day, we would have a morning energizer and devotion that would mentally and physically prepare us for our day of service. Although Just Dance at 7:30 in the morning was invigorating, the devotion by student Emily Rubio-Mora stuck with me. She talked about the true meaning of service and how it’s different from the act of helping. She noted that when we help, we view the other person as inadequate or lacking the ability to “fix” their own circumstance. However, when we serve, there is an entirely different mindset. When we serve, we collaborate, working towards healing and growth rather than just a solution to someone’s problem. When we serve, we don’t see others as weak and inferior; we see them as one of our own and appreciate their life in its entirety. But most of all, when we serve, we love. Emily’s devotion reminded us of our true goal for the week and put us in a mindset ready to serve.
Once we were at the worksite, our project leader, Ken, put us to work immediately. On Monday, we dug roughly 27 post holes and cemented the posts. On Tuesday, we installed the horizontal roof supports and around 57 trusses. On Wednesday, we installed horizontal supports across the triangular trusses, called purlins, and laid the first layer of sheet metal. On Thursday, we finished the sheet metal and completed our goal of building a roof for our family! It is absolutely astounding how much can be accomplished in a week simply by working together with a mindset to serve.
Seeing the roof come together piece by piece was very rewarding, but nothing will stick with me more than my time interacting with the homeowners. They insisted on helping us with construction, and every time I saw them, they just had the most heart-warming smiles. The family was deaf, so I had difficulties communicating initially. However, by the end of the week, I had picked up some sign language and was learning about their grandchildren and their dog, Peanut! They were beyond grateful and expressed their appreciation every chance they got. Their gratitude put the value of our service into perspective and showed me the lifelong changes that one week of service could bring.
Having the opportunity to serve with CAP through the Mount was a privilege. It was powerful to see first-hand the lives we changed and the impact we made. I strongly encourage all students to take Dr. Prewitt-Davis’s Appalachia Culture & Spirituality class, and for those who do, I’ll see you at Camp AJ next year!
Photo: (L to R) Emily Rubio-More, Emma Welker, Mia Smith, Dianne (home owner), Jonathan Scherff