ASP

We have been up to a bit of nothing this week. Summer is flying by and I am very glad to report that both Zack and Alli have had a lot of down time, just being lazy, this week. Of course Zack has gone to channel 7 for his internship work for about 3 hours or so each night. He woke up with pinkeye on Wednesday so he was unable to go to his Bojangles job that night. Alli has gone to piano and open gym basketball. Otherwise, it has been lots of movies, computer/Facebook and just relaxation.

Cave Spring UMC ASP team 2010

There was a completely different story three weeks ago when both Zack and Alli traveled to Kentucky to work with Appalachian Service Project (ASP) on a mission to make homes dryer and safer. They worked very hard during the day and had group time at night. This was Zack’s third summer helping and Alli’s first. Our church takes a group each year made up of mostly youth. This year there were 49, 35 youth and 14 adults. I am so proud of them for doing this. They were assigned to a very poor county with much need. Also going on the trip this year were cousins Katie and Emily Printz from Sterling, VA and Alex and Nate Morrison from Haymarket, VA. Alex is Zack’s best friend from when we lived in Haymarket and he has gone on ASP with Zack each year. Katie is 16 and has heard them talk it up and decided to do this mission trip rather than the one she has done with her church in the past. Emily and Nate (and Alli) are 14 and you must be 14 or older to go. They have been waiting for this summer and age 14, so they could be a part of this program too. The whole group was divided into 7 teams of 7. Katie and Nate ended up being on the same team and so did Alli and Alex. Emily and Zack were on different teams. Each morning the teams went to their assigned homes and worked together. Alli’s team worked on flooring, drywall, ceilings and walls. The home she was assigned to included over 50 chickens, so she also fed the chickens. Zack’s team worked on ceilings and walls and he even had to play exterminator when his team ran into a nest of wasps.
Working in this poor community made Zack and Alli (and all of the teams) feel very fortunate and blessed. Also, it gave the youth a sense of accomplishment and of feeling that they are giving back.

Alli's work team and family

Zack's work team and family

Emily, Alli, Alex, Zack, Nate & Katie at CSUMC