Franklin - Habitat for Humanity

Thursday March 31st, 2016

Nicholas Jones

We have traveled far with trusty silver bullet and big red. We have taken up shelter in a service building, where it seems many have come before us. We are running high on supplies, as we have made a trek to the local supermarket. Our moral is high, as we have befriended two knowledgeable gents by the name of Jonathan and Walter. We have been channeling our gumby hardcore. Throughout the week, I have been the go to power-saw man. I am glad to be the go-to person, but I have shared this knowledge with other volunteers and have served, not helped them by teaching them the saw.

Today Tara, Walter, and I’s morale was low. Poco-a-Poco was our slogan. As we attempted again and again to fix the garage door with nuts and bolts, our attempts only met its demise as the garage doors measurements were off. But it was all good, because we channeled our inner chill, chill, chill, chill, chill.

MAB Franklin dropped a mixtape shortly after the day was done. Check out the cover art on twitter or the gram.

On a more serious note. Through service, I have befriended the other 10 volunteers. I have gained a broader view on the world, socio-economics, and developed a deeper respect for other views and opinions. What’s even better, is that we all have developed these things. It is interesting to learn how you can become so close to what seems to be complete strangers over a week. When you work in a team atmosphere, break bread with others, and share stories, laughs, and personal things with a random assortment of individuals, you come to understand the power of MAB. All of this is in the name of service.

An amazing choice for spring break. Basically chicken noodle soup for the soul.

Abby Uhlar

My college experience has been an overall positive one: I’ve made friends, learned a plethora of information and brought myself out of my comfort zone in more ways than one. Mizzou Alternative Breaks has been the most amazing way to represent all of that. The last five days have consisted of hard work, extreme bonding and crazy moments. Out in rural West Virginia, my group has come together to work on making a house a home.

This week has brought about different challenges and opportunities for every member of this group. I’ve never really used power tools, let alone been trusted to build a window frame or paint a building without supervision. This trip has given me the opportunity to expand my skills and learn new ones. At our site, we worked with Walter and Johnathon (Habitat for Humanity supervisors) who couldn’t have been a better fit for our participants. They are positive, reassuring and supportive in a way that helped our group grow both individually and as a whole.

I was fortunate enough to go on the stereotypical college spring break twice in my life. I thought that nothing would ever trump those memories but I am so happy to be wrong. Not only have I bonded with other participants and our site leaders, but with members of this beautiful community. We’ve collaborated and become a team and I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything.

Franklin - Habitat for Humanity

Wednesday: March 30th, 2016 

Waverly Colville

Throughout this trip, I’ve learned the value of a home.  Every sixteenth of an inch matters. Each individual nail is placed with care.  I love that every little detail will create something so monumental in the Alt Family’s life.  Today, perhaps I only made a bathroom shelf.  But that bathroom shelf can house Mrs. Alton’s favorite soap or other things that carry a memory with them.  The window I framed yesterday is the one that the sun will beam through to greet The Alt Family each morning.  We are not only building a house; we are building a home that will contain memories, events and lives.  Sure, pounding nails for hours on end can leave me with a headache and measuring every sixteenth of an inch can strain my eyes, but it’s worth it knowing that each of these minute details contributes to something way more than some wood bound together with a roof.  Even though this trip is a mere six days, I know what I’ve learned will stay with me for much, much longer and for that, I am so grateful.

Cassie Li

We went back to the house for our half day. We got an extra 30 min of sleep which made all the difference in the world. We arrived late but it was alright because Walter is super chill. It was nice not having to worry or stress a lot about it. I didn’t anyways – can’t speak for Maya or Jasmine. Jasmine and I were tasked with hanging up lights which was literally one of the most frustrating things I had ever done. But we made it work, even after accidentally cutting the wires, losing a very important piece (we ended up stealing Tweedie and Tara’s to finish ours), and utter confusion. I have a newfound appreciation for electrical engineers and electricians.

Free Day:

We went to an insane asylum. Of all the places in WV, we went to a museum. Even though I really had my hopes set on white water rafting or zip-lining, it was pretty cool and interesting. Everything turned out fun. I really wish I hadn’t watched American Horror Story though. It was hilarious watching Nick try to scare people and Waverly walking in a perpetual state of fear. But in that, it was awesome to see how supportive everyone was of others. It truly made me realize how great this group of people are and how close we had all become in a few number of days.

We ended the day with a bonfire that made me miss the beach. Roasting marshmallows and playing with some light photography was certainly a night to remember. The conversations we had about race, religion and just anything that came to mind made this trip one of the best decisions I have made. Love y’all and thanks for the mems.

Franklin - Habitat for Humanity

Tuesday, March 29^th, 2016 

Day Two of service was full of hard work, progress and confidence. Same projects yet different experiences. Some projects we did include measuring and installing wooden window finishes, installing door stoppers, sanding and painting.

Today we received the opportunity to meet the home owner of the house, Mr. Alt. It was really great to not only bond and get to know Mr. Alt, but to see who this house is going to, that we are all working so hard on.

We connected more with our Habitat Service Leader, Mr. Walter. Walter is great. He is intelligent and has lots of patience (let me tell you). There was no such thing as a mistake, they were always fixable. He motivated us and challenged us to trust ourselves and our hard work. He is a wonderful person with great advice. He’s quite a character.

The feeling of completing the very first project of the week was indescribable and rewarding. We all became extremely confident about our work and could not wait to start on new projects.

Later that evening we explored Seneca Trails and ended the night with delicious lasagna and cupcakes.

The two principles that shined today had to be communicated love. Our participants were always around Walter, engaged in his conversations and made the effort to develop a connection with both Walter, The Alt Family and of course with each other. Great Job guys!

Philadelphia - Homelessness/Poverty (6)

Today was our last day in Philadelphia. It’s amazing how fast the week has gone by. We spent the day serving at SHARE Food Program. We worked with a group of High School students from Arizona, and were extremely productive. We packed boxes assembly line style, like we’ve done the past few days at SHARE; however, today with so many people, we were able to pack a LOT.

While serving at SHARE Food Program these past few days hasn’t involved working directly with the homeless population in Philadelphia (like serving the meal for the University Lutheran Church’s Feast Incarnate did), it’s important to remember that this is still benefiting people. While it might be tedious packaging boxes and doing the same thing, we’re doing a lot of good for the people at SHARE and in Philadelphia.

After serving at SHARE, some of us went out shopping. We felt a few drops of rain but thought nothing of it. We decided we wanted to go to a bakery and while we were there it started to POUR. We figured it would just get worse, so we decided to just walk/run back to our house- it was only about a mile away. We were drenched, running through the streets of Philadelphia, looking like goofs all wearing our matching MAB shirts, but I loved every second of it. THIS is what MAB is about. After serving for the week in Philadelphia, experiencing highs and lows, while it wasn't great getting caught in the rain, it was with a group that I can now call my best friends.

-Julianna 

Salt Lake City - Environment

Thursday, March 31, 2016

The week has been flying by, and we can't quite believe it's already time to leave tomorrow. We've spent the past few days volunteering with the Forest Service, as well as Save Our Canyons. Tuesday we assisted the Forest Service in designing flyers for trailhead kiosks, restocking first aid kits and sharpening trail maintenance tools, among other tasks. The weather has continued to be very uncooperative, causing us to direct our service efforts towards indoor activities instead. We were able to visit a few of the canyons on Tuesday, including Mill Creek. The views were incredible, and so distracting to Alysa that she fell into the lake

On Wednesday, we started working on our community outreach efforts for Save Our Canyons. We spent the day hiking through various canyons and surveying people on what they considered to be the most important aspects regarding preservation of the Wasatch Mountains. It was an interesting and educational day, filled with conversations with locals as well as those from out-of-state. It was fascinating to see the level of concern residents of Utah have for these mountains, and just as intriguing to learn how little some people know about the growing threats to the area.  Wednesday night we indulged in a delicious meal at a nearby downtown restaurant. The evening finished with reflection and an early bedtime in anticipation for our final day of service.

Today was bittersweet; as it was our last day working with this phenomenal non-profit we have come to care so deeply about. We spent the day continuing to survey, and completed over 200 between the two days. This information is vital to Save Our Canyons, as it allows them to gain primary data that outlines the public's major concerns and priorities when it comes to the protection of this precious mountain range. We spent the remainder of the afternoon exploring Salt Lake City, and five of us went night skiing/snowboarding after dinner.

Tomorrow we pack up and head to Moab, Utah, for our free day. We are going to visit the arches and spend the night there before heading home on Saturday. It has been a truly wonderful and inspirational week of service. In a world so consumed and driven by monetary pursuits, Save Our Canyons showed us how refreshing it can be to follow a passion for something simply because you love it.

Charleston - Health

This morning at the VA, our group visited patients and families and delivered snacks and puzzle books. The appreciation expressed by patients for such simple tasks really moved our participants. We have been amazed time and time again by the kindness everyone has shown us on this trip. In the afternoon, we served at Hospice of Charleston. We washed windows,helped with landscaping, and answered the phone. The staff showed us so much appreciation for our work, and they even provided lunch. After we left Hospice of Charleston, we walked by a strip of gorgeous multi-million dollar houses near Battery Carriage House Inn (some of which were built back during the 1600s) and visited the famous Rainbow Row. After exploring Charleston, we had dinner with the Pastor of the Church that is hosting us for the week. We had an amazing time learning about his Congregation and the incredible program they sponsor in Malaysia. We ended the night with a very intense game of Catch phrase and Cards Against Humanity (they definitely weren't lying when they said pre-meds are competitive). 

Philadelphia - Homelessness/Poverty (5)

Today was a great day. Why? Because we got to sleep in! Okay, that's not the reason why it was a great day. It was nice to sleep in until 9 am since we were up so early yesterday. We got to SHARE Food Program at around 10:30 am to start working. Today we started outside, cleaning up leaves and debris around back, near where the garden was. It was a little tough since it was so windy! I got at least a leaf and a couple twigs in my eye. Once that was finished we went inside to continue packing boxes of food like we did yesterday. We packed at least 80 boxes of food using Taylor's new efficient method of packing. She slid down the conveyor belt grabbing cans as she went. We finished up our service in the early afternoon and got the opportunity to explore.

We got an amazing treat today, which was a tour of Independence Hall! The tour guide told us so much about the history of the building and events that happened, including the Second Continental Congress that took place in the assembly room. That's when they adopted the Declaration of Independence! There was also a ton of original maps, some dating back to the 1730's, and even an original chair that Washington himself sat in. It was such a beautiful building, and I loved learning so much about our nation's history. 

After getting our fill of national history, we took a little trip to Atlantic City. It's about an hour away from Philadelphia, and a lot colder. We walked down the boardwalk and tried riding some of the rides, but it closed by the time we got there. Julianna and Jessica got some fried Oreos (yum!) and I got a funnel cake (which the seagulls tried to steal). The three of us then went down to the beach to explore. I took my shoes off and ran into the water, which was FREEZING! After running around in the ocean and in souvenir shops, we went back to Philly for dinner. Of course, Redish and LeAundra made some delicious quesadillas and dip. After dinner some of us played a few brutal rounds of Uno. Nathan and I both got really into it. 

Overall it was a super long but rewarding day. So far this week has been an amazing experience, and I wish it didn't have to end. 

-Rachel

Today was a great day for service. Not only did we serve, but we interacted with other schools and volunteers/workers. We did a lot of “dirty work.” We helped clean up the place that, as you can see, gets pretty messy sometimes. In all honesty, something that I learned today was that serving people doesn’t limit us to people that are homeless or need help. It’s a tremendous help to them, and sometimes we fail to realize that places such as SHARE where people are fully volunteering. The workload is overwhelming because of the few volunteers.  So it was very nice to realize that we were helping them so much, and that us helping them was beneficial. Sometimes we feel that our help isn’t significant but that’s wrong. Little by little, we work toward a common goal. As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same”

It was a great day for service, and it was a great day for a Philly cheesesteak. 

-Redish

New York City - Health

Last day of service!!

Today was our last day!! We have loved our time at the GMHC. We served this morning in the women's center. Hal of us organized closets and the other half filed while learning some tricks and tips from the women of GMHC. After we were done we met with Seth Richardson our closed out our week. It has been awesome getting to see how the this non-profit was run! We learned so much about HIV and AIDS as well as the health care history of the infection. It is outrageous to us as health care providers to realize in the beginning of the AIDS epidemic some patients were denied based off their diagnosis and basically left to die. As we leave the GMHC, we will remember to take the lessons we learned into our future professional careers. 

The afternoon we had off to explore more of NYC. We headed to the 9/11 memorial. Words cannot express the feeling of walking through that museum. 

Eagle Butte - Indigenous Peoples

MAB Diary,

The Butte-iful People in Eagle Butte, SD are having fun. Too much fun, honestly. The group is getting along so well and we are having outstanding conversations about social issues, personal experiences, hilarious stories, and so much more. We are also learning a lot from the community members of Eagle Butte. Hap and Hilda are an awesome elder couple who live down the block from where we are staying, and they have shared so many stories with us while we painted the outside of their house - a huge project that Hap was endlessly appreciative of us doing. 

We've been working on a lot of projects all throughout the neighborhood. We are building two decks and a wheelchair ramp, painting a house, cleaning and organizing a church, and completely painting and remodeling the mud room in the Volunteer House. All of our participants are utilizing their skills and developing new ones, and the teamwork is really making the dreamwork (sorry (not sorry) for the cliché). 

Along with working, we've had a decent amount of down time in the late afternoons and evenings, so we have been trying to immerse ourselves in the Sioux culture as much as possible by listening, learning, visiting stores and centers in the community, and participating in cultural events. On Wednesday night, half of the group took part in a Sweat Lodge ceremony; a sweat is a very symbolic, spiritual, deeply emotional practice that is an outlet for prayer for the self, the world, and loved ones. Our participants were very moved by the intensity and beauty of the sweat, and the rest of us can't wait to take part this Friday evening!

Overall, there's an endless amount of laughter and fun that the Eagle Butte-ers are creating, despite the biting cold wind that knocks us to the ground on a daily basis. It's quite the struggle.

Sincerely, 

Eagle Butte-iful People

New York City - Health

Play safe! 

This morning we met with Vee and helped make Pussy Packs! She told us her past with HIV/AIDS and challenged the stereotypical face of HIV and AIDS. In the afternoon  We attended HIV 101 with Kenneth. We learned that their are two types of HIV-1 and HIV-2. Also, how life insurance can be denied based on HIV positive test.

AV For our free time we hit Broadway! Half the group attended American Pyscho and the other half. All in all

New Orleans 1 - Habitat for Humanity

Day 7: LAST DAY

Today, we awoke to an abundance of rain and lightning. After arriving at our sight, we split up into groups to work on our house. Some worked on the outside, while others worked on flooring in the inside of the house. After a couple hours of hard work, the weather forced all of us to move indoors. After an exciting photo shoot with our sick MAB shirts, we realized that our car was halfway underwater. We were released early, and Mike and Kristy managed to get us back to the safety of the church. We then proceeded to take a much-needed nap after a long, but fun week of work. For dinner, we prepared our own version of New Orleans Cajun food. Everyone worked together to make the best dinner we’ve had this week. The day was completed with brownies and a nice heart to heart reflection. Everyone shared their experiences with the trip and showed their appreciation for their new friends.

Peace out New Orleans

The Boys-

Mike, Justin and Adam

New Orleans 2 - Homelessness & Poverty

WHAT HAPPENED AFTER NEW ORLEANS (Days 6 & 7)

As told by Diana

Thursday morning the alarms started ringing and we all begrudgingly left our warm cocoons we had formed out of sleeping bags. The mid-week slump was hitting us, but as our minds started working again after a long Wednesday, we remembered how much we had to be excited about today, and before we even knew it we were bright eyed, bushy tailed, and ready to go.  

Thursdays at Love In Action are makeup days, which means those who missed their scheduled date to pick up food could come in. It is also the designated new sign-up day, despite the fact they now take new sign-ups every day. We didn't know what to expect since every other day we had a set number of appointments ahead of time and knew pretty much how busy it would be. With little to no preconceived notion of what the day would hold, we walked through the doors ready to tackle whatever the day might throw at us.

We all split to our respective tasks; Lauren and I took the desks in the front office and everyone else headed to the back to start helping customers. Sitting at the desk on makeup day gave me a really neat insight into the amazing stories these people had because I got to talk to everyone who walked through the door. People, almost apologetically, explained to me how they had been sick, injured, working, had no ride, and so many other situations, as to why they had missed their scheduled appointment. This hurt my heart because we were grateful that these people got to come in and get the help they needed, I didn't want anyone apologizing, nor did I or any other volunteer care one bit they had missed their assigned date. As I continually told them, that's what make up days are for, all those situations you can't control.

One of the coolest moments of this trip thus far, in my opinion, was when a family of Spanish speakers came in. I was the first to talk to this group, as I tried to pull out my high school Spanish and failed terribly, our participant Robbie walked out. I didn't know that Robbie was fluent in Spanish, but as he started speaking to this family it became very clear. We all got to see something very cool happen as this family who explained they literally had no food got to go through the pantry, chat with Robbie, and get the groceries they so needed. As Robbie said later in the night, had we not been there, the two kids with them would not have eaten dinner. What a thought that is. If not for Love in Action and what they do, children would go to bed with empty stomachs. Robbie speaking Spanish and getting to have a real conversation with this family and help them out was such a blessing.

After our day at Love in Action we decided to go downtown to explore and eat dinner. We had the really great idea of taking a streetcar around to see what New Orleans had to offer…or so we thought. As we boarded the streetcar (a trolley on train tracks more or less) and took our seats we noticed it was a lot of locals. We then noticed the streetcar was taking us directly away from downtown and towards the house we are staying at, pretty much indicating this was a commuter streetcar. After a long ride that was much less scenic than we expected, we ended up in a cemetery and the conductor announced "Everyone off!" Now this was troublesome to us because we had paid our tickets already and expected to take this trolley directly back to where we had got on because that is where we were eating dinner and where our cars were parked. After some confusion and explaining we are from Missouri, we re-boarded the streetcar and got back to our start point. We then went to Deanie's, a local restaurant that serves potatoes instead of bread on the tables before dinner and got some authentic Cajun. All in all it was a good night. We then went home, had our reflections, and passed out, with the knowledge that tomorrow was our last day at Love in Action weighing heavy on our minds.

This morning we didn't have much of an issue getting out of bed because we were all excited to get back to Love in Action and put everything we had into our last day. We walked in with optimistic attitudes ready to work. We spent our day sorting, cleaning, and doing everything we possibly could to help Love In Action prepare for the coming week because the pantry does not actually serve customers on Fridays. Whether we were sorting clothes, spray painting coolers so they didn't look rusted, scrubbing freezers, or re stocking shelves, everyone was busy. We shared laughs with the workers who started as strangers at the beginning of the week, but are family now. We took in every moment and soaked in all the love and grace surrounding us in this amazing place that had become so much more than just a service site. I don't think I could even begin to put into words how much Love in Action has impacted each and every one of us on this trip, I can however say I don't think any of us will leave this week the same person we were coming into it.

The person who embodies Love in Action more than any other is Ms. Gail. This woman is everything everyone should strive to be. She knows every person who walks through the door by name. She showed us what it means to serve with a happy heart this week. Ms. Gail puts everything she has and more into this cause, this organization, and every person around her. I admire her in so many ways and I know I am not alone in that.

We all knew the clock was ticking and the end of the day was coming, but none of us wanted to accept it. Pretty soon Ms. Gail was telling us it was time to leave. There was this heavy feeling in the air, as we knew when we walked out those doors, it wasn't just for the night. The people we worked with had become family. The people we served had become family. We as a group had become family. This all happened because of Love In Action. The goodbye was tear filled to say the least.

As a group we keep talking about how we don't know how were going to convey to the people back in Columbia what this week, this organization, and these people all meant to us. How can you explain an experience that changed your heart in this way? I don't know if I'll ever be able to tell them exactly what Love in Action means to me, but I do know I can show them the love I felt in that place. I know I can keep Ms. Gail in the back of my mind and strive to be more like her in everything I do. I know I can carry this week in my heart, and I think that will convey what it meant more than anything else. As we drive away from New Orleans tomorrow and arrive home in Columbia, the week may be over, but the service is really just beginning.

Black Mountain - Homelessness & Poverty

Thursday March 31, 2016

            This morning, we scavenged for food as the supply of the food has diminished over the week. Coffee would have been nice, however, sadly it was forgotten on shopping day. After breakfast, we went to the pavilion and met with Ronnie and cleaned the pavilion to prepare for the annual fundraiser that helps the Black Mountain Home for Children. With the hard work and a overall great team effort we finished early and were able to play a friendly game of PIG (avocado) on the court for a little bit.

            Afterwards, we met up with Ronnie and went out to west campus to haul wood that he had chopped up. Near the end of the haul, there were very heavy logs left, and Lanya came up with a game to haul them to the side of the road. The game was a race in which Nick came in first (like always). After finishing up hauling the wood everyone came back to the lodge to eat lunch, and quickly passed out for an afternoon nap.

            After the naps, we met up with Rodney back up on the main campus in which we did some garden work that included pulling weeds and trimming shrubs. The garden was in memory of a man that was on the board of directors who had sadly passed away from cancer. While pulling the weeds the mountain weather turned for the worst on us and began to pour down rain. After that, we came back to the lodge for naptime part two. Once, we awoke Ronnie came over and made us some AMAZING grilled chicken and hamburgers that we smashed. Once we finished eating the delicious food he had a conversation with us about his experiences with Black Mountain and his incredible life story. Overall it was a great Thursday on what has already been an amazing trip on Black Mountain.

Deuces…