Good Works, Inc. is a Christian home repair ministry located in Coatesville, Pennsylvania formed to assist economically disadvantaged homeowners in Chester County. By helping to make their homes warmer, safer and drier, hopelessness is replaced with the hope found in Jesus Christ. Services are provided at no cost to the homeowner, with volunteers - including a growing number of St. Peter's parishioners - doing most of the work. This is St. Peter's report for June 12, 2004.

Good Works Report for June 2004
By Roger Thorne, Work Crew Leader

As in all of life, the best-planned events sometimes assume a life of their own in ways not anticipated by the planner. Our June Good Works Workday was such a time.

As many of you know, St. Peter's Church in the Great Valley doubled its Good Works responsibility in 2004 by undertaking the accountability for much-needed repairs on TWO Coatesville homes on the second Saturday of each month. In order to obtain the greatest benefit from the tremendous potential offered by our faithful volunteers, much planning of tasks, and preparation of materials, is required. Offsetting that planning and preparation are the frustrating and not always predictable delays that come with conducting extensive repairs on older homes in which routine maintenance is the exception.

At the Catherine Robinson home the team found very slow going when securing a wooden sub floor upon the reinforced concrete pad upon which the home was built. Imagine going through five carbide masonry bits in an 8’x8’ kitchen space. Even so, the small team headed by our newest Work Crew Leader Brian Curtis, with Technical Coordinator Jason Hacker and Good Works veterans Andy Field and Dan Houston, completed the sub floor installation in preparation for laying vinyl flooring next month, installed a safety bar to prevent falling, reset a door allowing it to open easily, and completed several wall repairs.

At the larger of our projects, the Esther Johnson home, two obstacles slowed us down. The first was and still is the sheer quantity of “stuff” within the house for which individual decisions of ‘keep’ or ‘dispose’ must be made. The intense deliberation required by Ms. Johnson, a self-proclaimed “packrat”, in making these decisions slows up the team’s ability to perform repairs in those now freed-up spaces.

The day’s second hurdle occurred when the pump bringing water from an on-property well chose this day to fail, thereby shutting off all water into the home. Much effort was diverted in attempting to solve the problem which was finally rectified the next day. The Johnson team consisted of Good Works veterans Mark Carkhuff, Ken Fleischer, Terry Payntor and his daughter Becky, Sergio Vaisman and his daughter Kerry, and Technical Coordinators Tom Brehm and Art Wrenn, and they nonetheless accomplished a great deal. Becky and Kerry completed many painting jobs, and learned how to replace a broken window pane. Sergio did extensive tree-trimming in the front yard which now allows Ms. Johnson to easily see the “Elder Care” bus when it comes for her during the week. Ken and Terry patiently worked with Ms. Johnson and her adult daughter Mary in sorting through possessions and hauling unwanted “stuff” to the dumpster. Art, Mark and Tom were able to complete much toward the completion of the new bathroom on the main floor. The Johnson team was led by Work Crew Leader Roger Thorne.

Good Works Executive Director Jim Ford has often stated that when a GW volunteer comes to labor on a home they are working on God’s agenda and not their own. A construction delay in one area often presents an opportunity to spend quality time with a homeowner, or to find a completely unexpected way to be of service. Surprises truly are a two-way street.

Our next work day will be Saturday, July 10^th. If you are interested in learning more about this ministry, click here. If you are willing to participate, contact Mark Carkhuff or call 610-935-1623. We welcome you to join us, with or without technical skill, in this important ministry to our neighbors.