Holy Family’s Appalachian Service Project (ASP) trip

When I was asked to contribute to the blog to talk a little bit about Holy Family’s Appalachian Service Project (ASP) trip that members of the Parish take each summer, I was very excited. This is a trip that I look forward to every year and one that I hope everyone, in some capacity, can experience. It’s an incredible example of how we help serve the Lord and all his people.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the trip, ASP is a Christian service organization that repairs homes for the poorest of the poor in the Appalachian mountains. With financial assistance from our community, and with our teen and adult volunteers donating their time and labor to help make these homes warmer, safer, and drier, together we help to give dignity to these families’ otherwise very difficult lives.

When asked what makes this mission trip so great, the answer, for me, is simple. It’s a time that we can REALLY give back. I know so many of us participate in fundraisers and sit on boards and co-chair events to raise money for local families or shelters or other relevant causes – and it’s all needed and so much appreciated. However, there’s something different about being in someone’s home where you can get down and dirty and build things with your hands and interact one on one with families who truly need our help. To be able to give back in this capacity is a gift – one that changes each person in some way after returning home.

It’s such a powerful experience to see our students and our chaperones working together to make homes warmer, safer and drier for these families.  At the end of our work week, we can see the difference that we make. We can see it physically in the homes and we can see it emotionally in the smiles and hugs of those families that we help. We can also feel it within the greater community as shop owners, restaurateurs and local residents recognize the work that we do and the good we bring to the community in the true spirit of service.

This year, more than 50 students and 25 chaperones will make the pilgrimage to West Virginia – Holy Family’s 18th annual trip. We will meet people they would’ve not had the opportunity to meet and we will surprise ourselves with what we can build and how much we can contribute to making a community better and brighter.  We will experience the true meaning of service and touch the lives of many from the aging to the first walkers.

We ask that you pray for the safe travel of our caravan to West Virginia and give all of the volunteers the strength, patience and ability to recognize the power of the Lord as we set out to positively impact our West Virginia brothers and sisters.

Reflection by Kim Ballerene