NOMADS
nomads on a mission, active in divine service
or, like some prefer to think...
nice old missionarys actually doing something
For the last two years after our retirement, we have gone around the country visiting friends and family, helping when we can and just plain acting like we are retired. All of this has been such a joy for us and we plan on continuing to stay connected with everyone. But, Karen and I have had a feeling that there was more we needed to do...I mean to say that we have had in our hearts to do more to give back for all of the abundant blessings the LORD has piled upon us.
During last year's season on the boat, Karen started researching, via internet, ways to incorporate our summer rv lifestyle into something that would work toward this goal, and she came across NOMADS. This is an organization that is affiliated with the Methodist Church with a membership of about 1,200 people, all of which are full or part-time rv'ers of some sort.The organization's intention is to provide a way for rv'ers to share their faith and skills for the betterment of others. Naturally, many of the projects are for Methodist-affiliated needs, such as church camps and children's homes but they also do community outreach and disaster relief. Best thing about it: you can choose when, where and how often you want to work. We applied and were accepted. After reviewing hundreds of locations with work requests, we settled on Flathead Lake, MT...Rathdrum, ID...and Ocean Park, WA.
So, as Paul Harvey would say, "here's the rest of the story":
Our 1st baptism-by-fire was located at the Flathead Lake UMC Camp, located on the western shore of Flathead Lake, MT. I have to admit the region is our favorite place in the U.S....where we would love to live someday. The camp had quite a few projects to work on including tearing down stuff, building stuff and improving stuff...gee, my favorite things!!!
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| Pat/Paul, Kathy/Gary, Joy/Dan and us |
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Where the fun began...Flathead Lake United Methodist Camp...
FLUMC |
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| View of Flathead Lake, MT from the camp shoreline |
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This is actually a pic before we started work on
one of the buildings |
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| Paul is salvaging some of the siding |
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| and here he is taking a much needed break! |
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Karen is removing debris...this is wheelbarrow load
number 672 |
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| I'm trying to make walls fall down with the sledge... |
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| ...which we finish off with the truck |
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| go, team, go |
Another of our other tasks was to make some organizational sense out of the piles of stuff in the shop:
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| Joy and Dan had quite a job ahead of them... |
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| ...especially when this is part of the stockpile of unsorted "stuff"... |
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Rick (camp trustee) and Paul go through some of the "stuff"
on the outside of the shop |
There was some organization needed at the wood shed that Joy and Dan worked on:
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They built the storage area for misc. lumber onto the back
of the shed |
One of the cabins needed new laminate flooring installed:
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| Gary and Karen working on a corner area |
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| Dan helping Karen miter cut a piece of the trim |
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| Kathy cutting some of the laminate |
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| Yep, she now knows how to install flooring! |
and, of course, custom-made base trim was required...which all needed to be stained!
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| Dan, installing trim |
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| Nancy (Rick's wife) and Pat staining... |
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| and here is a pic of the finished floor! |
and just when Pat thought she was through with the staining and painting...
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there was cottonwood wainscoating that needed some
of her expert attention ... |
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for another of the cabins that also needed bunk beds
built from the precut stack of lumber |
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| Joy and Pat with more wainscoating to be stained. |
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I never thought cottonwood was much good for anything,
but I changed my opinion. It makes for nice cabin trim,
for sure. |
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I'm helping Dan, Rick and Paul with assembling
the new bunk beds |
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Dan is applying the finishing touches to the
mattress pad boards |
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| some of the finished bunkbeds |
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| Gary, cleaning up newly installed windows |
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Joy thought she would never see the end
to picking up nails out of the burn piles |
One of the cabins was in dire need of a sink and cabinet remodel:
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As you can see...no cabinet and the cast iron
sink is partially held up with a small board |
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| ahhh...demolition...one of my favorite things! |
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Gary and I are building the cabinet from scratch.
Plywood and 2x4's...anyone need a kitchen remodel? |
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Pat and Karen cleaning up the stove and painting over
the minor cabinet flaws |
Yes, there was some downtime, all work and no play equals bad backs and angry wives!!!
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| Our better halves, relaxing on the supervisor's couch |
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| A NOMADS breakfast at the rv |
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| Playing with really large moths is fun |
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Group photo of the camp staff, with the NOMADS.
They hosted a nice "thankyou" picnic for all of our hard work |
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| and then we met in the evening for a campfire and smores |
If any of you are interested in finding out more about NOMADS, go the the following website:
