This morning began with a meaningful tour of St. Vincent’s Mission led by Executive Director, Erin Bottomlee. While our team and many others across the country partner with St. Vincent’s through their Home Repair Program, it was inspiring to learn about the many other ways they serve their community. They run the Grow Appalachia Program—helping families garden for healthier, more sustainable living—along with a food pantry, thrift store, emergency assistance program, Christmas outreach, and career readiness internships. Their mission and dedication to meeting both physical and spiritual needs deeply moved us.
After the tour, we jumped right back into our final day of work, determined to make every hour count.
House 2 – Carolyn’s Home
At Carolyn’s, the finishing touches were made on her son’s bathroom, and we’re thrilled to report that the stairs and new garbage bin are complete! In the master bathroom, we repaired the air duct, installed drywall and a first coat of mud, laid the subfloor, moved electrical wiring to accommodate the new vanity, and installed the new water heater.
Unfortunately, due to the extensive water and mold damage, much more demolition was needed than originally expected. The remaining work—installing linoleum, completing wall prep and painting, and installing the new shower and toilet—will be finished by the next volunteer team. Still, we leave knowing that significant progress was made and that Carolyn’s home is in much better shape than when we arrived.
House 3 – Dennis & Teresa’s Home
At Dennis and Teresa’s home, another coat of mud was applied to the drywall, an access panel for the shower was installed, and the new water heater was put in place. However, setbacks struck late in the day when a valve on the water heater broke—twice—causing water to spray and halting progress. Sadly, we ran out of time to troubleshoot the problem, meaning Dennis and Teresa will be without hot water until the next group can complete the repair. Please keep them in your prayers as they wait for this essential fix.
A Few Final Blessings
Even in the small things, God continued to show His favor. When we made our final dump run and arrived 15 minutes after closing, Joe Van Holstyn’s smooth talking and the staff’s grace allowed us to unload anyway—praise God for small mercies!
By the end of the day, we were exhausted but filled with gratitude. We wrapped up later than planned and called our favorite local restaurant, Pig in a Poke BBQ, only to learn they were closing at 8:00 p.m. With just 30 minutes to rally, we hurried over—and were once again met with kindness. The gracious staff seated us, a group of 11, just minutes before closing, allowing us to share one last meal together, celebrating the friendships formed, the work completed, and the many ways God has been faithful throughout our week.
We thank everyone who has been praying for us throughout this trip. Please continue to pray for safe travels home tomorrow, for the families we’ve served, and for the next teams who will continue this good work in David, Kentucky.
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” — Colossians 3:23